Myself and 2 sisters plan on celebrating a birthday (50th)in this area in September for 3 nights. Any help with this plan? Leave Fri. from Phila. area northbound on Rt. 9 with a quick stop at West Point, then onto Hyde Park to visit the FDR mansions and dinner at the Culinary Institute. Need a hotel for this area for the first night. Think we would also need to spend part of Sat. to finish touring the mansion. Then should we continue north and stay in Rhinebeck for Saturday night and possibly Sunday night or is one night enough? Are there any wineries in the area? Should we spend the first night further south near Sleepy Hollow or spend Sun. night further north? Thanks for your help!

http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepu...3hudson03.html
The above article appeared in this past Sunday's Arizona Republic; you may find it helpful.

You are about 3 hrs dirve form Phila. to West Point New York, The best way to go NJ turnpike to rt 80 to the Palisades pky right at FT Lee NJ just before the GWB take the Palisades parkway north to the Bear Mt turn circle follow signs for West Point rt 9w north to rt 218 . After you tour West Point the best route to take and you will pass 4 wineries this way one is of rt 9w north at the Cornwall exit for the Brotherhood winery IS one of the Countires oldest IT IS locaeted off rt 94 west in the town of Washingtonville about 8 miles from rt 9w noth Cornwall exit bear left to rt 32 to rt 94 west . On your way to the Hyde Park area it is best to go the rt 9w north to the Mid Hudson bridge. You will pass 3 wineries between Newburgh an the Mid Hudson Bridge I would stay north of Hyde park in the outskirts of the city of Pougkeepise on the rt 9D south lots of Hotels ,shopping and Restaurants.Make sure you Have a reservation at the CIA but ther is three place you can get something to eat without reservations afternoon only . A great place for brunch is the Beacmen Arms in Hyde Park. On you way home I would go over the Mid Hudson bridge back towards newburgh to rt 84 west 2 exits to the New York State Thruway rt 87 then take rt 287 to the NJ TURNPIKE OR TAKE RT 76 both are off Rt 287 a nice stop on the way home is at the Woodberry toll plaza the Woodberry Commons outlet stores very pouplar place #3 of NY state top tourist attractions. and ist right on you way home and open on Sunday . I live in this area and I work at West Point and i also graduated form the CIA so you have been given the best advice as posible good luck may be I will see you at the Point ciao

I live in the West Point area and I just wanted to post to let you know that due to tighter security measures at West Point visitors now have to take the bus tour that leaves from the visitor's center. You can no longer just drive in or walk in. The tour takes about an hour and they let you on and off at key sights. You also have to provide photo i.d before boarding the bus. I think it costs about $7.00 per adult. It used to be a wonderful place to take a walk. A friend and I used to go visit the army mules and feed them carrots.

Some Bad news You may find it diffcult get hotels in the area in September West Points Army football team has 4 home games in September Saturday Sept. 6,13,20&27 most of the hotels in a 40 mile radius sell out quick lots of alumni functions those weekends .You may want to visit West Point on your way home it will be a litte less crowded . or try to get in early on friday and out you will enter to West Point at the Highland Falls exit on 9w north /rt 218 The Visitors center is outside of Thayer gate if you pass the McDonalds you went too far .it is located in the town of Highland Falls right hand side keep to right at fork in rd stay on rt 218 not main street they run parell to each other.

The West Point Visitor Center is located on West Point Highway. Bear right as you pass Memorial Park on your left. You'll see the town clock, gazebo and fountain. Route 9 in Poughkeepsie (within a few miles of Hyde Park) has many chain hotels such as Holiday Inn, Econo Lodge, and Best Western.

I went to the Hudson Valley area 2 weeks ago for the first time to visit the Kykuit (FDR) estate.

I found this site very helpful: http://www.hudsonriver.com/index.html

It lists wineries and light houses.

We stayed at the Westchester (Tarrytown) Marriott. It was a 10-15 minute drive to the Philipsburg Manor where you park, buy tickets and take the bus to Kykuit. There were several large hotel chains in the immediate area and its right off the parkway.

We arrived at Philipsburg Manor around noon and had to wait several hours for the next available Kykuit Tour. We purchased the discounted Philipsburg admission ticket and walked around and hung out there to avoid giving up our parking space. The Manor was nice and we visited it all the areas where guides were giving mini tours. And we still had time to kill. I'm not sure if there is anything to do or see in walking distance from the Manor (and parking area) as possible back ups in case you do not get into Kykuit right away.

If fall is a popular travel time you may want to get an early start. The parking lot is very small and the over flow parking lot was even smaller. We had to circle around a few times for street parking.

I'd like to pass along our Kykuit experience it may help in your planning.

Kykuit was stunning! The tour guide was great, but I did feel a bit rushed in the 2.5 hour tour. I was disappointed that we could not spend more time in the garden, and there was no wandering allowed. By the time we made it to the rose garden will were really being moved along and it was not enough time to take it all in.

If you like gardens there is a 3P garden and sculpture tour. It was too late for us to do, but I would go back again. I would definetely do the house again because there is so much to see.

Just a note on the last post - Kykuit is not the FDR home, but rather a Rockefeller home. Springwood is the name of the FDR house in Hyde Park.

Sorry my mistake on estate initials. After awhile it gets hard to keep track of them all, FDR, JDR, ....

FYI, if you're thinking of staying in the Tarrytown/Sleepy Hollow area there is also a Hilton in Tarrytown in addition to the Marriott that was already mentioned.