Things to do / Travel Guide
The below description of the various locations in the Catskills and the Hudson Valley region begins with the places in the northern reaches of the Hudson River and Hudson Valley, and then continues westward to include all the places in the Catskills.
The Hudson Valley
The Hudson River - Nearly up to Albany (north of the region) the river is actually a tidal estuary, or what you could call a fjord; meaning that its waters travel in both directions. The Mohican word for the river is in fact Muh-he-kun-ne-tuk, which means “river that flows both ways.” In other words, it's a very glorified inlet. The river is widest at the Tappan Zee, where it's three miles across. It's deepest at World's End, near West Point, where a depth of 216 feet has been recorded. All along the Hudson River, northwards toward the city of Hudson, the Hudson Valley is lined with ever-more-rural settlements, and rarely anything called a city after Poughkeepsie. Many of these places offer excellent fall foliage views, as far north as Kinderhook.
Tarrytown and Sleepy Hollow - In these two old towns on the eastern side of the Hudson River you'll find several historical homes, some of which used to belong to the richest and most influential Americans in the country's history. Lyndhurst was built for Jay Gould, the great 19th-century financier; Kykuit was built for John D. Rockefeller, the industrialist, in the early 20th century; Sunnyside was built by one of the greatest early American authors, Washington Irving; and Philipsburg Manor is a reconstruction of a representative 17th- and 18th-century manor.
If you're wondering what the connection is between Washington Irving and the village of Sleepy Hollow, while there are connections between the author and the place, the place was actually only officially named that in 1997. Before that, it used to be called North Tarrytown - the residents changed the name in honor of the story.
Harriman State Park and Bear Mountain State Park - These two contiguous state parks are located on the western side of the Hudson River, directly opposite the city of Peekskill. Named after Mary Harriman, whose generous donation of land and money in the early 20th century made them possible, the parks include more than 30 lakes, more than 40 marked trails, and some great observation points of the Hudson River. The Appalachian Trail runs through Bear Mountain State Park.
West Point and West Point Military Academy - Yes, this is the famous West Point, the oldest such military institution in the country. It's located on the Hudson Highlands, where the Hudson River creates a rocky gorge as it cuts through the Appalachian Mountains.
Storm King Art Center - This sculpture park is home to 120 permanent sculpture fixtures on its 500 acres. But what makes the place so unique is its setting. On the Hudson Highlands, in the midst of forest, field, and lawn, the small sculptures peek out from under bushes, while the larger ones loom over you on top of hills. The whole premise of this park is the joining of art and nature, and no two visits are the same.
Newburgh, Beacon, Poughkeepsie - Newburgh was an old whaling port, Beacon was known for its brick and hat factories, and Poughkeepsie used to be the headquarters of IBM. (It nevertheless still has a presence in the city.) While they reached a low point of in the 1950s-1970s, all three of these cities have, to different extents, undergone transformation in the past few years and are now on the up and up. Poughkeepsie in particular can boast two historic districts overflowing with boutique shops, pubs, and things to do. Today, these towns are filling up with small-city New England charm, and while the old-timers may deny it, there's change in the air.
Hyde Park - Right outside this town you'll find two national treasures and historic sites: FDR's Home and Library, including Val-Kill, Eleanor's haunt; and Vanderbilt Mansion, where the Vanderbilt family spent their springs and falls. The former are a bit on the modest side while the latter is this region's manifestation of the word “opulence.” A bit farther north, in Staatsville, you'll find Mills Mansion, which, while still opulent and decadent, has not yet undergone the renovation and restoration of similar estates in Tarrytown. All these estates offer tours, and have been turned into museums of the times and the culture.
Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome - In Rhinebeck on the eastern side of the Hudson River, the aerodrome is one of the largest collections and museums of vintage aircraft. The earliest planes are from the era immediately following the Wright Brothers' first flight, while the latest ones are from the 1930s. The museum is open seven days a week, and on weekends the aerodrome stages stupendous and dramatic air shows featuring the vintage planes. You can also fly in these open-cockpit planes, viewing the Hudson, the mountains, and foliage given the season.
New Paltz - This small town boasts what it calls “the oldest street in America, with its original buildings.” The town dates back to the late-17th century, and it serves as a gateway to the Catskill and the Shawangunk mountains.
Hudson - This historic city has roots going back to the presence of the Dutch in the 17th century. Like Poughkeepsie, its fortunes sank in the mid-20th century; but these have risen since the 1980s, and its historic district has been lovingly restored. The fascinating Warren Street is worth a walk-down in this regard.
The Catskill Mountains (The Catskills)
The Hudson Valley ends and the Catskill Mountains begin at the Catskill Escarpment, where the rocks violently pierce the tranquil greenery. How do you know when you're in the Catskills? When there are two rocks for every clump of dirt. In these mountains there is a wide range of activities to take part in, all centered around appreciating the nature and the solitude, or being charmed by the small mountain towns and art towns.
State Road 17 - Along this highway, otherwise known as “the Quickway,” are the sites of the old resorts that made up the Borscht Belt. What was considered by the frequenters of these famous destinations as the Catskills is actually south of the really great mountains bearing that name. Today you'll find a few of the old resorts still in existence, others converted into huge gold courses, and lots of bungalow colonies.
The Shawangunks - These mountains, which do not belong to the Catskills or the Appalachian Mountains, are so old they're one-tenth the age of the earth. Because of their steep cliffs, they're a world-class rock-climbing attraction. The Mohonk Mountain House and Preserve is worth spending some time at, as this castle-like building was the last of the mega-resorts to have been built in the area in the 19th century.
Kingston - This city was first settled in the mid-17th century, and it boasts a historic district called the Stockade, and a picturesque harbor called Rondout Landing.
Woodstock and Saugerties - At these two towns and their environs you'll find opportunities to shop, admire artwork, and, of course, listen to music. Woodstock's art colony dates to the early 20th century, but well before that some important painters of the Hudson Valley School were based in the area.
State Road 28 - This road cuts through Catskill Park from east to west, exposing a number of some great small towns that the region is known for. These towns include Boiceville, Phoenicia, Shandaken, Big Indian, Fleishmanns, and Margaretville. Great cuisine, religious retreats, and outdoors outlets, can be found within them.
Slide Mountain - Located near the town of Shandaken, this is the tallest peak in the Catskills. It's a nice day hike, and very accessible from the town. The area is officially a wilderness, and that means while there are lots of trails, no vehicles are allowed - that includes bikes! There are also trails-a-plenty up and around nearby Panther Mountain.
State Road 23A - This road also cuts across Catskill Park, some miles north of State Road 28. The worthy towns along this route are Tannersville, Hunter, Jewett, and Lexington. The main streets in these towns, which usually run along 23A, are some of the best small-town main streets in the country. Cafés and eclectic shops line the sidewalks.
Howe Caverns - These caves are the best in the northeast, and boast an indoor lake among awesome stalactites and stalagmites. It's located near Schenectady, on I-88.
Baseball Hall of Fame - This attraction, located in the town of Cooperstown, where baseball was supposedly invented, has been beloved for generations. Everything baseball is displayed here, like lots of memorabilia and antiques, attractions and demonstrations, and shrines to the sport's very best players.
The Woodstock in this region is NOT the Woodstock of the 1969 (and 1994) music festivals. The events organizers were planning on having the concert in Woodstock, thus naming the festival as such, but at the last moment they weren't able to get the right permits. Max Yasgur, over in Bethel, on the west side of the region, was kind enough to let the organizers use his dairy farm for the event.
Places to Visit in Woodstock, Cooperstown, New Paltz, Catskills and Hudson Valley
Places-to-Visit
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