Poughkeepsie vs Oneonta?

[mtemm]

we (dh, 3 teen/tween kids, and i) need are headed to upstate ny next month and need to stay overnight either in Poughkeepsie or Oneonta. I've never been to either so don't really know if one area is preferable so am wondering if anyone here knows the areas at all. Would love some insight. We don't need ideas of things to do, our days are planned, but need a place with some decent restaurant choices for meals at least

 

[DebD4T]

DD attends college in Oneonta ( and it is my alma mater also). There are a number of hotels to choose from there. DH and I prefer to stay at The Courtyard Marriott. It is a fairly new hotel and we get a great parent rate.
As for food, you MUST go to Brooks House of BBQ. A great meal for a decent price!!

 

[mamamary]

we (dh, 3 teen/tween kids, and i) need are headed to upstate ny next month and need to stay overnight either in Poughkeepsie or Oneonta. I've never been to either so don't really know if one area is preferable so am wondering if anyone here knows the areas at all. Would love some insight. We don't need ideas of things to do, our days are planned, but need a place with some decent restaurant choices for meals at least

In November we stayed two nights at the Poughkeepsie grand hotel. We were there for a wedding. I thought the hotel was fine. Breakfast was included. We had a really good meal within walking distance for the rehearsal dinner which I believe was the mill house brewing company. It was a very happening place. That's about all I can help with.

 

[Hikergirl]

Are those your only choices? Is this just to sleep or are you planning on doing something while there?
The city of Poughkeepsie is not a nice area, but you wouldn't be too far from Rhinebeck.

 

[mtemm]

Thanks. It needs to be a Marriott hotel and the courtyard is our choice in Oneonta. Good to know it is nice and I will note the BBQ place! Any suggestions for a good breakfast?

Doesn't have to be Poughkeepsie necessarily but not far and needs to be a Marriott. Will check out Rhinebeck.

 

[Wish I lived in Fl]

I stay in Fishkill right off 84 when visiting Poughkeepsie. There is a Charlie Browns and some other restaurants very close. I stay at a Hampton though.

 

[PerfessorZ]

The two places you mentioned are over an hour apart. I've been scratching my head as to what they have exactly in common that no other locations of Marriotts have.

Poughkeepsie is home to a large IBM center and has lots of respectable dining options, although sections of town are a bit sketchy at night. Oneonta's primarily a college town & you have all the pros and cons that go with that.

I know I didn't exactly answer your question, but I feel like I need just a little more information before recommending one over the other (or suggesting another location that might fit your needs even better).

ETA: nevermind about Marriotts. I got confused with OP and another poster. Still not sure why just those 2 cities, though.

 

[AppleDumpling]

As pp said, these two cities aren't that close, they're over 100 miles apart, which is more like a 2+ hour drive. I'd stay wherever is more convenient location. Oneonta is more isolated and rural, really a college town.

Poughkeepsie and the surrounding area will have more to do. If you're foodies, you can eat at the Culinary Institute of America, nearby in Hyde Park, where you get to try out meals prepared by student chefs (like Hell's Kitchen).

 

[Hikergirl]

Thanks. It needs to be a Marriott hotel and the courtyard is our choice in Oneonta. Good to know it is nice and I will note the BBQ place! Any suggestions for a good breakfast?

Doesn't have to be Poughkeepsie necessarily but not far and needs to be a Marriott. Will check out Rhinebeck.

There is a Courtyard in Fishkill right off of Route 84. Fishkill is roughly 10 miles south of Poughkeepsie.
There is a Cracker Barrel, a diner, Ruby Tuesdays and some other food places close by. There is also a Regal theater in the plaza that Charlie Brown's is in.
The village of Fishkill has a couple good restaurants too, and a wine bar
a little drive up Route 9 through Wappingers and into Poughkeepsie will be an Outback, Chili's, Buffalo Wild Wings, Olive Garden, a couple Japenese Hibatchi places, Red Robin, Friday's and the typical fast food places. There is also a really good Mexican restaurant that we love.

There is also a Marriott in Kingston which north of Poughkeepsie on the other side of the river.

