Hudson River Cider & Wine Cruise with Rose Hill Farm

Cider & Wine Tasting with Rose Hill invites you aboard Solaris for a crisp, mid‑autumn cruise out of Kingston, New York. Cruising the Rondout and Hudson waterways, this 75‑minute tasting pairs curated ciders and small‑batch wines from Rose Hill Farm, a family‑owned orchard established in 1798. A Rose Hill representative pours each week’s selection—everything from crab‑apple cider and single‑varietal presses to sparkling ancestral methods and still fruit wines—while the boat slips past brick wharves, old industrial piers and the rippling tidal sweep of the Hudson. This outing reads equal parts farm visit and river tour. The Hudson River Maritime Museum hosts boarding at 50 Rondout Landing in Kingston, NY, where you’ll find metered parking and a free municipal lot across the street. Boarding starts ten minutes before departure; arrive 15–30 minutes early to visit museum exhibits, use restrooms in the gift shop, or stroll Gallo Waterfront Park. Note: all passengers must be 21 or older. What makes this cruise distinct is its local chain of custody: orchard to glass, sampled while afloat. Rose Hill’s long orchard history (1798) and their rotating tasting themes—crab‑apple, single‑varietal, bubbles, co‑ferments and still wines—give each departure a focused tasting narrative. Solaris itself is intimate; passengers will step down three boarding steps and walk a short gravel path and gangway to reach the boat. The experience is not wheelchair or stroller accessible and docks may sway. The landscape is part of the show. Expect views of the Rondout Creek mouth, stacked brick mills, the John T. Loughran Bridge, and tidal flats that attract great blue herons and foraging ospreys. The exposed riverbanks reveal glacially scoured bedrock and cobbled shoreline—simple geological markers of the Hudson Valley’s glacial past. With short talks from the farm rep, you’ll learn about apple varieties, fermentation choices, and why certain ciders pair with river air and local cheese. Practical details: the cruise is about 1 hour 15 minutes, limited to adults, and refunds are available if HRMM cancels for weather. Dress in layers; wind off the river can be sharp even on sunny days. Respect the farm’s tasting etiquette—sip, listen, and ask questions— and pack a designated driver plan if you’re motoring home. For reservations use the referral link provided; for questions call 845‑338‑0071 or visit pickrosehillfarm.com. Onboard conversation often drifts to Hudson Valley agriculture: cider apple varieties like Kingston Black and heirloom trees that have survived two centuries. Souvenir bottles and farm products can sometimes be purchased through Rose Hill or the museum shop, making this a tidy, local-minded outing. Photographers will appreciate low autumn light on brick facades; food-lovers will note how tannins and acidity change across pours. This is an easy, social, regionally rooted 75‑minute way to taste place. today.