“It looks as if Moorish architecture had an illicit liaison with the Victorian era,” quipped one visitor. See for yourself what Olana, Frederic Church’s quirky villa, is all about!
state park
Bear Mountain State Park: Take a Scenic Drive
Take this beautiful drive through Bear Mountain State Park, and take in the panoramic views over the forested Hudson River valley from a mountaintop observation tower.
Discover the Secrets of Stony Point Lighthouse — the Oldest Lighthouse on the Hudson River
Come explore the oldest lighthouse along the Hudson River!
Three Short Hikes in Holly River State Park You Shouldn’t Miss!
Holly River State Park is one of West Virginia’s best kept secrets! Enjoy 3 great short hikes in this wonderful gem of a park!
Hiking through History at Palmer State Park
Hiking in Palmer State Park offers lots of history along with a delightful walk in the woods!
Holly River State Park’s Beautiful Waterfalls
Take this short hike to explore the beautiful falls of Holly River State Park!
Beautiful Vistas and Hidden Waterfalls Along the Tramontane Trail: A Hike in Holly River State Park
Looking for a great winter hike? Tramontane Trail in Holly River State Park will lead you on a quiet winter adventure!
The Most Beautiful Hike You’ll Take: Watkins Glen State Park and Its Waterfalls
This easy hike offers breathtaking views of 19 waterfalls you do NOT want to miss!
Easy Hike with a Spectacular Payoff at Chittenango Falls State Park
Chittenango Falls is a small state park, just shy of 200 acres. But despite its small size, this park is well worth a visit. As its name implies, the park’s centerpiece is a picturesque, 167-foot staircase waterfall, which sends the waters of Chittenango Creek into a gorge. You can’t help but notice the amount of […]
Minnewaska State Park’s Must See Falls: Awosting Falls Hike
Awosting Falls are a spectacular water fall within the Minnewaska State Park, itself a very popular day-use park. The short and sweet Awosting Falls Hike is simply a must-do hike if you visit this park. The state park features a couple of “sky lakes,” as well as as about 50 miles of trails. With the […]
Exploring a Lake in the Sky: Lake Minnewaska
Although originally we’d come to Minnewaska State Park, located in the Shawangunk Mountains in Ulster County, NY, for its water falls — Awosting Falls, Stoney Kill Falls, and another waterfalls that we ended up not going to — we came back simply to hike around Lake Minnewaska itself. Minnewaska State Park Preserve is nestled within […]
Exploring West Virginia’s Best State Park: Watoga State Park
There is so much to see and do in and around Watoga State Park, that it seems like the ideal location to set up a home base for your exploration of the area. The park covers more than 10 thousand acres, and began as a state forest designated as a wildlife and timber preserve. Franklin […]
Exploring Maryland’s Iconic Casselman Bridge State Park
“We build too many walls and not enough bridges.” — Isaac Newton Like Thomas Shoals Lighthouse outside of Annapolis, the Cassalman Bridge in western Maryland is an iconic Maryland image. Casselman Bridge once carried the National Road across Casselman River in Garrett County. It remains one of Maryland’s most picturesque places, instantly Facebook and Instagram […]
Mysteries of the Hudson Highland State Park: Cornish Ruins Hike
Why are ruins so fascinating? Do we expect to see the ghosts of the people who lived or worked there to suddenly appear? I don’t know the answer to that, but I’m fascinated by ruins. There’s something sad and creepy and symbolic about beautiful places that have been abandoned. There’s almost a fairytale set of […]
Take the Most Peaceful Walk in the Park Ever through the Trap Pond Loop
Trap Pond is the feature of this small but lovely Delaware state park. Freshwater wetlands once covered a large portion of southwestern Sussex County, DE, where Trap Pond State Park is located. Featuring the northernmost natural stand of bald cypress trees in North America, Trap Pond State Park retains a part of those wetlands’ […]