Need help with Hudson River Valley Trip
 

Hi,
I need some suggestions for places to stay and eat. I'm also wondering if we should pick two places to stay, one lower and one upper for bases of touring. Really open to suggestions.

We will start out from Stewart airport in Newburgh on Sat am July 25. We've got 5 days and then head to Cape Cod to meet up with friends.

Things of interest to us (also open for suggestions) in no particular order:
Washingtons' Headquarters - Newburgh
Kykuit - Tarrytown - Ok, most of the tourist things listed in Tarrytown in the Fodors Guide
Manitoga (Russel Wright) - Garrison
Chuang Yen Monastery - Carmel
Hudson River Maritime Museum - Kingston
Eleanor Roosevelt - Valkill - & Franklin D. Roosevelt - Vanderbuilt Mansion - Hyde Park
Visiting some Wineries - Hiking - Maybe a river cruise trip - just soaking up the ambiance - maybe shopping of local made things

Prefer smaller places to stay like inns or B&B that have less than 20 rooms ($100-$350. depending on the place)

Had previously got suggestions to eat at CIA restaurants but they will be closed the time frame we are in town.

Really excited about seeing this part of the country.
Thanks a lot.
Laurie

I think you have more than 5 days activities/stops and travel here. If you look at a map, you'll see Kykuit is considerably south of the airport and all the other stops. If you definitely want to see it, go there first. If you wanted to stay in one location, Poughkeepsie area seems logical. If you want 2 locations, Beacon would work for the southern stops and there are several good restaurants & inns & b & b's there. Mt. Beacon gets good reviews. http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Rev..._New_York.html If you stay there, DIA Beacon is worth a visit. http://www.diabeacon.org/

For the northern stops, look at Rhinebeck. http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Rev..._New_York.html

Have you thought about a visit to West Point and maybe lunch at the Thayer Hotel?

The definites (in no particular order):

*Kykuit
*West Point
*FDR's home and museum
*Valkill
*Vanderbilt Mansion
*Olana (Victorian estate of artist Frederic Church in Hudson)
*Storm King Art Center (a magnificent sculpture garden in a multi-hundred-acre site in Mountainville, featuring works of some of the greatest sculptors including Calder, Nevelson and Moore)
*DIA: Beacon (a wonderful gallery housed in an old Nabisco factory!)

There are some very pleasant river cruises of not-too-long duration leaving from Newburgh and Kingston.

Thanks for the replies so far.
Mclaurie, I love the links to the B&B's you posted. They are right up my alley. I did a "Mapquest" from the airport to Kykuit and it said it was about 41 miles away. Is that not correct? It listed the driving time as about 1 hours and 2 minutes. I always take the info off there with a grain of salt. Will the drive be considerably longer in time?

Charsuzan - as Mclaurie pointed out, I do have a lot of things already on my list and I have to be discerning. I know for many people West Point is certainly a "not miss" For me, I'm sure I would be glad I went but it is not a priority.

Howard - I love that you listed your definites. Olana is one I forgot to put down on my post. Storm King Art Center looks very good too!

Does anyone else have feedback on driving times and moving from lodging to lodging? I don't want to try to shove too much in.

I figure we should end up "near" the interstate 90 so we can head to Cape Cod.

That driving time from Stewart is correct.
(PS: On second thought, I agree with you about West Point. Though certainly worth your time, I wouldn't put at the top of my list!)
Storm King is indeed a wonderful experience. It's one of our top destinations in the whole Hudson Valley.

Great, thanks Howard. How much time do you think we need at Kykuit? Can you recommend any place to stay in the area?
Thanks.

Nothing to add about the sights as others have given you good info.

Depending on where you end up staying I can give you recs on restaurants the stretch on/near Rt 9 from Cold Spring north to Rhinebeck.

You have a choice of tours at Kykuit. Do a google search for Kykuit and you'll see your options. I would recommend the combination tour, i.e., the interior of the mansion and the exterior. So, you're talking of at least 2-3 hours. But, it'll be time well spent. I think it's best of the mansions in the Hudson Valley.
As for places to stay, you have many nearby options in Tarrytown--both a regular Marriott and a Courtyard, plus aSheraton, Springhill Suites, Doubletree, etc.

If you want a spectacular place to stay in Tarrytown, here it is:

http://www.castleonthehudsonhotel.com/

Deb

I meant to include that are withing you budget and they have packages which include Kykuit Tour:

QUADRICENTENNIAL CELEBRATION PACKAGE
Package includes One night Accommodation, Three-Course Prix Fixe Dinner for Two in the Award Winning Equus Restaurant, and Continental Breakfast for Two with the option of In-Room dining. Two Adult admission tickets to Kykuit for the three hour Grand Tour along with a gift bag that includes a hard copy of the book: The Rockefeller Family Home: Kykuit.

