I'm going nuts. Posted earlier today at work and now can't find my post. A person who lives in the West Point area gave me great directions, including landmarks, for getting from the New Jersey Turnpike to West Point. I need this info for a fellow employee who's traveling there next week. I think I remember the directions, but need the landmarks (for example, the hotel on 218 and the caterer or restaurant you mentioned). If you're out there, please help! If you could give me the title to my original post so I can find it, that would be great. I searched using my screen name with no luck. Thanks.

Is this the thread?

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threadselect.jsp?fid=1

Hi again Roothy

I just clicked on your name and voila! your message came up!

Here it is.


Author: roothy123
Date: 06/24/2004, 11:52 am
Message: I need to drive from Wash. DC to Highland Falls, NY (West Point). According to Rand McNally.com I head up 95/NJT and then take the Garden State Parkway at exit 11,I guess around Perth Amboy. Is that exit clearly marked and easy to find? I'm remembering a time when I drove to NY before, and it was pretty confusing with local and non-local lanes and I got perilously close to the GW Bridge. However, I'm thinking that maybe that time I was driving from Newark Airport to West Point. Basically what I'm trying to find out NOW is simply whether it's easy to take the NJT to the Garden State, or is there anywhere I might get messed up! Looks easy on the map, but just wanted to make sure, since I have this vague memory of Fort Lee, a ton of signs, and a lot of confusion around the bridge. Thanks.



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Author: Merilee_Tucker
Date: 06/24/2004, 01:11 pm
Message: I live in the area of West Point so I am very familiar with the route. You should take the New Jersey Turnpike north to the Garden State Parkway north to the New York Thruway (87) south (toward the Tappan Zee Bridge) to the Palisades Parkway north to the end at Bear Mountain Circle. The Palisades Parkway north splits right after the sign for exit # 18. You want to bear right toward West Point. Continue to the Bear Mountain Circle where you will go 3/4 of the way around and exit at the sign that reads 9W West Point Newburgh. Proceed straight on 9W north and exit right at the Highland Falls West Point 218 sign. Your landmarks will be Nicole's Caterers and a motel on your left. 218 is also known as Main Street in Highland Falls. Proceed straight for approximately 2 miles to the Thayer Gate. When you enter town bear right when the road splits at the town clock and gazebo. This road leads directly to the gate. There will be a McDonald's on your right as you near the gate. If you don't have a DoD sticker on your car you will have to stay right and show your driver's license to the mp. You will have also to state where you are going on base. After that the mp will look under your hood and in your trunk. Any other area questions let me know. Skip getting off on the turnpike in Ridgefield to get on the parkway in Fort Lee.



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Author: Budman
Date: 06/24/2004, 01:36 pm
Message: Yes, it is clearly marked coming up the NJ Turnpike to Exit 11 and onto the Garden State Parkway (North). You should have no problem.

Merilee_Tucker can take you from there.




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Author: HowardR
Date: 06/24/2004, 02:23 pm
Message: Merilee's directions are perfect!



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Author: roothy123
Date: 06/24/2004, 02:40 pm
Message: Sounds great - thanks! I have an employee who will be driving up, and she's never been there (unlike me). The instructions are great and the landmarks are helpful. (I think I remember that motel - Palisades Motor Lodge or something like that - now a Best Western, I think)? I know I used to get confused with all the different parts of 218 and 9W encircling the area - took me several trips to West Point to figure out how to get from Newburgh to the Mint (on 218 near the [I forget which - Washington maybe?] entrance to the Academy, and then the Mint to the restaurants in Highland Falls without going through the Academy, etc. You see a million signs for WP and want to turn at all of them! Anyway, thanks for the info. Your directions have made it easy and failsafe, even for a newbie!

So where do you live? I come up to the



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Author: roothy123
Date: 06/24/2004, 02:44 pm
Message: oops - meant to say I come up there once in a while! Gorgeous area. I hear there are now boat rides to that castle in the middle of the Hudson that used to fascinate me!



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Author: HowardR
Date: 06/24/2004, 03:20 pm
Message: You're talking about Bannerman Castle. They've recently started offering the tour, departing from either Newburgh or Beacon. We're booked for a Sunday in July. For more info, check out www.prideofthehudson.com.



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Author: Merilee_Tucker
Date: 06/24/2004, 03:53 pm
Message: roothy123,
I live just a couple miles from West Point along the Hudson River. Best Western no longer owns the motel you mentioned. It's named The Palisade Motel. Washington gate sits under Storm King Mountain. You have to have a DoD sticker on your vehicle to get in through that gate. It's right near the golf course. Stony Lonesome gate is off 9W and that one puts you near the px. Prior to 9/11 you could walk on post and enjoy the grounds. I loved to visit the Army mules and bring them carrots or apples. That privilege has since been suspended due to security concerns, which are necessary. When you exit the GSP to get on the NY Thruway position yourself in the middle. The left continues north and the right is a local exit. On the thruway merge left but stay in the right lane because you won't have far to drive for the PIP north exit. If I may ask, are you in the military?



