All Inclusive VIP Wine or Beer Tour in Hudson Valley

After showing up to the meeting place at 8 o’clock in the morning with my family who is visiting in town, no one showed after a while, so I called the company directly and they had told me that buyer had never sent them an email or a request for our wine tour experience and that they have been trying to get their listing taken off for almost 2 years.

Calling this a Hustle was only because it was an impromptu trip just to get away and we had SO many things on our list to do and see. Spent the first day in Kingston (Hudson River Maritime Museum, The Cornell Grill and the Ship to Shore local pub. Second day spent in the quaint town of Rhinebeck strolling in and out of all the many little local shops. Visited Foster's Coach House (circa 1860) for a drink, then over to Terrapin's, a converted church, where we had craft cocktails and appetizers that were a wonderful deviation from the norm. Dinner was at the Beekman Arms (circa 1766) the oldest operating tavern/inn in the U.S. Third day, down to Hyde Park with visits to the Vanderbuilt Mansion and FDR House, with the culmination of our "Hustle" being able to relax over a fabulous dinner at the legendary Culinary Institute of America. (reservations highly recommended at least a week ahead). Our favorite part was the VRBO we rented, a little two-bedroom 1700's stone church in the town of Staatsburg between Rhinebeck and Hyde Park. Search for "The Farm at Hyde Park. We already plan to return for the things we missed.

Situated right off of Rt82 in Verbank, Hudson Valley Portuguese Churrasqueira, isn't in the most convenient location but it's worth the trip. They have Portuguese specials each day of the week. We went on a Sunday which is roasted suckling pig day. Typically served cold, they do offer it hot upon request. The skin was crispy and the meat was succulent. The sauce served alongside was quite salty but had loads of garlic and other spices which made it a wonderful accompaniment with the piglet. We also ordered their bbq ribs, bbq chicken and grilled steak. The ribs and chicken might have had the same marinade- both were herby, garlicky, tender and nicely charred by their outdoor grill. The steak had no char, which was disappointing but it was flavorful and fatty. It's very typical for Portuguese restaurants to serve every dish with fries or freshly cut fried potato rounds and rice. This place doesn't deviate from that, though we learned after our meals that they are willing to sub out one starch for a vegetable. The owner and our server mentioned that often it takes 30 minutes or so for the food to come out because they cook their meats to order. The tables are quite small for the plate and portion sizes, making it a bit clumsy when dealing with food discard. A table-side discard bowl would make for a better experience. Jeremy, our server was attentive. Cloth table covers and napkins were a plus! They have decaf espresso and their Pasteles di Nata were excellent and served hot. They are a must try dessert! It was odd to have the owners' adult children lounging around in the bar/dining area, though one of them is the pastry chef. There is a restroom facing the dining area, it has a fan but is likely not great if someone needed to do some big business. Guests enter through a side door that opens into a employee eating area and kitchen storage area that is blocked off by fabric screens. It's not very welcoming. The televisions all over the place were annoying. At some point the owner put on Portuguese music which, which we appreciated. Overall, the food and service was good. The ambience was confusing, like they couldn't decide if they were a bar, casa de povo or restaurant. Mid-day on a Sunday, the customers trickled in and many were speaking Portuguese.

We used The Little Wine Bus company for our sister’s bachelorette party. If I could give this company 10 stars, I would! This was one of the best bachelorette parties that I have ever been to. We did the wine tour which included everything! All we had to do was hope on the bus and enjoy our experience! Tania, the owner of the company, is absolutely amazing! She was our guide for the day. She made sure that the bride and bridal party were well taken care of. Not only was Tania fun, attentive, kind and friendly, Tania is a professional who knows how to throw a party. Our driver Tom was also wonderful. If you are looking for a fun day to spend with your crew, this is the company for you!