Gardens of the Hudson Valley 7945

Gardens of the Hudson Valley 7945

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9 Days From

$5315

Gardens of the Hudson Valley 7945

9 Days Starting in London, United Kingdom and ending in New York, United States

Visiting: New York, Hudson Valley, Hyde Park, Hudson River, Poughkeepsie, Lyndhurst, London

Tour operator:

Brightwater Holidays

Tour code:

BHUD

Guide Type:

Fully Guided

Physical rating:

Moderate

From: $5315

NB: Prices correct on 01-Nov-2024 but subject to change.

Tour Overview

Embark on a captivating journey through the Gardens of the Hudson Valley, where nature and history intertwine in breathtaking harmony. This tour invites you to explore the grandeur of Kykuit, the Rockefeller Estate, and the enchanting Untermyer Gardens, each offering a unique glimpse into America's horticultural heritage. Wander through the vibrant landscapes of Stonecrop and Locust Grove, and marvel at the architectural elegance of the Vanderbilt Mansion. Delight in the culinary artistry at the Culinary Institute of America and savor the serene beauty of Blithewood and Innisfree Gardens. Conclude your adventure with the stunning vistas of Wave Hill and the expansive New York Botanical Garden. With comfortable coach travel and the expertise of a professional tour manager, this tour promises an unforgettable exploration of the Hudson Valley's most exquisite gardens.

Highlights

  • The Classical Revival-style villa – Kykuit, the Rockefeller Estate

  • Guided tour of New York Botanical Gardens

  • Wave Hill Garden overlooking the Hudson River

  • Guided tour of Untermyer Gardens

  • Explore the Vanderbilt Mansion and its Beaux-Arts architecture

  • Visit the Culinary Institute of America’s campus in Hyde Park

  • Discover the Gothic Revival home of Lyndhurst

  • Tour the sprawling Innisfree Garden with its mid-century modernist design

Itinerary

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Day 1

Location: New York

Accommodation Name: Courtyard Tarrytown Hotel

Enjoy access to the airport Executive lounge before we depart from London to New York. On arrival, we will transfer to our hotel.

Day 2

Location: Hudson Valley

Accommodation Name: Courtyard Tarrytown Hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast

After breakfast, our first visit of the day is to Kykuit garden which was begun by the oil billionaire John D. Rockefeller and served as a Rockefeller family summer retreat from 1913 to 1991. Kykuit (pronounced ‘cake-8’) means ‘lookout’ in Dutch and it has fine views over the magnificent scenery of the Hudson Valley. Rockefeller commissioned Olmsted Brothers for the design but was not happy with their work and began laying out walks and doing his own planting. He then asked the landscape architect William Welles Bosworth to design formal gardens near the house and today the garden is a fine American example of the Mixed Style. A host of attractive features includes terraces, a semi-circular rose garden, fountains, a Japanese Garden and an Italian loggia. Here we enjoy the classic estate tour.This afternoon,  we visit Untermyer Gardens. In 1899 Samuel Untermyer purchased Greystone, the former estate of Samuel Tilden. In the forty-one years Untermyer owned Greystone, he transformed the gardens and greenhouses into some of the most celebrated gardens in America. Upon his death, the gardens were left until a core part were acquired by the City of Yonkers in 1946. The gardens are now managed by the Untermyer Gardens Conservancy, a non-profit making organisiation. The Indo-Persian Walled Garden is divided into quadrants by waterways and bordered by crenellated walls anchored by octagonal towers; the Vista was modelled on a similar series of descending stairs at the Villa D’Este in Italy and here they cascade towards the Hudson River. We have a private tour of the gardens included. Please note sturdy footwear should be worn.

Day 3

Location: Hudson Valley

Accommodation Name: Courtyard Tarrytown Hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast

This morning following breakfast, we visit Stonecrop. At just 12 acres, it might seem at first like a little gem, but it’s really a vault full of jewels. Surrounding a country manor house built in 1958 by Anne and Frank Cabot and now owned by a non-profit corporation, are thickets of blooms: Salvia uliginosa, Ruta graveolens, Tweedia caerulea and dozens more. Stonecrop changes dramatically as you walk from one area to the next. One minute you’re in a bamboo grove so thick you have to hold back the branches; the next, on a rocky ledge amid tiny alpine blossoms of brilliant red, purple and pink. Further highlights include the “inner sanctum” in a lattice design, filled with shrubs, grasses and roses, and a whimsical pavilion, covered in clematis. Look out for the obese burlap scarecrow that watches over the vegetable garden – nicknamed Gertrude Jekyll! A guided tour is included here.Our final visit of the day is to Locust Grove Estate first purchased in 1895 by William and Martha Young, they soon began adding onto the property, purchasing adjoining plots of land along the river and building carriage roads. This tradition of expanding the estate’s footprint has continued into present day, and now Locust Grove has nearly 200 acres of grounds and formal gardens, including a historically accurate cutting garden and a kitchen garden for fruits and vegetables. Here we enjoy a tour of the house and gardens.

