Culinary Institute, Hyde Park, NY
 

We are excited about visiting the Culinary Institute in Hyde Park. We thought we would wait in line for lunch at the Apple Pie Cafe. Is the line usually very long? How much time should we plan to spend on the grounds after lunch? We are not ;planning to do the FDR or Vanderbilt estates. BUT.... How far away is Rhinebeck? Worth the ride? We were told that there is a wonderful walkway over the Hudson. ? THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR INPUT AND TIME! sandy

We had lunch at the Apple Pie Cafe a year ago - fantastic food. We probably waited about a half hour at the height of lunch.

Rhinebeck is a very charming small town about 10 mikes north of Hyde Park.

The walkway over the Hudson is around Poughkeepsie, about 7 miles south of Hyde Park. We very much enjoyed the walk (and the historical signs and markers along the way): http://www.walkway.org/

I went to Olana last month are really loved it; so pretty.

We went to Olana too - great place if you live architecture, old houses, fabulous views, quirky people

In my experience the line at apple pie is longer on Saturday, and shorter the rest of the week.

sf has the distance/times down correct. They are all very close indeed.