Atlantic Coast Ports and Rivers Itinerary

New York City Hudson River Jersey Shore Philadelphia Delaware River Valley Savannah and Palm Beach

New York City is situated in the southeastern New York State at the mouth of the Hudson helping the city grow in significance as a trading port. The land has been altered by human intervention, with considerable land reclamation along the waterfronts since Dutch colonial times.

The Fort Schuyler Museum is housed on the campus of the State University of New York Maritime College at historic Fort Schuyler, in the Bronx. The center bastion is dedicated to the history of Fort Schuyler, completed in 1856, and the Port of New York-New Jersey, both of which played major roles in the development of regional and the national commerce.

The Evolution of Seafaring exhibit encompasses maritime history from the ancient Phoenicians to present day steamship companies and passenger ship lines, with information on Clippers, famous naval battles fought in the United States during the 1700s and 1800s and the technology in ship building
tools and navigational equipment used throughout different maritime eras.

Newburgh is situated on land that rises sharply to a bluff; many historic homes are located here with sweeping views of the Hudson river and highlands to the south. Newburgh's preservation history can be traced to 1850 when Washington's Headquarters was designated a state historic site, the first in the country.

Kingston was New York's first capital in 1777; in the 19^th century, the city was a transport hub, with rail and canal connections. The city has three historic districts: Stockade, the Midtown Broadway Corridor, and Rondout West Strand downtown. Kingston Landing is a short navigable distance from the Hudson River and the point of reference for coal shipments and bluestone via the Delaware and Hudson Canal.

The Hudson River Maritime Museum is located at 50 Rondout Landing at the foot of Broadway along the old waterfront. Its collections are devoted to the history of shipping and industry on the Hudson. In the early 1800s, four sloops plied the river from Kingston to New York. By 1829, steamers made the trip to Manhattan in a little over twelve hours, usually travelling by night.

Rondout ​Walking Tours highlight the industrial history of the region

Tuckerton Borough Seaport New Jersey and the Bay Men Museum nestled in Southern Ocean County between the Pine Barrens and the Bay Tuckerton Borough was once a thriving seaport community. Ocean County is home to one-third of the Jersey Shore’s 44 miles of the Atlantic Ocean coastline with sandy beaches, surfing, fishing and water sports.

Tuckerton Seaport preserves and interprets the rich maritime history, artistry, heritage and environment of the Jersey shore and the unique contributions of its bay men. An educational and interpretive center showcasing New Jersey’s rich maritime history and contemporary folklife through interpretation of the cultural heritage and environment of the New Jersey shore and the surrounding environment.

The Tucker’s Island Lighthouse features exhibits on privateers and pirates of the Jersey Coast

The Delaware River Valley is the metropolitan area centered on the city of Philadelphia, the region's major commercial, cultural, and industrial center. The region’s excellent road and rail network make it the perfect location for a vacation or business trip to the Middle Atlantic States.

 Rivers History and the Environment

The Delaware River is comprised of 36 tributaries and flows 330 miles from New York to Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware to the Atlantic Ocean. It extends from the Catskill and Pocono mountain springs and streams flowing down to the Delaware Water Gap where steep slopes give way to gently rolling hills and sweeping valleys. Then, it stretches 134 miles from the Trenton falls to the mouth of the Delaware Bay.   

The River Town of Marcus Hook’s historical significance comes from its identity as a maritime town. Originally a Lenape settlement, it became a New Sweden trading post in the 1640s with shipbuilding and fishing as early industries. The Hook was also a haven for pirates in the early 18th century and its market provided a place to sell plundered goods and re-supply for their next voyage.

The Philadelphia Ship Preservation Guild maintains and sails historic ships to bring the past to the present. A non-profit organization that teaches and practices seamanship, traditional restoration, maritime culture, and sailing skills in a fun and team focused setting.

The Independence Seaport Museum features the Schooner Diligence, designed and built by Joshua and Samuel Humphreys in Philadelphia in 1797 for the Revenue-Marine and later transferred to the Navy. Schooners like Diligence played a vital role in the development of the early Navy in defending American merchant ships from attacks by Britain, France and the Barbary pirates. 

