One groovy day trip!

After two glorious weeks in Albany, today I'm heading back to Las Vegas.  My pal Connor had his last day of school yesterday, and he's coming back with me.  He adores Mike's kids--it's cute to see them all together, and it's so nice that they all get along so well.  Nothing like having a granny in Vegas with built-in playmates!

Connor will be with us for 10 days, during which we'll be taking that Disneyland trip I've been so eagerly anticipating.  Remind me I still need to buy that flask...

Anyway, last week Mike and I took a little day trip that I have to tell you about.  Last Tuesday was a washout (thank God the weather for the wedding wasn't like that) so we scrapped our plans to go down to NYC.  Instead, we decided to take a drive down to Bethel, New York, to check out The Museum at Bethel Woods, located at the site of the 1969 Woodstock festival.

A gloomy day is perfect museum weather

Per their website, the museum is "dedicated to the study and exhibition of the social, political and cultural events of the 1960s, including the Woodstock festival, the legacies of the times and the preservation of the 1969 Woodstock festival site. The Museum is a leading authority on the history of the 1960s and its transformative impact on the world."

This place is AMAZING--the curators did a fantastic job.  Everything about this museum is well done. When you first walk in, they set you up for the vibe of the 60s.

Groovy!

Multimedia exhibits are everywhere--lots of videos capture the era and how the concert came to be.

You can sit on this bus and watch a video.  Past the Aquarian Explosion sign is a theater with a huge screen.

In addition to all the videos, there are artifacts like these.

How people found each other before cell phones

Click on this photo to read a thank you letter from a concert goer to a doctor in town who treated him.  Very sweet.

It takes a good 2 hours to go through the museum, and of course there's a cool gift shop.  Mike bought me a peace sign necklace, a snow globe and a fridge magnet, and because he spent more than $30, we got a free Partridge Family CD.  "I think I love you!"

If it were a nicer day, we would have spent some time walking around the grounds.  Since it was pouring, we just darted out of the car for a quick photo of the Woodstock marker.

If you click the photo, you can see all the artists who performed.  Can you imagine what it must have been like?

I can't recommend this attraction enough.  Let me set a couple of things straight, though.  Although it's informally known as "the Woodstock museum," don't confuse it with The Woodstock Museum in Saugerties, New York.  Totally different place.  This museum is at the actual site of the Woodstock concert, and it's a good 50 miles away from the town of Woodstock (near Saugerties) in the middle of nowhere.  It's totally worth the trip, though.

The Museum at Bethel Woods is a joyous place to visit, a true celebration of peace and music.  Mike and I left feeling truly uplifted, and we actually learned a lot.  Do yourself a favor and make the trip.

Peace out!