Day 4

Location: Hyde Park

Accommodation Name: Courtyard Tarrytown Hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

This morning after breakfast we depart for our first visit of the day which is Vanderbilt Mansion where we have a guided tour included. One of several homes owned by the renowned Frederick William Vanderbilt, the 54-room mansion was constructed in the late 19th century and is an example of Beaux-Arts architecture style. Here we embark on a tour of the mansion exploring 18 rooms across three floors which are reflective of the American Renaissance style. Situated overlooking the Hudson River, the surrounding grounds include manicured lawns, formal gardens and woodlands.Next, we have a treat in store as we visit the Culinary Institute of America’s campus in Hyde Park, NY, the world’s premier culinary college where we will enjoy a tour followed but lunch in one of the restaurants onsite.After lunch, we visit Bellefield which was designed in 1912 by Beatrix Farrand, a renowned landscape architect who pioneered the concept of “garden rooms” with their own feel. Bellefield has three such garden rooms, which stretch from the house’s terrace to an arched doorway, with a velvety green lawn down the middle that narrows twice, elongating the space. In the walls along the way, Farrand placed two more arched oak doors, with black Arts and Crafts-style hardware. The mixed borders are a colour themed mass of lilies, phlox, cleome, snakeroot, monkshead in shades of pink, white, mauve and purple, with lighter shades of cream, grey and white as the garden narrows.

Day 5

Location: Hudson River

Accommodation Name: Residence Inn Poughkeepsie

Meals Included: Breakfast

This morning we depart for our first visit at Blithewood Garden, a classic example of a walled Italianate Garden. Perched on a slopping bluff above the Hudson River, Blithewood Gardens sprawls over a 45-acre section of the Bard College campus with the awe-inspiring Catskills mountains as its backdrop. Here we enjoy a tour of the gardens.Later, we return to the hotel where the afternoon is at your leisure.

Day 6

Location: Poughkeepsie

Accommodation Name: Residence Inn Poughkeepsie

Meals Included: Breakfast

This morning following breakfast, we visit Innisfree Garden for a tour. This sprawling 165-acre garden designed by the landscape artist Lester Collins. The garden also received contributions from Lester’s teacher Walter Beck and the gardener / heiress Marion Burt-Beck. The garden combines mid-century modernist and romantic principle with traditional Chinese and Japan garden design and include rock, water, and wood features.We then visit Wildflower Island a two-acre island refuge home to more than 250 species of wildflowers, trees, ferns, and grasses. A visit in the summer offers the chance to enjoy the ever-changing kaleidoscope of colourful blooms and rich natural aromas. A tour is included.

Day 7

Location: Lyndhurst

Accommodation Name: Residence Inn Poughkeepsie

Meals Included: Breakfast

After breakfast this morning we visit Lyndhurst a Gothic Revival home originally designed by the America architect Alexander Jackson Davis in 1838. Despite the house’s imposing size and looming towers, there is a real family home feel to the estate. The house is home to an extraordinary collection of both American and European artwork. During the mis 19th-century the Master Gardener Ferdinand Mangold revitalized the parklands bringing the latest trends from European royal estate to Lyndhurst. Mangold institutes many of the trees and features we see today. We can take some time to wander through the grounds and discover some of the sculptures and marble structures that have been meticulously restored in recent years. Here, we enjoy the Classic Mansion tour.Later, we return to the hotel where the afternoon is at your leisure.

Day 8

Location: New York

Meals Included: Breakfast

Today we visit the gardens of Wave Hill in the Bronx which enjoys fabulous views over the River Hudson. In 1903 George W Perkins bought the estate and developed it to enhance its magnificent vistas, planting rare shrubs and trees to harmonize with the wider landscape. After a period of decline in the 1960s the garden was transformed into a vibrant horticultural experience, with a flower garden filled with many unusual plants at its heart. There is also a herb garden, an aquatic garden, dry and wild gardens, an alpine house and conservatory, but it is the view over the river that may provide the lasting memory of our time here in New York and the Hudson Valley.We will then head to the the New York Botanical Garden for a guided tour. Established in 1891, the 250-acre garden, the largest in any city in the USA, is a National Historic Landmark and comprises of 50 speciality gardens and collections which are home to over one million plants. We enjoy a guided tour which may include the Peggy Rockefeller Rose Garden, the Native Plant Garden, which celebrate the diversity of plant life to be found in northeast America, and the 30,000 distinguished trees some of which are over 200-year-old.We later transfer to the airport for our return overnight flight to London.

Day 9

Location: London

We arrive in London.

What's Included

  • Accommodation

    Accommodation is included as part of the tour package.

