Historical district was everything that I hoped, for I was on an Ancestry hunt of my ancestors and…read morefound out so much information about my native American Heritage. The stockade historical district society was a big help in my search for my Native American roots. The historical society staff were warm and friendly and so very gracious. I felt like the TV show who do you think you are?

Better than Dallas we must say. Great to walk the town and feel western. Great little shops as well…read morewith all types of cool trinkets. Kids enjoyed the maze, got to see a rodeo it was an awesome time!

Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor came highly recommended by a neighbor. It is the real…read moreoutdoor-experience deal! Turns out, visitors and curious tourists do not need to drive far into other states and spend hours getting to a serene and calming outdoor park. Erie Canalway and its soothing, calm waters below beckon lots of outdoor folks; boaters, kayakers, fishermen and families. The signs all over explain the multiple important aspects for industry in the Cohoes area, which since time immemorial was a nexus for textile manufacturing and bleaching. The waterfalls (and their inertia) were used to power vast factories that produced and bleached shirts, bed linens, clothing, shoes, suits, hats and most important of all, collars for men's business shirts. Erie Canalway is the beginning of a long and vast Westward canal and trench way that stretches all the way to Syracuse and Rochester. Make sure to check out Waterford Harbor with its live street music, buskers, bars, cool breezes and restaurants. Ideal for tourists! Review: 5

This was a nice break from highway travel. We parked at Peebles Island State Park and explored the…read moreCanalway and locks. Lots of maps and information posted explaining the history and significance of the area.

The Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area extends from North of New York City (the White…read morePlains, Tarrytown, Sleepy Hollow area) to North of Albany (the Saratoga Battlefield). It is filled with historic sites from the Revolutionary War and, indeed, from the colonial period before the war. It is also filled with mansions, most of them built after the Civil War, during America's first gilded age, by the super-rich. All of these attractions are interesting, some are fascinating and a few are stunning. Visit the website, www.hudsonrivervalley.com, for pull-down menus of must-see, recommended and special interest tourist attractions, including most of the historic sites and mansions and, in addition, some museums, art galleries and the like. Clicking on an attraction will lead to a detailed description. Although we often disagree with the website ratings (and you may disagree with the website ratings and our reviews as well), the site is both user-friendly and highly useful. That said, our disagreements with the website sometimes extend beyond its ratings to its selections. As examples, we would throw out Dia Beacon as an appalling waste of time and money and add the Rhinebeck Aerodrome as a fascinating and fun place to visit on weekends from early June through late October, for its airshows of antique aircraft. We'd also add the new walkway over the Hudson River at Poughkeepsie. On a sunny day, it's a great experience, and it's also great because it's free. Most attractions are not free. Indeed, tourism may be the Hudson River Valley's largest industry. Someone has their hand out at almost all these attractions -- and on the toll roads and bridges that connect them. In addition, most of them have museum shops attached. Even where a visit is free, as at the United States Military Academy at West Point and the FDR Library & Museum in Hyde Park, a guided tour will cost you. The only exception we found is the tour of the New York State Capitol: like the walkway, it's free. Nevertheless, most of the attractions are well worth your time and money, with this caveat regarding the old mansions: after you've seen more than three, as we did, you may balk -- again, as we did -- at expending any more time and money to repeat, once again, an experience that may be intellectually interesting but definitely is emotionally similar. The exception is the Rockefeller mansion, which is stunning. Touring it will cost you two to five times as much as other mansions, but if you have time and money for only one rich bastard's home, it's the one to see. See also our reviews of attractions and businesses within the National Heritage Area: Adams Fairacre Farms, Poughkeepsie, NY Albany Institute of History & Art, Albany, NY Arlington Wine & Liquor Store, Poughkeepsie, NY Aroi Thai, Rhinebeck, NY Dia Beacon, Beacon, NY FDR Presidential Library & Museum, Hyde Park, NY General Washington's Headquarters, Newburgh, NY Gino's Pizza & Restaurant, Poughkeepsie, NY Hampton Inn & Suites, Poughkeepsie, NY Huguenot Street, New Paltz, NY Kykuit, the Rockefeller estate, Sleepy Hollow, NY Locust Grove, the Samuel F.B. Morse estate, Poughkeepsie, NY Morton's Steakhouse, White Plains, NY New York Capitol, Albany, NY New York State Museum, Albany, NY Olana, the Frederic Church estate, Hudson, NY Price Chopper, Poughkeepsie, NY Rhinebeck Aerodrome, Rhinebeck, NY Rossi Rosticceria Deli, Poughkeepsie, NY Schade's Deli Restaurant, Highland Falls, NY Terrapin Restaurant, Rhinebeck, NY Union Church of Pocantico Hills, Sleepy Hollow, NY United States Military Academy, West Point, NY Vanderbilt Mansion, Hyde Park, NY Walkway Over The Hudson, Poughkeepsie, NY

