An Exciting RV Adventure through the Hudson Valley
By Joe Laing, El Monte RV Rentals
A trip through New York's Hudson Valley is a relaxing and inspiring experience. For an RV vacation, this lovely New York region can't be beat! You'll discover many charming spots to stop and enjoy some history and culture, plenty of outdoor recreation, towns with treasures tucked away in the corners of quiet shops, and abundant fairs and festivals.
Your adventure through the Hudson Valley begins in Yonkers and takes you along the Hudson River all the way to Albany. The lower Hudson Valley has so many sights that you will have to plan your itinerary well, so you won't stop here too long and miss out on all the upper valley has to offer.
Yonkers not only provides some historic sites to bring back the earlier era of this part of New York State, but outdoor fun is wonderful here too. Visit the Hudson River Museum to view historic and environmental exhibits. The Philipse Manor Hall State Historic Site will trace for you the role of slavery in the U.S. and special events often occur, so check the schedule carefully.
You will find swimming, picnicking and hiking at Tibbetts Brook Park and Sprain Ridge Park, with Lenoir Preserve a wonderful spot to experience a nature center. Want some wonderful views of the Hudson River? Stop at Untermyer Park on North Broadway, and be sure to go to one of the Saturday night concerts if there on the weekend.
Traveling northward, you will reach Hastings-on-Hudson where you'll have to park your RV and take one of the self-guided tours of the village. Pick up a map of the route at the Historical Society. The MacEachron Waterfront Park will be the ideal place to have a picnic lunch and view the river. When you carry on with your trip, you will come to Dobbs Ferry where you can walk or bike on some beautiful trails.
Take an exciting hike along the Old Croton Aqueduct Trailway in Irvington. You'll pass the historic Stiner-Ross House and will catch some glimpses of Hudson River. Then in Tarrytown and the Sleepy Hollow region, you can bring back to life the literature of Washington Irving and his legend of Ichabod Crane.
The beauty and appeal of the Hudson Valley never ceases to amaze. One reason many come through here on RV vacations is due to the gorgeous views and the sleepy villages where shopping and dining are a real treat. Nyack has unique shops and many fine restaurants with international cuisines. After all, you can't be the cook every day. You're on vacation! Stop in Mt. Pleasant for more surprises, and then carry on northward along the Hudson River.
You need to put Sparta on your itinerary and see the Jug Tavern, probably the oldest building in the region. Move on to Croton-on-Hudson and visit marvelous places to do some birding, such as the Brinton Brook Sanctuary and the Graff Sanctuary. In Cortlandt you can become one with musical history by visiting the Aaron Copland House, where composers come to this day for a place of quiet to compose their own pieces.
Now it's time for some more outdoor fun. In Peekskill, New York, you have found just one spot on your motorhome excursion route where you can park a while and take to the river or forested landscapes for some recreation. Take a kayak tour where you can paddle along the river. At Riverfront Green you'll find a playground for the kids (if you've brought them along) and Hudson River views. Blue Mountain Reservation is a huge park with hiking trails and places for mountain biking and horseback riding.
Don't miss the United States Military Academy at West Point, because it would never do to say you passed right by West Point and failed to take a tour of this birthplace of our greatest leaders. More to go on your special adventure! There is still Poughkeepsie to enjoy and the Franklin D. Roosevelt Home, Presidential Library & Museum with the famous Rose Garden in Hyde Park.
United States Military Academy at West Point
Wrap up this memorable RV trip with a canoeing adventure in Catskill, New York and a tour of the state's oldest museum ñ the New York State Museum ñ in Albany. It will be hard to leave the Hudson Valley behind. But you can always come back again another time for more adventures. The friendly townsfolk and this lovely valley will welcome your return with open arms.
About the Author
Joe Laing is the Marketing Director for El Monte RV Rentals. You can see more great RV vacation ideas in their Monty's Musings RV Travel Blog. Be sure to check out their New York RV Rentals location for a luxury motorhome for your Hudson Valley vacation adventure.
