I recently sweet-talked my friend Everett into taking a road trip with me upstate, and neither of us had any idea that just an hour outside the city, there was so much to do and see.What makes a road trip even more fun, is getting away in a Porsche. Yep… that’s right, a 2012 Porsche 911 Carrera S Coupe to be specific. It was a phenomenal ride – and amazing to drive.
It hugged the winding roads through upstate New York into Connecticut like a dream. It also had all the bells and whistles that you would expect with a luxury car like heated seats, satellite radio, bluetooth, tilt and slide sunroof, auto stop and start, and all the vroom vroom you can imagine.
Our first stop was Tarrytown, NY to see the Lyndhurst Mansion. The mansion holds so much history from the families that lived there and is a must see when you’re in the area. You can explore all the rooms inside the mansion, along with the stunning grounds.
Just a few minutes away is a castle – the Castle on Hudson! I could not believe that only 25 miles away from New York City stands a real castle… ok, it’s a hotel now, but it has been around for more than 100 years. The Castle was built in a style reminiscent of Norman fortification in
Wales, Scotland and Ireland. The finished castle boasted 45 rooms. The main tower of the Castle rises 75 feet, making it the highest point in Westchester County. Everett and I shared a glass of champagne in the hotel’s restaurant, Equus. Sadly, neither of us had the forethought to make reservations, so we weren’t able to eat there. I’ll just have to go back! (Doesn’t the Porsche just look like it fits there?) They have some great Mother’s Day specials!
After pretending to be royalty, we saw it fitting that we check out the Legend of Sleepy Hollow, and all the spooky lore that goes with it. First stop was the legendary Headless Horseman’s bridge. Doesn’t really look that scary if you ask me. We also were able to take a private tour through the whole cemetery, and had the opportunity to see the grave sites of Washington Irving, Andrew Carnegie, Walter Chrysler, William Rockefeller and Elizabeth Arden. I would love to come back here for Halloween and do a nighttime walking tour!
Finally, I convinced Everett to drive up to Kent, CT to Kent Falls State Park. On the way, we stopped for lunch at Applebees – which made me miss
home a little! My family always goes there after Easter Vigil mass for a late night dinner. But I digress. Along the way we stumbled across a cute covered bridge, and a taste of what was to come. Just a few miles further, we found the park, and got some great shots! However; what I didn’t know was if we climbed up all the steps (I got lazy and only went about half way) was an even bigger – 250 foot – water fall. Again, I’ll have to make a second trip.
After a full day of sightseeing and exploring, we headed back to the city, which offers another spectacular view that you get to see everyday.