I'm not sure how to describe this place. It's unlike any other I've been. That said, if you…read moresculpture, art, history, walking, nature, and how they all intersect, you're going to like Opus 40. Essentially, a man named Harvey Fite single-handledly took over 60 acres of Saugerties and built a giant bluestone sculpture in the center of it. The beauty of the walls, the paths, the pools...it's worth checking out. The scale is incredible when you realize one man did it all himself, including hoisting the 14 foot, 9 ton stone he called FLAME in the center. Opus 40 hosts concerts, nature talks and walks, events, and more at this beautiful, serene space, so check those out. And if you're more inclined, just do what my mom and her friends do often (what I've only done once so far), and walk the grounds and take it all in.

Well worth visiting including the on-site museum. I would say think about the historical context as…read moreto when this was being built.

Hubby recently booked a Polar Express experience with Catskills Mountain Railroad for our family,…read moreand I have to say, I was beyond ecstatic! This was a first for all of us and it was especially meaningful for me. My husband has been helping me relive my childhood one memory at a time, so being able to experience this together as a family was truly special. I'd never seen or read The Polar Express in its entirety though I'd heard so many wonderful things about it, which made me even more excited for the train ride. From start to finish the experience was magical. The highlight for me was the hot chocolate. It was absolutely amazing! The cookies were nice too, though they were more on the okay side, but the fact that they came from a local bakery made it feel that much sweeter. The trip was full of joy and excitement. It was a beautiful way to create family memories and celebrate the holiday season. I highly recommend it to anyone looking to add a bit of magic to their Christmas traditions.

The experience was really nice and relaxing! There's plenty of seating, so finding a comfortable…read morespot wasn't an issue. The train itself was pretty warm, and it moves at a slower pace, but I actually enjoyed that because it gave us plenty of time to take in the scenery. The ride takes you through the woods and along the streets, and it was cute seeing people wave as we passed by in their cars. Overall, it was a smooth, peaceful experience and a nice way to enjoy the scenery without feeling rushed.

If you're in the Catskill area and want a huge park with lots of trails, you must visit! I did not…read moreget to explore all of it, but I definitely want to come back. The top by the historic house has a beautiful view of the river and mountains.

5/19- 5/20/26 Visits:…read more -5/19/26: We came for the special Fredrick Church 200th b-day exhibit. The paintings were wonderful to view. I'm taking one star off. The male tour guide was underwhelming to say the least. He did admit that it was his first tour. I believe for Church's 200th birthday exhibition, a paying customer would've expected the guide to give an overview on the artist and a description of his paintings. All we received was a a person walking the group into a couple rooms. I even tried to question him about one of the paintings. He basically threw the question back at me. -5/20/26: We took an electric car tour throughout the 5 mile narrow hilly estate. Price $40 and totally worth it! Ellen was our tour guide and driver. Brava to Ellen! She was extremely thorough and knowledgeable about the entire Fredric Church estate. A wonderful gift shop is available on the premises.

I'm so glad we found Tour with Donovan after searching for tours of the wineries in the Hudson…read moreValley. Donovan is awesome. Very professional, listened to what we wanted, then took us to three wineries that were fantastic. Each winery had its own unique character and the wines were spot on, as well the spirits in the last one we went to. Donovan's van was very clean, well air conditioned, and had all the amenities needed to go from one winery to the next. He's very knowledgeable of the area, well prepared, and an all around fun and great guy. He picked us up at our hotel at Marriott Courtyard Poughkeepsie and after the tour dropped us off at the Beacon Train station it really worked out very well. We'll be gathering a group of friends and hopefully do another tour in the fall or before Christmas. For sure we will pick Tour with Donovan again! Thanks Donovan!

My 8 friends and I took a 5 and a half hour tour with Donovan and it was beyond perfect. Donovan…read moreworked with me on planning the entire itinerary and made sure we were visiting wineries I'd never been to before that would fit the type of vibe I was looking for, since I was the birthday girl. Donovan set up each reservation so I had to do nothing but, book my trip with him and when he arrived he even had champagne and bottled water for us! At each stop Donovan made sure that we were treated like royalty. He didn't just drop us off, he got out with us and set us all up comfortably at each winery even going out of his way to get ice for our wine and helping us choose the best reviewed wines at each stop. Then Donovan even took pictures of our group at each stop and then sent them all to me to make sure I had memories of our trip. Donovan's vehicle was clean and well taken care of. All 9 of us fit comfortably with room for a few more. He was so hospitable and so much fun to hang out with on our drive to each stop. He played the music we liked and kept us laughing the entire time. I can't say enough about Donovan. I would definitely recommend him 100%.

Nice grounds to walk around and picnic as well as gardens and a mansion from the gilded age…read more Arriving on a Saturday afternoon, parking was a a breeze and grounds were open. We just missed the 3 pm Mansion tour (free with national park pass) so waited an hour for the next one. We walked over to the garden area and saw some roses and other flowers, all 5,000 varieties planted by volunteers and staying true to the types back in time. Two friendly volunteers were stationed there, readEra, chat and provide information. The mansion tour was informative and interesting, largely due to the ranger tour guide. If you like history or that era, you'll likely enjoy the tidbits shared. There aren't many places to sit inside the house and even I had a hard time standing for so long after a long day. They did have elevator access for those who have trouble with mobility. The info center doesn't have a store anymore but has a few artifacts.

