Woodstock tends to attract spiritual types, and Steve and I can get into that kind of thing. We seek a moment of introspection at Karma Triyana Dharmachakra, a Tibetan Buddhist temple that's open to the public. A massive golden Buddha is planted happily in the front of a big room. We grab cushions and meditate for what feels like at least 30 minutes, but in reality is all of 67 seconds. Enlightenment will have to wait.

On our way to the town of Phoenicia, we see a sign for the World's Largest Kaleidoscope, which turns out to be in a converted silo. We're the only people there, and we're instructed to lie flat, facing up. A rah-rah-America show, complete with what appear to be a thousand Abe Lincolns, spins psychedelically over our heads. It's a bizarre and entrancing spectacle, and somehow not a surprise that we're the only people there.

At the Saugerties Lighthouse on the Hudson River, you can stay the night in one of two romantic rooms (Robert Wright) [enlarge photo] JULY/AUGUST 2006 ISSUE • Table of Contents: July/August 2006 • Secret Hotels of the Amalfi Coast • My Shanghai Is Better Than Yours • Four Walkable Cities • Road Trip: The Catskills • Tips for Traveling With Pets • 40 Best Vacations

Phoenicia, meanwhile, is hopping. 'Tis the season for tubing! There are two tubing acts in town: Town Tinker and F-S Tube Rental. It's a sunny day, so we don't spend long studying the difference and just opt for the latter, which has been around for over 30 years. Richie Bedner, F-S Tube's self-described Tube King, welcomes us enthusiastically. He tells us not to worry about any DANGER AHEAD signs, and he assures us that a significant three-foot drop along the way is the best part of the ride. Steve wipes out and nearly loses a tooth, but I finish without a scratch and become one of tubing's biggest boosters. Trust me, it's way more fun than it sounds.

We have a reservation to stay the night at the still-functioning Saugerties Lighthouse, overlooking the Hudson River about 25 miles from Phoenicia. There are two rooms for guests, and they're a bit of a splurge. Given the price, we thought it would be best to compromise by having a picnic dinner on-site. We pick up hummus, locally grown veggies, and the most delicious six-grain bread at Lachmann's Pastry Shop in Saugerties. To get to the lighthouse, visitors have to walk 10 minutes along a muddy footpath that's occasionally submerged by the incoming tide. There's a tide table on the lighthouse's website that we didn't pay quite enough attention to when we booked. At 7 P.M., we just barely make it.

Patrick Landewe, the lighthouse keeper, greets us at the door. Part L.L. Bean model, part enigmatic loner, he began his tenure only a few weeks earlier. The previous lighthouse keeper left after he married a guest, and apparently love connections are fairly common out here. Considering that the Hudson freezes over in the winter, Patrick's clock is ticking. There are only a couple more months for Cupid to strike. He shouldn't have a hard time, I tell my insanely jealous fiance.

Steve and I change into our bathing suits, jump into the Hudson, and watch the setting sun reflect sparkling amber tones in the warm water. If there's anything more romantic than throwing on towels and eating a low-key dinner on the deck of the Saugerties Lighthouse, I simply don't know what it could be.

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