Beyond the rocks: Rockland County, NY is a unique place to grow up

It’s not just a location

“Soo right outside Manhattan and across the bridge from Westchester, right?”

You no longer describe Rockland how you used to – a land named for all its rocks. Nowadays, we talk about all its alluring surroundings, the more prominent cities around it. But if you were one of the lucky ones to grow up swimming in the Hudson or biking through Tallman State Park, then you know where this accolade is going.

There are celebrities in your backyard

I will admit there is an absurd number of giant rocks in my backyard which all look like different sea creatures, but I can also say that Bill Murray lives next door and his son spilled apple juice on me in the second grade. Each of our backyards tells its tales – but we remember all of them. Walking to the bus stop every morning without Didi Conn and her two dogs by my side would be something out of the ordinary. Casual run-ins with Hayden Panettiere at the swim club and mentions of Al Pacino at community events were just everyday occurrences.

It’s right in the heart of 1776

Towns in Rockland are scenes straight out of the Revolutionary War, with street names and popular sites alluding to what created our county. A childhood favorite is restaurant The Old ’76 House, which is actually New York’s oldest tavern. I once enjoyed a caesar salad in front of the fire place, prepared in front of me by Benedict Arnold. To continue the old time trends, every year Tappan hosts Colonial Day where you can travel back in time and visit colonial America. To say the least, I can now shear a sheep and probably start my career as a blacksmith.

It’s everybody’s playground

I grew up swinging from trees and building huts in the woods, a grandiose excuse for a backyard. Skinned knees and dirt filled palms were signs of good days before running inside for supper. Not many can say that they can camp in their backyard without visibility of their own home, but we did and never thought much of it. To live in a place where the environment encourages imagination is incredible.

It’s just a tad scenic

Ferry boat rides from the docks off the Hudson, hikes up Bear Mountain on the weekends, and runs through Tallman Mountain State Park before the sunrise — sounds rather ideal, doesn’t it? You don’t need to travel far to find a spot like these in Rockland county, every road will lead you there.

It’s also kinda quaint

There is nothing like walking through the Nyack Street Fair on a Sunday, picking up homemade jewelry and the best food to eat as you walk through town. And of course, with a view of the Hudson at all angles. The sound of music from the sidewalk as conversing vendors become your new acquaintances defines the heart and soul of just one town in Rockland. Just one town over is nostalgic, little Piermont where you’ll find yourself never wanting to leave. The views from the pier with by far the best ice cream in town are beyond words.

And to clear things up

Though we are technically located in Upstate New York, saying such will bring up debate with those who live here. We take pride in being just far enough from New York City while also sharing their asset of not being part of Upstate New York. We’re just Rockland County and we think that’s enough.

And at the end of the day

Nothing outdoes our cotton candy skies and autumnal sunsets. When the clouds become a ruddy, golden color, all houses are warmed by the setting of the sun. And though we all may live on different streets in separate towns, we share one view at the end of the day.

We’re more than our surroundings

No matter where in Rockland, you’re happy to be there. Not “on the border of New Jersey” or “a train ride from Greenwich, CT”, but in the heart of adventure. A drive through Rockland and you’ll want to move in. I grew up in a town where these are the best stories, where the intrinsic, childhood shenanigans became life’s greatest memories.