Travel
We're getting married two hours north of New York City, in the bounding foothills of the Catskill Mountains. And before you say, "Two hours? What a drag!" just wait till you see the scenery on the way.
Out-of-towners have two main options: 1) fly into New York City (JFK, LGA or EWR) and travel two hours north, or 2) fly into Albany (ALB) and travel 40 minutes south. Most will do the former.
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From NYC by car
This is pretty straightforward, not a lot of mystery to how driving works. Get in the car, type the destination into Google Maps, do what the nice voice tells you. Within 35 minutes you'll be out of the city and into nature. This is the best option for groups of 3 or more traveling together and staying on the west side of the river (i.e. not in Hudson).
One thing to add about rental cars: it is WAY cheaper to rent from an airport location than any place in the city. So if that's an option, take it. For NYC residents who don't want to schlep to the airport, here's a pro-tip we've discovered: the Sixt Car Rental (https://www.sixt.com/#/) in Battery Park consistently has the best rates for vehicles in the city.
Other options to remember are Silvercar and Zipcar.
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From NYC by train
There are two train options for getting upstate (technically one train option and one train + car option). You can 1) take the Amtrak to Hudson, or 2) take Metro North commuter rail to Poughkeepsie and rent a car there.
1) Amtrak to Hudson - All Amtrak trains depart from Penn Station and arrive in Hudson itself. The tickets run from $40 - $75 one way. If you are planning on staying in Hudson this is a solid choice. https://www.amtrak.com/home.html
2) Metro North to Poughkeepsie, rental car to points north-west - Metro North is a commuter rail service that runs frequently throughout the day out of Grand Central Terminal . Tickets are $25 peak and $20 off-peak, one way. You purchase them at Grand Central. Once in Poughkeepsie, there is a Hertz with much better rental rates than in NYC. This is a good option for a couple traveling alone and heading west of the river. For groups of 3 or more, the cost of the train tickets probably cancels out any rental car savings. https://new.mta.info/schedules
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From Albany by train or car
If you choose to fly into Albany, you can rent a car and drive 40 minutes south and you'll be at the venue. If you are staying in Hudson, you can take the Amtrak an hour south from Albany and arrive directly in Hudson.
Albany is most recently known for Cuomo sightings and the NXIVM sex cult.