Deb

I would suggest that you consider the Boscobel Restoration (http://www.boscobel.org/), a Federalist-era mansion with a magnificent view down the Hudson (including West Point from afar) towards the Bear Mountain Bridge. You might want to take in an evening performance by the Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival (http://hvshakespeare.org/), held in a large tent on the grounds at Boscobel.

I didn't include Castle on the Hudson in my list of Tarrytown hotels, as it is very, very expensive. By all means, if you can afford it, stay there. The place, including the Equus Restaurant, is quite elegant.

PS: Yes, Boscobel is a "worthy" site. I put it just below the half dozen sites I previously mentioned. And yes, it's view of the Hudson is excellent.

I was just pointing out that all your other stops are north of the airport and Kykuit is not. Fwiw, I prefer using maps.google.com for directions vs mapquest.

Here's a page from the Kykuit website that lists nearby accomodations. http://www.hudsonvalley.org/content/view/87/152/
But given your schedule, I'd try to head north on the first day after Kykuit. I still think Beacon is a good base.

West Point and Storm King would be convenient to do right upon arrival as they are directly south of & very close to Stewart airport.

To minimize back and forth this is the order I'd visit

day 1 Arrive SWF
Storm King Art Center
West Point
Kykuit (probably move to day 2 depending on arrival time)
Overnight in Tarrytown area at one of the chain hotels listed above.

Day 2+
See what you want to in Tarrytown
Drive north - & continue as you wish.

Personally I think Rhinebeck is a better base than Beacon. You have better access to hiking near New Paltz, cruise out of Kingston, and mansions in Hyde Park area, wineries like Millbrook, plus Rhinebeck itself is a nice little town. Beacon is really a dumpy little town that's seen better days - some regentrification has underway due to access to trains to NYC but it's slowed down due to the economy.

I so preferred Valkill over the Hyde Park "Mansion"

Wander around Hudson if you like antiques

I really appreciate every one of your posts. Geez, it all looks so good! I looked up Boscobel and it looks amazing. I forgot to mention I love gardens.

Question to help me narrow down further.. As for logistics, on my original post I listed Kykuit - most of the things listed in Tarrytown in the Fodors Guide book. These would be: Lyndhurst, Philipsburg Manor, Union Church, Van Cortland Manor, Stone Barns Center for Food & Ag., Sunnyside....
So, do you think some of these things rate on a 2nd visit instead of first time? I would love to visit in the fall.

The Castle on the Hudson is very attractive to me but it is awfully expensive. When we were in Ireland we visited the gardens at Lismore Castle. I found out you can rent out the whole castle and I always thought that would be such an amazing thing to do. I was able to find a link for that offer and it starts at $575.00 hmmmm.......... not sure that will fly. I'm sure it would be quite a memory to have though.

Thanks!

Mid week room rates at The Castle were mid $200 when I put in a few dates this summer just to see. Try your dates, just for giggles, and see what comes up.
Deb

If you're coming in the Fall, I'd recommend focusing on the Tarrytown/lower valley area first, although keep in mind it only takes about 2-2.5 hours to go up the Hudson from NYC/Westchester-Tarrytown (lower end) to Albany (near northern end) so this isn't a huge area or involving lengthy travel times overall. I think Kykuit closes for the winter, not sure when. Make sure you make reservations for Stone Barns. The Union Church is small and has wonderful Chagall stained glass windows (so lovely that I got married there!). It's very close to Kykuit and Stone Barns. There's a hiking trail in the Rockefeller Park near there. I don't think anyone suggested Sunnyside, home of Washington Irving, not far from Tarrytown. There used to be a package for tours of several mansions at: http://www.hudsonvalley.org/. Look for the Shakespeare festival at Boscobel: http://hvshakespeare.org/. Check out the mansions at http://hudsonriverheritage.org/staat.html. If you'd like, you can save your visit to the CIA until the fall when I'd pair that with visits to Beacon and the DIA. Rhinebeck is a cute small town, good for a shopping visit if you head upriver from Beacon and CIA. As you're traveling north to I-90, Chatham is off the Taconic Pkwy just before it meets I 90, and has some nice small shops and good restaurants (Blue Plate, Lippera's). Hudson has a lot of antique shops. The valley is spectacular in autumn, but peak leaf times can vary by weeks, so good luck with that!

