USMA Overnight Visit - Experience and Some Tips for Future Visitors

USMA*DAD*2026

USMA*DAD*2026

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We has a great overnight visit to USMA. Just wanted share our experience for future visitors

- Landed at Newark - took a Rental car and drove an hour and 20 minutes to USMA
- Five star Army Hotel just next to visitor center was a great stay experience. Hotel facility is about 2 /2.5 stars. Great, pleasant and helpful staff. Excellent view of Hudson river.
-Tip : Managed to get visitor pass and background checks done on Sunday ( Visitor center in staffed 7 days from 6 am to 2200). Got done in 5-7 minutes :). Staff suggested if we can bring printed appointment letter then Parents get 4 years visitor pass. Got that done. No need to wait for visitor pass for next four years :)
- Drove in early through Thayer gate on Monday to visit Cadet store before admissions. To our surprise C store was moved out of Admission building due to construction. Could not visit store on Monday.
Tip :No need to walk to admissions ( We were just worried about a mile walk in 10 degree wind chill ). Parked at Buffalo Soldier lot. Bus took us to admissions building.
- Admissions staff came in early. Super helpful and pleasant to interact. Really loved our meeting with them. 5 star experience.
- Entire parent session was an excellent experience. Lot of Tips and to do things.
- Campus tour was an mesmerizing experience. Beautiful and breathtaking campus from civilian eyes.
- DS went with a cadet and managed to buy Boots/Low quarters and Socks from C store - NO TAX- Saved a bunch of money on TAX and Shipping
-DS had an excellent experience of actual stay. Really loved it. Could not stop talking about it for 90 Minutes drive back to Newark :). His decision was made ( 3 months of wait for decision but worth the trip)
- Took a quick trip to museum next day (literally 30 seconds walk from Army hotel). Wow that was a great visit. Must do.
- Merchandize Tip : Museum merch store was the best for my shopping. Visitor center store is much of sports merch, and one next to Alumni center was also good. As per my DS C store has different kind of merch.

It was a fantastic, educational, and overall excellent visit.

Resulted in my DS has accepting an appointment with USMA.
 
If you are looking for swag that's different from what the gift shop and C store offer, go check out the Facebook page - Military Marketplace Unique Boutique. Lots of things that you won't find anywhere else.

@USMA*DAD*2026 - glad your cadet candidate loved checking out WP. My son loved the overnight visit. He also bought his boots, low quarters and a pile of socks at the C store - which was a terrific experience. A cadet was in the store at the time and gave him good advice on socks. The cadets (most cadets) do look out for each other.
 
USMA*DAD*2026 said:
We has a great overnight visit to USMA. Just wanted share our experience for future visitors

- Landed at Newark - took a Rental car and drove an hour and 20 minutes to USMA
- Five star Army Hotel just next to visitor center was a great stay experience. Hotel facility is about 2 /2.5 stars. Great, pleasant and helpful staff. Excellent view of Hudson river.
-Tip : Managed to get visitor pass and background checks done on Sunday ( Visitor center in staffed 7 days from 6 am to 2200). Got done in 5-7 minutes :). Staff suggested if we can bring printed appointment letter then Parents get 4 years visitor pass. Got that done. No need to wait for visitor pass for next four years :)
- Drove in early through Thayer gate on Monday to visit Cadet store before admissions. To our surprise C store was moved out of Admission building due to construction. Could not visit store on Monday.
Tip :No need to walk to admissions ( We were just worried about a mile walk in 10 degree wind chill ). Parked at Buffalo Soldier lot. Bus took us to admissions building.
- Admissions staff came in early. Super helpful and pleasant to interact. Really loved our meeting with them. 5 star experience.
- Entire parent session was an excellent experience. Lot of Tips and to do things.
- Campus tour was an mesmerizing experience. Beautiful and breathtaking campus from civilian eyes.
- DS went with a cadet and managed to buy Boots/Low quarters and Socks from C store - NO TAX- Saved a bunch of money on TAX and Shipping
-DS had an excellent experience of actual stay. Really loved it. Could not stop talking about it for 90 Minutes drive back to Newark :). His decision was made ( 3 months of wait for decision but worth the trip)
- Took a quick trip to museum next day (literally 30 seconds walk from Army hotel). Wow that was a great visit. Must do.
- Merchandize Tip : Museum merch store was the best for my shopping. Visitor center store is much of sports merch, and one next to Alumni center was also good. As per my DS C store has different kind of merch.

It was a fantastic, educational, and overall excellent visit.

Resulted in my DS has accepting an appointment with USMA.
Click to expand...
congrats on the appointment for your DS!
was he able to try on different boots at the C store during the visit?
 
There is also the West Point Wives Club (or something like that) have a cute gift shop near the Starbuck & Subway--next to the cemetery.
Also, planning ahead...you are going to have a cadet next Christmas, while you are at the DUSA gift shop at the museum pick up the cadet w/ the snow man (male or female) set of Christmas cards...or like 30 of them...you can enjoy these four years--even if your head is not in the game all the way yet.
 
C-store has moved from next to Mologne to Thayer now, and there's one for food and drinks and one that has the same stuff as the old C-store.
 
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