Begin your Hudson Valley Adventure in Newburgh, NY with lunch at The River Grill.  Then enjoy a two hour Narrated Cruise through the majestic Hudson Highlands aboard the luxurious Pride of the Hudson. The captain will narrate the sights along the way including:  Washington’s Headquarters, Mount Beacon, Bannerman Island, Breakneck Mountain, the town of Cold Spring, Constitution Island, West Point and World’s End, the deepest point of the Hudson River.

Travel continues to Kingston, NY where you enjoy a two-night stay.  Dinner is included this evening at the hotel. (L,D)

This morning, travel to Hudson, NY for a tour of Olana, the home of Hudson River School painter Frederic Church.  Approach and enter the Main House as guests of the Church family did, experiencing sweeping views of the Hudson Valley and Catskill Mountains. Explore the art-filled, lavishly decorated public rooms of the first floor, including Church’s painting studio and learn about the work and life of America’s preeminent landscape artist.

Then stop in Rhinebeck, NY for lunch on own and free time. There are with over 40 specialty shops and a wide range of cuisine clustered in the heart of this tree lined village.

The afternoon features a visit to the Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site. Home to the 32nd and longest-serving president of the United States, Franklin D. Roosevelt returned to Hyde Park often, drawing on this place to renew his spirit during times of personal and political crisis. Explore the Roosevelt saga in the homes of Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt, the exhibits at the nation’s first Presidential Library, an introductory film and over a thousand acres of gardens and trails.

Enjoy a guided tour of Springwood, the boyhood home of FDR. The house, situated in a landscaped clearing on a bluff overlooking the Hudson River, is a large, rambling structure faced with stucco and fieldstone. It is the only place in the United States where a President was born, maintained a lifelong connection, and lies buried. Franklin Roosevelt had a strong and abiding connection with Springwood throughout his life.

Next, visit the FDR Presidential Library & Museum. The first presidential library—and the only one used by its namesake while in office—was planned and designed by Roosevelt in the Dutch Colonial style and houses his official papers, books, and other memorabilia, as well as the papers of First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt. The library’s study was the scene of several of the president’s popular “fireside chats.” It remains as it was when FDR used it during his third and fourth terms. Museum exhibits focus on all aspects of FDR’s life, from his boyhood through his presidency, including the desk he used in the Oval Office, and his 1936 Ford Phaeton. Additional exhibits trace the life and accomplishments of Eleanor Roosevelt.

Then travel to Hyde Park, NY for dinner at the Culinary Institute of America.  The Culinary Institute of America operates a family of unique award-winning restaurants staffed by students and faculty in the CIA academic programs.  Return to your hotel after dinner. (B,D)

This morning after breakfast, enjoy a guided tour of West Point Academy. This riding and walking tour of West Point Academy will include Cadet Chapel & Trophy Point. See the central area where cadets live and attend classes. Enjoy the history and beauty of this section of the post. Visit Parade Grounds where today’s cadets drill and parade. This is where George Washington drilled and organized the Continental Army. Tour Trophy Point, Battle Monument and relics of wars dating back to the Revolution. Get ready for a million-dollar view of the scenic Hudson Valley.  There will also be time to visit the gift shop.

Lunch included today at MacArthur’s Riverview Restaurant located at the Thayer Hotel. This renowned restaurant on the Hudson River, with its Gothic windows and old-world charm, sets the stage for a truly unique dining experience.

Before departing the area, enjoy a Tour and Tasting at Brotherhood Winery. Experience the historic atmosphere of Brotherhood Winery by taking a leisurely stroll through the vast network of underground cellars. Excavated by hand in the late 19th Century, the dimly lit cellars house over two hundred oak barrels and feature a crested vault containing some of the oldest vintages in America.

Knowledgeable guides will reveal the secrets of these mysterious vaults and keep you amused with tall tales of folly and tragedy. The tour will get you well acquainted with the complete wine making process and you will feel like an expert in oenology.  Following the tour, enjoy a tasting of their wines.

Depart for home. (B,L)