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!

7/9/24 Visit: We were greeted at the dock by Joseph…read moreMassaro's daughter Donna. She transported us and four others by private boat to tour their private island home. Mr. Joseph Massaro had purchased Petra Island for $700,000 in 1996. Frank Lloyd Wright designed a house that Joseph Massaro built. There's a guest house (The Chahroudi Cottage) and the Main house (The Massaro House). The Massaro House is built around a 12-foot-high, 60-foot-long boulder that forms the exterior of the entry and an interior wall. A smaller rock is also used as a wall in the kitchen and bathroom. During our visit, we had the pleasure of meeting Barbara Massaro the wife of the owner. The Frank Lloyd Wright design (The Massaro House) is a special day outing. It's $150 pp. but definitely worth it. Hope you enjoy the photos from my visit. A restroom is available on the Island, after the boat tour. On the dock, there's a designated parking area for Petra Island Tours.

This was not an easy haul from the city by train, but it was quite the adventure!…read more It was such a trek I almost didn't go, but am so glad I did! I took the 80 minute train ride from Grand Central to Croton Falls, a tiny little hamlet that basically looks like a one horse town once you get off at the station (a deli, a cafe, a general store, a wine shoppe, a post office, and that's about it). Then I had to figure out how to get a Lyft to the dock, about five miles away in Mahopec (which was no easy feat, but not impossible). The dock is easy to find by the address they give. The owner is nice and makes a ton of "dad jokes" and the daughter, who is a local chef, helps out. She is also very kind and is the one who keeps things organized and keeps her dad in line ha! They furnish the relaxing, brief boat ride over and back. This house is definitely one of a kind. Situated on an 11 acre island, this is a Frank Lloyd Wright designed/inspired home (there is a story behind designed/inspired that you'll learn about on the tour). Honestly, this would be my dream home/getaway/zombie apocalypse home! Anyone who knows anything about Wright will see him everywhere in this structure. The architecture is absolutely breath-taking. I found myself fantasizing what it must be like to relax on any of the numerous terraces overlooking the water, or how it must feel to enjoy the breeze blowing through the many large pivoting doors. Anyone would be able to enjoy the beauty of this house, not just Wright fans (though they would be the most blown away). The story of the house is pretty interesting, though at times it gets a little heavy into the owner's work and finances. They make the argument that this home is more interesting and beautiful than falling waters, and given the stats (for example, 26--I think--skylights vs. zero) I am inclined to agree. The tour cost 150. For me, it was worth it. They are letting us into their personal residence. They furnish the boat ride. And I can't imagine the property taxes and maintenance. My friend who actually found this tour and suggested it tapped out after she found out the price. But to each their own--I felt it was totally worth it. Again, the owner/owning family is super nice and welcoming. The owner's daughter even offered me a ride back to the train station (I had already called a Lyft), which I felt was above and beyond. This is a small lake-side community with small shoppes and restaurants. Almost feels like Maine or Connecticut in New York, but I wouldn't want to insult the people of Mahopec if that's not an appropriate comparison! Again, the owner's daughter is a chef, and has a local breakfast and lunch spot. You could come out for the day, enjoy the scenery, local people, have some great food, and make a day of it (though this is probably best done by car rather than train!)

What a fun time! Captain Frank and Erin were such great hosts to our very first expedition on the…read morenew Stamford Pedal Cruise. The name of the boat is the Pier Pressure II. I have been on the Milford Pedal Cruise before and both are just a super fun way to get together with a group of 22 of your friends and have a great time on the water. Here are some things you'll need to know: The Pier Pressure II is Stamford's only pedal powered party boat operated on Stamford Harbor and goes out into the Long Island Sound. It's a 90 minute excursion that is perfect for corporate outings and team building, as well as office, bachelorette, family, friends and birthday celebrations. It fits 26 guests at 12 pedaling stations & benches, a bar table, coolers, has a bluetooth stereo and also a bathroom. Private Cruises begin at $749 and Public Cruises are sold by the ticket, starting at $55, and seat up to 22 passengers. Guests do tip the Captain & First Mate since they rely on it to pay their bills. Suggested tip for Private Cruises: $200-300 and $10-15 per person for Group Cruises. BYOB! Drinks - beer, wine, hard seltzers, ciders, canned cocktails and the like are suggested. Please avoid bringing glass on board. Only guests 21 years of age or older may bring or consume alcoholic beverages. Don't forget some water. Bring Ice - they do not provide ice :) Bing Snacks - keep in mind it can be breezy on the boat. Cups, utensils, plates, napkins, etc - we do not carry these onboard, so please bring what you need and consider bringing reusable items to help the environment and reduce trash. Depending on the time of year and weather, don't forget your sunscreen, sunglasses, rain poncho or jacket. It does get cooler on the water- so bring a hoodie :) Lastly- free parking can be found at the Harbor Point Garage at 855 Pacific Street, Stamford, CT 06902 located between Washington Blvd & Harbor Point Rd. Other parking options include street parking and the lot at 200 Washington Blvd. They highly encourage using Uber, Lyft & taxi services, as well as the Metro North Train, a 15 min walk to the meeting location. Their waiting area is located at 1 Harbor Point Rd, Stamford, CT 06902 down the steps and under the blue canopy. You'll see Pedal Cruise signs along the way. Staff will let you and your group down to the boat through a locked gate when the boat is ready for boarding. Please do not enter through the gate without a Pedal Cruise staff member since it is private property. Cheers and have the best time! We sure did!

