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.

A tiny local park with great views of the Hudson River. A handful of picnic tables and limited…read moreparking but this is a cute park to stop for lunch and walk on some nearby trails. Several memorial benches are around to sit on while viewing the river and local wildlife which includes blue Herron and Loons if you're lucky.

My wife and I came here as part of a day trip we were planning. There isn't much parking (I think…read moreabout six spots total) and not many other places to park if they are full (the next door park also only has about six spots). It is a cute little place with some benches, access to the water and a tiny rock beach, and views of the lighthouse. But, there isn't much to do here. I didn't see any educational displays about the lighthouse. It is a cute place to spend a couple of minutes, but unless you want a nap next to the water you will become bored pretty quick. It is carry in, carry out.

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.

Although the zoo has little to see, this park across the alleyway from the automobile entrance…read morereally is great for anyone who wants to meetup with friends. On-top of the humungous playset they have for the kiddos (that tends to be the "talk of the town" by many who come here), they also have a bunch of tables located on a patio set and quite a bit of grass. And sometimes that can be great if you come and find out that the zoo isn't really that interesting and want to do something else. I came to this park in mid-June despite many other times, and was astounded by the abundance of "life" here. I saw birthday parties being held along with school groups holding an "activity day" here as well as this past day people were enjoying the sun and getting out and enjoying the lovely weather (as bad as the weather has been with all this rain we've had, today was rather pleasant). I had seen more than ample enough people sitting on the grass and talking to others amongst the sea of other people rambling about this place trying to find an enjoyable space to sit tight. I've known about this park for years now, but I do rarely go because I'm not from Kingston. I occasionally pop in, but I actually had a few minutes to stop by, and since I was nearby at the time (at the Emergency One with my g'mother), I'd thought I'd stop in and see what's cooking.

I was tricked. I walked all the way to the top, walked down the other side...no burgers…read more That said, this is a gorgeous spot for a short, steep walk. The trail heads straight up a large hill, but it was still doable for my young kids, and my old, out of shape friends as well. And a puppy. There's a parking lot right off the road to leave your car, and whenever you head over there, it's going to be a good time...but golden hour into sunset makes for a nice evening. You can see for miles around from the top, and it's just pretty. I bet it's beautiful in all seasons; we've only hit it in fall so far, but I imagine it could be great for an epic sled run as well. Once again though, there are no burgers on this hill. If you need a good one, Del's Roadside is only a couple minutes away. And you earned it by walking up a hill.

What a great spot to go for a walk. Many trails available with all kinds of incline. The top of the…read morehill provides a gorgeous 360° view. Lots of parking available. The park is nice and clean, and has a few benches to stop and savor the area. Even though it is pretty close to the road, you do not really hear traffic sounds. You really feel like you're away from it all.

For awesome sounds of nature and views all around, this is a great trail to stop at. Hopeland…read moreTrails is part of Norrie State Park. Getting here is not difficult at all while it's not hard missing the exit. There's plenty of parking to fit cars. The word trails indicate there are 5 in this trail park that does a big loop with multiple of them within it. It's awesome to see the layout of it as its filled with mainly gravel and also some grassy areas in some places. Luckily it's not too fully over grown to make it challenging, but do check for ticks after the hick. One minor turn off on the walk I saw is, there is no sign showing the yellow trail for Songbird Lane, so I thought maybe we went off the path for a section until reaching the other connection. There's no sign showing the red trail at the split (see my map photo for a full explanation). An update on the map would be very helpful. The website has it updated. Plan a stop here at Hopeland.

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.

If you're like us, it would be easy enough to drive accidentally into a unit complex which come…read moreright before the turnoff for the parking lot. The lot is big enough for a good two dozen vehicles, and the entrance and the beginning of the Black Creek trail comes right off the far end of the parking lot. The suspension bridge is pretty and gives a great view of the creek, and leads right into yellow trail, which we didn't pick. Black Creek trail has a mostly gentle slope, fully paved, and is about 0.6 mile long, and it culminates in Cedar Point Outlook with a gazebo and a large open field with several benches where the creek really opens up. There's a restroom next to what looks like a caretaker's cottage. We couldn't figure out how to get to the other outlooks from Cedar Point, so if anyone knows, please share. I appreciate this space being maintained and open for all to enjoy. **You can only enter and exit the parking lot one way, so please watch for the signs.

I absolutely love this preserve! The trails are great and challenging. Perfect place to go alone…read moreor with family or dogs or all of the above! Lots of opportunities for beautiful nature shots. It's a really good spot to hike if you are dealing with anxiety or PTSD. If you want a beautiful setting and some nature time then this is your spot.

I actually discovered this park - on a whim. I didn't know much about parks in Port Ewen until I…read morepassed by this park on my way to a Shipt customer this evening. When I later stopped off, the signs out front of the park were confusing - but I trudged on and into the park. However, once I found a parking spot (no spots are really marked per se), I couldn't believe just how lovely it felt to stop by. I like relaxing spots and having it be a warm day and being so close to the Hudson River, I felt that "cooling" refreshing breeze sweep over me. From the signs of the river breezes rushing in towards the banks of the parks, I could tell it was going to storm. Lots of places were saying to stay tuned for storms for tonight. However, I stopped by (for about ten minutes) and it was a surprise. The park may not be very much of a park at all. There are a couple of kid playland pieces and an enclosed table area (which has been closed by the park's management in light of coronavirus as is seen by tables being stacked on top of one another). However, that doesn't stop people from taking their stuff over onto the grass under or near the trees as I spotted today by this one couple having a picnic on the grass with their kids. In spots, I spotted some kids going into the water at the shore's edge - still in the safety of eyes of the caretakers (don't know if they were parents or not). Except for a few spots, there are few to no signs of no swimming - although beware, the beachfront isn't large enough to be considered a beach, and there are no lifeguards here! I don't know the accuracy of the statement of what I think I saw, but there's an outlet area near the parking lot that looks like it's been used as a boat launch area before. However, that too has signage, but nothing about no launching boats here. I mean, I could see this place as a great picnic spot for when you are out of ideas and need a cool refreshing breeze to pick you up, and having some of the Riverview Apartments nearby, makes things a bit refreshing to see relaxation places show up in these times of closure (where walls begin to cave in) - up close, and I'm glad to have been a part of them today. I probably won't be back because I don't live close enough by, but I guess if I'm in the area, I could stop by - probably on another whim.

Great challenging hike with amazing views. Awesome workout. Ended up doing the long trail that…read morecoconnects w 3 other trails. I believe that day I did 9+miles hike. I wasbeat but the workout and the view was worth it. Definately recommended! But be careful as there are some very narrow and slippery areas

Great open mic nights and amazing espresso martinis. Fun time! Definitely recommend visiting the…read moreLemon Squeeze while you're in NP