Hudson Valley Sampler Tour
prepared by Hudson Valley Tourism
www.travelhudsonvalley.org

A delightful 4-day trip hitting the highlights of the Hudson Valley.

The tour begins with a visit to Lyndhurst, an 1838 Gothic Revival mansion owned after 1880 by financier Jay Gould. Enjoy seasonal river views and magnificent gardens, an outstanding example of 19th century landscape design.

Travel to Kykuit, home to three generations of the Rockefeller family. Tour the outstanding gardens and take time to see the antique auto collection. The remarkable beaux-arts landscape was created in the early 1900's. The Rockefeller's outstanding collection of 20th century artists includes sculptures by Henry Moore, Gaston Lachaise and Alexander Calder.

Cross the Tappan Zee Bridge to the Victorian Village of Nyack, full of antique shops, galleries and eateries. Then take the scenic River Road along the Hudson River to Piermont, a picturesque Hudson River town with quaint shops and excellent restaurants.

Day Two

Begin your day with a guided tour of the United States Military Academy at West Point. Highlights include the Cadet Chapel and Trophy Point with breathtaking views of the Hudson River. At the Visitor Center, it's a short walk to the West Point Museum where military memorabilia and paintings from the Hudson River School are displayed.

After the tour enjoy one of the many outdoor activities at Bear Mountain State Park. Hike, fish, swim or boat. Visit the 35-acre wildlife sanctuary that caters to non-releasable native New York State animals. Visit the new carousel, then hike up to Perkins Memorial Tower for an outstanding view.

Continue on to Boscobel, a great example of Neo-classical architecture with decorative arts from the Federal Period. The rose garden features 140 varieties of roses with a bubbling fountain as its center. A 1-mile Woodland Trail takes you through the wooded landscape dotted with rustic structures to spectacular vistas of the Hudson River.

Day Three

Today step into the contemporary art space at Dia:Beacon, the newest attraction featuring Dia's permanent art collection of major artists of the 1960's and 1970's.

Enjoy lunch at the Culinary Institute of America in one of 5 award winning restaurants. After savoring this fine dining experience, tour the institution and view the teaching methods used to train America's future chefs.

After lunch travel across the Mid-Hudson Bridge to the Shawangunk Wine Trail, for a tour and tasting of the various vineyards. The wineries along the trail are as varied as the wines themselves. The Hudson Valley is the oldest wine producing region in America.

Spend the night at the majestic Mohonk Mountain House, and enjoy a Hudson Valley sunset.

Day Four

Start your day off with family fun at Catskill Game Farm where you'll sees thousands of exotic and tame animals from around the world. Visit the African section, bird area, animal nursery and equine section. There are large petting and feeding grounds where visitor come into direct contact with the animals. Then tour Olana Moorish style home of Frederic Church, a Hudson Valley artist who helped start the Hudson Valley School of Painting. The villa offers commanding views of the Hudson Valley, inspiration for the work of this great American painter. Finish your day at the New York State Museum, a great place to see the rest of the story about New York. This is the oldest and largest state museum in the country. It's dedicated to researching and preserving New York State's natural and cultural resources.

Contact Information:

Lyndhurst, Tarrytown • 914-631-4481 • website
Kykuit, Tarrytown • 914-631-9491 • website
Nyack & Piermont • 1-800-295-5723 or 845-708-7300
U.S. Military Academy, West Point • 845-446-4724 • website
Bear Mountain State Park • 845-786-2701 • website
Boscobel • 845-265-3638 • website
Dia:Beacon • 212-989-5566 • website
Culinary Institute of America, Hyde Park • 845-471-6608 • website
Shawangunk Wine Trail • 845-255-2494 • website
Mohonk Mountain House, New Paltz • 845-255-1000 • website
Catskill Game Farm, Catskill • 518-678-9595 • website
Olana, Hudson • 518-828-0135 • website
New York State Museum, Albany • 518-474-5877 • website

Photo Credit: Orange County Tourism