Husdson River Valley
 

We will be driving up the Hudson shortly and we have two nights available. Where are good locations for those nights? One or two towns? What are the four places not be be missed between NYC and Albany? Is it best to cross at the George Washington Bridge and travel on the west side during the first part of the trip? Your suggestions will be welcome as two days is a very limited time to spend in the area.

Louis: <BR>I like the towns of Hyde Park (FDR's Homestead and Culinary Institute of America call now for a dinner resevation) and the town of Rhinebeck. I would travel up the NY side of the Hudson (Palisades Parkway to Bear Mountain Bridge, left route 9D to end then route 9. It goes through all the small towns between West Point and Albany. Though I think Rhinebeck is far enough up Albany seems far for just two nights. Enjoy!

I would recommend driving up the west side of the Hudson past the GW Bridge and make your first stop Kykuit, the Roosevelt Estate in Pocantico Hills (next to Tarrytown and Sleepy Hollow). The site has 2-hour tours of the mansion throughout the day. Also, at 3 p.m. Monday thru Friday, they offer a 2-hour tour of the estate's magnificent gardens. Would recommend advanced reservations for the garden tour (914-631-9491). <BR>As previously mentioned, Hyde Park is another worthwhile stop. In addition to the sites there previously mentioned, there is also the Vanderbilt Mansion, which is very close the FDR's home. <BR>Check out these two websites for other info on the many, any wonderful sites in the Hudson valley: <BR>hvnet.com <BR>hudsonvalley.org <BR>I would also include West Point as another stop.

The suggestions so far have been very helpful. We are flying to NYC from San Diego where we will spend a week and the reason we will be driving as far north as Albany is that we are traveling to Maine where my wife will pay her last repects to her sister who recently left us. I thought my wife would enjoy the Hudson River Valley as she has never been there. Albany seemed to be about the best place to cut over towards Maine. We will leave the car at Portland on the way home. I have looked at much of the material on the web about the area and unfortunately there is too much information. It is hard to plan a trip in the area with only a few days available. I was thinking off staying the first night around Poughkeepsie or Hyde Park and even perhaps to stay a second night to have more time to explore. We would like to find a place to stay that has a wonderful outlook over the Husdon. Does anybody have any suggestions or comments? The third night we might stay some place in Vermont such as Bennington or Brattleboro. Thanks for the great help received so far.

Louis: <BR>You might want to consider making you way through on from NYS Thruway to Interstate 84 through CT and up route 5 through Vermont to Maine. The trip from Albany would be too far west at that point. CT and VT have so many sights and beautiful B&Bs. Route 5 also runs along a local route (Whose number I can not remember.) There are not too many nice places to stay in Poughkeepsie. On limited time it might be nicer this way. Hope this helps.

Louis, <BR> <BR>I know the inns in the area well because when we were looking for a place to buy up there we stayed in different places each nite over 10 or so nites. There is a B&B called Belvedere just south of Rhinebeck on Rt. 9. The main house is a mansion from the mid 1800's. There is a room on the top floor facing the river that has very nice views. If you bood there be sure to reserve that room. <BR> <BR>I would also recommend Innisfree. It's a beautiful garden just off 44 near Milbrook. There is also another B&B mansion in Red Hook just north of 199, one block west of 9 which is nice, but no views. For a romantic but expensive place, there is a B&B in Rhinebeck, about 1 mile south of the town, a few blocks to the east of 9, but I can't remember the name. Definetly the most interesting of the places mentioned as far as the rooms are concerned. <BR> <BR>Hyde Park is great for the Roosevelt, Vanderbilt estates and CIA but the only places to stay there as far as I know are the run of the mill motels. Poughkeepsie has a nice hotel, can't remember the name, but it's "by the falls". There are probably some nice B&B's in Poughkeepsie, although the town, unfortunately, is run down. The area around Vassar is nice though. The town of Kinderhook also has nice B&B's. <BR> <BR>The places to see would be West Point, Hyde Park estates, Innisfree, Kykuit, Montgomery Place (the drive on River Road is magnificent), and Poets Walk near Montgomery Place for nice easy hike. <BR> <BR>Hope you enjoy the trip. <BR> <BR>

Steve your comments on B&B's is most welcome. It is beginning to appear that someplace like the

Darn, I meant to hit the down arrow and hit the post reply area instead. As I was saying, it would appear it might be best to stay for at least two nights near Rhinebeck and concentrate on the areas around there. Does anybody have any comments? We will be traveling north on a Friday September 29. Due to the weekend, will most places in the Hudson Valley be fully booked? We like to travel with minimum constraints but this may be a time when reservations are highly advised. Again comments are welcome.