  • Meals as per the itinerary

    Meals are provided according to the itinerary.

  • Comfortable coach travel throughout

    Coach transportation is included for comfortable travel throughout the tour.

  • All visits as outlined in the itinerary

    All visits mentioned in the itinerary are included in the tour package.

  • Services of a professional tour manager

    A professional tour manager will be available throughout the tour.

  • Pre-flight executive airport lounge access

    Access to the executive airport lounge before the flight is included.

What's Not Included

  • Personal expenses

    Personal expenses are not included in the tour package.

  • Travel insurance

    Travel insurance is not included and should be arranged separately.

  • Optional activities

    Optional activities not mentioned in the itinerary are not included.

Mode of Transport

Travel comfortably throughout the tour with coach transportation included.

Accommodation

Accommodation details are not provided for this tour.

Check out our Q&As

  • What type of transportation is provided during the tour?

    The tour includes comfortable coach transportation throughout the journey.

  • Is there a professional guide or tour manager available during the tour?

    Yes, the services of a professional tour manager are included in the tour.

  • What kind of footwear is recommended for the tour?

    Sturdy footwear is recommended, especially for visits like Untermyer Gardens.

  • Is travel insurance included in the tour package?

    No, travel insurance is not included and should be arranged separately.

  • Will there be any free time during the tour?

    Yes, there are afternoons at leisure on some days, such as after visiting Blithewood Garden and Lyndhurst.

  • What is the significance of the gardens visited on the tour?

    The gardens visited, such as Kykuit, Untermyer Gardens, and Wave Hill, are historically significant and offer a variety of landscapes and horticultural designs, showcasing American and European influences.

  • Will I receive more details of the holiday before I travel?

    You will receive detailed joining instructions around 10 days prior to you departure, but you are of course welcome to contact us at any time should you have any queries.

  • What facilities do your coaches have?

    Generally, our coaches have reclining seats, air-conditioning and toilets, however this cannot always be guaranteed as sometimes we have to use smaller vehicles. Toilets are recommended for emergency use only and regular comfort stops will be made throughout your holiday while travelling around.

  • Do I have to go on the included excursions?

    Absolutely not. You are more than welcome to spend the day at your hotel or exploring independently should you wish. All we ask is that you inform your Tour Manager, so they are not left waiting for you to join the group.

  • Is there time to relax?

    Although our itineraries may seem jam-packed, boasting access to some of the most exclusive sites across the UK and beyond, a Brightwater Holiday is just that: a holiday. Each trip will counter in more than enough free-time for you to explore places at your own leisure. And with most nights and the majority of meals being included in our tour prices, you can relax in hand-picked accommodation.

  • Do I need to be an expert?

    Absolutely not! Although some of our tours are specifically focused on one thing, all you need to enjoy a Brightwater holiday is interest and bags of enthusiasm! Even on our most specialist tours, we take travellers from all skill levels, from experts to beginners.

  • How fit or active do I need to be for one of your holidays?

    You need to be able to get on and off the coach unassisted, and most – but not all – coaches have a kneel facility that lowers the front step for ease of boarding

  • Do you have self-drive holidays?

    Yes, we do – tailored to your exact requirements!

  • What’s the luggage allowance on your coaches?

    There’s no fixed limit, but we generally say one large suitcase to go in the luggage compartment and a smaller bag that you can take onto the coach with you. For flight-inclusive holidays, we include a luggage allowance of at least 20kg.

  • Where are your departure points?

    UK garden holidays generally depart from London, with additional pick-ups depending on the route of the coach, while holidays to Scotland depart from Glasgow, Edinburgh and Perth, with Dundee, Inverness and Aberdeen sometimes included. All Eurostar holidays depart from London St. Pancras and flight-inclusive holidays depart from one or more of the main London airports, with regional flights .

  • What about the company that will be kept?

    For single travellers, those with a companion or even those travelling in a larger group, you'll find that the signature of any Brightwater Holiday is the company. You won't ever be travelling with a group of strangers, instead, you'll find yourself surrounded by like-minded people with a strong shared interest who will soon become your firm friends.

  • What is a Brightwater Holiday?

    Bursting with enthralling, educational and enlightening itineraries, a Brightwater Holiday, by its very nature, is packed with bucket-list-worthy destinations, behind the scenes passes and expert-led experiences. From creating bespoke quality garden and special interest tours for groups and individuals alike, we have made it our business to make our guests' travel dreams come true.

  • Why is there a single supplement?

    Unfortunately, single room supplements are charges that are often imposed on us as a company when we book rooms for group holidays. However, most hotels do charge less for single occupancy, and we always pass this saving on to our solo travellers in the form of a modest single supplement.

  • How much are your optional excursions?

    Prices start from as little as £20, but please contact our friendly team for questions about specific itineraries or excursions.

  • Can I pre-book my coach seats?

