If you want to visit New York but need help deciding where to go, consider spending time in the Hudson Valley. Two hours north of the Big Apple, the Hudson Valley offers historic attractions, wineries and great outdoor adventures. If you’re looking for fun things to do in the Hudson Valley, keep reading for ideas.
But before planning your itinerary, it’s essential to take a short geography class on the Hudson Valley. The Hudson Valley is bigger than you think.
Hudson Valley 101
The Hudson Valley region of New York stretches 240 miles from directly above Manhattan to Albany, the capital of New York State. It is divided into three sections: top, middle and bottom.
Depending on how long you stay, you can visit a few attractions in each area or focus on one area and see as much as possible.
I have lived in both the lower and middle Hudson Valley and have visited the upper Hudson Valley many times. So here are our must-see recommendations. Honestly, it wasn’t easy to choose, so I recommend visiting the following sites. Hudson Valley Tourism A website where you can get even more ideas.
Lower Hudson Valley
The lower Hudson Valley includes Westchester and Rockland counties, and their history is tied to the wealthy Van Cortland, Phillips, and Rockefeller families who owned most of the land. Here you can take a tour of breathtaking mansions such as the Rockefeller mansion Kykuit in Sleepy His Hollow. Built in 1913, this colonial mansion was home to four generations of the Rockefeller family. Depending on the tour you choose, you can visit one or both floors, the Art His Gallery, the Courtyard, the Golf His Room, and the Carriage Barn.
Another notable mansion is the Lyndhurst Mansion in Tarrytown, a short drive from Sleepy Hollow. Its location on the banks of the Hudson River is an added bonus. This Gothic home on 67 acres was designed in 1838 to serve as the seasonal residence of Wall Street tycoon Jay Gould. Tour options include up to five floors, over 25 rooms, drawing rooms, the magnificent Art He Gallery with an impressive collection of European paintings, and more. Lots of stairs up and down!
Sunnyside in Washington Irving is less than 15 minutes from Irvington. Not very luxurious, but important for literary history. Washington His Irving has spawned such legendary characters as the Headless Horseman and Rip Van Winkle. You can see where he wrote here. The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.
let’s ride the trail
Westchester and Rockland counties have much more to do than touring historic sites, but it’s a great place to start. If you can hitchhike a bike road trip here, you’ll find the 750-mile Empire State Trail, where cyclists and hikers can explore New York State on repurposed historic railroad lanes.
The rail trail starts in New York City and reaches the Adirondack Mountains, but you can ride part of it in each section of the Hudson Valley. For an added tourism benefit, plan your trip in autumn when the leaves begin to change colors. It’s a nostalgic sight.
And finally, if you need an amusement park for your vacation, Playland in Rye, New York is the place to go. Although it’s almost a century old, you can still ride some of the rides (my favorite is The Whip) from when it opened in 1928.
Hudson Valley Central
The region includes Putnam, Orange, Dutchess, and Ulster counties.
Depart from Dutchess County to visit the beautiful ruins of Bannerman Castle in Beacon, Pohnpei. Named after its builder Frank Bannerman, the castle was partially destroyed in a fire and was once thought to be haunted. Go to the castle on a 2.5-hour tour accessible by boat. It also hosts movie nights and special themed events. Titanic dinner.
There’s a lot of history to see here, including a tour of the Vanderbilt and Franklin D. Roosevelt mansions in Hyde Park. Both are National Historic Sites. After your visit, enjoy a meal at the Culinary Institute of America down the street. Today’s famous chefs have graduated here, including Cat Cora, Amanda Freitag and Ann Burrell. My favorite restaurant is Ristorante Caterina de’ Medici (Italian), but there are other options.
From small towns to Legoland – and much more!
If you prefer to explore the smaller towns on foot, we recommend Beacon or Rhinebeck, which are about 30 minutes away from each other. Both have a wide variety of family-run shops, art galleries, and great restaurants. Rhinebeck is also home to the Beekman Arms and Delameter Inn, which has been in business since before the Revolutionary War.
In Orange County, you can take your kids to the Legoland theme park in Goshen, where you can take your kids to the Legoland theme park in Goshen (although I went with my grown-up daughter, and I We still had a lot of work to do.) Don’t miss Lego Ninjago The Ride – Staying in a themed hotel will make you feel like you’re inside a Lego building. There is also a water park where you can cool off.
Upper Hudson Valley
Green, Columbia, Albany, and Rensselaer counties surround the upper Hudson Valley. Preference is given here to the beautiful Catskill Mountains. Board the Catskill Mountains Railroad (CMRR), a historic railroad based in Kingston, New York that began operating in 1982. This ride takes you over Esopus Creek for an up-close look at some of America’s oldest farmlands. Climbing Harley Mountain gives you another chance to see the foliage in the fall.
If you love skiing, book your winter trip to Hunter Mountain Resort here. Perfect for beginners, advanced skiers and snow tubers.
Other Things to Know When Visiting Historic Homes
Check the schedule for tours of the historic mansion in advance. Many have limited opening hours. In most cases, photography is only allowed on the premises and not inside the homes.
Ticket prices vary depending on the level purchased. Longer and higher levels allow you to see more of the house and other floors. Many historic mansions do not allow children under the age of 5 on tours.
best time to visit
The best time to book a trip to the Hudson Valley depends on who you ask, but most tourists typically visit in the spring and summer. My favorite time of year is autumn (late September to early October) when the weather is a little cooler and the leaves are more beautiful. Historic sites are still open and good enough for long hikes.
Some historic sites have limited winter hours, but decorate the grounds on holidays. Of course, winter here (until March) can get very cold and snow is more likely. In addition to Hunter Mountain, Farnestock Winter Park in Carmel and Mount He Peter in Warwick also offer skiing and snow tubing.
How to get to the Hudson Valley
From Manhattan to the Catskill Mountains, drive about 350 miles on the highway. If you live in or are visiting New York City and want to take a detour to visit the Hudson Valley, you can get there by train from both Grand Central Station and Penn Station.
Once here you should know that depending on where you are going you will need a car for transportation. Westchester has slightly better public transport, but the further north you go, the more dispersed the transport options, so Uber is available, but the cost will surely increase.
Plan your own adventure and visit the Hudson Valley
Don’t forget to sit back, relax and enjoy a drink at one of the many craft breweries and wineries in each county while enjoying the views of the Hudson Valley.
Of course, no matter where you visit, a trip to the Hudson Valley is only complete with an up-close tour of the Hudson River. Hudson River cruises offer views of the Rondout Lighthouse and Isopus His Meadows Lighthouse, waterfront mansions such as Lyndhurst and Vanderbilt His Mansion.
