Hudson Valley NY 

Wednesday April 29, 2026 - Sunday May 3,2026

’72 HUDSON VALLEY TRIP APRIL 29-MAY 3 2026

On Wednesday April 29, 48 Classmates, 3 Honorary Classmates, and 38 guests arrived at the Inn at Bellefield in Hyde Park , NY to embark on a 4 day exploration of the Hudson Valley. We enjoyed a buffet dinner at the hotel, and then headed to the hospitality suite to catch up with old friends and make new ones.

Thursday morning the group headed north in two large buses to visit Olana, the country estate of Hudson River School artist Frederic Church. After a morning of art history, architectural splendor, and a relaxing walk on the grounds, we ate our box lunches and headed off to see the Hudson River estates of Wilderstein and Staatsburg (The Mills House). While totally different in scope and style, both houses gave the group a sense of the splendor of the Hudson River estates.  We had dinner at Shadows on the Hudson, a venerable establishment with wonderful views of the Hudson River in Poughkeepsie.

Friday was an ambitious day covering a lot of ground. One bus spent the morning touring the United States Military Academy at West Point, while the other bus went to Storm King Art Center, an outdoor sculpture expanse of over 500 acres. We all met for lunch at MacArthur’s in the Thayer Hotel on the West Point grounds with more commanding views of the Hudson, and then the buses did the tour they didn’t do in the morning. We ended the day with cocktails and dinner at the Tuxedo Club in Tuxedo Park,  NY. Many people took boat tours on Tuxedo Lake which give a great sense of some of the gilded age mansions. Christopher Gow of the Tuxedo Historical Society gave a lecture at dinner on the rich architectural and social history of Tuxedo Park.

Saturday was another full day although it was all in Hyde Park. Half the group visited the FDR home and museum in the morning, while the other half went to the Vanderbilt mansion on the Hudson.  After filling lunches at two of New York State’s famous diners, the groups visited the site they didn’t do in the morning. The whole group met in the late afternoon to look at Valkill, the modest home Eleanor Roosevelt lived in after FDR’s death. Dinner was at the Hudson House, a dining venue (and distillery) on the west bank of the Hudson River. At dinner Honorary Classmate Professor Sean Wilentz spoke to us about the rich literary, artistic, political and mercantile history of the Hudson Valley.

Sunday we all had breakfast and said our goodbyes. A few intrepid souls took the Walkway over the Hudson, a pedestrian bridge over the river. We had four classmates who were on their first trip, and the group keeps growing. The 55^th Reunion is on deck in May 2027, and then back on the trail!!  

Participants:

April Update

The Hudson Valley is one of the most scenic and historically rich areas in the United States. It is the closest we get to the beautiful European Rivers that are so popular to cruise. I have taken 40 rooms at the Inn at Bellefield in Hyde Park NY. Hyde Park is where the FDR Historical Site is, and also yet another Vanderbilt Mansion. Not quite the Biltmore, but impressive nonetheless. Other highlights will include West Point, where we will see the United States Military Academy, and Olana, the architecturally significant home of Frederic Church, one of the best known of the Hudson River School of painters. I am also trying to arrange for an actual cruise to see the Hudson up close and personal. I will keep people posted as the trip takes shape. If you have connections in the area or specific ideas you want me to consider, please let me know. 

Trip Reservations

The next '72 adventure will be a trip to the Hudson Valley April 29- May 3 2026. We will be staying at the Inn at Bellefield in Hyde Park, NY. Highlights include Olana, the magnificent house of the Hudson River School artist Frederic Church, Staatsburgh State Park, the Mills Mansion, a tour and lunch at  West Point, a trip down the Hudson River on a small cruise ship, dinner and a boat tour in historic Tuxedo Park NY, a tour of the FDR home and library in Hyde Park, and yet another magnificent Vanderbilt mansion. We will also be having 2 dinners at restaurants with commanding views of the Hudson River. We will have  a dinner speaker in Tuxedo Park to speak to its rich history, and Professor Sean Wilentz will be with us at dinner Saturday and speak to us with his unique historical perspective. 

Robby

I've attached a link to the credit card payment system for this trip. Please enter the amount to be paid on the linked page. Please wait until you receive your communication from Robby specifying the correct amount for your party.

Doug

March 16 Update

February 2 Update

October 16 Update