Camp for Families
Frost Valley YMCA
The nation’s oldest YMCA camp is so much more than one of the region’s best sleepover camps for your kids. It’s the perfect place for a local family getaway, whether you are participating in a Family Weekend or, for a longer stay, Family Camp. With traditional camp activities like swimming, fishing, arts & crafts, and campfires, and more modern-day fun like rocket building, ziplining, and 3D archery, there are plenty of opportunities for family bonding and pursuing individual interests.
Claryville, www.frostvalley.org
New Activity
Howe Glassworks Studio
The latest addition to Howe Caverns brings the delicate, centuries-old technique of glassblowing to the region. At the studio, which opened in February, artists of all experience levels are guided by professional glassblowers through hands-on workshops and leave with their masterpiece in hand.
Howes Cave, www.howecaverns.com
Old-Fashioned Fun
Ashokan Center
The Ashokan Center has been providing outdoor environmental education for more than 50 years now, teaching kids, school groups, and adults about the region’s natural wonders. They also host plentiful weekend-long (some longer than a weekend) arts events, from an August bluegrass camp to introductions to the musical cultures of Quebec, the Northeast, and the American South.
Olivebridge, www.ashokancenter.org
Place for Education and Exercise
Mohonk Preserve
Everyone needs a place to exercise both the body and mind, and here you get just that. Hike more than 75 miles of carriage roads and trails or climb the world-renowned Gunk cliffs. When your body needs a break, flex your mind’s muscles with the Preserve’s environmental education programs to learn how you can aid in the conservation effort.
New Paltz, www.mohonkpreserve.org
Place to Test Your Endurance
Survival of the Shawangunks Triathlon
Each year, nearly 200 athletes take to the scenic highways of the Shawangunk Mountains and Minnewaska State Park to compete in the combination run/swim/bike journey. This heart-pounding competition, created in 1983 by veteran triathlete Don Davis, founder of the New York Triathlete Association, consists of an eight-stage adventure race with one cycling segment, four trail-running portions, and three open-water swims. Are you up for the challenge?
New Paltz, www.sostriathlon.com
Ropes Course for Adults
Catamount Aerial Adventure Park
Every adult wants to unleash their inner child once in awhile, so how about swinging through the trees? This 12-course aerial adventure, located in the Berkshire Mountains, features more than 170 elements that will have you climbing ladders, maneuvering through obstacles, and soaring on zip lines. Don’t forget to take in that view as you fly through the sky.
Hillsdale, www.catamounttrees.com
Street Festival (Lower Hudson Valley)
Nyack’s Famous Street Fair
Perhaps the best thing about this enormous festival in Nyack is that it happens five times a year. With more than 300 vendors attending from throughout the Northeast, this lively event spans Broadway, Main Street, and Cedar Street with phenomenal food, crafts, artisanal products, and music.
Nyack, www.visitnyack.org
Street Festival (Upper Hudson Valley)
LarkFest
For one day a year, an estimated 50,000 people descend upon Lark Street to hear both local and national headlining musical acts, indulge in food truck fare, and explore the work of local artisans. The kids will enjoy creating sidewalk art while parents shuffle between the two performance stages and sip on local brews.
Albany, www.albanylarkfest.com
Zipline for Kids
The Castle Fun Center
The Castle’s 130-foot-high, 700-foot-long zipline flies high over Orange County, strapping pairs into a seat-belted chair fit to accommodate just about any age. With a minimum height limit of only 42 inches, it is much more accessible for children than just about any other comparable ride. Enjoy!
Chester, www.thecastlefuncenter.com
Readers’ Picks
Bike/Rail Trail
Walkway Over the Hudson
Poughkeepsie
Bowling Alley
Spins Bowl
Carmel, Poughkeepsie, Wappingers Falls
Drive-In Theater
Hyde Park Drive-in Theatre
Hyde Park
Fair
Dutchess County Fair
Rhinebeck
Festival
Hudson Valley Garlic Festival
Saugerties
Girls’ Night Out
Cedar Lakes Estates
Port Jervis
Golf Course
McCann Memorial Golf Course
Poughkeepsie
Hudson River Cruise
The River Rose
Newburgh
Park
Walkway over the Hudson
Poughkeepsie
Place for a Picnic
Vanderbilt Mansion
Hyde Park
Pro or Semi-pro Sport Teams
Hudson Valley Renegades
Wappingers Falls
Ski Area
Belleayre Mountain
Highmount
Trivia Night
Moonlight Café & Caterers
Brewster
U-Pick Farm
Dubois Farms
Highland
