<p>I think either Albany or White Plains would be OK. It's an easy drive from Albany to Poughkeepsie. (I've got a former student who teaches at New Paltz, which is fairly close to Poughkeepsie, and this has been a good airport for this location). Frankly, for a newbie to negotiate the quick lane changes and name changes on the various parkways south of Poughkeepsie towards White Plains or NYC -- though a little better now than in the old days -- is daunting and you're as likely to end up in Connecticut as anyplace else. But driving from Albany to Poughkeepsie and back is easy.</p>
<p>If I were a newbie and doing this from the West, I would consider various possibilities including flying to Albany, car to Poughkeepsie (either rental car or maybe a coach would pick you up, or can't they do that?), then return to Albany and fly to Charlottesville (probably via DC) and rent car there again if you need one, and then fly home from Charlottesville (either through DC or some other hub).</p>
<p>Since I am more experienced travelling in this, I might instead fly to Albany, rent a car and after doing the Poughkeepsie thing I would head south but avoid NYC. This assumes that you can get a reasonable "one-way" rental car from Albany leaving in Charlottesville or at one of the DC airports (DC is about 100 mi from Charlottesville).</p>
<p>Or alternatively, I would go from Poughkeepsie to NY by Amtrak, change in Penn Station to Amtrak to DC, and then take it from there. You avoid NYC area airports but can even take a day or two sightseeing in NYC.</p>
<p>Albany is probably too far north but it is a southwest destination so it might work. Stewart in Newburgh is the closest major airport to Vassar. If that doesn't work I think you would be better landing in Newark than LaGuardia--easier to navigate out of the airport and closer to upstate New York than Long island. If you can drive in the bay area and LA you can drive anywhere, even NYC.</p>
<p>Having grown up in LA I would have to say that driving in LA is a lot easier than driving in/around NY. For one thing the signage is much better/clearer in LA, and the drivers are more likely to yield space to you when you need it. But of course this is a "driving culture" issue for another thread.</p>
<p>Mol10e is right-- if you can drive around San Francisco and LA, NY will be ok. Remember, the routes from Vassar to the City are not 8 lane highways- you can get over to your exit pretty easily,and if you miss it, just get off at the next one and turn around. I'd be less inclined to do that, though, once you are in the 5 boroughs. But yes, car rentals in NY are expensive, though we found a great deal on... National I think, that let us pick up in NY and drop off in Boston with no surcharge. You'll have to shop that around a bit. Bottom line- there are lots of possibilities. Just depends on what sights are higher up on your sightseeing list, what your budget is, and how comfortable you are with driving in parts unknown. Good luck :)
Oh-- one last thing-- if you drive and have time before/after Vassar-- go over to Hyde Park and, in addition to the FDR and Vanderbilt mansions is the CIA-- Culinary Insitiute of America. They often ofer special lunch and dinner opportunities to eat the... homework. Great oportunity!!</p>
<p>A few years back my niece flew into New York (Newark, actually) and had no probs taking the train to look at Vassar. But as others have pointed out, it might be a bit trickier to do the whole trip by train, ie getting down to UVA.</p>
<p>Again, if you are driving - it is not just avoiding NYC, it is avoiding the whole NYC/Philly?Washington corridor. And it is not about your personal comfort driving in NYC traffic, the western route is faster and more scenic. I would though, check the cost to fly to Laguardia, then LaGuardia to Dulles, then Dulles home. Train to Vassar, rental car to C'ville - that might be the fastest, most hassle free way.</p>
<p>Wow, you really have to love this site. I posted at 1AM my time and in less than 12 hours I have tons of great suggestions, resources, and links to investigate. Feel free to keep them coming.</p>
<p>I will ask the coach this week when he comes here what he is allowed to do for me......hmmmm, am I allowed to drive him around or pick him up at the airport? :)</p>
<p>The great thing about this trip is that I have never been back east, a bit of time in the south, but not the northeast/east, except as airport stopovers, so anything we see will be a great experience.</p>
<p>My husband & I like to fly to a city, rent a car with unlimited miles and jsut go drive in a big loop and see the areas, we've put nearly 3,000 miles on sometimes, so the driving part is not necessarily stressful. No reservations, no times schedule, jsut a map & drive until you feel like stopping, stay where there are vacancies. Is it foolish to think that could work in the last two weeks of March? I am told it is not yet spring back east, so there shouldn't be a mad rush of tourists, yet?</p>
<p>I am bummed to have to pay for a visit trip when we don't know admissions status, but it won't work in April due to sports commitments, so I think we should at least see a bit of our country and the sites if we're all the way there. My daughter has been to NYC & DC, though I have not.</p>
<p>If you want to land somewhere and do a loop, I would fly into Washington, Dulles. You can easily for north to NY and skip NYC driving. There is a lot to see on the way up there. You can also go back a little differently, or to Charlottesville and see a beautiful area.</p>
<p>If you want to go to Richmond (1 hour 15 mins) or Williamsburg (2 hours) you can. (Air tran flies to Williamsburg/Newport News Airport, that is a little over 2 hours from UVA.)</p>
<p>I have driven all over the East Coast, and used to live in VA. There is a lot to see.</p>
<p>My daughter is going to UVA next year, It is a great place.</p>