 

[mtemm]

So more info. I have a bee in my bonnet about visiting the fdr library/museum so we are going to head out there over the kids spring break for a day. we were just going to do a day trip but we haven't been to Cooperstown for a while so I suggested we do a day there, too.

dh has a bonus certificate for a free night at a Marriott but there are parameters as to which hotels. So he said to me either the residence inn in Poughkeepsie or the courtyard in Oneonta are in the list of ones we could do. There may be others that would work, will look into it this weekend. These were just the 2 that seemed to qualify and make sense to him.

 

[Imzadi]

The city of Poughkeepsie is not a nice area, but you wouldn't be too far from Rhinebeck.

It's not like Poughkeepsie is like Spanish Harlem. Not ALL of Poughkeepsie is bad. It's the home of Vassar College, (a Seven Sisters college) and Marist College.

OP, I know Poughkeepsie VERY well. Stay along Rt 9. I believe there are a couple Marriotts along Rt 9 (or along 44/55 - not as good of an area.) There are plenty of places along Rt 9 to eat, a couple of malls to go shopping & some movie theatres if you just need to pass the time for an evening. As a PP mentioned, there is the Culinary Institute, although I think you have to have reservations.

Which direction are you coming from? If you are coming from the Thruway from up north, Kingston is actually closer to the Thruway exit.

To get to Poughkeepsie from either direction from the Thruway, it would take you about 15-20 minutes. You'd have to get off the Thruway at either New Paltz: go across the Mid-Hudson Bridge to Rt 9, or via the Newburgh exit, go through Fishkill & Wappingers to get to Poughkeepsie.

 

[E&Cmom]

As I child/ teen, I visited the FDR mansion/ library as well as the Vanderbilt Mansion. I remember really enjoying both of them. We had family down in Wappingers Falls so we went on several family vacations there. I grew up in Montreal so it was down for me.

Can't help with hotels as we stayed with family or restaurants as it was decades ago. Lol. Have a good vacation. I remeber Hyde Park being a pretty area and enjoyed our visits in that area.

 

[Imzadi]

I have a bee in my bonnet about visiting the fdr library/museum so we are going to head out there over the kids spring break for a day.

You posted while I was typing. The FDR library/museum is right along Rt 9 where I suggested you stay along. It's about 10 minutes north of Poughkeepsie. The Culinary Institute is close by. Lunch is cheaper than dinner.

 

[Hikergirl]

It's not like Poughkeepsie is like Spanish Harlem. Not ALL of Poughkeepsie is bad. It's the home of Vassar College, (a Seven Sisters college) and Marist College.

OP, I know Poughkeepsie VERY well. Stay along Rt 9. I believe there are a couple Marriotts along Rt 9 (or along 44/55 - not as good of an area.) There are plenty of places along Rt 9 to eat, a couple of malls to go shopping & some movie theatres if you just need to pass the time for an evening. As a PP mentioned, there is the Culinary Institute, although I think you have to have reservations.

Which direction are you coming from? If you are coming from the Thruway from up north, Kingston is actually closer to the Thruway exit.

To get to Poughkeepsie from either direction from the Thruway, it would take you about 15-20 minutes. You'd have to get off the Thruway at either New Paltz: go across the Mid-Hudson Bridge to Rt 9, or via the Newburgh exit, go through Fishkill & Wappingers to get to Poughkeepsie.

I did say the city of Poughkeepsie. I know it very well too because I live here

 

[BalooTheBear]

I used to live in the area and worked in Poughkeepsie, but I haven't been there in a while. I believe there is Mariott Courtyard on South Rd(rt 9), just south of the Mid- Hudson bridge. It is a short trip from there to Hydepark and there are plenty of good restaurants in that area. Also it is good area in town of Pok.

 

[mtemm]

Thank you, good to know

 

[bsblady01]

If you are going to come up this far north there are a bunch of hotels in Kingston ny . there is a Hampton in and another one by the mall. I would stay out of Poughkeepsie another kid just got shot and killed. Albany is also another good place to check out .

 

[bsblady01]

I did say the city of Poughkeepsie. I know it very well too because I live here

I feel so bad for that young boy that was shot and killed