ideas for short stay this summer in Hudson River valley or Western Mass.?
May 20th, 2012, 06:46 AM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 425
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
ideas for short stay this summer in Hudson River valley or Western Mass.?
Looks like we will be flying into Albany on a Friday night in July and flying out on Sunday, so we were looking for a nice place to stay a couple of nights and maybe something fun to do on Saturday.
We have a family get together in the Berkshires on Sunday, so someplace around there would be fine, or at least not too far away.
We'll be a couple plus an elementary school-aged child and possibly a grandparent. We like being outdoors (hiking, etc.), aren't big fans of B&Bs, and have some general familiarity with the area. However, I seem to be drawing a blank on where would be a good place to stay, and how to spend our free day.
Any suggestions would be appreciated!
We have a family get together in the Berkshires on Sunday, so someplace around there would be fine, or at least not too far away.
We'll be a couple plus an elementary school-aged child and possibly a grandparent. We like being outdoors (hiking, etc.), aren't big fans of B&Bs, and have some general familiarity with the area. However, I seem to be drawing a blank on where would be a good place to stay, and how to spend our free day.
Any suggestions would be appreciated!
May 21st, 2012, 05:33 AM
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 425
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Thanks for the suggestions!
Orchard Hotel looks like a good possibility (Mohonk Mtn. is a little out of our price range, and I think Lake George is a little too far away from the Berkshires).
Orchard Hotel looks like a good possibility (Mohonk Mtn. is a little out of our price range, and I think Lake George is a little too far away from the Berkshires).
May 21st, 2012, 07:42 AM
#6
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 16,715
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The Berkshires is a pretty big area. Where's the family event? The Red Lion Inn in Stockbridge, Mass. is popular. Great Barrington is another popular place to stay. BashBish falls is one idea for your day. http://www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/western/bash.htm The Tanglewood music festival is another idea or Jacob's Pillow. http://www.bso.org/ http://www.jacobspillow.org/ If you stay in Williamstown, there's the theater there. http://wtfestival.org/
May 21st, 2012, 07:46 AM
#7
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 10,169
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
You will need to reserve soon anywhere within striking range of Tanglewood: Stockbridge, Great Barrington, Lee. Great Barrington is the largest of the nice towns and has the best variety of things to do and places to eat. Get a really good local atlas and get off the main roads, often packed, onto the wonderful network of back roads. Bash Bish falls is a good rec. The Hancock Shaker Village is also a really interesting place.
May 21st, 2012, 08:51 AM
#8
Join Date: Aug 2003
Posts: 1,574
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Would you be interested in Rhinebeck, NY & Hyde Park, NY? There wouldn't be hiking opportunities, but if you like history, you couldltour FDR's home & Eleanor's home (Valkill), both located in Hyde Park. You could have a delicious dinner at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park. Rhinebeck is pretty & a nice stop for lunch & browsing shops. Depending on where in the Berkshires your family event is located, you could also tour West Point (although it's further away).
There are hiking trails all throughout the Berkshires. If you have rainy weather, there are several nice museums, such as Norman Rockwell's museum in Stockbridge, the Berkshire Museum in Pittsfield, & two art museums in Williamstown & No. Adams, if you like museums, & these are good ideas for rainy weather.
There are hiking trails all throughout the Berkshires. If you have rainy weather, there are several nice museums, such as Norman Rockwell's museum in Stockbridge, the Berkshire Museum in Pittsfield, & two art museums in Williamstown & No. Adams, if you like museums, & these are good ideas for rainy weather.
May 21st, 2012, 09:35 AM
#9
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 11,983
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
There are plenty of hiking opportunities near Rhinebeck or Hyde Park. Not your 10+ mile deep woods hiking, but plenty of shorter trails. If you end up in that area just post back and we can chime in.
May 21st, 2012, 10:03 AM
#10
I agree it's best to narrow your stay down to an area of the Berkshires your gathering will be in. I love Bash Bish, but equally love the drive up Mt. Greylock and the wonderful 3 state views from the top!
I love the suggestion too of getting a County map and getting off the main roads. You can go from Stockbridge to Lenox, for instance, without ever touching rte 7. You miss the shops, but the scenery is lovely, and most of it is just a two lane road. (turn and head up near the Mission House in Stockbridge, and you end up at the Main Street memorial where the 3 highways intersect making a triangle, in Lenox. )
LOL I still can hardly get over Gt. Barrington being considered a nice town! Growing up there sooo many years ago, most of the county looked down their noses at GB and Lee!
. It was like, "ewww, get through there as fast as possible". Happily, those two towns grew in the right direction!
I love the suggestion too of getting a County map and getting off the main roads. You can go from Stockbridge to Lenox, for instance, without ever touching rte 7. You miss the shops, but the scenery is lovely, and most of it is just a two lane road. (turn and head up near the Mission House in Stockbridge, and you end up at the Main Street memorial where the 3 highways intersect making a triangle, in Lenox. )
LOL I still can hardly get over Gt. Barrington being considered a nice town! Growing up there sooo many years ago, most of the county looked down their noses at GB and Lee!
. It was like, "ewww, get through there as fast as possible". Happily, those two towns grew in the right direction!
May 21st, 2012, 04:04 PM
#12
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 425
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Thanks for the additional thoughts. The family gathering will be around Stockbridge. We don't need to stay in the immediate neighborhood (since we are flying out after the event, not returning to the hotel) but I would prefer to be within 45-60 mins away. I had Rhinebeck in the back of my head when I posted the thread title but I guess it might be a little further away than that.
May 23rd, 2012, 06:04 AM
#14
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 2,552
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Saratoga Springs has lots to do - but it's half an hour north of Albany (straight up I-87, so an easy drive, not nearly as far as Lake George).
I was also going to suggest Rhinebeck/New Hyde Park. And Woodstock/New Paltz for good hiking and cute towns; if you're interested in the area around Mohonk Mountain House but don't want to stay there, definitely look at New Paltz! (We like to park down the hill from the MMH and then hike around the lake there.)
You also could head into Vermont to Bennington as mclaurie suggested, or Manchester...
I was also going to suggest Rhinebeck/New Hyde Park. And Woodstock/New Paltz for good hiking and cute towns; if you're interested in the area around Mohonk Mountain House but don't want to stay there, definitely look at New Paltz! (We like to park down the hill from the MMH and then hike around the lake there.)
You also could head into Vermont to Bennington as mclaurie suggested, or Manchester...
