This is an extremely good walk/hike. "Easy" in terms of difficulty, this trail starts off on an…read moreeasy 1/4-mile walk down a meandering crushed-gravel path to a wooden gazebo, then down some grassy hills to the Hudson River "lookout" point. From there, you can venture into the woods for a 3/4 to a mile "easy hike" surrounded by trees, trickling stream & a few furry animals, like squirrels & chipmunks, collecting acorns. Kid friendly, this is a great walk/hike for the whole family.

Dreamy any walk you choose to start on during any season. Beginner's level. Nice view of the Hudson.read more

Easy trails. Well circulated with other people. Relaxing views. A great place to paint outdoors,…read morehave lunch under the pavilion or/and explore.

Ample parking. Moderately busy on a lovely fall weekday. No bugs or mud noted, but lots of leaves,…read morerocks, and tree roots on sometimes steep trails. There is a porta potty but it's on unlevel ground. Firetower views are amazing.

Fantastic local playground, situated down off Rhinecliff Rd and minutes from the center of town…read more Fenced in area with expansive playground area with plenty of open space for children 5-12 to run around. Benches surround the playground with an open pavilion nearby with picnic tables and a parking lot area.

This is a nice easy set of trails, flat or gentle hills. The forest and grassland areas are quite…read morenice. For the most part, the trails are well maintained, although I do think the trail markings/signage could be clearer. I started at the kiosk trail head and the first turnoff for the trail can be easy to miss(in fact, I did.) The initial part of the trail is nice dark gravel, but it veers into a field where the trail is just a mown path and the sign for the turnoff is an unassuming post with orange and green squares on it tucked back into the growth. Also at one point off the blue loop, I ended up in a strange area with farm equipment with a sign posted about private property. So I turned back to the loop. I never even saw how to get to the white or red trails. So what I saw was nice but I'd like to come back and try to find what I missed. Maybe I'm just hopelessly directionally challenged. I did take a picture of the map at the trailhead but still found parts confusing. I saw a fox following the paths several times, which was pretty exciting:) There was a pool, playground and community garden but I didn't really check those out.

Being in the Kingston area got me stopping here. There's a lot of parking spaces to park in a…read morecouple of sections, and we parked on the big gravel on the south side. Picnic tables are accompanied along here and the other section on the northern side with many more. Grills are provided for a plus near the picnic tables. Boat docks are used in this park for anyone's pleasure, and there's plenty of room for it to be done right. The view of the Hudson River is an incredible closeup, seeing the Kingston-Rhinecliff Bridge as the highlight and also viewing the east side of northern Dutchess County. In the distance on that side, you'll get a glimpse of the train tracks of Amtrak and occasionally CSX trains passing by. We happen to see an Amtrak heading north as we were leaving. Looking even further, especially if it's a clear day, you'll see the town of Rhinecliff to the south. It's a great place to have a get-together and to take in nature at this location!

There's an almost Zen feel here. It's fairly quiet, almost cozy. The picnic tables are spaced…read moreprobably 25 to 30 feet apart, with grills between some. But you may want to bring your own lawn chairs if you want to sit on something other than a picnic table. There's plenty of parking space. You're right along the river, and there's a deck area where folks lounge and fish. You have quite a view of the Kingston-Rhinecliff Bridge. If you're there when the Rhinebeck Aerodrome is open, you'll occasionally see one of their planes fly over the river to about the same latitude as the park, which is evidently their turn-around point. You'll have some very nice views of foliage during leaf-peeping time.

I think there were more seagulls here today than people. And that's pretty crazy, because this park…read morewas incredibly crowded today as well, including several very large groups having some kind of party (maybe that's what attracted the gulls?). I'd say 90% of the picnic tables were full. If you're practicing social distancing, it might be tough here on a day like this, especially since all the folks in the large groups were evidently comfortable around each other. It is a nice spot for a picnic, and there's a few places for other activity, such as the basketball court. It's possible that it was very crowded today, even though it was overcast and not with a lot of fall foliage yet, because it was probably the last warm weekend for a while in this area. You do get a nice view of the Kingston-Rhinecliff bridge, and you'll eventually see some nice foliage in a few weeks (from the time I wrote this).

Beautiful peaceful park to visit and enjoy. Opens to public May 1st. Beautiful views of Hudson…read moreRiver. 5stars

Found this place, thanks to Google. We specifically went to eat takeout and use the playground. It…read morewas pretty clean and well maintained. It is spring time (May 2023) and there was a lot of dandelion fluff flying around in the air, so beware if you have seasonal allergies. Google also routed us to the right location, but Fruitbud Lane it is.

Amazing park with playground, tennis courts, sports field and a pool! Had great fun with my…read moregrandson!

I came here on a nice spring day for a walk and was so pleasantly surprised! This is a gorgeous…read morepark! It has a few trails which are fine for beginners and very enjoyable. So many great views here! There are several picnic tables throughout so it would be nice for a picnic or lunch with a view. The history of the lighthouse was so interesting and fun to learn about. This was such a peaceful and relaxing spot. Great for a mental break! There are 2 parking lots that are on the smaller side. One for the Esopus Meadows Preserve and another for the Lighthouse Park, but the parks are connected, literally a 30 second walk, so park wherever you find a spot!

