I got a great deal on Skybus into Newburgh. We will spend a few days in New York City then want to rent a car and explore the Hudson River Valley before we fly home.

Can you please recommend some places to visit in the Hudson River Valley.We will be there in June for two days.

Love history, nature, countryside.

Nice list of things to do and see here:

http://www.hvnet.com/

It's a beautiful place to visit...

Another good website is hudsonvaley.org

that would be hudsonvalley.org, with info about several of the historic estates in the area.

Sites:
East Side of Hudson River
- Mansions/estates, from Westchester cty north to Rockefeller & others in Dutchess county
- Culinary Institute of America for dinner, in Hyde Park
- Rhinebeck for antiques & shopping
- Dia/Beacon art museum (large scale modern art)
- Dinner in Cold Spring (Cathryn's Tuscan Grill is my fav)
- Hiking in Cold Spring or Beacon


West side of Hudson river
- West Point/USMA
- Stormkill Mtn art/sculpture
- Hiking / rock climbing in the 'Gunks, just west of New Paltz
- Hiking in Bear Mtn State Park

My favorite towns are Rhinebeck & Red Hook which have great inns, stores and restaurants. There is a fairground in Rhinebeck with a good crafts fair ar the end of June. Nearby are several great historic mansions (Vanderbilt, Mills , Wilderstein, Springwood/FDR) to tour with great river views. The Culinary Institute of America and its restaurants nearby in Hyde Park.

Thanks, ipod for correcting my typo.
I second your recommendation of Cathryn's Tuscan Grill....one of our favorites, especially its outside dining in the summer. Also, second your recommendation of Dia/Beacon, a true gem!
Kykuit, the Rockefeller estate in Pocantico Hills (near Tarrytown) is our favorite mansion, but it's closed during the winter. However, there's still lots to see in the Hudson Valley. FDR's home and museum and the Vanderbilt Mansion make for a great day trip to Hyde Park, with time left over for other sites.

Hello wlbox, two days is not that long to see the hudson valley. Kind of depends on what your interests are? You mention history. West Point United States Military Academy I work there and have lived in the area for over 10 years retired military. West Point is gorgeous great views of the hudson valley/river from trophy point and the museum outside of post is nice you just have to go through a security check to get on post in June the Cadets will be gone. You also have vanderbilt and mills mansion north of poughkeepsie 30 min drive from newburgh, cold spring is great for antique shops, also hiking bear mountain, doodletown (old ghost town) mount taurus, beacon incline railway, etc if you would like specifics give a yell. Also a beautiful damn south of newburgh(croton) and rockwood an old rockefeller preserve unfortunately the mansion is gone just the fondation is left but beautiful views of the hudson. Too much to list but all of these places are with 1 hour of newburgh

One of our favorite spots is Storm King which is an expansive outdoor sculpture park, more than a garden, with Naguchis, Nevelsons, and Moores.

www.stormking.org/

Ah, yes, Storm King is indeed an A-list destination in the Lower Hudson Valley. Don't forget Calder's nams in the list of sculptors whose work is on display in this outdoor wonderland.
One key question to OP: When is your trip? The answer will influence the final recomendations.

Mohonk Mountain House
New Paltz, New York
Beautiful and expensive

www.mohonk.com

Definitely plan for a meal at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park. A check of their website will display the different resturants they have and their specialties. We had dinner about a year ago at the St. Andrews Cafe and while we felt perfectly comfortable going there in our slacks and sweaters, we were treated as if we were in a 4-star restaurant. The dining room was lovely; the service was excellent; the food was perfect and the prices were so reasonable.

HowardR, The original poster wrote that his/her trip will be "in June for two days" so many of the suggestions we have all made will be fine for that time

Dinner at CIA and a room at Beekman Arms, in Rhinebeck (one of the many Inns that claim to be America;s oldest) would make for a grand evening!