From the owner: Sip, Cheer & Chill on the water on Stamford’s only pedal powered party boat operated on the…read moreglistening Stamford Harbor and out into the Long Island Sound for groups of up to 26 people! This relaxing 90 minute excursion is perfect for corporate outings and team building, as well as office, bachelorette, family, friends and birthday celebrations. Our custom crafted boat fits 26 guests at 12 pedaling stations & benches, a bar table, coolers, blue tooth stereo and even has a bathroom! Locations in both Milford and Stamford, CT!

Today for my birthday my daughter and I decided to go to the Ridge Ranch . As soon as we arrived we…read moreknew we were going to love it and love it we did ! We were able to hold bunnies and baby goats ! We also brushed some donkeys fed some cows and it was interesting and very interactive and of course a ton of fun . Arielle and her husband Dan run a great farm and you can sense their passion . I made a reservation online (required) as well as paid in advance (required) and it was easy and very affordable I would think maybe even too cheap for what you're getting . It's very expensive to care and feed all these animals never mind the vet bills . I highly recommend this farm for anyone who wants hands on experience as well as tons of information about these beautiful animals .

The most incredible, magical place ever!! I highly recommend that everyone go here-- all of the…read moreanimals are absolutely adorable, and spending time with them feels so therapeutic. I have been here 4 times in 2 months-- it is a fun activity for my family and friends; we are all so beyond appreciative of the amazing owners!

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%.

I used Coach Tours for my wedding in Brookfield, CT this month and can say I had an excellent…read moreexperience! You never know what to expect with transportation for a wedding but this team has it down to a science. We booked two 55 person Coach busses for our wedding and one for our rehearsal dinner. Trent was responsive and all the busses were prompt, clean, and reliable. Would highly recommend to anyone looking for quality service for a resonable price!

This company provided transportation to Mohegan Sun casino. The driver, Don on bus #22 Sunday…read more5/19/19 is an exceptional driver. Several incompetent drivers cut him off because THEY waited to the last moment to merge into the right traveling lane. With his excellent driving skills the rest of the passengers never even knew what was happening. His use of the GPS rerouted us a few times to avoid traffic jams that could be seen extending off to the horizon; getting us to and from the casino on time. There were even entertainment on the bus, enhancing the ride. And the bathroom was clean and smelled pleasant.

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.

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! :)

This was so much fun! Unfortunately, when we went, the train wasn't running or not all of it, but…read morewe had a great time! I'm looking forward to coming back because I would like to hear the tour they offer to patrons who visit the trains in the yard.

Looking forward to getting back on the archives project neeed to get away!…read more If federally funded for collection of information why all the discrimination on the employees from people who think we are square because we like to read? Coast is clear Statistics are dedicated to the project and highly successful Again ugh

My boyfriend and I went for a mini vacation in Norwalk, CT and I booked the Sunset Harbor…read moreLighthouse Tour which we went on this past Sunday evening from 6:30-8:30, on 8/10/25. This tour was definitely a highlight of our trip! Captain John and Charlie were great and all the passengers aboard had a great time! We passed three lighthouses-Peck Ledge LH, Sheffield Island LH and Green's Ledge LH. Charlie, co-captain of Captain John, had just toured the inside of Green's Ledge LH the day before which is listed on Airbnb for $6,000! He went around the ship showing everyone the floor plan. It especially exciting to be on the Long Island Sound and to see the red and white towers from Northport, since I live on Long Island!! We were able to see several different viewpoints of the sunset and osprey nests as well. Definitely recommend to residents of Norwalk AND tourists alike!

What a treat! If you live in the area, you need to put this on your summer to-do list. I've lived…read morein the area for five years but didn't learn about this cruise until this summer. Be warned, book tickets online and in advance. They sold out for day/time we wanted to take the cruise, but there were 20 tickets still available the night before. Plan accordingly. We arrived for a 3:30 cruise on a beautiful August afternoon. The cruise seemed to be full, and there was a mix of couples and families on the boat. The boat ride is smooth and relaxing. The boat staff was offering a "guided" tour, but it was tough to hear, so I gave up trying and just enjoyed the experience of being out on the water. The boat ride is about 30 - 40 minutes each way. You won't get wet, at least we didn't, and there are enough seats/room for everyone. Once you arrive at the island, you have about 1.5 hours to explore. They have a guided lighthouse tour, a small concession stand, a small beach (not one that you would lay out at, so no need to bring a suit), volleyball courts, nature trails, etc. This entire experience is set up to be calm and relaxing. There isn't too much to do on the island, but that's kind of the point. You are only there for 1.5 hours, and there's no way you can get that bored in that period. Just unwind and take in the scenery for a few minutes, it will clear your mind. They offer limited food at the concession stand, but you can always bring your own snacks as well. Next time, I will bring a few snacks for us, especially since our trip was over dinner time. The bugs - BEWARE. They don't spray for mosquitos, and as a result, they are everywhere. I didn't know bugs would be a problem in advance, but the cruise provides spray upon arrival for free! I brought my own SPF, but they also provided that as well. The staff is lovely and do anything they can to make your experience as pleasant as possible. This is the perfect low-key day trip, and I highly recommend it to anyone in the area.