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Author: rb_travelerxATyahoo
Date: 06/24/2004, 04:39 pm
Message: I find driving I-287 a much easier drive than going on the Parkway, which I used to do. Probably a little longer (in miles) drive than GSPW, but less stressful, and sometimes less time. Locate it looping west of GSPW & NJTP, near Perth Amboy, reconnecting almost at NYS Thruway (exit 14?).



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Hooray for LN !
I messed up with the link too

Looks like we're on the same wave length tonight Scarlett

Ellen

Thank you SO much. It's weird - I tried to search (several times) under roothy123 and my other posts came up, but not this one. Anyway, no Merilee, I don't work for the military, but I work for the federal government - U.S. Mint, which is part of Treasury, in Washington DC. There's a small Mint right outside the Washington gate on 218 that I used to go to once in a while for work. In July I'm going up there for the first time in several years, and next week an employee goes up there. She has a reservation at the Thayer Hotel, so she should be able to get through the Thayer Gate (ID and car inspection is no problem.) However, I was wondering - can us non-DODrs no longer get to the Academy through the Washington and Stoney Lonesome Gates? Do you HAVE to go through the Thayer Gate now? To get from the Mint (near the ski lift) to the Thayer, we used to go through the Washington Gate and go through the Academy. I also went in Stoney Lonesome once in a while. Are both now closed to visitors? We have govt IDs, if that makes a difference.

Bannerman Castle - Thanks, Howard R! (My husband is Howard R, by the way!) Couldn't remember the name. I'm hoping to time my trip so that I can go a day early (on the weekend, on my own expense) so I can get out there. Thanks for the web site.

Scarlet - Are you the bird thread poster? I LOVED it! Great blue herons are my fave. I envy all the Floridians - so many birds EVERYWHERE!

rb - I may consider 287 (but that's not the thruway, right?). Of course, that would deprive me of the pure joy of throwing quarters and dimes into buckets every five minutes (or am I confusing Garden State with Palisades?)!

Ok, since you've all been so helpful with the driving and West Point info, I'll pose another question. I'm not sure how I'll be getting to West Point next month (the little bitty plane to Newburgh and drive down the mountain) or the larger plane to Newark and then drive up. However, if I drive from Newark airport, what route would you suggest? The directions I was given are (I believe) the ones that involve going very close to the GW bridge and I remember almost going over it by mistake. There were a TON of lanes at that point, and you had to be in the right one(s) to catch the Palisades Parkway without ending up in New York (well, NYC). Is the best route simply the NJT to the Palisades (and then the instructions as above from Merilee)? Any tips on navigating at Fort Lee? Maybe it's easier than I remember, but I just remember having some shaky moments before.

Hi roothy
If you just click on your own name, you can get a list of every post you ever replied to or posted, that is how I found your original posting.
Yes, I am the Egret poster Thanks!

From Newark to West Point:
(skip the GSP)
Go on the NJ Turnpike to Rt 80 to Ft Lee. Get off in Ft Lee..look for the signs for the Palisades Parkway.
Stay in the right (not left) lanes.

Palisades Parkway North to Bear Mountain and there will be the signs for West Point. It is easy, we went there often.

A good map will get you there easily, it is pretty direct.
If you can get AAA to map it for you, that would be good too.
Good luck,
Scarlett~

roothy123, if you don't like the NJ Turnpike and end up flying into Newark, it's very close to the GS Parkway which is much easier to navigate. When exiting the airport follow signs for either Route 22 West or Route 78 West. Either of these will junction with the Garden State Parkeway North. It's a short distance to the west (maybe 2 miles max?) I live right at this juncture and the airport is less than 12 mins. from my house! Trish

roothy123, have you thought of flying into Stewart Airport? It's very close to where you are going.
As for the Bannerman Island tour, I suggest you make reservations in advance, as the tours might be selling out.

Roothy123,
I really think you should avoid getting off the turnpike in Ridgefield to gain access to the PIP in Fort Lee. There's lot of traffic at those intersections at all times of the day and if you are not familiar with the lay of the land you can end somewhere else. I won't say my suggestion is the only way or the best way, but it is the most convenient from point to point. You can enter West Point without a DoD sticker at Thayer or Stony Lonesome. Washington is open only to DoD or government workers, so that may cover you.

Roothy - the section of I-287 that I wrote of is NOT toll roads -- you'll have to practice your basketball shots elsewhere! I've taken that to get to EWR as well, via intersection with I-280 near Parsippany -- I'm looking at map now, and see it goes from Perth/Amboy area up to NYS Thruway exit 15 - and again, longer in miles but much less stressful driving. Enjoy those lighthouses!