I'll be honest...I know diddly squat about Cold Spring's history and who the settlers were. But-…read morewith a charming Main St., what I do know- is how damn cute the Village is. It's like a Norman Rockwell painting! Cold Spring may be known for many things I don't even know about- but from what hubs and I noticed the short time we hung around, were the many Antique shops and some Art Galleries. And without forgetting their other eclectic collection of shops, restaurants and the most gorgeous looking B&Bs and Inns. There's also a wonderful view of the Hudson and mountains if you go further down to Dockside Park. Homes or businesses here- are located down narrow roads or a little alleyway, that is too picturesque for words. And no, there's no McDonalds! Truth to be told- I loved our Cold Spring detour before heading up to Woodstock, NY- and so glad we did and experience their genuine slice of cuteness.

We didn't take the tour but we visited the actual cold Springs area for the first time in the place…read moreis stunning - it's fancy and neat, with little shops and antique stores beautifully presented with a touch of humor, very-very beautiful picturesque scenery, the general vibe feels very nice very comfortable. I really wouldn't mind to move here if i had a job in the area or worked from home! PS. The main street also looks liberal with an enormous rainbow flag and an anti-anti-trump sticker in one of the windows , which makes the vibe even more appealing.

Linda and Michael were exceptionally personable and accommodating. They were on time for pick up,…read moreprofessional and flexible. There were eight of us split between two cars- four with Linda and four with Mike and we had plenty of room in each car. We picked three wineries and one brewery. They were both knowledgeable about the area and made some excellent suggestions throughout the day that turned out to be a great and memorable experience. Mike and Linda were both fun to ride with and made our girls weekend a blast- and the price is right too! We already booked them for a fall trip in October! We can't recommend them enough.

This was our group's second time using Warwick Valley Wine Tours, and once again, we had an amazing…read moreexperience! Our driver, Mike, was fantastic. He was on time, very knowledgeable, and offered great advice throughout the day. We visited three breweries (they do more than just wineries!), and Mike's local insight made the tour even more enjoyable. It's clear he knows the area well and takes pride in showing it off. He's a pleasure to spend the day with, and his friendly, professional attitude really added to the experience. Highly recommend this tour company for anyone looking to explore the local breweries and wineries. We'll definitely be booking again!

Boat ride was great - Captain Brian. Wonderful tour narrated by Jay along the way. Tour on the…read moreisland narrated by Mary. Very knowledgeable and engaging speaker. Learned so much from both speakers! Island itself is stunning. Formal garden areas are beautiful as well as the establishing of native plants in the woodland areas. Castles are so fun to see and learn about. The view is stunning from every angle. Bathrooms are spacious and well maintained. Snacks and beverages available in the island too. Would definitely recommend!

I've wanted to take this tour ($45) for a while now but finally got around to it recently on a…read morelovely fall Sunday morning. While the tour is timed at 2.5 hours...you spend closer to 1.5 hours on the island itself, factoring in the 30-minute boatride to and from the island. There was lots of parking available as the Metro Station's parking is free on weekends. I opted for the early 9:30am departure. I arrived around 9:05am and there were a few people there waiting. They started checking tickets and allowing people onto the boat at around 9:15am. The boat left on time at 9:30am. Tom was at the wheel and Jen was assisting. (Forgive me if I got the names wrong) Jen gave an overview of the sites, buildings and history of the Newburgh waterfront during the 20-minute boatride to the island. We arrived around 9:50, docked and climbed up some stairs to a waiting/dock area. We were then greeted by ___ who was our tour guide for the visit. She explained the history of the island as we made our way through the tour path...passing the castle, garden and museum. After the tour (about 30-40 minutes), visitors can explore the island on their own. There are a few areas that are accessible but not on the tour path, such as Wee Bay. I suggest exploring those areas as you will be rewarded with some amazing views! The museum is also small, but very informative...lots of little interesting facts about the island in there. Be sure to check it out. While the tour path itself is fairly flat, the other explorable areas are rocky and uneven. Its best to wear comfortable hiking/trail shoes if possible...otherwise, you will feel every sharp/uneven rock particalarly if wearing flat-bottomed shoes. There is a small shop there with snacks and some souvenirs. Bathrooms on the island. None on the boat. The group met up at the dock at around 11:30am to take the boat back to Beacon. A group was arriving at that time...likely the 11:00am tour. Overall I had a great time on the tour...learned a lot and captured some great views. Be sure to leave time afterward (or before) to explore other attractions in Beacon...such as the shop-filled Main Street.

