[moose tracks]

BigDog - There is much to do in the Mid-Hudson Valley. A tour of the United States Military Academy at West Point, the home of FDR and the Vanderbilt Mansion are my top picks. I would suggest you stay in Fishkill, NY. Fishkill has many hotels to pick from. It is off of route 84 at exit #13. Fishkill is a good central location for you to base yourself. From Fishkill you can travel a short drive west to the Dia-Beacon Art Museum, a modern & contemporary art museum. From Beacon travel south on NY route 9D, a scenic road which runs on the east shore of the Hudson River. Further south you have the small town of Cold Spring (antiques and restaurants). Travelling just south of Cold Spring you have the Boscobel Mansion, a fine example of a federal period home on the banks of the Hudson. Cross the Hudson at the Bear Mountain Bridge and go north a little and you are at West Point. Going north from Fishkill there is Locust Grove, the estate of Samuel Morse, located in Poughkeepsie. Also in Poughkeepsie is the Walkway over the Hudson, a nice walk over a repurposed railroad bridge that spans the Hudson River. North of Poughkeepsie you have the historic town of Hyde Park. Here you will find the Culinary Institute of America, the home of FDR and his presidential library and museum, the Vanderbilt Mansion and Val-Kill, the home of Eleanor Roosevelt. Across the river in Newburgh you have the home of Orange County Choppers if you like motorcycles. About 25 miles north of Newburgh is Kingston. In Kingston they have a sightseeing cruise boat called the Rip Van Winkle. There are other sightseeing boats out of Newburgh and Poughkeepsie but I don’t know much about them. I hope you find this information useful. If you want to include a visit to NYC in your trip, the Metro North railroad can have you there in about 1 hour from the Beacon station.