BWW Reviews: A Little North of New York, a Lot of Adventures Await

By the time we got to Woodstock it was near lunchtime and we were hungry. The journey from Manhattan was a scenic two-hour drive, most of it on the New York State Thruway. Woodstock is a storied Ulster County village, made famous by the 1969 music festival and anthem penned by Joni Mitchell describing the hordes of music fans who descended on Yasgur's Farm for three historic days of music, peace and mud. Except that Yasgur's Farm was in Bethel, about 60 miles southwest.

Woodstock still has its charms, though they may be a little grayed with age, and visitors, locals, second-home owners, celebrities, artists and musicians continue to flock here to enjoy the laid-back vibe. The town still attracts anti-war protesters: a silent handful of seniors were in attendance the day we visited, bearing signs that said "War Is Not the Answer," and "War Will Not Fix It."

The Village Green (where the New York City bus stops) is considered the town's heartbeat, a perfect spot from which to shop the quaint stores, scope out the restaurants or people-watch. You'll find the requisite Woodstock-era beads, candles and T-shirts as well as high fashion, galleries and bookstores.

We had Yelped recommended restaurants and came upon Oriole 9, which was bustling when we entered that afternoon. The famed corned beef hash was as delicious as described, as was a simple dish of scrambled eggs.

Other highlights include the Kleinert/James Center for the Arts where both established and emerging work from local artists can be found. If hiking appeals and you visit during the summer months, you can check out the Overlook Fire Tower accessible from Meads Mountain Road nearby.

A short drive will take you to a posh overnight choice - the Emerson Resort & Spa in nearby Mt. Tremper on Route 28. The sprawling hotel contains a contemporary, well-appointed spa that offers a variety of signature treatments, as well as a full service nail and hair salon.

Hallways and guest rooms are decorated with local artwork and the staff is attentive and helpful when it comes to local attractions. Rooms are spacious, and some come equipped with high pressure showers and Jacuzzi baths. Five duplex suites have two full bathrooms and scenic views, including of the Esopus Creek, popular with summer tubing fans.

Another quaint Ulster County village is New Paltz, site of a branch of the State University of New York. It's jammed with kitschy businesses selling everything from books to chocolates and musical instruments. Water Street Market is a European-inspired collection of shops, boutiques, galleries and restaurants on the banks of the Wallkill River.

After time well-spent here, head across the Mid-Hudson Bridge into Dutchess County for a visit to the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, where top chefs are trained and four student-manned restaurants host local and out-of-town diners for lunch or dinner. Arrange in advance for a tour and some insider information.

We were lucky to have student Cole Perry show us around, dressed in his white chef jacket. A new semester had just begun so the hallways were crammed with bustling students balancing platters filled with food. We learned about sweet and savory dishes and peeked into a class where students were learning the finer points of wine tasting. In a kitchen, more students were dabbling in Asian cuisine. Be prepared to stand aside for students hustling by bearing giant cakes or trays of delicacies.

Enthusiastic students were baking, grilling, sautéing and preparing all manner of cuisine and we grew hungrier by the minute. Good thing we had reservations at the acclaimed Ristorante Caterina de'Medici, a Tuscan villa-style facility designed for the study of regional cuisines and wines of Italy. We sampled delicious roasted monkfish, braised octopus, poached cod and seasonal salad. Duck ragu gnocchi were a big hit. The Colavita olive oil was sensational.

The next day, we headed just a little north on Route 9 to visit the FDR National Historic Site, which includes Springwood, his life-long home, the Presidential Museum and Library and the gravesites of both Eleanor and Franklin D. Roosevelt. The Presidential Library, the nation's first, is chock full of fascinating interactive exhibits, historic photos and drafts of famous speeches. Tours take you through the house where FDR was born, grew up and spent nights as president with a 1940s-style hotline to the White House beside his bed.

If you want to see how the other half lives, wander north on Route 9 for a tour of the Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site. This Gilded Age home of the industrialist Frederick Vanderbilt and his wife, Louise, offers stunning views of the Hudson River and Catskill Mountains, which inspired the Hudson River School of Art.

Another historic country estate in nearby Poughkeepsie is the Locust Grove Estate. This site includes a 40-room Italianate mansion that features an original collection of furnishings and paintings. It also contains 180 acres of historic garden with Hudson River views, five miles of carriage roads/hiking trails and a Carriage House with original carriages.

After a leisurely two-hour drive- the Taconic State Parkway this time - we found ourselves back in Manhattan, thinking about FDR's love of the Hudson River region and marveling at his steely resolve and unfailing optimism.

For more information, visit the Dutchess County Tourism and Ulster County Tourism sites.