HudsonValleyGoodStuff

Cheap Indoor Fun: Indoor Pool at Bard College's Stevenson Gymnasium

I had a great workout yesterday at the beautiful Stevenson Gymnasium at Bard College, all for a $10 day pass. A Hudson Valley resident once told me that the indoor pool at Bard College was one of the Hudson Valley's best kept secrets. Since then I have been meaning to check it out. They also have squash courts. Bard College is about a 5-10 minute drive from Rhinebeck village. The schedule changes on a monthly basis so be sure to check the website, and I would even call to double-check the times. When I got there at 11:00 am, I was told the pool would be open at 11:30am although the online schedule said 9am. No worries though. I put in 20 minutes on the machines before I went for a swim.  The gym was very quiet. It was just me and other person.

The locker rooms are very clean. (Bring your own lock if you want to lock your stuff).  I forgot mine so I just brought my bag to the pool. The 25-yard six lane indoor pool is heated, and very well-maintained. The water wasn't hot, but definitely not freezing.  There are also flippers, kick boards, and other aquatic accessories you can borrow at now charge.  There are "Open Swim" times as well so be sure to check the schedule if you would like to bring your family of young children along.  If you are looking for a fun indoor diversion, the indoor pool at Bard College is a great place to have a good and safe swim. Be sure to visit the Bard College Athletics website for updated info before you go.

 

Birthday Party Venue: Indoor Pool at Kingston YMCA!

I went to the Kingston YMCA for the first time last week to attend a kid's birthday party at their indoor pool. The pool  was heated and there were plenty of floating devices and swimming boards for the swimmers to use.  The deep end of the pool is 11 feet so be mindful of that for those who like to be able to touch the floor with their feet. There is also a whirlpool at the YMCA though unfortunately, I didn't have time to try it out. After the kids swam for an hour or so, we all went to an arts and crafts room to enjoy cupcakes. I'd definitely recommend it if you are looking for swimming pool birthday party venue.  You don't have to be a member there to host a birthday party. There was plenty of space to park in the parking lot. For more info, visit the YMCA website

Cheap Rainy Day Activity: The pools at the East Hampton YMCA

Since it's still too cold to go the beach, and no lifeguards are working anyway, I needed to find a place where the kids could work off a little energy. On our way to Montauk, we found out our favorite pool at Gurney's Inn was closed until April 6th so we had to come up with a Plan B quickly. I called the Omni Health Club in Southampton, and they said our best bet would be the East Hampton YMCA. I was happy to learn that there was open swim there from 12-3 pm. Adult day pass-$15. Kids under 12 are $5, and under 3 go free!  Bring your own towel though! The instructional pool is heated and quite warm. I didn't get the chance to try the olympic-size lap pool, but maybe next time. The YMCA is hard to find. Just follow the signs to the LIRR when you are in East Hampton. The YMCA is a non-descript grey building, right across from a school. For the YMCA Pool Schedule click here.YMCA of East Hampton Rec Center, 2 Gingerbread Lane, East Hampton, NY. (631) 329-6884. YMCA East Hampton website.  

Rainy day fun: Indoor Heated Pool at the Holiday Inn Kingston

The Holiday Inn in Kingston has a nice indoor heated pool which is open to the public for a daily pass charge of $7 per person. I had never been here until a friend of mine invited me today. The pool has a lifeguard, lounge chairs, towels, vending machines, and a nearby video arcade for tweens. I don't know how the rooms are, but the pool is definitely a good bargain for a rainy day fun activity. I will be going back here before Summer starts. Another indoor pool I'd like to try out is the six-lane 25-yard pool at Bard . It is $10 for a day pass there. The Courtyard Marriott in Kingston has a pool, but only guests are allowed to use it. Stay tuned! Holiday Inn Kingston, 503 Washington Avenue, Kingston, NY. 12401. (845) 338-0400. 

Day Trip: Lake George--Horse carriage rides & Miniature Golf

 

 

 On our way back from Six Flags Great Adventure in Queensbury, we stopped off in nearby Lake George to eat lunch.  There were quite a few options, including an interesting looking Indian restaurant, but we settled on Adirondack Sandwich Works for its low key family friendly vibe.  The exterior is unassuming as you can see. The sandwiches were delicious. (Well greasy, but damn good!) They also bake cinnamon buns on-site. (I was very tempted, but wanted to leave room for an ice cream tasting!)  After lunch, we went on a horse carriage ride along the lake and our tour guide mentioned Around the World Miniature Golf Range (http://www.aroundtheworldgolf.com)  was voted one of the top ten mini golf places in the country by the Travel Channel.  For our ice cream tasting, we went to The Pink Roof, which had soft-serve and hard ice cream. It was a gorgeous Summer day in Lake George and we all enjoyed walking along the promenade by the lake and seeing the steam boats.  Lake Geroge has a public beach with a life guard. We passed it on the horse carriage ride. It looked small, but looks like a quiet place to have a picnic and a dip in the water. If you are planning a trip to Lake George, the Chamber of Commerce is a good place to start. http://www.lakegeorgechamber.com.