As per my original post, I will be in the Hudson River Valley in July. I am going to a seminar and then my husband is joining me. I wouldn't usually pick July as a travel time. I mention a possible 2nd trip at a later date preferring to visit in the fall for all the things I can't see/experience this time. Thanks for the links. I didn't have the last one.

As always, thanks for the input. Keep 'em coming
Laurie

As for the other places in the Tarrytown area:
*Lyndhurst, the former home or railroad magnate Jay Gould is interesting and probably worth a stop.
*Definitely make dinner reservations well in advance at Stone Barns. They fill up rapidly. It's expensive, but I don't think as expensive at Equus at the Castle. The food is outstanding.
*when you go to Kykuit, you can easily see Philipsburg Manor, as that is where you must start at for your visit to Kykuit.
*Sunnyside and Van Cortlandt Manor are interesting, but don't come close to making the A-list!
*The Chagall windows are probably worth a stop, but I think the visiting hours are restricted, so check first.

On two visits to the area, we stayed in this very charming and affordable B&B in Hyde Park.

http://www.journeyinn.com/

Here are two good websites for the Hudson Valley:
www.hudsonvalley.org
www.hvnet.com

Thanks so much for the detailed answer Howard. I will check out making reservations for Stone Barns. If we visit Lyndhurst, Kykuit/Philipsburg, Stone Barns and the Church should I allow 1 1/2- 2 days?

Kagoo, I've already got that B&B on my list. I love the paint in the Tuscany Room. Gorgeous. Thanks for the rec. We do like to stay at B&B's so you truly get the feel of the area. (besides supporting locals)

So far I haven't had a suggestion for a winery. Is that something just the "tourists" do?

Thanks



I am so looking forward to this trip. I live in So. Cal.

Locals & tourists alike have been known to visit Millbrook winery.

http://millbrookwine.com/index.php

Locals have also been known to pick berries/fresh veggies, and also get artisanal cheese right from the farm.

Right now it's soggy, rotten strawberries & great snap peas. In July will be the height of blueberry season, and maybe some stone fruits like cherries (early), plums and apricots - since you're from CA those probably don't interest you.

Apple (& donut/cider) season doesn't start till the end of August, but you can save that for next trip in the fall.

What?! Blueberries, cherries, plums and apricots, oh my. Millbrook looks like fun. Thanks for the link. You mean cheese comes from a farm before the grocery store??? I will have to live on the edge.

I certainly like the apple cider enticement for the next visit in fall.

J62 I would love your suggestions for places to eat on/near the 9 from Cold Spring to Rhinebeck.

I'd also appreciate any other suggestions for B&B's.
Thanks

Cathryn's Tuscan Grill in Cold Spring would be an excellent restaurant choice.

Howard has my Cold Spring rec.

Here's the others, from South to North along Rt 9

Cold Spring:
#1 Cathryn's
#2 (distant 2nd but still good for steaks) Hudson House.

Beacon:
n/a

Fishkill: (Main St-Rt 52, just off Rt9)
#1 Il Barilotto (Italian). Strozapretti pasta is my favorite, or the risotto special.
#2 Sappore (steaks, grill, pasta)

Wappingers Falls
Aroma Osteria - same owner as Il Barilotto
Mojo Grill (off the beaten path in rural suburbia - not on Rt 9). The short ribs & the meatloaf are my favorites.

Poughkeepsie
Artist's Palate (downtown POK). High level of creativity - may not please a finicky palate.

Hyde Park
CIA (Escoffier (French), Caterina de Medici (Italian), or American Bounty), or Apple Pie Bakery Cafe for light lunch.

Rhinebeck
Terrapin restaruant / bar-cafe (2 different sides, the latter serves lighter fare but still v. good for a dinner)

Here are a few on the west side of the river

Newburgh
Il Cenacolo - never been but plan to try out soon.
there are also some on the waterfront that are ok, like Rivergrill. Location is nice, especially on a not-too-hot summer evening, food is ok but not remarkable.

New Paltz
Village Tea Room

You've gotten some great suggestions here. I live in Tarrytown, for what you'd like to do, I'd spend two nights in TT, then head up Route 9 to Cold Spring, Beacon (which has the DIA Museum), Rhinebeck, etc.

In TT, I believe Blue Hill @ Stone Barn is more expensive than Equus at the Castle, both are great experiences. Stone Barn has a little cafe for lunch, which in comparison, is very reasonable. So, if you're thinking of doing a little hiking around the property, it's a nice alternative.

Also, for staying, the Sheraton on Rt. 119 is one of their smaller boutique hotels, you could probably get a rate under $100/night and save the rest of your money for eating!