3/18/26: The Vanderbilt Mansion is a must see when visiting Hyde Park!…read more You first drive up a winding driveway, till you reach the visitor's center to purchase tickets. Should you have a National Service Park Pass, you'll be able to enter for free. It's best to call at 9 AM just to be sure there's availability. Inside the center, you'll find restrooms and a large display of the Vanderbilt family tree. Our docent Mike first started the tour at the visitor center. Mike was very knowledgeable and had wonderful wit. The visitor center used to be the guest house for Mrs. Vanderbilt's bachelor friends during their stay over. Mike walked us over to the main estate. The outside of the estate is stunning. We then entered the beautiful estate. All the furnishings are absolutely gorgeous. The last part of the tour is walking down the servants stairs. However, the best photo view is probably looking up from the bottom of the staircase. Hope you enjoy the photos. Photos are allowed, but without flash.

TEP deserves more than 5 stars for the amazing start to finish service we experienced on our 7 day…read moreadventure to Peru to hike the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. From the time we signed up, to the time we boarded the plane to return home, TEP took care of every detail. We commented amongst ourselves that we felt like kids on vacation with our parents, as we didn't have to worry about any of the details - just show up and follow Neptali (our guide). From airport pickup in Cusco in luxury Mercedes vans where we were promptly served Coca tea to help with the altitude acclimation, to group dinners at amazing Peruvian restaurants, to historical tours and education on the history of the Inca - everything was covered and taken care of for us. And that was all before the amazing trek along the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu! Of course the trek itself was the highlight of the trip, and although it was extremely challenging for us, TEP's unbelievable attention to detail did not fail us on the trail. With nearly a 2:1 porter to trekker ration, our every need was met on the trail. We dined like kings every meal, and were consistently amazed with the quality (and nutritional appropriateness) of the food our chef and sous chef were able to put out with minimal kitchen conveniences. The thing I felt was most special about TEP's approach to this trip was the focus on gaining a cultural and historical appreciation for what we were experiencing. Every step along the way, we learned about the native people of Peru, the Inca civilization, the many ruins we came across, the vegetation we saw and how it was and is used, and the history of modern Peru. It was the trip of a lifetime, and have the help of The Explorer's Passage made it so much more enjoyable, and so much more memorable. The value of what they provide is amazing for the cost....rather, for the investment. I highly recommend them!

What a fabulous tour! I did the "Washington in NYC" tour in June 2017 and it was such a wonderful…read moreexperience! So much fascinating historical information that I can't wait to share with all my friends now; such a great group of fellow explorers; and all so perfectly run - well planned, perfectly on time, with a great variety of sights and insights for all types of travelers. I recommend this tour highly - and will be on the lookout for future adventures from The Explorer's Passage! :)

Beautiful and historic place with knowledgeable staff. Great experience for everyone…read more They should add two dollars to the price of a ticket so you don't have to look for one dollar bills in order to ride the merry go round with a charge of $1.00. Not many carry cash anymore much less dollar bills. Just add it to the price and let people not have to fumble looking for more money once inside. Also the gift shop was so incredibly hot it was sickening to be in there.

Been wanting to come here for awhile as my mom kept sending me it on fb lol. Knew we'd be up at my…read moremom's this summer so we of course planned a little trip to Cooperstown. We got here an hour before closing which probably isn't enough time but my son is 3 so it was perfect for him. The carousel which I thought was super cute my son ran for dear life from. It's a carousel! lol. Seriously the way he ran you'd think we were trying to lure him to the carousel of death. So sadly no ride on that but everything else was really cool to check out. Random chickens around my son was happy seeing it all. Gift shop was closed as we left but we came back the next day to check that out :) I definitely plan on coming back here as my boy gets older where he can actually pay attention to things.

This cave is actually Fulmer mine area. Enjoy the hike up the mountain. Extremely hot, that day so…read morewe stood at the mouth of the cave to cool down! Area known for being a source of hematite. Will hike around the area again as there are several trails to hike. Delaware river is at the base and got a nice view of tubers enjoying the river along the way. We'll have to try that too sometime.

Great hike! I would recommend this hike to everyone. Very nice views. We did the whole loop and was…read moreworth it

We visited the Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome with family and friends, including a 4-year-old and a…read more2-year-old. It's a great weekend outing -especially on a nice weather day. I wasn't sure the kids would stay entertained through a two-hour air show, but they did (mostly!), and being outdoors definitely helped. The show itself was fun and laid-back, with a loose storyline, impressive stunts, and a nostalgic vibe. You can bring your own food and drinks, or grab something from the concession stand, which was reasonably priced. The small gift shop has cute souvenirs for kids, and the nearby hangars filled with old planes and vehicles were great to explore before the show started. The only downside was that it was a bit hard to hear the narration over the PA system, but it didn't take away from the experience. Overall, a charming, family-friendly day trip worth checking out.

The Aerodrome air show is a unique experience and only available on summer weekends. We came for a…read moreSaturday afternoon show and it's quite kitschy with old-timey music and a seasoned announcer. The show + museum access is about $30/pp. There are a couple of gift shops (one in the air field and one by the museum area), snack stands (CASH ONLY) with hot dogs, burgers, fries, etc., and a workshop. One con is there's no phone signal and no wifi on the premises so it is best to preload any maps if you're not familiar with the area and need gps.