<p>OP: The drive from DC to NYC is dull and congested (I-95 has nothing to recommend it except that it is a straight, direct route); if you are visiting Vassar first, better to fly into Newark, which although an ugly airport has so many flights in and out that you have a lot of flexibility. (Perhaps return the rental car in DC after your visit to Charlottesville to save some driving). There are lovely two-lane roads along the Hudson going up to Poughkeepsiel; 9D goes through beautiful small places like Garrison and Cold Spring and has incredible views of cliffs along the river. If you fly into Newark and rent a car it is a very easy if occasionally congested trip up the Garden State Parkway to 287, across the Tappan Zee Bridge to the east side of the Hudson; check maps for best routes north from there. (Regarding train service, Croton is the last main commuter station; service is less frequent north of there I think.) Possible other places to see in the lower to mid-Hudson Valley, dpending on your interests as tourists: West Point (on west bank of river), Hyde Park and Val-Kill (FDR home and Eleanor Roosevelt hideaway); Culinary Institute of America restaurants. Lots of more, depending on your interests and how much time you have. You can certianly do this trip driving and never set foot in NYC unless you want to. You certainly can also visit NYC without driving there, given the excellent commuter train networks and built-up surburbs with chain hotels/motels in the area. You could for example stay in a motel or hotel in Westchester (the Tarrytown Hilton is virtually adjacent to the Tappan Zee Bridge) and then take the train into the city for a day trip. When you are ready to go to Virginia, just head right back across the bridge and drive south. Once you are south of DC the trip is quite pretty and again lots of opportunities for touring. And, as in Westchester, you could stay outside DC and take public transport into the city for a day trip on your way back from Charlottesvile. Route 29 south of DC is very pretty and gives you a good sense of northern VA countryside with great view of Blue Ridge just before you reach C'ville. You also pass a couple of Civil War battlefields if that is an area of interest to you (Manassas/Bull Run, notably). Anyway, take a look at map and tour books and see what attractions appeal to you; definitely consider flying into Newark and out of Washington, with visits to cities buit not necessarily driving in them.</p>
<p>I think the Taconic was mentioned several posts agao, but note: the Taconic wouldn't really be relevant to a Poughkeepsie trip anyway, since P is right on the river and at that point the Taconic a somewhat inland, and it bypasses towns so is ultimately rather dull despite mildly pretty scenery.</p>
<p>I'd fly into Albany, rent a car, visit Poughkipsee, and drive as far around NYC and Washington as possible. Personally, I'd rather be in the car (hopefully moving) than dealing with train stations, changing trains, renting a car in DC and trying to drive out. Just me though. We drive everywhere.</p>
<p>I agree with the person who said to fly into Dulles & rent a car. That way, on your return trip you will be more centrally located between the 2 schools. Our daughter went to UVA & we live in PA. If you want to avoid the beltways & I95, there are great back roads from Charlottesville to Dulles & Dulles north. Between C'ville & Dulles is James Madison's historic home which is under renovations right now. If you're into history, the renovation process is extremely interesting. Thomas Jefferson's Monticello is in C'ville, & is also a wonderful tour. I'd recommend hotel reservations in C'ville no matter the month. We like either of the Marriotts or the Hampton Inn At The University. Vivace is nice for dinner if you like gormet Italian. It's near the university's visitor information center. Northern Exposure, right by the Hampton Inn or Marriott on the corner, is also good. If you want take out sandwiches "Take It Away" is great. Also, any student will know where these places are. If you want to wander the C'ville Downtown Mall ask at your hotel first to make sure the shops are open. It's surprising how early they close off-season.</p>
<p>Somemom: From the advice you've gotten it sounds that you probably won't be driving in NYC, but if you do, you should know that the city is one of the few places in the US where it is not legal to make a right turn on a red light (after a stop). You can do that elsewhere in NY state, but not in the city itself. You must wait for the light to change. However, as opposed to California, pedestrians in a crosswalk in NYC do not have the right of way over motorists.</p>
<p>The other piece of advice I can give you (as a native-born New Yorker) is that driving there is no more difficult than anywhere else in the US if you just follow two simple rules:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>In NYC, assume that most drivers and all taxis may do anything that is physically possible at any time.</p></li>
<li><p>In New Jersey, assume that any driver may do anything physically possible at any time.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Be alert for anything and everything and you'll be fine. And have a good time.</p>
<p>Lots and lots of ideas-- I guess it depends on what your preferences are. The Taconic is slightly more inland, but travels through beautiful terrain, and was much prettier than taking 284-84. I took the Taconic to 84. Taking 9wW is at times close tothe river, but a slower drive. By the way, when you go to Vassar, if you can, stay at Alumnae House (you don't have to be an alum to do so- it has about 30 or so rooms). It is diagonally across the street from the main gate and just reopened after renovations. It is another charming experience at Vassar.
If you have the time when at UVA, take a drive down part of the Blue Ridge Parkway in the Shenendoah Valley, and go to the Luray Caverns (incredible stalagmites and stalagtites). If you drive down the Blue Ridge parkway, be careful at dusk, as a lot of deer come out onto the road. When we were there, 2 German tourists were photographing a bear cub-- little did they know that mommy bear was behind them, in the brush. We tried to get their attention to warn them, but they kept shusshhing us. We got back in our car and left.. I don't know the end of that story.....</p>
<p>When I do the Massachusetts to Virginia drive, my route (CT onwards) is:
84S to 287/87 over the Tappan Zee
287S to 78W
78W to 81S
81S to me (which is about a little over an hour from C-ville)</p>
<p>While that might not be the most direct route to C-ville, I would recommend it instead of the NJTP/GSP to 95 routine: fewer tolls and almost no traffic once you get out of Jersey. So, to slightly alter this, you would follow the above directions, then take 81S to 64E. C-ville is right off of 64E. </p>
<p>I believe that you can take 29 to Dulles/DC area.</p>