A Hudson Valley wine tour to celebrate a friend's landmark birthday was perfect! Hudson Valley…read moreBucket list did an outstanding job coordinating the day from transport and an itinerary of beautiful wineries to a magazine photo worthy picnic lunch orchestrated by an on-site host. Our group of 12 were treated like special guests everywhere we went and we were wowed by the friendly, welcoming reception at each stop and the delicious wines we were able to taste. HVBL made planning this event easy and the day memorable

Becky was the best and the day couldn't have been planned any better! Best time ever !read more

I HAD to go back to this because it's such an amazing experience. I'm sure they do more than "Fall…read moreFoliage" trips but that's when I visited in the past. Despite my best efforts in the past to do Fall train rides, which turned out to be disappointing only because there was never any good colors on trees, this by far is the very best fall foliage experience I've ever had in my life. You get great views of the tree color transitions and just great photo opportunities. It does get cold on the water so bring a jacket. Experience is as excellent as last time with beverages and snacks for purchase. If you enjoy fall colors, great scenery and boats then you have to do this at least once.

A peaceful Hudson River cruise from Peekskill to Bear Mountain. Beautiful views and a truly…read morerelaxing experience! Such a wonderful way to spend the day. Very pleased with this cruise!

People do not go on a graveyard tour in Sleepy Hollow in October to be told the difference between…read moregranite & marble. I expected something at least a little spooky, but other than 5 minutes at a crypt that was in Dark Shadows (the tour guide gave false information; she obviously never saw an episode), and Washington Irving's grave, the entire tour was a tutorial on types of internments. Great tour for someone studying mortuary science, which I am not. At the end, the guide asked if anyone wanted to keep going or take the short cut back, everyone yelled "shortcut". Honestly, if it was a daytime tour, we would have just left the tour. We were at least expecting to be taken to the grave of the Hessian soldier. A scary story or two.

We just did the regular night time lantern tour and although our guide was well informed and…read moreanswered all questions the delivery was a little dry. I felt the group size was also too large. The guide would often be speaking as we walked and the people in the back of the line had a hard time hearing. Would definitely give one of the other tours like the murder and mayhem tour a shot but this one left me feeling just meh.

RMS Emerald Princess was a lovely experience and a nice way to celebrate a birthday !…read moreThe captain had the birthday man come drive the boat! The staff were lovely and a worker explained working there as "being with family " What a lovely experience!

Absolutely Fabulous!!!…read more Well worth it!!! $40 for a two hour VERY pleasant trip up just shy of West Point and back. Oh and the first drink is a free margarita!!! Yummmy!!! Topside and interior tables. DJ, full bar, and dance floor. Finger food to order for the ride and an AMAZING crew!!! Hats off to the Captain for allowing the visit to the pilot house! Thank you!!! Folks this was amazing!!! My only request would be to go actually and turn at west point or Bannerman. It adds an hour. But that I think would make it perfect!!! Anyway, this last note is to the young crewman interested in joining the Navy, remember what I told you, it is what YOU make of it! Best of luck to you and look forward to greeting you as Shipmate! Two thumbs up!!! YES!!!!

On June 14, the U.S. Army will turn 250 years old. Its birth during the beginning of the…read moreRevolutionary War is one stop along the road to America's 250th birthday on July 4, 2026. Since then, it has played a vital role in every major conflict to modern-day operations worldwide. To commemorate this historic milestone, my partner and I decided on a bus tour to the US Military Academy at West Point, which is the oldest war fort and military base in the US, sitting on the west bank of the Hudson River, 40 miles north of NYC. Reservations as well as security clearance were easily made via the website on the same day, with the extended tour lasting 2 hours to include the cemetery and chapel. West Point Tours provides a great experience to see and understand the US Military Academy's place in history and the future. Although established in 1802, the Academy was vital in the American Revolutionary War. Washington considered the location critical and had additional fortifications designed. Everywhere the bus traveled, we saw signs that read "Beat Navy!" This, of course, refers to the great rivalry the two military academies have enjoyed for decades. By far, the most magnificent and historic building is Cadet Chapel, which has dominated the landscape for more than 100 years. Reflecting the Gothic architecture of the late 14th century in England, it is constructed from granite quarried at West Point. Our tour guide, Chandrinka, was highly knowledgeable and took the time to really bring the history with her 17 years of experience. For visitors like us seeking a blend of scenic beauty, historical significance, and cultural enrichment, we can highly recommend as it was a truly educational and enlightening experience.

