Head to Dutchess County, the heart of New York State’s Hudson Valley. Located along the Hudson River just 90 minutes north of New York City, Dutchess County is home to charming main streets in cities and towns like Beacon, Rhinebeck, Hyde Park, Poughkeepsie and Millbrook.
Breathtaking views await on hikes destined to make memories. Cross the Walkway Over the Hudson in Poughkeepsie — the world’s longest elevated pedestrian bridge — for a stroll or bike ride above the mighty Hudson. Explore a natural cave at Dover Stone Church in Dover Plains or cross the Appalachian Trail off your bucket list in Pawling. Vanderbilt Mansion and Staatsburgh State Historic Site offer visitors a glimpse into the Gilded Age lives of some of Hudson Valley history’s wealthiest residents. Discover the Hyde Park homes of Franklin D. Roosevelt and Eleanor Roosevelt and see the actual desk where he worked and other interactive exhibits at the nearby FDR Presidential Library and Museum. Dia Beacon presents multimedia modern art inside a former Nabisco box-printing factory; artists on display include Andy Warhol, Richard Serra and Louise Bourgeois. Ride out to Bannerman Castle, the ruins of a Scottish-style castle in the middle of the Hudson River, for live music and movie screenings under the stars. Soar above the region in a WWI-era biplane at Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome. Dine at four on-campus restaurants at The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, where many of the country’s top chefs are trained.