    Yes, you can. In the case of front seats, guests with limited mobility are given priority. Please get in touch with our friendly team to discuss any requirements you may have.

  • How to get there? Easy!

    With a Brightwater Holiday, the journey is just as important as the destination and we make getting you to your tour start point easy. From organising group flights and individual travel plans, to offering accessible local departure and pick-up points, we go out of our way to ensure that your journey is as convenient and hassle-free as it can be.

  • Do I need to have travel insurance?

    Travel insurance is required for all overseas holidays and is also strongly recommended for UK holidays – primarily to protect yourself against cancellation charges should you be unable to travel.

Reviews of this operator

Trusted Customer  

Brightwater Holidays offers great value

28-Nov-2019

I would highly recommend Brightwater Holidays. It offers excellent service and value for money. This was my first tour as I normally arrange holidays myself, but this tour - which was to the gardens of Kent and Sussex - was a very pleasant change of pace.

Feefo Trusted Reviews
Brightwater Holidays Customer  

My experience with Brightwater Holidays

08-Aug-2019

The tour was well managed, the sites visited were all interesting and linked to the theme of the Picts and their place in history, the hotel was comfortable and the coach journeys were well paced. I have been with Brightwater before and will certainly travel with them again

Feefo Trusted Reviews
Alan Hawkes (Google Reviewer)  

We were on the Tour...

28-Aug-2022

We were on the Tour of the Outer Hebrides. We had a great experience, in no small part due to the excellence of the tour manager and driver.

Brightwater Holidays Custome  

Wonderful experience with brilliant information

31-Jul-2019

The most important factor was an amazing guide in Alastair Walker whose knowledge and care for clients was fantastic. The whole trips are superbly organised

Feefo Trusted Reviews
David MacLennan (Google Reviewer)  

Noted a comment on taking...

23-Aug-2023

Noted a comment on taking coaches on A814 by a local person who didn't know the facts: When the A82 was blocked and the POLICE divert you onto that road you do as instructed not what a you know are tight roads but they only way to your destination as intructed by officials. We know this route is not suitable for large vehicles but the driver does as instructed by someone in authority.

Eric Webb (Google Reviewer)  

Recent (September 2023) Scottish holiday...

07-Oct-2023

Recent (September 2023) Scottish holiday not so good. Various 'issues' to do with scheduling and organisation. I'm happy to report however that - after an interval - a letter expressing disappointment brought a full response - including a generous refund. So - with fingers slightly crossed - we'll be booking with Brightwater again in due course.

Kevin Barrett (Google Reviewer)  

The recent tour in Northumberland...

30-Sep-2023

The recent tour in Northumberland turned out to be a shambles. Our South London driver took us to Newcastle, but no guide to meet us. Next day still no guide and the bus driver attempted to salvage the tour the best he could despite having no knowledge of the attractions. Fortunately one of the passengers Googled the tides for Holy Island. No holiday guide ever showed up. Coach and hotel were fine. Do these people only offer self guided tours? Take Shearings next time.

ALEXANDRA MCQUEEN (Google Reviewer)  

Been trying to get a...

17-Oct-2023

Been trying to get a reply from them for over a week. Booked Xmas tour, confirmation said pick up subject to numbers, they never said anything when booking and theyve been paid in full. Would not recommend!

Dp Green (Google Reviewer)  

I had heard this company...

20-Feb-2024

I had heard this company was a nightmare to deal with, but thought I'd give it a go. Signed up for a tour, then emailed them about how to pay off the balance. No response to 3 emails. I've never encountered a tour company that ignored questions on how to pay off a balance. Looked into other reviews and found many complaints about cancelled tours and refusals to refund deposits.

Kieran Thompson (Google Reviewer)  

Two of your tour busses...

26-Jul-2021

Two of your tour busses used the A814 from Garelochhead to Arrochar on 24th July 2021. This route is not suitable for large vehicles and your drivers should not have taken the huge coaches that way. There are clear signs at both ends of the road indicating it is not suitable for HGV's. Our car had to go off into the soft verge to allow your coaches to pass. Please amend your routes to avoid this road in future.

1 Select your preferred date

Saturday - Sunday

Jul 05, 2025 - Jul 13, 2025
$5315

Saturday - Sunday

Jul 05, 2025 - Jul 13, 2025
$5538

Including UK Flights

Prices last published on 31-Oct-2024

Book with Confidence

  • Transfer as credit to Future Tours

    Brightwater Holidays allows you to transfer existing payments to a future tour to avoid cancellation fees if you can't travel and inform brightwater holidays, 25 days before departure.

  • Low Deposit

    Brightwater Holidays requires a minimum deposit of 15% or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 70 days before departure.

  • Cancellation Policy

    We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of brightwater holidays charges.

    At 40 days before tour starts: Forfeit 50% of booking price.

    At 7 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of booking price.

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