We have friends who live in Yonkers, that would not be my first choice as a tourist destination.

I'd already check the close by hotels and they were booked (e.g. the Doubletree) so this morning I looked farther afield (e.g. to Westchester) and still nothing available. I'm sort of happy I still have the Yonkers place booked now.

Any other suggestions within say a half hour's drive from Tarrytown?

I'd already check the close by hotels and they were booked (e.g. the Doubletree) so this morning I looked farther afield (e.g. to Westchester) and still nothing available. I'm sort of happy I still have the Yonkers place booked now.

Any other suggestions within say a half hour's drive from Tarrytown?

Sorry for the double post. It's Saturday October 10th that we need the Tarrytown reservation.

Now I'm worried about the two nights in the Rhinebeck/Hyde park area (the 11th and 12th).

I'm going to move ahead and search for that. Suggestions?

Well, as it turned out Rhinebeck was easy. I called the Journey Inn to put my name on the cancellation list and Jennifer there gave me a great website www.hudsonvalleylodging.com. It shows everything local by availability/date. There were lots of small inns and B&Bs in the Rhinebeck area and I booked 2 nights at Barclay House B&B at Smythe House in Saugerties. I have no idea how nice a town Saugerties is but I thought I'd better snap it up.

Unfortunately, that website shows nothing in Tarrytown, so I'm still on the search there.

Problem solved! Phew! I just booked a night at the Hilton Garden Inn in Nanuet (near Nyack) which is just about a 15 minute drive from Tarrytown.

It's less expensive ($227+tax) and gives us a chance to visit Nyack too. We've stayed at Hilton Garden Inns before (just last month in Buffalo, in face) and they're generally clean, well-decorated and well run. So unless I hear anything from you about why this isn't a good idea, I'm going to cancel Yonkers.

What do you think about both this and Barclay B&B in Saugerties?

I wouldn't be hasty in canceling yet. I don't know the Nanuet area, but the Yonkers place is an easy drive and you don't have to deal with the Tappen Zee. They are both in industrial areas it seems. Was this a 2 night stay?

No, it was just a one night stay. Nanuet is just, it seems from the map, just near Nyack which we were likely going to explore anyway. And everyone got me antsy about Yonkers, including you:

"If I recall from past research that place in Yonkers is in a barren executive park wasteland with a couple of chain restaurants between the parkway and 9A. I believe you can do better. And don't trust random negative reviews."

I've never driven the Tappen Zee bridge. Are you thinking I should be concerned about traffic? If so, it's a Saturday and we'll be traveling in the afternoon, so I'm thinking there won't be rush hour to deal with.

As far as the, B&B in Saugerties goes, I did a bit more research and it gets fabulous reviews. And someone in one of those reviews called Saugerties "a hip little town". And we fodorites are nothing if not hip, right? ;)

Yes, I got you antsy, because I thought something closer would have been nicer. You've changed one industrial area for another. And yes it was traffic I was concerned for you about, but thought it was a 2 night stay so a lot of back and forth over the river. Personally, I'd keep whichever has the latest cancellation policy in case something more vacationey opens up. I am so looking forward to your trip report back. I think you will have a wonderful time during a lovely season.

Thanks, Ina. I don't mind the industrial area nature because Nanuet is closer to Nyack and more or less 'en route' anyway, whereas Yonkers takes us farther south and off route.

I think I must have gotten the very last room at the Hilton. I made my reservation on the phone and a few minutes later when I went in to look at the hotel on-line there were no rooms available for my date.

I can't wait to get this planning finished! Now I just need to book a hotel in Rochester and that should be fairly easy.

You should have no problems crossing the Tappan Zee Bridge on a Saturday.....unless, of course, there happens to be an accident. But, then, that could happen anywhere!

Even with the $5 toll on the bridge, I would pick that location over Yonkers.

It's a done deal for the cancellation and new booking.