First, the staff, rangers, and amenities are amazing. This is not a reflection of any employee at…read morethe park and the place is always clean. I've been camping here 35 years, and this was the worst year by far. It's not the place, it's the people coming here. I spoke with rangers and employees and they all said the same thing... it's a tough year. "Everyone is welcome' signs posted everywhere and they mean it. But there were numerous fights and it was always the same certain group of people. There were sites being loud and it was always another group of a different certain people. Our site smelled like weed 3 days straight, and the ranger said there's nothing they could do.... Always seemed to be another different kind of people. I'm about diversity and cultural differences but there's no regard for neighbors anymore. The staff seem just as tired as everyone else. A 40 year old man was showering in a woman's bathroom with young girls in it. Police showed up and said it's not illegal. 5 cop cars and 1 1/2 later and nothing happened. We go camping to escape the craziness..... but the craziness is in the state campgrounds. We won't be back for a few years. Hopefully the laws change by then. Camping used to be about calm and peace, talking to neighbors and being friendly. The world has changed and everyone is about themselves. Horrible reality.

Summer 2025 $7.00 for day use. Arrive early on weekends as parking is limited. We only came for…read moreday use at the beach. We always find a shady spot and enjoy just relaxing and dipping in the lake.

Great welcome and visitors center…read more Lots of information on local history and places-to-see and options for eating and drinking and entertainment and growing in culture and community. Also some nifty displays on local trade and resource stuff. Wheelchair accessible. Bright and friendly. Great little gift shop as well.

I recently took a tour as part of the SUNYADK continuing education program. Learning about book…read moreproduction over the centuries was fascinating. Being able to touch real vellum and see the artistry that goes into creating a beautiful book was a unique experience.

Fascinating tour displaying the history and some of methods and the equipment used to put our…read morerecorded history on paper

Great little ski place, perfect for beginners and families. Good place to learn how to ski.read more

Really great customer service, I went in during a snowstorm to have my skis tuned, they got it done…read morein 30 minutes and charged me a great price! Can not recommend this place enough, I grew up coming here and learned to ski on there slopes! Highly recommend for anyone in the Capital Region.

I am so grateful that I started touring with Dani Rotstein of Ayelet tours in 2024. Portugal,…read moreSpain, Morocco, Argentina; , what amazing memories I have of these Jewish tours. Looking forward to Spring 2027 touring Puerto Rico and learning its Jewish history and hopefully Spring 2028 Jewish Brazil. The online learning sessions are well worth attending.

I was scheduled to take a trip with Ayelet to Cuba in 2025. We paid for the trip in early…read moreSeptember of 2025. On September 25th, 2025, the CDC declared a Level 2 alert abut a mosquito borne disease (Chikungunya). I discovered the alert via a former Cuban doctor in early November. I consulted with my physician and she strongly recommended that I cancel the trip due to my age and other issues. Ayelet refused to take any responsibility for not notifying me of the alert and refused to offer any form of refund. Instead, they told me that I would be fine and essential to ignore medical advice. I will never travel with a company that hides information, takes no responsibility, and pretends to be an expert on my medical condition.