be students, but they know what they’re
doing, and you can judge their efforts
at any of the CIA restaurants: American
Bounty for an experiment in local, organic
cooking; Ristorante Caterina de’ Medici for
sophisticated Italian; Bocuse for contemporary
French dining (the old-fashioned Escoffier has
closed); St Andrew’s Café for so au courant
farm-to-table fare; and the Apple Pie Bakery
Café (7:30am-5pm Mon-Fri) for elaborately
prepared pastries, the only place where no
reservations are needed. Outside of the hours
listed above, the restaurants have a number of
irregular closures so be sure to double-check
before planning on a visit.
4 Journey Inn Inn^ $$
(%845-229-8972; http://www.journeyinn.com;
1 Sherwood Pl, Poughkeepsie; r $130-190) Tuck
in for a good night’s sleep at Journey Inn, a
six-room B&B – including a Roosevelt Room, of
course – right in the middle of Hyde Park’s big
estates.
Rhinebeck 8
4 Olde Rhinebeck Inn Inn^ $$$
(%845-871-1745; http://www.rhinebeckinn.com; 340
Wurtemberg Rd, Rhinebeck; r $275-295) Built
by German settlers three decades before the
Revolutionary War, this beautifully restored
oak-beamed, cozy inn oozes comfort and
authenticity.
Saugerties
4 Saugerties
Lighthouse Guesthouse $$$
(%845-247-0656; http://www.saugertieslighthouse.
com; 168 Lighthouse Dr, Saugerties; r incl
breakfast $225; hThu-Sun, closed Feb) For
a truly romantic and unique place to lay your
head, head to the town of Saugerties on the
west side of the Hudson. The picturesque 1869
landmark sits on a small island in the Esopus
Creek, accessible by boat or more commonly
by a half-mile-long trail from the parking lot.
Rooms are booked months in advance so a stay
here requires substantial advance planning.
If you can’t overnight here, a walk to the
lighthouse is highly recommended.Hudson 9
5 Helsinki Modern American^ $$
(%518-828-4800; http://www.helsinkihudson.com;
405 Columbia St, Hudson) This popular music
venue and adjacent restaurant, transplanted
from the Berkshires, showcases rock, jazz,
and indie performers – and big-name acts
such as Suzanne Vega and Nick Lowe – while
the kitchen dishes out locally sourced cuisine
such as garlicky kale salad and applewood
smoked chicken. With dark wood accents and
soaring ceilings, the large restored carriage
house now serves as a hub for the valley’s
working artists.4 Front St Guesthouse Guesthouse^ $$
(%518-828-1635; http://www.frontstreetguesthouse.
com; 20 S Front St, Hudson; r from $140; aW)
At the riverside end of town, this guesthouse’s
all-white color scheme, polished wood floors
and high-end bedding create a cozy and
affordable retreat. There’s no lobby or on-site
staff presence per se, but the friendly and
accommodating owner will quickly meet any
guests’ needs.NEW.YORK.TRIPS.1
.HUDSON VALLEY