Booking.com shows rooms available at the Tarrytown House, but they're more expensive.

Thank you, abram. I've checked Tarrytown House and yes, they do have rooms but they require a two-night stay. I've firmed up the Hilton Garden Inn at Nanuet and I think it will be fine. Even if it's not as charming a town, we'll just be using it for a jumping off point and spending most of the day and evening in Tarrytown.

OK, here's the new(ish) plan. There are certainly things we won't get to see because they're not open at the time we'll be there and this includes Innisfree and the CIA restaurants. We'll also be driving across the Hudson River at Poughkeepsie, not walking but I guess that doesn't change the view. Oh, well. As the Rolling Stones say, "You Can't Always Get What You Want".

Here goes:
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Hudson Valley DRAFT 5 FINAL

Day 1 Friday Oct 9: We start off from Toronto very early and drive Ithaca (under 5-hour drive). Get there by midday, explore the town and campus and stay overnight on Oct 9 (Homewood Suites/Hilton). Leave early the next morning.

Day 2 Saturday Oct 10: Drive to New Windsor/Storm King (about 3.5 hour drive). Get there mid-day or early afternoon. Storm King is open 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Leave Storm King late afternoon and drive to Nanuet, near Nyack, and check into hotel (Hilton Garden Inn). Drive to Tarrytown (less than ½ hour) for dinner and theatre (8 pm). Back to Nanuet for sleepover

Day 3 Sunday Oct 11: Check out of Nanuet hotel before 9 a.m. and drive to Tarrytown (about ½ hour drive) for 10:15 Kyuit tour. Lunch and explore in Tarrytown. (SO could play golf this aft if he wants to.)

Leave Tarrytown about 2 or 3 drive to Saugerties (about 1.5 hour drive). Crossover the Hudson at Poughkeepsie (driving, not walking) and continue up the west side north to Saugerties. Check in to b&b (Barclay Heights – Smythe House) Explore Rhinebeck, have dinner. (sleepover at Barclay Heights Sunday night and Monday night)

Day 4 Monday Oct 12 & Day 5 Tuesday Oct 13: Rhinebeck/Hyde Park
On Monday, tour Valkil, DR House & Library & Vanderbilt Mansion -- this will take all day because you have to go by their schedule. Dinner in Rhinebeck and back to Barclay House for sleepover.
On Tuesday, check out of Barclay House about 8 a.m. and drive to Rochester (about 4.5 hours)

Day 5 Tuesday October 13: Arrive in Rochester midday. Spend afternoon and evening in Rochester. Do stuff (as yet unknown) and sleepover need Rochester hotel). Leave Rochester Wednesday afternoon, drive home (about 3 hours).

Arrive home dinner time, Wednesday Day 6 October 14.
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In planning a trip like this, I'm nervous that I'll leave us without a place to sleep one night. I have a tendency to say "OK, we'll check out of X on Tuesday and check into Y on Wednesday" without realizing that leaves us no place to sleep on Tuesday night. I've really had to keep my eye on that with this trip and have had to correct it several times, so if you've noticed that I've made that error, please let me know.

Thanks again for your patience and suggestions.
gtg

I'm wondering why you are not staying in Rhinebeck instead of Saugerties? They are only about 30 minutes apart I think, Saugerties is a nice enough town but since your sites are closer to Rhinebeck seems easier.

I think I couldn't get anything in Rhinebeck, yestravel (although it's hard to remember now). Lots of places are all booked up because it's leaf-peeping time and Columbus Day weekend for you guys and Thanksgiving weekend for us. We'll still spend most of our awake hours in Rhinebeck.

Your final draft looks good. Too bad you can't fit Innisfree Gardens into your schedule. Oh well, next time!

Thanks, Howard. Sure, we have to leave a couple of things to come back for, right?

And thanks again to everyone!

Have a great trip! Let us know how it goes.

Thanks so much. And now that I have an outline, it will be easier to write a trip report.