TOP PICKS
Hudson Valley mansions, estates, battlefields & historic sites
When Henry Hudson sailed the Half Moon upriver in 1609, he was the first in a long list of remarkable people— presidents, inventors and industrialists, military and religious leaders, activists, artists, and authors – who shaped the history of the Hudson Valley and the United States. More than four centuries of history live on in significant sites and museums open to the public, from the commanding United States Military Academy at West Point to the fabulous Great Estates.
Put down the history book, and go walk across a battlefield, sit in a one-room schoolhouse, research your family’s genealogy, or bring the kids to a historic holiday event. There’s more than one way to experience the past in the present.
Boscobel
Putnam County
Boscobel, in Garrison, is a great example of Federal architecture with an extensive collection of period furniture and decorative arts. The rose garden features 140 varieties of roses with a bubbling fountain as its center. A 1-mile Woodland Trail takes you through the wooded landscape to spectacular vistas of the Hudson River.
1601 Route 9D, Garrison, NY
Bronck Museum
Greene County
View the oldest surviving Dutch house in the Hudson Valley, Bronck House, in Coxsackie. This fine example of Hudson Valley Dutch architecture is furnished with period furniture and an important collection of regional textiles. Also on the grounds, view an unusual thirteen sided barn built in the 1830’s. Fun Fact: The Broncks were so fond of their family home, they kept it for 8 generations over the course of 276 years!
90 County Route 42, Coxsackie, NY
Camp Shanks World War II Museum
Rockland County
Head to Orangeburg, home of the once dubbed “Last Stop, USA,” this was the largest point of embarkation for soldiers headed for the front lines in North Africa and Europe. Visit the simulated barracks with artifacts and photographs.
20 Greenbush Road, Orangeburg, NY
Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Home, Library and Museum
Dutchess County
Take a guided tour of FDR’s childhood home and where he hosted Winston Churchill, Queen Elizabeth and King George VI prior to WWI. The presidential library and museum is America’s first and the only one to be used by a sitting president. The museum’s interactive and immersive exhibits cover every aspect of the FDR administration, the Roosevelts’ personal history and his struggle with polio. After your time spent at exploring the life of FDR, hop on the Roosevelt Ride to visit Eleanor Roosevelt’s home at Val-Kill, and the only National Historic Site to be dedicated to a First Lady.
4097 Albany Post Road, Hyde Park, NY
Historic Huguenot Street
Ulster County
Head to New Paltz’s National Historic Landmark District, Historic Huguenot Street, for another facet of Hudson Valley history. Tour seven original stone houses dating to 1705, a colonial-era burial ground, a reconstructed 1717 French church, and visitors’ center.
88 Huguenot Street, New Paltz, NY
Kykuit
Westchester County
Travel to Kykuit, home to four generations of the Rockefeller family. Tour the expansive terraced gardens filled with 20th century sculpture, take time to see the antique auto and horse-drawn carriage collections. The remarkable beaux-arts landscape was created in the early 1900’s. The Rockefeller’s outstanding art collection includes works by Henry Moore, David Smith, Louise Nevelson and Alexander Calder as well as Picasso tapestries.
381 N Broadway, Sleepy Hollow, NY
Lyndhurst
Westchester County
Lyndhurst, an 1838 Gothic Revival mansion designed by Alexander Jackson Davis, was once owned by railroad baron Jay Gould. Enjoy dramatic river views and magnificent gardens, an outstanding example of 19th-century landscape design.
635 South Broadway, Tarrytown, NY
Martin Van Buren National Historic Site
Columbia County
The home and farm of the eighth president of the United States. The mansion is also where Van Buren managed two presidential campaigns and entertained politicians and celebrities during the turbulent 1840’s and 1850’s. Grounds open 7 a.m. - sunset all year. Enjoy the Kinderhook Dutch Farming Heritage Trail - a 1.5-mile trail connecting MVBHNS to Luykas Van Alen Historic Site with trailhead at both sites.
1013 Old Post Road, Kinderhook, NY
New York State Capitol
Albany County
Sitting majestically atop Albany's State Street hill, the New York State Capitol has served as the seat of government for New York since the 1880s. The building is a marvel of late 19th century architectural grandeur.
