Family vacation? Romantic getaway? Fun with friends? Dutchess is ideal for day trips or longer getaways. It’s so easy and quick to get here, by car, train, bus, boat and air. Finish the day at the office and have dinner in Dutchess the same night! Whatever brings you to upstate New York, you’ll find countless things to do in Dutchess! Not only can you step back in time, you can choose which time: Colonial and Quaker days, the Gilded Age, or the 20th century. Explore five historic Great Estates, including Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Home, and the FDR Presidential Library and Museum, with two floors of updated, interactive exhibits. Our museums tell unique stories, including the history of WWI and barnstorming era airplanes. Tour Dia: Beacon, and stay for Beacon’s Second Saturday, a city-wide celebration of the arts. Vassar’s Loeb Art Center invites you to stroll its galleries free of charge. Shop for treasures in village antique shops or specialty shops. Plenty of family fun awaits at SplashDown Beach and the Mid-Hudson Children’s Museum. Get closer to nature at Sprout Creek Farm and the Trevor Zoo. The gift of nature is never far away. Our scenic beauty is perfect for nature lovers; formal gardens and nature sanctuaries are ready to explore. They represent the range of our relationship with nature, from the order of an ornamental garden to the naturalness of a forest preserve. Observe native birds and wildlife while hiking, including 30 miles of the Appalachian Trail. Explore woods, fields and ponds at six multiple-use areas. Ramble or cycle three Rail Trails, including the Walkway Over the Hudson State Historic Park, the world’s longest pedestrian bridge! Learn skeet shooting or fly fishing at Orvis Sandanona. Commune with nature on the links at 16 championship courses. Drive our scenic byways. Find out what makes us Distinctly Dutchess.