Fall colors in N.Y.
 

We will be in Westchester, N.Y. the week of Oct.20-27. Will we be too late? Someone told us that it has been very warm with some rain so the colors will be later this year? <BR> Thanks

That should be just about right for the good foliage. And if it's not quite at its peak, it's a simple matter to drive further north in the Hudson Valley.

The colors in Albany (about 2 hours north of Westchester) are just starting to really come on now. The weather has been just gorgeous - 83 degrees here the past two days. But this weekend, temps are going way down and our first frost will be Monday or Tuesday. Hard to say whether the foliage will still be intact by that time; really depends on the weather.

I travel on the Palisades Interstate Parkway everyday and the leaves are just beginning to change color...(The parkway runs from Fort Lee, New Jersey to Bear Mountain State Park in Rockland County, New York)...It looks like you may very well see them peak in Rockland and Orange counties anyway...May I suggest Sunday Brunch at the Bear Mountain Inn or at the Thayer Hotel right inside the West Point Military Academy gate (only a couple of miles from Bear Mountain)...West Point offers fabulous views of the fall foliage along the Hudson...

We will be visiting West Point and staying at the Thayer Oct. 15-16. Glad to here that the view is nice. We plan to take the train from Grand Central to Cold Springs. Will that be a scenic ride?

Becky, yes! <BR>The foliage should be good while you're there.

And how are you going to get from Cold Spring to west Point, Becky? It is a looooooong walk.

Taxi, I hope. That is what the office at West Pont said to do. We are flying into LGA, and out of Stuart, and don't want a car while we are in the city. They said there are no car rentals in Cold Springs. Please share a better suggestion, if there is one!

Short Line Bus Company runs a bus there from Port Authority 3-4 times a day. It takes a little more than 2 hours, costs about $14 (one way) and stops at three places in West Point including the Thayer gate. Their web site is http://www.shortlinebus.com/. The ride is very scenic when the leaves are changing but the ride on Metro North along the Hudson is great as well. Hope this helps. Enjoy!

You can see West Point from Cold Spring. Shouldn't be too long of a taxi ride. We're going to Rhinebeck on the weekend of the 27th of Oct. Can't wait!!! The fall foliage is sooooo beautiful! Love it up there.

minbrooklyn, you may be a little late to catch the peak foliage in Rhinebeck at the end of the month. We were up there last weekend, and it was already near peak. You might want to switch your destination a little south in the Hudson Valley.

Thanks, Howard. We've been going for years at about the same time. We drive from NYC up through the Hudson Valley. Really love it. We like being up there near Halloween :-) (get to see the carved pumpkin display at the Beekman Arms). <BR>

minbrooklyn, may I suggest a stop at the Storm King Arts Center to see the Calder sculptures. It's particularly beautiful this time of the year with the foliage as a backdrop!

Minibrooklyn-Can you tell me where the Beekman Arms is located? I'll be in the Rhinebeck area this weekend and would like to see it! <BR>Thanks, <BR>Tracey

Tracey, you can't miss the Beekman Arms. It's on Route 9, right in the center at the traffic light at the corner of Market Street. (I think that's the name of the cross street.) Regardless, you can't miss the hotel.

Need help with B&B in Rhinebeck for this weekend. I know it's a short notice. Can anybody recommend any B&B or small inns in the area? Thanks.

Call 518-537-4277 and ask for Linda. She's the clearinghouse for available B & Bs in the area. <BR>However, I must warn you in advance that your chances at this late date are slim. <BR>If you can't find anything there, you might try calling 800-MARRIOTT, as there are some Courtyards, etc., in the area. True, they aren't B & Bs, but you may not have a choice! <BR>We faced a similar situation a couple weeks ago and ended up staying at a Court in Fishkill which is 30 miles south of Rhinebeck....but, a lovely ride! There's also a Courtyard in Poughkeepsie, which is closer.