A friend had purchased the Gilt deal for day trip hike in the Hudson Valley through Hudson…read moreAdventure Tours. I didn't really know what to expect but at the end of the day, I had the best time. Dave (the owner) picked us up on 45th and 9th avenue in a comfortable van for 14 people and drove us an hour out to the West Mountain. There we were joined by his son who was waiting for our group with the backpacks and lunch. We then proceeded to hike for 6 miles through wonderful trails that was rated intermediate. It was challenging enough to be fun without being above what we could handle. Along the way, Dave pointed out the history, animals, sights and answered all of our questions with great knowledge and humor. I had such a great time that I highly recommend anyone looking for an escape from the city for a day.

Took advantage of a BUYWITHME deal, Fall Foliage Hike which is near Bear Mountain, it was so…read morebeautiful! David is an amazing tour guide- I am very happy he established this business, i will surely be joining his hikes in the future. His son was so helpful and kind, they prepared delish lunches for us and the hike was both a good workout and gave us stunning views. Thank you for a great time- I will be referring friends! *The only advice I would give is that the pickup location should really have a landmark- David was running late and our group got very confused- we were the only ones there, there was no exact address to wait in front of and no one called us so we thought the trip was canceled- thank goodness we waited until 9;20 otherwise we would have missed out on this great trip*

An absolutely extraordinary place, it far exceeded our expectations. Driftwood Ranch offers a…read morelevel of luxury that we had not expected of a ranch experience. Rooms are absolutely beautiful with custom made furniture, large stone gas fireplaces, large bathrooms with heated toilet seats, and a design style that welcomes you and makes you feel that you are in a one-of-a-kind place. Our room had a bed canopy of branches filled with fairy lights, while our daughter's room had an amazing 15' long sculpture of a cattle drive done from a single log. The outdoor setting was equally beautiful. Within very short walks are fields that contain longhorn steer with the longest horns you can imagine, horse pastures, stall barns for the horses, a leather and gift shop, the dining area, and the indoor arena, and roads that lead to the two gates. There are two ponds on site with docks and places to sit, kayaks to borrow, and one has a giant caldron in which they light fires each night to sit around and make smores. In several places there are amazing sculptures from the on-site artist and others. The dining is family style with the primary members of the staff. Breakfast is what you would imagine having if you got up at 5am and worked a full morning of chores, eggs, bacon, biscuits, fruit, sausage, cinnamon rolls, yogurt, toast, etc. Prepare to gain weight. Lunch was typically a soup, bread, and a protein and grain bowl, and they were excellent. Dinner was huge and varied, and absolutely delicious. Everything was prepared by the fabulous Chef Craig who was a wonderful a person as his food was. The people who run Driftwood Ranch are extraordinary. The owner is a famous rodeo champion with multiple titles who now designs the most beautiful and unique homes I have ever seen. His partner was a successful barrel racer who is training horses and making gorgeous jackets for dogs. The husband and wife team who supported our riding experiences were a famous quarter-horse jockey who also makes amazing leather work and an acclaimed race horse trainer. Every person we met was pleasant, helpful, and had amazing stories from their event filled lives. We rode everyday we were at the ranch, including work in the barn and out on the private road. Our all-inclusive package included riding every day. In retrospect I wish I had added a lesson because three of our party are absolute beginner riders. In summary, Driftwood Ranch offered a chance to meet some amazing people who shared their enthusiasm and beautiful surroundings with us, and to whom we are grateful for the opportunity.

Horrible ownership. Really cold personalities. Not welcoming at all. False advertising. Dirty food…read more Never come here.

