This is the Catskill Post Office. It's a big old building, built before Stamps.com and Amazon and…read moreFedEx, and it looks and feels important. If you're a young'un, and you were born after Stamps.com and Amazon and FedEx, a post office is where you used to have to go to send and receive packages, which you can still do today! Amazing, isn't it? You can also buy stamps, get money orders, apply for a passport, keep a PO box, send in safe and secure mail-in ballots to exercise your right to participate in a free and fair democracy, and more. Personally, I sent a box of old baby clothes to a cousin, and the folks behind the counter were efficient and helpful, and a credit to the fine organization that is the USPS. (No thanks to Postmaster General DeJoy, who we will hopefully see gone shortly.)

Martin Van Buren's residence, Lindenwald, is tucked away in the peaceful town of Kinderhook, New…read moreYork. It's a unique window into the life of America's 8th president. I had visited the site years ago when there was a larger visitor center and an introductory video that gave a broader overview of Van Buren's presidency and personal story. Today, the visitor's center has been scaled back to a trailer, and unfortunately, there's very little introductory context provided for those less familiar with Van Buren's role in American history. One of the main displays now focuses on the history of slavery in America. While this is an important topic, its placement here felt somewhat disconnected, as Van Buren neither owned enslaved people nor lived in a slaveholding state during his time at Lindenwald. Given the limited space available, I found myself wishing more of it had been used to explore Van Buren's own political career, personal life, and legacy. They only have a few tour times a day, and the guide cited budget cuts with a roll of her eyes. We waited around a bit for the next tour, but the audio tour around the property wasn't very informative. Once our group tour began, it opened in the empty basement, where much of the discussion centered on the broader legacy of slavery and Sojourner Truth. While those subjects are historically valuable, their connection to Lindenwald itself felt tenuous and overshadowed the site's direct link to Van Buren. It appeared the tour guide had a greater interest in that topic than on the actual topic. Upstairs, the rooms were far more engaging. The main hall was particularly impressive, featuring original design elements and beautiful wallpaper. The guide shared some insight into Van Buren's later life, though key biographical details--such as the early death of his wife--were only briefly mentioned at the end. The tour concluded at a small gift shop with a nice selection of books and keepsakes. Overall, having prior knowledge of Van Buren helped me piece things together, but for first-time visitors, the lack of focus on his presidential legacy may leave them wanting more. I couldn't help but think that some of the funding loss was due to the staff losing sight of the park's primary purpose. Lindenwald remains a special site with strong potential. I hope future interpretive efforts rebalance the content to better highlight Van Buren's contributions and the historical significance of the home itself.

An interesting historical tidbit. This historic site includes Van Buren's "gentleman's farm" and…read moreestate called Lindenwald. He bought the estate later in his life in 1839. Washington Irving (the famous author) was a notable long-term guest at Lindenwald. Fee: Free Tip: if you want to tour the historic house, budget at least 2 hours because you might show up while a tour is in progress and need to wait for the next tour.

It's a nice park and historical site. They have several…read morepermanent BBQ grills picnic tables, water fountain. A group of us went for the fireworks, that were supposed to be from Saugerties, NY. We arrived midday; to see the re-enactments and enjoy the great weather. There was an ice cream truck and a food truck. They Always had a line. By the time dusk was approaching the crowds started to fill the great lawns facing the Hudson and the city of Saugerties. By 9:15 pm there were a few sporadic flares from the West Bank of the Hudson. By almost 10 pm it was pretty obvious there would not be a fireworks display that night. We've seen plenty of fireworks displays, so for us was NBD. Felt kind of bad for the young families whose kids were probably disappointed.

The word that came to mind most often, as I was strolling around the grounds, was "unspoiled."…read moreThey're probably a bit less fancy, more basic, than other mansion grounds, but they're very well maintained, with enough signs to be informative. The gardens were nice and also well maintained, but not fancy - some signs as to the varieties of flowers and plants would be nice. There's several places to the south of the house offering scenic views of the Hudson River, and the Catskills beyond that. Mansion tours were going on while I was there. A sign at the entrance says that paid parking for 2020 began on 6/6, where you pay the fee of $5 at one of the machines at either end of the parking lot. Unfortunately, it's not $5, it's $6 now. Rest rooms are available behind the parking lot, and there's a fairly large area behind it and to the south for sitting, picnics, and light recreation (e.g., folks were throwing frisbees). Dogs are permitted on a leash. Even on a nice day on a weekend, there's plenty of space for everyone. Though I imagine this is a very popular site to visit during fall foliage season.

