rhinebeck area w/teens
 

Thinking of a 4 day trip with kids (13 & 16) driving , seeing west point,FDR's house, vanderbilt mansion,from the Hyde park/Rhinebeck area then a evening or two in a cool resort nearby. Any suggestions? Thanks

Rocking Horse Ranch in Highland, NY.

http://www.rhranch.com/home.htm

Not sure if you're looking for lodging or activities suggestions.

Activity: WWI type "dog-fights" at airport just north of Rhinebeck.

Mills Mansion, Olana, Culinary Institute at Hyde Park, stolling Warren Street (antiques/restaurants) in Hudson.

That would be the Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome
http://www.oldrhinebeck.org/
It is a hoot, they fly the old open planes, doing stunts, flying over the countryside. We used to take our children there. Everyone likes it..you drive through Rhinebeck, north on 9, you will see signs for it..or look at the site for directions.
Take them to the Vanderbilt Mansion, we used to stop and get picnics, they have huge grounds, it is free, park and just wander..a wonderful place. Have your picnic overlooking the Hudson or down by the garages and stream on picnic tables.
We always stayed at the Beekman Arms or in a pinch, at a Holiday Inn Express on Rt 9 by MaryMount..not sure about any cool resorts.
Hudson has a couple of good places to stop for lunch, I am not sure how interested teens of that age would be in all the musty antique shops though.
Olana is pretty interesting..the shops in Rhinebeck itself might be interesting for a browse.

Larry, when I arrived in NYC many years ago, I was taken to the Rocking Horse Ranch for a weekend. What fun that was! They asked if I could ride and I said yes. They gave me a race horse! I spent the weekend trying to keep him from outrunning all the other horses :)

Is the Rhinebeck a good place for a family? How many nights do youthink we should stay? Thanks -

We usually went on long weekends, so 2-3 nights is plenty.IMO

Gotta agree with Scarlett on both the length of stay (2-3) & on earlier post about how much kids will (not) like Hudson. If in the warmer months, kids might like mountain biking at Hunter Mt (across the river) or while quite a drive north, 6 Flags' "Great Escape" in Lake George - maybe make that your fourth?

Across the river is also Woodstock (and Hurley) -- and a bit "hokey" but what is billed as the world's largest kalaidascope -- in a former silo. In warmer months, try tubing down the Esophus Creek and return by train.

This might be a good time to visit Olana, the home of Hudson River School artist Frederic Church, for its magnificent views of the Hudson. St. Lawrence Cement is hell-bound to build a new factory across the river in Athens and while they promise minimal disruptions to the view, many don't "buy" it.

There's a LOT to see further south on the Hudson too. First to mind is Kykuit, the Rockefeller estate, now a historic site of the National Trust, & is the Hudson Valley's most exceptional house and gardens.

how much farther north is Lake george. I'd like to finish the trip off with a day or two in a resort but worry that the rocking horse may be too little kid for them. They're 13 and 16. Thoughts? Thanks

Rocking Horse Ranch is a Dude Ranch. When I was there, there were no children. They are definitely not too young or old. But you are there, not much in the area that I would recommend..but then, it has been a while since I went to the Ranch.
I would guess 2 more hours to Lake George/Adirondacks. We used to drive to the Adirondacks/Sagamore and Montreal, so I know that entire trip is about 6 hours from NYC.

http://www.rhranch.com/home.htm

I just looked at the RR and it has really changed since we were there. :)

At Lake George, are you interested in the Sagamore?
http://www.thesagamore.com/

The Sagamore is fantastic, but it's *ON* Lake George, at Bolton Landing, but your kids might prefer something at Lake George Village (LGV), where all the "action" is -- a typical "beach town" with gaudy wax museum, t-shirt shops, fudge and salt-water-taffy (?? I don't understand that) and of course "the Beach". In that case, Ft William Henry or The Georgian might be good places for lodging. It seems like LGV was about 12-16 miles south of Bolton Landing when I last bicycled it.

Great Escape/6 Flags is actually south of the village at Queensbury on US Rt 9, and there is Trolley service in the summer between LGV and Glens Falls.

I'd go w/ Sagamore if I didn't have kids with me.

(Scarlett - a joy to work with you when we stay on travel!)

Since you're visiting one president's home, why not anothers? Martin Van Buren National Historic Site (Lindenwald) is near Hudson.

css, not to rain on the parade, but 13 & 16y/o will be bored out of their mind after the first mansion tour. Houses where dead presidents (or tycoons) lived (as my kids put it) doesn't rate high on the teen attraction list. Not much East of the Hudson to captivate teens I'm afraid, except perhaps the aerodrome. It is a hoot.

When are you travelling? Once it's warmer and drier, hiking in the 'Gunks, the cliffs across the river (just 10min west of RHR in Highland) would be good. On a dry day (regardless of temp), the cliffs are filled with 100's of rock climbers. Real rock climbers, ranging from novices to experts.

For me, the area has a lot of natural beauty, some isolated historical sites (WP, FDR, etc). Lake George is about 3hr north - really can't get there any faster. That's on the southern end of the Adirondacks. Renting a canoe or power boat, exploring the lake is fun on a warm July/Aug day.

In the gunks is the Mohonk Mountain house. This is a private, beautiful very expensive resort with it's own trails. Never stayed there, but many locals like to use the grounds for day hikes (after paying $10+/head day use fee!)

Go check out the CIA in Hyde Park, NY. No that's not the Central Intelligence Agency. I'm talking about the Culinary Institute of America. They have several award winning restaurants on campus where you can sample the student's cooking. I had one of the best meals of my life there, and the cost is at the fraction of the cost of a NYC fine dining establishment. I think your teenage kids might enjoy a stop there as well. Happy travels!