You don’t have to travel far to find world-class hiking, and one-of-a-kind festivals, and adventures. Be a tourist in your own town. From on the water, up a mountain, or in the air, here are some great ways to enjoy the Hudson Valley:
- Float down the Esopus River. Rent a tube or kayak from Town Tinker Tube Rental and set off on a two and a half mile whitewater adventure.
Phoenicia.
845-688-5553 or http://www.towntinker.com.
- Pick your own strawberries. After picking strawberries in June, prepare your picking fingers for a late summer return trip for blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries. Kelder’s Farm and U-Pick, Kerhonkson.
845-626-7173 or http://www.kelderfarm.com.
- Take a dip. A cool mountain lake beats a swimming pool any day. Start with a hike or bike ride on the Shawangunk Ridge’s numerous trails.
After traversing Minnewaska’s 20,000 acres, enjoy a picnic and a swim at Lake Awosting or Lake Minnewaska. New Paltz.
845-255-0752.
- Eat a hot dog. Ordering a hot dog is easy, but deciding on one of Soul Dog’s 17 toppings is the tricky part. After choosing between the spicy peanut sauce or vegetarian chili, walk down to Waryas Park to enjoy your dog from a bench overlooking the Hudson. Poughkeepsie.
845-454-3254 or http://souldog.biz.
- Fly high. Why sit in traffic when you can take in all the views from the basket of a hot air balloon? Blue Sky Balloons offers rides daily from Sprout Creek Farm in LaGrange.
888-999-2461 or http://www.blueskyballoons.com.
- Get crafty. If arts and crafts conjure up thoughts of construction paper and finger paints, think again. One of the premier arts and crafts shows in the Northeast, Crafts at Rhinebeck features the juried work and fine art of some of the coun-try’s top artists. The show runs June 23 and 24 at the Dutchess County Fairgrounds in Rhinebeck.
845-876-4001 or htpp://www.dutchessfair.com.
- Horse around. Ever wondered what goes on at a horse show? Saugerties’ HITS-on-the-Hudson offers Olympic and world-class horses-and-rider competitions close to home, showcasing horse jumping and other special events.
845-246-8833 or http://www.hitsshows.com.
- Tour a garden. Visit the only National Historic Site devoted to a first lady. Celebrating its 30th year, Val-Kill, the site of Eleanor Roosevelt’s home and cottage, is open daily for tours. Take a self-guided tour of the famous rose garden and bring a post-stroll picnic to enjoy on the bucolic grounds.
845-229-5302 or http://www.nps.gov/elro/.