Visiting New York State
 

We are senior citizens who are very active and can walk miles. We would like to visit upper New York State and would like help on planning our visit. We are thinking of FDR Home/Mansion/Gardens, Culinary Institute of America, Vanderbilt Mansion, and West Point. How many days for each place and any other places of interest. We have no time frame.

Just so you know West Point is only about 60 miles north of New York City and Hyde Park (where FDR's Home, the Vanderbilt Mansion and the Culinary Institute are located is only about another 40 miles further north - so neither of those are really in "upper New York State".

If you are not attending a sporting event, concert or the "Cadet Review" allow about 1/2 day for a guided bus tour of the grounds and visiting the Museum.

FDR's home and the Vanderbilt Mansion are only about 5 miles apart. I'm guessing you could see one in the morning and one in the afternoon.

I'm pretty sure visitors to the Culinary Institute ("CIA") can only have a meal at at one of the restaurants and/or attend one of the on-=site lectures or theatrical performances (usually combined with a meal in one of their restaurants). You could theoretically see FDR's home, the Vanderbilt Mansion and have dinner at the CIA in the same day then spend the night in an area hotel and move on to another destination the next day.

There are lots of interesting places to visit and things to do in "upstate New York". Time of year will have some affect on where and how far "north" you want to travel _winter driving can be difficult in far northern NY.

How much time do you have available for this trip?

How much driving between stops are you willing to undertake?

Where will you be starting and your trip?

Thanks!! We have plenty of time. We live in Maryand.

Go north to Saratoga and then to Bolton Landing, Lake George, North Creek(Gore Mountain) and explore the Adirondacks. Great trails, lakes, and beauty.

The area you're looking at is really the Hudson Valley and there are a ton of other things to see/do there. And there are sights from Tarrytown (Rockefeller estate) and Bear Mountain on the other side of the Hudson on up, including several very cute towns for exploring and antiquing.You can easily spend 5 days or so.

If you want a lengthier vacation you could head further upstate to the Adirondacks State Park - which is huge. Lake George is as the south end and that and Saratoga are great (except during racing season - late July though August) when they are mobbed to the rafters.

You can also head west to the Finger Lakes area which has tons of historical sights as well as many great walks/hike in the country side/around the lakes.

How much time do you have overall? Do do all of these will take 2 to 3 weeks. Or you will need to select.

Most "[NYC]city folk" consider anything above Westchester to be "upstate".

As a almost lifetime Westchesterite - upstate begins at Albany.

I live downtown Manhattan, upstate starts at 57th Street.

There are so many places of natural beauty and of historic interest in NY State.

Here is one for your consideration

Letchworth

http://nysparks.com/parks/79/details.aspx

LOL

Take a hike in Watkins Glen State Park. http://nysparks.com/parks/142/details.aspx
Visit the Corning Museum of Glass while in the area.

Thanks to ALL!!! Great responses....and I am learning where UPSTATE New York comes to be!! LOL

So the Corning Glass Museum is wonderful, but it's over 200 miles from the Poughkeepsie area, where the sights are located that the OP wants to see. Since they are coming from Maryland, I think it makes the most sense for them to expand their trip to see more places in the lower Hudson Valley rather than the Finger Lakes which are very much farther west. But while everything on that list is "upstate" nothing is in "upper New York State", which would be another 100 miles north.

IMHO to many (most?) people Westerchester, Rockland and Orange counties are suburbs of NYC. Anything north of that is "upstate". But "upper NY State" would be the Adirondacks.

Depending on where in MD you are coming from, head north on US 15 and I-99 to get to Corning and then head east from there.