If you do a Boscobel/Cold Spring night, try not to miss Shakespeare on the Hudson, it is a very different Shakespeare experience and the use of the property in the production is quite imaginative.

Have a great time, this is truly one of the nicest regions (imo).

Thanks for the recs owlwoman, J62 and Howard, I am making my lists and checking them twice. I really feel good about the info everyone supplied on this post.

Check out activities and exhibits at Bard College, not too far from Rhinebeck. They sponsor a lot of unusual summer theatre programs and the grounds are interesting to explore.

Another question- The Friday my seminar ends my friend and I need a place to stay near Stewart Airport with shuttle service to the airport. I was reading reviews on TripAdvisor and it doesn't look good. Any good experiences with a hotel/motel with shuttle service to Stewart Airport Fodorites?

Three of the newer chain hotels near Stewart are Hampton Inn, Hilton Garden Inn, and Homewood Suites. Based on the consistent quality of the 3 chains at other places I've stayed around the US I think you'd be fine with any of these 3. Don't know if they have shuttle, but you can call them directly to ask.

We very much enjoyed two dinners at Terrapin in Rhinebeck.

You can make reservations at Blue Hill at Stone Barns at www. opentable.com

We happen to like Blue Hill in Manhattan (site of the Obamas' recent "date night" dinner) much better than Stone Barns. Dan Barber does his "sustainable" thing at both places, but the Manhattan location has much more ambience; the Westchester restaurant is literally in a barn, with no atmosphere whatsoever, but, at least the night we were there, a distinct barnyard "aroma," if you get my drift. Nonetheless, Stone Barns is quite popular.

We think Il Cenacolo in Newburgh is an absolutely terrific place; we've dined there regularly with our Hudson Valley friends over the pat several years, and we've never been disappointed. And, at a somewhat lesser price point, Terrapin in Rhinebeck is pretty good, too.

Wow, I totally disagree with your description of Blue Hill at Stone Barn, the restaurant does not have any type of "aroma". It has been beautifully decorated and they hold many "high end" weddings there. I think the ambience is quite nice and love the whole "farm" thing.

West of the river, you can go to Opus40 (opus40.org), an incredible work of sculpture in a quarry; Storm King (stormking.org), which has a new Maya Lin installation; and hiking at Mohonk Preserve (mohonkpreserve.org/index.php?hike). Mohonk Mountain House, which you can hike to from the Preserve (and pay Preserve day rates instead of Mountain House's, which are twice as much!) is not to be missed ... gardens, trails, rustic gazebos, a challenging rock climb called the Lemon Squeeze, and a rambling Victorian hotel worth gawking at but is off limits unless you stay there, very pricey/includes all meals.

You can also shop and eat in Woodstock, (yes, THAT Woodstock!) and perhaps something is going on in Byrdcliffe, an artist's community with theatre just outside of town. The Kingston Roundout area has river cruises, a few nice waterside restaurants, and interesting Maritime/Trolley museums.

East of the river, between Olana/Hudson city area and Kykuit/Pocantico area, there are multiple river mansions ... Montgomery Place, Mills Mansion (great grounds, you can walk along the river to a marina/environmental center on a woodland trail), Samuel Morse homestead, Vanderbilt Mansion, FDR home are all in Dutchess; Manitoga and Boscobel in Putnam; Lyndhurst in Westchester are a few of my favorites.

Two hidden gems near Rhinebeck: Wilderstein Mansion and Poet's Walk (park). Rhinebeck has good shopping and eating and is a beautiful town. It also has an art theatre, Upstate Films.

You can park at a little overlook at the end of Ransom Road in Highland and walk across the Poughkeepsie-Highland bridge for beautiful views ... and this fall, just north of that, a railroad bridge is being converted to the longest pedestrian bridge in the world, so come back!

Inland Dutchess, you can visit Innisfree Garden (innisfreegarden.org) and the Millbrook Winery as a side trip. Millbrook has a few nice restaurants, plus there's a nearby countryside restaurant there called Red Devon (reddevonrestaurant.com) that has great locally grown food.

Other Valley restaurants are at valleytable.com and click "guide". Lots of local restaurants are run by CIA grads. Other area info at www.ruralintelligence.com

A Millbrook resident, Ilana Papele Nielsen, puts out a "what to do in the area" guide each week: virtualhudsonvalley.com/events/

The Dutchess Tourism site has downloadable driving tours that are really good, and they'll get you through some beautiful back roads: www.dutchesstourism.com/dtours.asp

Hope it helps - I've lived here for a decade and love love love it. Come back in late August when the farmer's markets and roadside stands are groaning and go to the Dutchess County Fair ... or the fall when the river and the back roads are picture-perfect ...