The original Diligence served in the West Indies Squadron under John Barry, who commanded the Frigate United States during the Quasi War with France in 1798-1800.

Savannah Georgia was founded in 1733 on the Savannah River, it became the colonial capital and later the first state capital of Georgia. Its port was of strategic importance during both the American Revolution and the Civil War.

Diverse Neighborhoods over 100 distinct neighborhoods can be identified in six principal areas of Savannah. The city's location offers visitors access to the coastal islands and the Savannah Riverfront, both popular tourist destinations.

The Savannah Historic District is one of largest in the United States

Architecture Savannah was named as America's second-best city for Cool Buildings and Architecture, behind Chicago. The historic district has 22 squares that vary in size and character, from formal fountain and monuments to playgrounds.

Ships of the Sea Maritime Museum Educational Programs

Women Pirates like Rachel Wall, Grace O’Malley and Madame Cheng are featured in an interactive program about the exciting role female pirates played in maritime history. 

USS Savannah and her storied history of service in the United States Navy, from 1933-1946, on the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, from operation Torch to operation Magic Carpet.

Palm Beach Florida and the Maritime Museum. Palm Beach is the easternmost town in Florida, located on an 18-mile (29 km) long barrier island between Lake Worth Lagoon on the west and the Atlantic Ocean on the east.

The wreck of the Providencia is credited with giving Palm Beach its famous name. The Providencia was traveling from Havana to Spain with a cargo of coconuts harvested in Trinidad, when the ship-wrecked near Palm Beach. Many of the coconut were planted along the coast and a grove of palm trees soon grew on what was later named Palm Beach. Today the tallest coconut palms in the United States can be found along this coast.

The Lake Worth portion of the waterway, filled with mega-yachts, was a freshwater lake until Henry Flagler opened it to the ocean. Flagler was the railroad tycoon who opened Florida all the way to the Keys and his Lake Worth mansion, now a museum, is open for tours.

John F. Kennedy's Bunker was constructed by the Sea Bees under the direction of the Secret Service.

An innovative Virtual Port includes automated data collection from in situ sensors - salinity, turbidity, pH, tides, current - as well as real-time television both above and underwater.

The Palm Beach Maritime Academy is a Charter School, operated by the Palm Beach Maritime Museum that meets the guidelines for the School District of Palm Beach County, with a focus on maritime studies.

Rockland County and Piermont on the Hudson River Valley

The Arts Historic Sites and Landmarks Farmers Markets and Outdoor Recreation

Rockland County is located just 30 miles north of New York City and is known for its quaint villages, spectacular river views and outdoor recreation with 32,000 acres of parklands dotted with sparkling lakes and streams rushing down to the Hudson. Miles marked trails lead right to the foothills of the Ramapo Mountains.

The first half of the 18^th Century saw much of the land cleared, homes built, grist and saw mills erected on the numerous small creeks; general stores opened at Haverstraw and Tappan Slote, present day Piermont. Because of the lack of roads, travel was largely confined to sloops, which made regular trips up and down the river.

The dawn of the 20^th Century saw the beginnings of the decline in the number of farms and the gradual rise in industry. For example, the California Perfume Company was founded in Suffern in 1897. Today it’s a major cosmetics company known as Avon. 

By the 1920s, Rockland County became home to many artists, writers and stage celebrities and, with the opening of the Tappan Zee Bridge in 1955 and completion of the Palisades Interstate Parkway and the New York State Thruway, a major suburban community.

Historic Sites

Dewint House and Museum in Tappan. George Washington’s temporary Headquarters at Tappan on four separate occasions during the American Revolutionary War. Two important battles took place here: the capture by the British of Fort Clinton at Bear Mountain in October 1777 and the victorious attack by General “Mad Anthony” Wayne’s army on the British fort at Stony Point in July 1779.