Postmistress knows what she is doing! The last of the…read moreprofessional long-term postal workers. She is a champ! Helpful with packing and shipping and always a can-do attitude!

It depends who is on the counter. The older (real employees)…read moreare great. The newer ones are untrained and very slow, they take the job just to goof off and get paid for lousy work, as it is a govt. job. The P.O. itself is going bankrupt and the flood of CHINESE counterfeits does not help the situation.

I helped a friend close out his mailbox at a small post office in a nearby town. The friend had $39…read moreon account & I was given a money order & it was recommended that I bring it to the Great Barrington PO to cash. Although I had my friend's driver's license & necessary paperwork & explained that the friend was in my car outside & used a walker, worker refused to cash money order unless my friend came in & signed in person, which would Have required negotiating many steps. I am a senior woman who has never before been treated with suspicion (the worker asked another worker to confer in back while I waited). I was not at all demanding, will NEVER return & believe that employees should learn to treat the public with more respect.

We had some cushion covers redone here. I agree with Kent on the time management issues, but she…read moredoes things all by herself and I too did say that I was not in a hurry. The time it took really does show though -- months after we took delivery, they still look great. That's a testament to her good work. I would use her again.

Mary did a great job at a great price. Moving to a more spacious location and adding her daughter…read morehas improved the administration of her business deliver. As always her work is outstanding

Tours are held on Sundays! If you have a group of 6 or more, they'll open the lighthouse for a…read moreprivate tour, but you'll need to make a reservation ahead of time. It's a short and easy hike to the lighthouse, and the walk there is beautiful, especially with the river nearby. Once you reach the lighthouse, it's absolutely amazing! Learning about its history made the experience even more enjoyable and gave the visit so much more meaning. Make sure to take plenty of photos because there are so many beautiful views and photo opportunities along the way! There's also a small area where you can enjoy a nice lunch or have a picnic with friends or family. Overall, it's a beautiful spot with a great mix of nature, history, and peaceful scenery!

My boyfriend and I were in Kaaterskill Falls for our annual hike at the Rail Trail, when we…read morediscovered Saugerties Lighthouse. I don't even know how to be honest. But we like to drive around getting lost a lot, which is how we discover most places. The entrance is a little hidden, small parking lot. The trail is full of greenery. There is a mixture of bridges and dirt paths. Also we noticed little figurines hidden along the way. They are very cute! The views on the way to the lighthouse were as stunning as of the lighthouse alone. At some point you have to walk over the water - so it is wise to look at the tide schedule so you don't get wet or trapped. The lighthouse is dipped in history that you can read on their website (saugertieslighthouse.com). It is truly an incredible little place. I read there are tour and you can even stay there overnight! We definitely want to do either one or both in the near future. It was definitely an amazing find, which we will incorporate into our annual visits. Breathtaking location. The volunteers are doing a great job maintaining it. Definitely made for a memorable visit.

My cousin and I came in today and were incredibly disappointed. Here's some datapoints:…read more -Half of the gallery rooms in the home were closed (we were not informed until we went into the home) -You will see more reproductions than real art -You can only view the studio from a plexiglass We mentioned to the front desk that we were surprised that we just paid $40 to see half of the house and behind a plexiglass. They said it was their first winter opening and that they would consider our feedback. My recommendation: they should list out that half the house is under renovation at the front desk, charge $5 or a suggested donation, and honestly should have refunded us the full amount. I actually am shocked that I could go to an actual nice museum for what I paid today.

Such an incredibly beautiful spot to visit. The view is outstanding. After visiting be sure to stop…read moreby the grave that is just down the street. Make a day if it and visit Olana too!