We received a gift of a hot air balloon ride. Since we have family near Middletown, NY, we chose…read morethat area. The booking agent, XperienceDays.com sent us to Wandering Winds for our adventure. Due to some weather issues, our Saturday sunset ride was cancelled. However, Vicky, the owner and pilot did her very best to accommodate us since we were already coming to the area and offered a Sunday sunrise ride instead. It turned out to be a great day for a balloon ride. Vicky was friendly and cheerful greeting us and reviewed some of the basic instructions and things we may encounter. Once the balloon was ready to go, we climbed aboard with another couple and were on our way. There were a few other balloons riding the currents with us, which added to the whole experience. It was a fun ride with a beautiful view. Vicky answered all our questions and covered some of the history of hot air ballooning along with stories of her own adventures. My wife, having lived in the area, enjoyed spotting and pointing out many landmarks and personal points of interest. When we reached out landing point, the basket gently bumped the ground once and moved a few feet before settling down. The wandering winds crew was there to help us out of the balloon and pack it up while Vicky served us some champagne, cheese and crackers, and muffins, and told the story of the first balloon ride and its adventurers. You can google it, if you want, but I think its better heard after the experience itself. We watched as other balloons landed (some not quite as gently) and chatted with a few other couples. Then the crew took us back to the departure point. All in all, it was a great experience. We had a beautiful morning, made some new friends, and have one more adventure completed. I highly recommend taking a hot air balloon ride. It was fantastic. We also want to highly recommend Vicky and the crew at Wandering Winds.

What a great place to enjoy the outdoors and the beautiful Delaware River. There are…read moreaccommodations for everyone's style, a beautiful A-frame with spa-like bathroom, Lovely cabins, and tiny homes. RV camping with hookups, tent camping with electric. Some on the river, others with an awesome view, and the sounds of the River. River rafting is available with transportation. Walk to the Restaurant and enjoy either the inside bar, the outside bar, or the dining tables. Play corn hole while you're there. Live music some nights. Best of all is the staff, who will do everything to make your stay enjoyable. It is a must-see.

Very deceiving when you pull up under it's new name, Serenity Ridge Mountain Club. There is nothing…read morewrong with expanding into luxury cabins, but the campground should not raise campsite prices while simultaneously reducing amenities and leaving the camping area itself unimproved and overlooked. As it stands, the value for RV campers is simply not there. The entrance has been beautifully done, but once you enter as a campsite guest, that changes. We stayed at this campground years ago when sites were around $70 per night. At that time, the campground was basic but acceptable, especially since campers had access to the pool which helped justify the price. We just returned and found the property significantly changed, with much of it converted into luxury cabins while the lower loop of campsites remains completely untouched. The check-in experience was positive; the staff member was very friendly and welcoming. That said, the current pricing for campsites is hard to justify based on what is actually provided. Campers no longer have access to the pool, only cabin guests do, which is entirely disappointing. There is no reason why the pool could not be offered to all paying guests. There are no meaningful upgrades to the campsite infrastructure itself. In fact, the sites are increasingly worn down rather than improved. For the price being charged, I would expect at minimum some investment in basic site upkeep--such as replacing warped wooden picnic tables and upgrading old, rusted fire rings. Instead, the campsites are largely unchanged from years ago, while rates have increased. With what they've invested, the campsites need to reflect that as well. But it fell entirely short.

We didn't realize it when we booked the is campground but it once seems to have been a vibrant…read morecampground with tons of activities, working bathrooms, a store and amenities. They tout their "best rating"and charge like they still have all those things but it is now nearly abandoned as a campground while your site will have water/electricity/sewer. We have stayed at similar state campgrounds with no amenities for $25-$30 a night but to pay premium rates is insane. Legoland and NYC aren"t far but you need to absolutely have a car as there are no trips or shuttles despite all the potential it has to be amazing again. We tried to get an Uber since we were in a motorhome and didn't bring our car but gave up after no driver would take our trip as they don't seem to like going there. It's the biggest bait and switch we have ever seen on a campground and I expect if Good Sam ever bothers to go back to review or check the campground, they would re-rate them appropriately. Definitely wished we had visited this campground at its peak as it sounds like it was great.