Jacob Blauvelt Restored Farmhouse in New City.  An example of Flemish Vernacular architecture with Greek revival ornamentation the house contains period rooms that illustrate the lifestyles of local farming families during the first half of the nineteenth century. It is owned and operated by the Historical Society of Rockland County, a nonprofit educational institution and principal repository for documents and artifacts relating to the history of Rockland County.

 

 

 Edward Hopper House Art Center in Nyack. Birthplace and boyhood home of the realist painter. The restored house is a NYS Historic Site. One of its rooms is devoted to materials about Hopper’s work and life in Nyack. Three other rooms provide space for monthly exhibits by local artists. The restored garden is the setting for jazz concerts on summer evenings.

Farmers Markets

Village of Haverstraw New vendors selling fresh fruits and vegetables, organic fair trade coffee, herbs, plants, locally handmade soaps, pastries, jams, pies, quiches, chutneys, wines, prepared foods, artisanal bread and more.

Village of Suffern The Suffern Civic Association hosts a wide variety of vendors selling fresh seasonal fruits and berries, vegetables, organic produce, locally made wines, crusty bread and homemade pastries, farm-fresh cut flowers, locally roasted organic coffee, dried fruit snacks, cheese and eggs, salsas, sausage and meats, soups, mushrooms, fresh mozzarella, pasta sauces and ravioli, and much more. The market also features entertainment – storytellers, musicians, cooking demonstrations by local chefs – something new and exciting every week.

The Village of Piermont

Formerly Tappan Landing, is located by a navigable tidal creek linking the Hudson River with Orangetown and the interior. In the 1830s, a pier and a rail link made it the southern terminus connection to Lake Erie. Following the Civil War and the launching of the Nyack and Northern passenger rail line, the Village of Piermont started attracting tourism from nearby New York City. During World War II Piermont was the point of embarkation for Europe-bound troops. For most of the 20^th century, the local economy revolved around the Piermont Paper Factory, a leading maker of paperboard containers, and the largest employer here since the Erie Railroad. Today, the pier continues playing a key role in Piermont as favorite place for residents, fishermen, walking and bicycle tourists and other visitors from the region and beyond.

Piermont Pier offers beautiful views and excellent springtime fishing. Rental boats, canoes, and kayaks, are available in the immediate area. Piermont Pier extends one mile across the Hudson River, from Rockland toward Westchester County. You can bike, walk, jog, or drive to the end of the pier. Fishing along the pier is popular especially during the spring run of stripers.

Piermont Marsh, part of the Hudson River National Estuarine Research Reserve and the Department of Environmental Conservation, is located on the west side of the Piermont Pier. The site occupies two miles of shoreline south of Pier including the mouth of Sparkill Creek. Both locations are great for Bird Watching, Fishing, Hiking, Walking, running and best of all the scenic views of the Hudson and the palisades cliffs.

Tallman Mountain State Park has an entrance directly across from our century old hand cranked drawbridge.  Tallman Mountain has many outdoor and recreational activities such as hiking, walking, cross-country skiing, tennis, picnic areas, track and field.

Piermont Historic Landmarks

Railroad Station on Ash Street overlooking the Hudson River. Built in 1873, this site is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The station is now owned and operated by the Village of Piermont.

The Piermont Drawbridge dates back to 1880 and was recently restored. Today it functions as a pedestrian walkway providing a path to the Tallman Mountain State Park.

Wildlife Piermont Pier and Marsh as well as Tallman Mountain State Park have long been recognized by bird watchers as an ideal area for observing birds.

 

Kingston New York

Industry and Commerce along the Delaware Canal and Hudson River              

Located 91 miles (146 km) north of New York City, Kingston was New York's first capital in 1777; in the 19^th century, the city was a transport hub, with rail and canal connections. The city has three historic districts: Stockade, the Midtown Broadway Corridor, and Rondout West Strand downtown.

Kingston Landing is a short navigable distance from the Hudson River and the point of reference for coal shipments and bluestone via the Delaware and Hudson Canal.

