Should a vegetarian stay at Pig Inn?

Actually, The Pig Hill Inn, in Cold Spring is one of the rare Bed & Breakfasts that welcomes children. They offer cots, cribs and you can get connecting rooms. Children will love the inn’s signature pigs, rendered in porcelain or fleece; even the milk pitchers are pigs. In warm weather, eat breakfast in the garden; there is also a conservatory, or you can have breakfast brought to your room. And you don't have to just eat sausage, though it does come with the excellent pancakes and French toast.

Cold Spring is a perfect weekend getaway, close to NYC, accessible by train and family friendly.

Boscobel Restoration, the country mansion overlooking the Hudson, is a Federal style home open for tours. The gardens are filled with flowers and picnicking is allowed on benches near the pond. There is a Woodland Trail, perfect for beginning hikers; you can picnic here, too, but must carry out all your garbage.

Just south of Boscobel, the Constitution Marsh Wildlife Preserve has wildlife and wildflowers. Take a self-guided nature tour, and stroll the boardwalk along a tidal marsh. The terrain here is rather rugged; the foot path is decidedly not stroller friendly, but young children can walk the short path. There is also a small nature center with Hudson River exhibits and fish.

If these short hikes give you a taste for more, head to Clarence Fahnsetock Memorial State Park, where there are several hiking trials, including an eight mile stretch of the Appalachian Trail. There is a mile and a half nature trail around a pond, and a beach with showers and a picnic area.

The little town of Cold Spring is a great place for families. The shops in town tend towards antiques and kitsch, but you can find nice cafes, and a farmer's market.

At the end of Main Street, accessed by a tunnel under the train tracks, there is a large grassy area where you can let kids romp, climb trees and over rocks and toss pebbles in the water. The chief attraction, though, is the trains that rumble past. The outdoor tables at Cold Spring Depot almost touch the passing trains. When a lone Amtrak roared by, our table actually shook. The restaurant has a children’s menu and vegetarian choices include a portobella sandwich and whole grain vegetable wrap.