Just back from first trip to the Hudson Valley--it is so beautiful! We were at West point and had limited time for side trips, but we did end up driving to Hyde Park. The grounds of the Roosevelt and Vanderbilt homes are open until sunset. The Vanderbilt estate was especially nice for a nice walk or jog along the river with gorgeous views, or for watching the sunset from the overlook area just before the estate exit.

Thanks Howard. Almost all of B&B's are booked up for this weekend. I think I have a better of chance on finding an availability for the next weekend (still slim chance tho). But I'm afraid it would be too late for Fall Foliage. Can someone recommend any nice B&B's? (Forget about Beekman Arms..all booked up way in advance) There're a lot of them that dont have websites and I dont want to risk booking it. Thanks alot.

Jenny, did you try that 518 number? As I previously said, we, too, had no luck with B&Bs and couple weekends ago and were disappointed at first. However, we still ended up having great time though staying at a "mundane" motel chain!

If you go next weekend you won't miss fall colors. Try Howard's number. There are many b&bs. Chains are not the worst resort, we've stayed at the Hilton in Tarrytown, had eggs benedict in the room. Great place to see sites like Washington Irving's home (Sunnyside), the old Dutch cemetery (wonderful in Fall), the church with the Matisse and Chagall stained glass, the Rockefeller's estate (Kykuit--open for tours until end of Oct I think, call ahead for tickets for this, they take you on buses up to the estate from where the Mill is). Lyndehurst too. <BR> <BR>Also, Edison's house in Poughkeepsie is fun to take a tour of, nice view and take a walk around the estate. <BR> <BR>Just driving around the Hudson Valley in the fall is wonderful. Can't wait to go next weekend. It is true the hotels and B&Bs book sometimes months ahead. It's so close to NYC.

Howard, thanks for the Storm King suggestion. I'm a Calder fan, so that's a great idea. I was thinking what we could do a little different this time around. :-)

Minbrook, if you're a Calder fan, then you'll love walking around the Storm King property viewing the many Calder sculptures. You'll easily spend at least half a day there. And with the foliage as a background, it'll be an added feast for the eyes (and the soul). Bring your camera!

PS: Minbrooklyn (sorry for shortening your name in the last post!), you are so right about the sights around Tarrytown, especially Kykuit. We put that at the very top of the must-see list of recommendations when people come to visit.

We finally booked for B&B in Rhinebeck for next weekend. I'm so excited and can't wait. All the things you have mentioned, seemed like a lot to do for the weekends. What's a MUST SEE, not to miss since this's our first time there? Roosevelt Home? Vanderbilt Mansion? Also, where're the good spots to take picture of the Fall Foilage? :-)By the way, where's Storm King Arts Center? I heard that Taconic Parkway has a better scene than NY Thruway. Is that the best way to drive up from NYC?Thanks for all your help.

Jenny, as for sites/sights to see in the Rhinebeck area, there's the Roosevelt Home and Museum (especially the latter) and the Vanderbilt Mansion in Hyde Park; the Aerodrome, which offers an airshow featuring old airplanes on weekend afternoons in Rhinebeck; Montgomery Place in Annandale (just north of Rhinebeck), an beautiful old mansion and property with some magnificent views of the Hudson. <BR>For dinner, I recommend Foster's in Rhinebeck. It's across the street from the Beekman Arms. It has good food at decent prices. I don't think they take reservations. Don't be discouraged if there are people waiting for tables when you get there. The turnover is fast. The restaurant the Beekman Arms (which is more expensive) is also very good. <BR>The Storm King Art Center is about 50 miles south of Rhinebeck in the town of Mountainville on Route 32, just south of Newburgh (near Exit 16 on the NY Thruway). Perhaps you can stop there on the way up or back. <BR>You are correct about the Taconic. While the Thruway isn't bad for a major highway, the Taconic is much prettier, as is Route 9W. <BR>

Any other suggestions?