Dutchess County Top 20

Top Twenty Best Trips 2013: National Geographic Traveler Chooses the Hudson Valley

The National Geographic Traveler editors present the new year's 20 must-see places..." So begins the National Geographic Traveler magazine article that names the Hudson Valley as one of the "Top 20 Places in the World to Visit in 2013."

The December/January issue of this national magazine cites our natural scenic beauty, inspirational arts and culture, and abundant food as reasons for choosing our region as a Top Twenty Destination for 2013. They refer to the importance of the scenic inspiration for our nations' first school of art, easily enjoyed to this day by following the Hudson River School Art Trail www.hudsonriverschool.org

The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) in Hyde Park is recognized for its unique stature as the world's premier cooking college, where students create wonderful meals at four different restaurants. The CIA offers a multitude of classes, which educate food enthusiasts, and support the locavore movement. A visit to Bread Alone Bakery nearby is also advised!

The magazine encourages visitors to shop at "mom-and-pop shops, 'u-pick' wildflower fields, and farm markets. It advocates consulting Hudson River Valley Farms: The People and the Pride Behind the Produce, by Joanne Michaels and Rich Pomerantz, a beautifully illustrated insider's portrait of Hudson Valley farmers, which includes directions to visit the farms, plus a directory of farmers' markets.

"It's great to see the Hudson Valley get the recognition it deserves. As the home of Walkway Over the Hudson State Historic Park, the Great Estates including the FDR Home, Library and Museum, and Dia:Beacon all located here, Dutchess is proud to be the flourishing heart of the Hudson Valley. We're not the least bit surprised to be listed as a world-class destination," said Mary Kay Vrba, executive director of Dutchess County Tourism.

Beacon resident Pete Seeger is cited for his decades of ringing folk music, and for launching the Hudson River Sloop Clearwater to lead efforts to clean up the Hudson River.

"The Hudson must surely be one of the world's most extraordinary streams," 93-year-old musician Pete Seeger, the founder of Clearwater, was quoted as saying in the story. "Other rivers are longer and start higher, but my wife and I and our daughter look every day from the windows of our two-room house and see the Hudson. Bless it!"

The only recommended lodging is also in Dutchess, The Olde Rhinebeck Inn's "historic bed-and-breakfast (is) an ideal base for area day trips. Original architectural details in the restored 1745 farmhouse include wide plank living room floors and hand-hewn chestnut beams."

St. Augustine, Florida; Memphis, Tennessee; and the Missouri River Breaks were the three other American destinations picked for Top Twenty honors. Find it at http://travel.nationalgeographic.com

For assistance in planning your next trip to one of National Geographic Traveler's "Top 20 Places in the World to Visit in 2013," call 800-445-3131 and request your free Travel Guide, or visit www.dutchesstourism.com

Dutchess County Tourism in Poughkeepsie is a division of the Dutchess County Economic Development Corporation and is funded by the county of Dutchess.