Kingston Albany and New York City were the three major Dutch Settlements on the Hudson River

In the early 1800s, four sloops plied the river from Kingston to New York. By 1829, steamers made the trip to Manhattan in a little over twelve hours, usually travelling by night.

The Hudson River Maritime Museum is located at 50 Rondout Landing at the foot of Broadway along the old waterfront. Its collections are devoted to the history of shipping and industry on the Hudson. In the early 1800s, four sloops plied the river from Kingston to New York. By 1829, steamers made the trip to Manhattan in a little over twelve hours, usually travelling by night.

Industry and Commerce the Delaware and Hudson Canal brought an influx of laborers to manage the coal terminal and the Newark Lime and Cement Company shipped cement throughout the United States. Also, large warehouses of ice sat beside the Hudson River from which the ice was cut during the winter and preserved all year to be used in early refrigeration. Large brick making factories were also located close to this shipping hub. Rondout's central location as a shipping hub ended with the advent of railroads.

The Rondout neighborhood is known for its artists' community and its numerous art galleries

Transit Kingston CitiBus provides service within the city and to Port Ewen and commuter service is available by bus to New York City. Amtrak Rail Terminals are located 11 miles (20 km) and 17 miles (30 km) away in Poughkeepsie. Stewart International Airport is 39 miles (62.8 km) south in Newburgh. Weekend water taxi service between Kingston and Rhinecliff. The Catskill Mountain Railroad, a scenic railroad company, runs trains from Kingston. Ongoing projects connect Kingston's three neighborhoods with a combination of rail trails, bike lanes and complete streets connections.

Atlantic to Pacific Coast Travel

Traveling from Pennsylvania and New York to Mid America Oregon and Washington

The Northeast has an illustrious history and culture; in the 21^st century, it is a trend setter on the technological and environmental fronts along with agricultural innovations that accompany unique, local food, wine and brew traditions. 

The Lehigh and Delaware River Valley are ideal anchor location if your interests include New York City and the Hudson Valley, Philadelphia and South Central Pennsylvania.

The Hudson and the Delaware were originally called the North and South Rivers

Bucks County is one of the three original counties created by William Penn in 1682. Bristol is the third oldest town in Pennsylvania and southern terminus of the D&L Trail characterized by coal yards, shipyards, warehouses and textile mills. Its Delaware Riverfront resembles a New England seaport.

Mid America

The Upper Mississippi is the portion of the river from Lake Itasca, Minnesota to Cairo, Illinois where it joins the Ohio River. Chicago is the starting point for the Historic Route 66 and the base from which you can reach the Quad Cities of Illinois and Iowa as well as journey to Alton along the Great River Road and explore Mississippi River Towns. 

Traveling across America

from the Atlantic to the
 Pacific Coast with

Knowledge Tourism

The Pacific Northwest from South Dakota and Minnesota you can follow the route of the Empire Builder and the Missouri River to explore the Northern Plains and the US Northwest.

Oregon is an ideal winter destination where you can ski on volcanoes in the Cascade Mountains; a nature lover’s paradise as you watch hundreds of gray whales spout and storms over the Pacific; a connoisseur destination where you can sip award-winning Oregon wines and micro beers; an environmentalist’s delight with Portland’s green lifestyle, free downtown transport and local distinctive neighborhoods.

Environment Friendly Destinations and Vacations

Portland is located between the Cascade Mountains and the Pacific Ocean at the northern end of the Willamette Valley and river which flows through the city and links with the Columbia River. The citizens and their local government are notable for: land-use planning, local transport, environment conscious policies, high walkability, a large number bicyclists and ten thousand acres of public parks Read More

Neighborhoods Planning Development Sustainability and Local Transport

Seattle’s first major industry was logging; by the late 19^th century the city also became a commercial and shipbuilding center as a gateway to Alaska during the Klondike Gold Rush. In the 1940s, Boeing established Seattle as a center for aircraft manufacturing and, beginning in the 1980s, the area developed as a technology center with companies like Microsoft and Amazon.