The Hudson Valley: America's Preserved Dream

The place to stop for any fan of Washington Irving's classic story of the headless horseman.

Beautiful
Lake Hessian is Surrounded by a Bear Mountain Inn lodge, carousel, free
zoo,outdoor iceskating(winter), and breath taking views of the Hudson River
Highlands. There are important Revolutionary War battle sites on the
Hudson River below the cliffs here. For millitary history, don't miss
Fort Montgomery and West Point, just north of the area off rt.9W.

A charming all American colonial town, that has been used in film and
postcards. This place is very unique and you will have to take a cruise
around the enchanting/spooky Bannerman Island Castle and stay overnight
in town.

A place that has hisotrically had so much to offer, that George
Washington built his home and millitary headquaters right in town,
where it still stands today.

Don't miss this charming town for shopping and food. Drive the quaint country roads
surrounded by apple orchards and farms that will beg for your camera. The worlds largest collidescope is at a fun/family-themed museum just west of here(Catamount). For an excursion drive northward to Woodstock, NY of music festival fame and the various homes of David Bowie, Moby and Bob Dylan (if you know where to look).

This was home to arguably the greatest President of the 20th Century: FDR
and Eleanor Roosevelt called Hyde Park thier home and their estates
still wait for visitors. You should also get lunch at the Apple Pie Bakery Cafe; in the Culinary Institute of America. For other important sites, visit Vassar College in Poughkeepsie (where fudge was invented) and the Vanderbuilt Mansion for more
Hudson River views, Roman statues and rose garden.

This is the final stop on my Hudson Valley excursion. Here you will find the finest preserved colonial and victorian mansions and outlying farms. Shopping is the thing to do in town, and see a movie at upstate films. Various celebrities and NYC-elite have all snatched themselves up pieces of Rhinebeck's preserved historic buildings, so keep your eyes open . This is a small community of afluent New Yorkers that are NOT expecting many visitors to their little slice of the "American dream." Liam Neeson, Gweneth Paltrow(Staatsburg) call this place home today. Stop over at Staatsburg Historic Mills Mansion and Norrie Point (a boaters destination) for more natural river beauty. MORE historic mansions are near Rhinebeck, such as the Livingston Mansion(a signer of the Declaration of Independence) and the Wilderstien Mansion. Countless other buildings dating to 18th/19th century aristocracy occupy the area surrounding Rhinebeck, so don't be afraid to drive around aimlessly- if you're into that approach. For a perfect ending to this journey, spend the night at either the Belvedere Mansion or the Beekman Arms(America's oldest Inn). More affrodable accomadations can be found in Hyde Park.