Senior Women's Travel

Timeless Charms

Of Hudson (NY), the August  2007 issue of Travel + Leisure says "Despite a somewhat checkered past, a New York river town has undergone a renaissance since artists, gallery owners, poets, and other big-city émigrés have discovered it timeless charms."

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Hudson Valley (New York)/The Berkshires (Massachusetts)

June 26 - 30 or August 7 - 11, 2008

Escape the falling dollar and explore America's treasures.  The Hudson Valley in New York and The Berkshires in Massachusetts offer a wealth of diversions.  

See performance details of chosen tour below.

Day 1

Hudson’s Historic Warren Street and Olana:

        57 antique shops, 27 Art Galleries, Artists’ Studios…I will lead you to the best.  My favorite Hudson shop has an eclectic mix of furniture, home accessories plus jewelry, scarves, and tempting miscellany.

        The story of Hudson…the city has gone through many boom to bust cycles.  Its history includes periods ranging from a whaling, merchant economy to an infamous period of prostitution and corruption to its present thriving stance.

        A dictionary of American architecture…Fine examples of Federal, Greek Revival, Second Empire and Italianate styles. As a member of Historic Hudson, an organization devoted to preservation of Hudson architecture, I rely on their extensive research to tell Hudson’s architectural history.

        Performing arts venues…At the Hudson Opera House, see the first theater in New York State, a huge theater waiting for renovation.  Time & Space Limited is a factory-like space that hosts edgy movies, controversial speakers and quirky music.

        Lunch at a favorite restaurant…The chef-owner, a New York City émigré, has created an informal restaurant serving delicious salads and sandwiches and more substantial entrees.

        After lunch, visit Olana, just a few minutes by car, from Warren Street.  Olana is the former home of Frederic Church, one of the leading painters, in the famed Hudson River School of painting.  Olana is a  Moorish villa with spectacular views of the Catskills and the Hudson River, a landscape that was the inspiration for the Hudson River painters.

        Farmer’s Market, the best in the area.  You might want to stock up on farm grown vegetables here.

        Back to Warren Street, for afternoon tea, at our new tea salon and art gallery.  I favor their lavender lemonade and chocolate biscotti.

Overnight: Hudson Bed & Breakfast

Day 2

Bard College…a treasure just a half hour from Hudson.  Frank Gehry’s magnificent Performing Arts Center, the newly reinvigorated Hessel Museum of Art that thanks to its new director has won praise from the New York Times and New York magazine.  Bard hosts a wide range of concerts with its acclaimed American Symphony Orchestra and its graduate music and voice programs and lectures on a variety of fascinating topics.

Garden Overlooking Hudson River

Frank Gehry-Designed Arts Center at Bard College

Kaatsbaan International Dance Center…a 153-acre complex that is a studio and living facility for dance companies to hone their skills before performances in large cities. There are three summer free performances of their teen-age summer dance programs plus performances by leading companies in the fall.

Rhinebeck…The Fairgrounds is home to antique and craft fairs and wine and food festivals.  You can plan your visit to coincide with these fairs.  The town has a good mix of boutiques.

Overnight:  Hudson Bed & Breakfast

The Mount, Edith Wharton's Home

Day 3

On to The Berkshires…We attend a morning rehearsal at Tanglewood.  Then we explore Lenox and its many great shops and/or visit The Mount, Edith Wharton’s home that has been undergoing extensive renovation and its beautiful gardens. 

Overnight Hudson Bed & Breakfast

 

Day 4

Williamstown…Visit the Clark Institute of Art, an amazing museum with a renowned Impressionist collection that includes 30 Renoirs.  Afternoon matinee at the Williamstown Theatre or Berkshire Theatre Festival.  If time allows, a brief stop at the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporay Art (Mass MOCA), a factory building that has been transformed into the home of avant-garde, often controversial contemporary art.

Overnight:  Hudson Bed & Breakfast

Day 5

Leave for home

June 26 – 30:  Itinerary & Concert and/or Theater details 

Thursday, June 26:  Hudson

Friday, June 27: Friday evening at Tanglewood, Mark Morris Dance Group

Mark Morris is a giant among choreographers of modern dance. The Mark Morris Dance Group, based in Brooklyn, was formed in 1980 and performs around the world.  He has choreographed works for leading dance companies everywhere including the American Ballet Theatre and the Paris Opera Ballet. In addition, Morris has worked extensively in opera for both the Metropolitan Opera and the English National Opera.

Saturday, June 28:  Lenox Mass. -- The Mount, Chesterfield, Venforth Hall

Sunday, June 2:  Williamstown & Williamstown Theatre Festival or Berkshire Theatre

August 7 – 11:  Itinerary & Concert and/or Theater details

Thursday, August 7:  Hudson

Friday, August 8:  Bard Music Festival, the World of  Prokofiev

Saturday, August 9:  Tanglewood :10;30 AM rehearsal All Mozart program, Andre Previn conducts,,,Lenox The Mount and Venforth Hall

Sunday, August 10:  Williamstown, Clark Institute of Art, and Mass MOCA

Costs
$1,050 (USD) for four days activities as outlined in the itinerary, two performances, transportation by private mini-van and/or Honda compact (Tanglewood, Lenox, Williamstown are about an hour from Hudson), three dinners, entrance to Olana and The Mount. 

Not included: Bed & Breakfast for four nights. The bed and breakfast we recommend is $200 for the first night, $100 for each additional night. If they are filled similar prices at other Hudson bed and breakfasts.  Remember, Hudson is a small town so it is advisable for us to make your hotel reservations as soon as possible.  Also not included are transportation to Hudson, lunches, alcoholic beverages, tea in Hudson.