Lighthouse park itself seemed to be overflowing with trash, unfortunately. The parking lot there is…read moresmall, but there is ample parking at the preserve parking lot. The trails were great, well-marked, and well-kept. Saw a big rat snake, and there were some giant fish splashing around. My son enjoyed the Phrenology trail and learning about the plants.

The Staastsburgh Estate grounds are simply beautiful, expansive and extremely well maintained. The…read morelong canopied tree-lined paved driveway winds its way up to the mansion and down to and along the Hudson River. There is a smaller unpaved road that leads to the carriage house and around to several gardens and eventually up to the front entry way of the mansion. We didn't go inside as we had spent 40 minutes walking the grounds but plan to do so on a future visit.

A Wedding at Mills Mansion, Staatsburg, NY…read more There are places where history doesn't just exist--it breathes. Mills Mansion at the Staatsburg State Historic Site is one of them. Perched above the Hudson River, surrounded by sweeping lawns and timeless architecture, the scenery holds a quiet grandeur that makes every wedding feel both intimate and monumental. I had the privilege of photographing a wedding there, and it was an experience that will stay with me for a long time. The mansion itself feels cinematic in scale, yet human in its warmth. Inside, sunlight drifts through tall windows, painting slow-moving patterns across the floor. Outside, the wind off the river carries laughter down the terrace steps, mingling with the rustle of old trees and the faint hum of the day. It's a space that invites stillness and awe all at once--a perfect stage for love stories that feel like they've been unfolding for generations. This is undoubtedly on my list of top 10 places to get married in the Hudson Valley. I love it here.

When you factor in just the nearest park setting, this park tends to be a little small - with few…read morebenches. But when you factor in the expansive area just outside the park - this waterfront park can be huge. It's centerpiece is it's monument dedicated to kingston members of the armed forces who've risked their lives and died - found at the corner nearest the waterfront bathrooms near the Rip Van Winkle boat. I myself have found the ability to feed the birds and ducks that go by here often. It can be so serene and these poultry know it. You can often find electric fish coming up from the water below to catch food floating on the water's surface. Then you add in the few benches that exist, and you will get a park. It's gotten worse over the years. Many years ago, there used to be live bands playing on the stages, but it seems like they've all be told to find other gigs elsewhere. A person who sits on the benches, will sometimes hear the soundtrack from what's inuse at Mariners Harbor nearby, but this isn't even the best. There's little - if any - parking existing for this park that is free. You either have to pay for sidewalk-like parking, or you can go into the lot (which often is full of cars from the Landing added to the cars from the nearby businesses), or if you see a non-handicap spot nearest the Rip Van Winkle boat (isn't often), you can take one there. Your best bet is to park somewhere else in Kingston and Uber-down to the park (or Uber to Mariners Harbor and walk). I don't come down here that often, if it isn't for some peace and quiet in busy times, but it can be a necessary place at times.

Boats creeks and…read moreplaques T.R, Gallo Park was developed in 1984 and renovated and expanded in the years since then. Not a very large park but it is connected to a river walk so it's possible to walk for several miles along the water. The park is located on Roundout Creek and has nice views of the water and boats at the marina. You can even see a couple of very cool lighthouses if you really try. The park has a nice gazebo, picnic tables, benches and a memorial to all those brave souls that have been lost at sea. Lots of events are held at the park in the warm months and there is even a little place to launch kayaks and other small craft. Not a large park but one in a great location. A great use of the open space down by the marina and water.

It's been several years since I was on Kingston Point Beach, and up until today, I had never had…read morethat one moment of "peace, quiet and tranquility" you get when you visit a beach - alone. However, was coming back from dropping a Shipt order (from Target) nearby so thought I'd stop in when I ran across this beach. I had known about this beach for quite some time, but kept forgetting about it's whereabouts, until I discovered it's one and only route when finding it with Uber. However, when I got to this beach, I knew I was unprepared to go in, but I went in anyways. I didn't have a towel to dust myself off, but knew I had to - due to my calloused feet. I went into the water - just as far as a few inches - so the waves and water could reach and go around my ankles. However, was totally flustered at all the tree branch pieces on the dry sand which made the walk quite an interesting one which kept stabbing my feet as I came to walk in and out of the beachfront. I mean, I had sandals, but I wasn't thinking about towels...nor did I see a water-cleansing spout, so I don't think anyone here really has mentioned that people do need these smaller services. I loved the scenery. The Kingston-Rhinecliff Bridge in the distance, and even the fact that speedboats tend to help bring in waves occasionally. If it wouldn't be for the 18 minute jaunt and the fact that there's a toll bridge in the way between my Dutchess Co home and this beach, I'd be here more often - and today it was almost a necessity at 90 degrees plus Fahrenheit. I saw a few beachgoers sunbathing on towels and several in the water with only a few lifeguards. I also saw some volleyball courts, but no one was playing there. Just wish that you wouldn't have to cross past these during a game to get to the beach. Not cool - thank heavens no games were going on when I went past. Parking was excellent. Despite not having the best spots for handicapped, there are several really great spots at the wall near the entrance locations- but that road getting to the park can be a bit rough, and because it's so far out of tune of everything else, can be a little bummer to feel safe and secure at these beaches and parks. There's little in the way of beachfront parks to send kids to here. However, it's quite a walk to the nearest kids and dog parks across Delaware Ave. I know I made the right choice today, just wish I would have come more prepared.

Nice beach, it actually is a tributary of the Hudson River. My son and wife love going there on…read morehot summer days. It's easy to access and a great launch point for kayaking.