Hudson River Adventures

If you like history and castles, this is definitely a tour you need to take. Our tour guide, Margaret, was knowledgeable and so well informed, and could answer any questions about the Bannermans. Walking through the paths you could imagine what it was like a hundred years ago. The remaining structures are awesome and it was a great way to spend the afternoon. Hopefully the funding will come that will preserve some of the buildings. A very pleasant boat ride too.

Grat fun!! Nice boat and staff were very pleasant and provided much information about Bannerman Island...I would recommend this trip to all!!

Hudson Valley history, island history most interesting. Not much to do nor full access to lots of walking on island. View spectacular; intro and signoff videos shown on boat were excellent. Steep trails, no open spaces for kids to romp; not recommended for kids under 10.

My family took the cruise and walking tour from Newburgh (it also leaves from Beacon). It is the same boat and the same experience regardless of which location you leave from. The Bannerman Castle website and the boat company website (Pride of the Hudson) offer a good summary of what is involved. My few other notes: - They say you need hard hats, but we weren't required to wear them. Unfortunately, due to a collapse of a major part of the structure in fall 2010, you can't get as close to the factory building as you once could. You can get close enough to get good pictures and see the structure well, but you aren't going to walk inside or around the base of the walls. - There were parts of the walk that would be difficult if you have trouble walking. One part of the tour( which you weren't required to take), takes you down to the shoreline and the gardens. No problem at all for my family, but a few others in the tour group didn't try it. - The boat is fully enclosed. It has very comfortable seats (like those on an airplane). However, you aren't allowed to stand on the deck (which is really small anyway). If you have a window seat, you have a nice view. This didn't take away from the castle experience, but if you expect to be on deck enjoying the Hudson and the fresh air - you won't be able to. The trip is about 30 min each way. - It isn't a cheap trip - $30/person for the four of us. However, a part of that goes to the upkeep of the site. My advice - 1) Go in the autumn. It would be absolutely beautiful and not as hot as August. 2) See this now before the rest of the castle collapses. The Trust that supports the site doesn't have the money to stabilize the castle building, so another bad winter or two and a couple more walls may collapse. The Trust is working on restoring the family home building.

The cruise over to Pollepel Island and Bannerman's Castle is excellent. The boat is very comfortable. The leaders on the island, and the island itself, are great. Highly recommend. Try to get good weather.

The tour to Bannerman Castle was lead by a a very knowledgeable volunteer guide and other pleasant volunteers. It was nice to see what we could up close and hear the history behind what are essentially ruins at this point. It was very helpful to see photos the guide had to see what the property looked like in it's hey day. Very informative.

good information and an interesting look at a site which cannot be visited any other way

This was a wonderful tour. The boat crew and Captian Steve were friendly and hospitable. The Bannerman Island tour guide, Gary, was knowledgable and very helpful. I would recommend this excursion to anyone in the area, it's well worth it.

We were very pleased with our river excursion on the Pride of the Hudson. The boat was immaculate, the narration very interesting and the scenery was beautiful. We were glad the trip took us all the way to West Point. The weather was perfect and that, of course, made it even more of an enjoyable day

Could speed up return since you already seen the view once

My husband and I enjoyed a relaxing and informative afternoon cruise on the Hudson with our two granddaughters visiting from Maryland. We are local people from New Windsor, but never truly appreciated the beauty of our surroundings. This gave us a wonderful opportunity to do so. My 13 year old granddaughter snapped many photos to share with her parents ,while the younger one, 11 year old, just enjoyed the scenery, not to mention the available snacks from the snack bar.All in all--a nice experience.

I have been on this particular boat ride on and off for over 15 years. It still provides a nice little getaway.

I had a great time, actually visiting a place that I have seen from a distance many times (Train and the Storm King Highway). Until recently I didn't know the Bannerman Castle could be visited. The ruins were facinating; I had a great time.

I live in NJ only one hour from Bannerman Island and am sorry it took me so long to get there! It was an awesome adventure. From the relaxing boat ride down the Hudson ~ to walking the beautifully gardened paths on the island, it is well worth the ticket price. Hats off to all the volunteers from the Bannerman Castle Trust for preserving the remaining buildings and keeping history alive for all of us!

For some unknown reason I have always had a passion for ruins. This place provided a fulfillment of that passion. The guides were so informative and helpful. They patiently answered questions that they have probably heard a thousand times. I am grateful for those who are trying to preserve what is left of the buildings. I also appreciated the efforts of those who provided and worked on the plantings. It added so much to the experience. I wish I lived closer so I could be a part of the volunteers who work there. Thanks for a very satisfying experience!