Frederic Malek visitor center- Where you get bus tours or asks information, they accept cash only!…read moreThey instruct you where the atm is. Clean restroom, spacious lobby, beautiful vista on hudson lake. See images for reference.

Wow what a beautiful place to take the family. This zoo is very well hidden and was near empty when…read morewe visited. You would never know it's there unless you purposely look for it. Free entry but pay to park certain times of the year.

Pros: 1) Great add-on activity pre/post-hike…read more 2) Lots of cute animals that are pretty close-up. 3) Low cost for admission (it's donation based) 4) You can see the staff feeding the animals, if you time it right. Cons: 1) Quite a few of the animal enclosures were closed. 2) The amenities in the zoo and museum look so dated. (Some don't even work) My wife and I gave our donation upon arrival. However, I noticed many, many, many people walk right past the donation box without even care in the world. I get it, money is tight nowadays. However, if we want these sites to look nice we really should pitch in. Just leave a dollar per person, and it will add up. I really enjoyed my time there, and the workers were really friendly. Pro tip: 1) Don't take your pets into the zoo. We saw a lot of these people. 2) Don't blast music on your bluetooth speaker while walking in the park. That's why we invented headphones, papi.

We purchased tickets for Thanksgiving weekend, but a severe storm hit Chicago. The venue failed to…read morenotify us of the closure until 20 minutes before our scheduled start time. By then, we had already driven 40 miles in dangerous conditions, only to be forced to turn back. We were told we could reschedule, which we did for today. Unfortunately, my child became sick, and now they are refusing to reschedule again. The least they could do is offer reasonable flexibility given the original cancellation could have been handled more appropriately. Instead, they are keeping our money despite their own failure to communicate and accommodate. This is unacceptable and apathetic given we spent $200 and were put at severe risk. I fully expect their response to this post to cite "company policy," but policies don't excuse poor customer service. Taking responsibility and making a reasonable exception for their mistake would be the right approach.

We had a great visit to this interactive installation in the heart of FDR State Park. The prices…read morewere pretty steep but we just missed the pice hike for the peak of the season. It was a wet night with some snow and rain. We just missed the Rian and it was lightly snowing when we arrived, which added to the mystique of the forest ambience. Some pro tips would be to wear warm clothing, pack an umbrella, and wear thick socks under some wellies, because you will be walking for the entire event and if there has been any precipitation, the ground will definitely be muddy. We lucked out on the night we visited because of the weather. There were definitely less people than I'm sure there are, on drier days. We picked a time where the sun would have just set but it would still be early enough for our kiddo to enjoy the event without getting cranky. Parking was well-choreographed. There are people everywhere to direct you where to go. We parked pretty close to where we needed to enter. Weeknights are going to be the go-to time because there are much less people than on weekends. Admission was pretty seamless. We pre-ordered our tickets and parking online which made everything easier. We walked in with no issue. The bathrooms weren't terrible but be advised that they are port-a-potties. When we finally began the experience, we were amazed. The staff gave great energy, despite the weather. They were very engaging with the crowd and acknowledged the kids, making it a memorable experience. The displays were amazing. My husband and I loved the nostalgia, remembering the movies through all the scenes. There were also nods to Fantastic Beasts, throughout the experience. We each got to discover our Petronus, kiddo has a bunny, hubby has an otter (?) and I have a honey badger (yerrr). We tried Butterbeer, had marshmallows covered in chocolate, saw Dementors destroyed , and enjoyed some light food at the end. I even bought an Elder Wand for myself. This is a one and done event. I probably won't be back unless the prices are considerably decreased but I would love to bring my kiddo back after she's old enough tow aych all of the movies with us. It would be a completely different experience for her and that would be great to witness.

We (two adults and two young kids) rented a canoe and a double kayak on the Croton River on a…read morebeautiful fall day. It was a wonderful slice of nature, which looked and felt a lot more remote than It was (there was a bit of highway noise on the lower half of the river). The equipment was in great shape, and the staff helpful and friendly. We went close to high tide, and were able to make it about a mile and a half before the river became too shallow. The staff member said one could do that in about 45 minutes, but with kids, an hour was more reasonable. The two and a half hour rental was a perfect amount of time, as that allowed us to proceed leisurely, explore some of the little nooks on the edge of the river, and take time for the all important snack break. All in all this was a wonderful experience, and we all can't wait to do it again.

Great Company and I enjoy Padding and working for the company. The summer is my favorite time to…read moreuse this company.