Hudson Valley at Thanksgiving

[Anonymous]

The London at Thanksgiving thread made me think to ask: Our DC starts college this week at a school in the Hudson Valley north of NYC. We might head up there for Thanksgiving weekend since DC only gets a very short break for the holiday. Anyone with suggestions on things to do, places to stay, weather tips? I'm talking smaller towns along the river north of NYC--not NYC itself, please. We've already seen the Roosevelt sites at Hyde Park and Val-kill but we all love historic sites and art or history museums.

[Anonymous]

Rhinebeck

[Anonymous]

Head up on Monday before and come back late Monday after.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Head up on Monday before and come back late Monday after.

Not doable; we can't take the whole week off work plus the next Monday. I get it--driving would be a nightmare. But we might take the train up and back, and rent a car locally. And we know the train can be full too and would book that very soon.

Ideas on things to do or places to stay?

[Anonymous]

Dia Beacon

Hugenot street, new paltz

“Oldest corner in America” in Kingston

[Anonymous]

Roundhouse in Beacon or Mohonk Mountain house

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Roundhouse in Beacon or Mohonk Mountain house

^ +1,000

[Anonymous]

Mohonk is AMAZING if you have the budget for it. (And incredibly convenient if your DC is at Vassar)

Sorry to say, but Thanksgiving up here is usually pretty sucky weather. Leaves are gone but it's not 'winter wonderland' either.

Beacon is a fun little town for an afternoon or overnight - DIA, Roundhouse, galleries, good beer (Hudson Valley Brewery).

Hudson as well. "This Old Hudson" has a couple nice rental places that should accommodate a family.

Another option to skip the 95 traffic nightmare is to fly in to Westchester Airport (HPN) - several daily flights from Reagan, then you could rent a car and it's smooth sailing upstate from there.

Further south than most think of -- Historic Hudson Valley maintains and operates several sites in the lower valley (Rivertowns area) plus Stone Barns is nearby.

[Anonymous]

Make sure that’s what your DC wants to do. Many college kids like to come home for thanksgiving, especially the first year, to see their friends. We wanted to spend thanksgiving at our beach house and it was nixed by both (college) kids.

If DC is on board then I agree with Mohonk. What about Red Hook?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Head up on Monday before and come back late Monday after.

Not doable; we can't take the whole week off work plus the next Monday. I get it--driving would be a nightmare. But we might take the train up and back, and rent a car locally. And we know the train can be full too and would book that very soon.

Ideas on things to do or places to stay?

Just to give you a heads up Amtrak over books trains just like airlines, you could end up standing a good chunk of the time.

[Anonymous]

Also look at flying to Albany and Stewart in Newburgh.

Agree that the weather and scenery will likely be gloomy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Head up on Monday before and come back late Monday after.

Not doable; we can't take the whole week off work plus the next Monday. I get it--driving would be a nightmare. But we might take the train up and back, and rent a car locally. And we know the train can be full too and would book that very soon.

Ideas on things to do or places to stay?

Just to give you a heads up Amtrak over books trains just like airlines, you could end up standing a good chunk of the time.

I take Amtrak between DC and NY and upstate regularly, and have never had to stand.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Head up on Monday before and come back late Monday after.

Not doable; we can't take the whole week off work plus the next Monday. I get it--driving would be a nightmare. But we might take the train up and back, and rent a car locally. And we know the train can be full too and would book that very soon.

Ideas on things to do or places to stay?

Just to give you a heads up Amtrak over books trains just like airlines, you could end up standing a good chunk of the time.

I take Amtrak between DC and NY and upstate regularly, and have never had to stand.

Twice, I have had to stand from NYC to DC on Amtrak. All the way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Make sure that’s what your DC wants to do. Many college kids like to come home for thanksgiving, especially the first year, to see their friends. We wanted to spend thanksgiving at our beach house and it was nixed by both (college) kids.

If DC is on board then I agree with Mohonk. What about Red Hook?

OP here. Good point, PP, though this was DC's idea! Things might change of course one school is under way....

Weather won't bother us unless it's snowing and the roads are a pain.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Head up on Monday before and come back late Monday after.

Not doable; we can't take the whole week off work plus the next Monday. I get it--driving would be a nightmare. But we might take the train up and back, and rent a car locally. And we know the train can be full too and would book that very soon.

Ideas on things to do or places to stay?

Just to give you a heads up Amtrak over books trains just like airlines, you could end up standing a good chunk of the time.

I take Amtrak between DC and NY and upstate regularly, and have never had to stand.

Twice, I have had to stand from NYC to DC on Amtrak. All the way.

Recently? I've done it once in my 20 years of taking Amtrak -- it was the Sunday after Thanksgiving from Phila. to NYP.