Since it won't be peak foliage season yet, you should be able to find a place to stay for the end of September, However, I'd start checking now. <BR>One correction on my previous posting: The Kykuit is the Rockefeller estate, not Roosevelt. Sorry for the typo.

The weekend you're thinking of traveling is the beginning of the peak foliage season. It's a great time to visit, but sad to say, it will be difficult to find a place at the last minute. You might be able to find a motel, but not anything with much character. If you are hung up there is a decent motel on Rt. 9 around 1 mile south of the intersection of 9 and 308. Pretty inexpensive too.

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Hi there, just want to put in my 2 cents worth. I am from Poughkeepsie, lived there for 23 years and got out as soon as I could. I would not recommend staying in Poughkeepsie. As previously mentioned, it is pretty run down and doesn't offer anything too scenic. They don't call it "the little apple" for nothing. Too city-like. Definetely stay in Rhinebeck. It is a quaint, historic area that offers scenic views from almost anywhere you stay. If money is no object call The Beekman Arms. It is spendy but easily THE nicest place to stay in the Hudson Valley. It one of the oldest continuously operating Inns in the country. It is in the middle of Rhinebeck but an easy walk to the river and has lots of cute shops all around it. It is very historic and if you like antique shops, spend an afternoon here. Have fun!

Hi, <BR> <BR>I think you should definitely plan to spend some time on your drive from NYC in the Tarrytown area (Westchester County) - East side of the Hudson, just north of NYC. Lyndhurst, the estate formerly owned by Jay Gould is there. Just south in Irvington is Sunnyside, Washington Irving's home. Just north of Tarrytown in Sleepy Hollow is Phillipse Manor, a colonial mill. Across the street from that is the Old Dutch Church and Burying Grounds. The Church is over 300 years old and is mentioned in Irving's Legend of Sleepy Hollow (Headless Horseman) story. Tarrytown's Main Street has some nice antique shops. And there is a public park right next to the Hudson River.

Hi Louis: I have read your many informative posts on the caribbean. We live in the above area near Sunnyside etc. I think you would really enjoy these sites us. Every time we visit it transports us back in time. The grounds are beautiful at all thes sites.I love Sunnyside etc. They are all only a few miles apart. I believe there is a website to tell you about each. You could spent as little or as much time at each place,your personal choice.You do have limited time but these stops are very close to NYC and on the way to Rhinebeck. The Hudson Valley is a wonderful this time of year. You will enjoy.

Howard, Annie, Steve, Kristine, Heather, Penny and me: <BR> <BR>Thank you so much for the wealth of information and suggestions that you have given me. You have provided the extra details that I needed to sort through the material I alreadly have. All I can hope for now is sunny days. <BR> <BR>Everybody, have a grand Labor Day weekend. <BR> <BR>Louis Dameson San Diego <BR> <BR> <BR>

Louis, a postscript to the info about Kykuit: I just found out that they only give the outdoor (i.e., garden) tour once a day, Monday thru Friday at 3 p.m. and not at all on weekends. The house tour is given continuously all seven days. Either tour is good, but I'm partial to the ourdoor one, while my wife favors the indoor one. So, take your pick (or do both on afternoons weekdays!).

<BR>upupupupupupupupupu

Having grown up in the Hudson Valley, I have to cast my vote for Woodstock & Saugerties. These villages offer some great shops in a peaceful atmosphere. (Krause's candy shop in Saugerties is the best). <BR> <BR>For a completely unbiased opinion check out the following: <BR> <BR>www.go-hudsonvalley.com <BR>www.hudsonvalley.org <BR>www.enjoyhv.com

New Paltz, New Paltz, New Paltz.