Washington Ave and State St, Albany, NY
Oakwood Cemetery
Rensselaer County
Founded in 1848, the 19th Century cemetery is the burial place of Uncle Sam. The Earl Gardner Chapel features eight Tiffany stained glass windows. Offering tours and talks from April-December.
186 Oakwood Avenue, Troy, NY
Olana State Historic Site
Columbia County
Olana is the greatest masterpiece of Frederic Edwin Church (1826-1900), the preeminent American artist of the mid-19th century and the most important artist's home, studio, and designed landscape in the United States. Olana's 250-acre artist-designed landscape with five miles of carriage roads and a Persian-inspired house at its summit embraces unrivaled panoramic views of the Hudson Valley and Catskill mountains.
5720 State Route 9G, Hudson, NY
Rensselaer County Historical Society/Hart-Cluett House
Rensselaer County
Extensive object & library collections, historic buildings and neighborhood allow visitors to experience history firsthand. Walking tours, Hart-Cluett Historic House tours, history programs, research assistance, school programs and special events.
57 Second Street, Troy, NY
Schuyler Mansion State Historic Site
Albany County
Schuyler Mansion is the historic home of Revolutionary War General Philip Schuyler and his family. Built between 1761-1765, the Georgian style mansion features 18th-century interiors complete with furniture, decorative arts, paintings, and personal artifacts of family members.
32 Catherine St, Albany, NY
Senate House State Historic Site
Ulster County
In Kingston, the Senate House State Historic Site offers guided tours of the furnished historic house that served as the meeting place for New York State’s first Senate. The museum features art, objects, and documents of the 17th-19th centuries amid a park-like setting.
296 Fair St, Kingston, NY
Staatsburgh State Historic Site
Dutchess County
This elegant country mansion was once home to Ogden Mills and his wife Ruth Livingston Mills, overlooking the Hudson River and Catskill Mountains. Step inside on a guided tour to experience the lavishly decorated estate for yourself and be transported back to life during the Gilded Age. Explore the 192-acre property, which has a variety of trails directly on the Hudson River in Mills-Norrie State Park.
75 Mills Mansion 1 Rd, Staatsburg, NY
Stony Point Battlefield Historic Site & Lighthouse
Rockland County
Explore the site of General “Mad Anthony” Wayne’s surprise capture of the British-held fort in 1779 and visit the oldest lighthouse on the Hudson River, marking the entrance to the Hudson Highlands since 1826. Tours of the building give expansive views of both the Hudson River and the Stony Point Battlefield interpreted through a museum and reenactments of the engagement during the Revolutionary War.
46 Battlefield Rd, Stony Point, NY
Sybil Ludington Revolutionary War Heroine
Putnam County
Sybil Ludington was a heroine of the American Revolutionary War. On April 26, 1777, at age 16, she made an all-night horseback ride to alert militia forces in the towns of Putnam County, New York, and Danbury, Connecticut, of the approach of British forces. Her statue graces the shore of Lake Gleneida in the Hamlet of Carmel.
Thomas Cole National Historic Site
Greene County
Visit the residence and studio of 19th-century artist and founder of the Hudson River School. The site contains galleries of oil paintings, as well as rooms with Cole artifacts and period furnishings. Guided tour, film and gift shop on-premise.
218 Spring St., Catskill, NY
Washington’s Headquarters State Historic Site
Orange County
Hasbrouck House, where Gen. George Washington spent more time than anywhere else during the Revolutionary War. Interactive “Unpacked and Rediscovered” museum exhibit. Nation’s first public historic site. Open year-round.
84 Liberty Street, Newburgh, NY
West Point USMA
Orange County
The United States Military Academy at West Point, located in West Point, New York, is a prestigious institution dedicated to educating and training future leaders of the U.S. Army. Founded in 1802, it is renowned for its rigorous academic and military programs, designed to develop strong moral-ethical values, professional competence, and character in its cadets. The academy sits on scenic high ground overlooking the Hudson River, offering breathtaking views and a historic campus that echoes centuries of military tradition. Visitors can explore this esteemed institution through guided bus tours, which provide insights into the academy's rich history and operational aspects. Visitors can also explore the West Point Museum.
2107 New South Post Road, West Point, NY