99 Best Sights in Hudson Valley, New York

A winding tree-lined road leads to this small college of liberal arts and sciences. The beautiful 540-acre campus encompasses two Hudson River estates, parklike grounds and gardens, and wooded areas.

Works by some of the biggest names in modern art from the 1960s to today fill this former Nabisco printing plant on the bank of the Hudson River. Highlights include works by minimalist icons Dan Flavin, Donald Judd, Robert Ryman, and Agnes Martin. Expansive spaces and luxuriant light make the nearly 300,000-square-foot building—on 34 acres with artistic landscaping—an experience in itself. If you don't know much about modern art, take the tour to gain some context. Be sure to stop by the on-site bookstore and café afterwards.

The birthplace and home of the country's 32nd president, Springwood is just as it was when the Roosevelts lived here. It contains family furnishings and keepsakes, and Franklin, Eleanor, and their beloved dog Fala are buried in the wonderful rose garden. At the Franklin D. Roosevelt Library and Museum, photographs, letters, speeches, and memorabilia document FDR's life; a multimedia exhibit examines World War II. The first of the presidential libraries, the building was designed by Roosevelt himself.

On a hill surrounded by gardens, stone terraces, and fountains sits the stunning classical-revival mansion that was home to four generations of Rockefellers, one of America's most famous families. From its regal position, Kykuit (pronounced "kie-cut"), which means "lookout" in Dutch, has breathtaking views of the Hudson River. Antiques, ceramics, and famous artworks fill the house, which was finished in 1913; sculptures by Alexander Calder, Constantin Brancusi, Louise Nevelson, and Pablo Picasso adorn the grounds, which encompass 87 acres. You must take a tour to see the estate, which is accessible only by shuttle bus from the visitor center at Philipsburg Manor.

Nature and art blend seamlessly throughout the home, studio, and 75-acre grounds of mid-20th-century industrial designer Russel Wright. Boulders protrude through the ground floor of Dragon Rock, Wright's experimental home and a National Historic Landmark. It is built on a rock ledge and spans 11 levels; fist-size stones serve as door handles. Four miles of paths weave through a landscape that appears natural but is actually a studied design of native trees, rocks, mosses, and wildflowers. The 90-minute tours take in the buildings and woodlands; wear comfortable walking shoes.

The park encompasses 21,000 acres in the Shawangunk Mountains. Much of the terrain is wooded and rocky, but you also come across trickling streams, gushing waterfalls, and spectacular valley views. Lake Minnewaska is its jewel; the park also includes Awosting Lake. A network of historic carriageways, now used by hikers, mountain bikers, horseback riders, and cross-country skiers, and other trails crisscross the land. Swimming is restricted to designated areas; scuba divers must be certified. Nonmotorized boating is allowed with a permit. Nature programs include walks and talks. The entrance to the Peter's Kill Escarpment, where you may rock climb, is 1 mile east of the main entrance. Visiting hours are subject to change, so it's best to call the park the day of your visit.

In the 1870s, Hudson River School artist Frederic Church built this 37-room Moorish-style castle atop a hill with panoramic valley and river vistas. Architect Calvert Vaux came up with the design of the house, to which the artist applied his own eclectic touches. The interior is an extravaganza of tile and stone, carved screens, Persian rugs, and paintings, including some by Church. The house, about 4 miles south of Hudson, is open for guided tours, which run about 45 minutes; reservations are strongly suggested.

All the vintage aircraft at this museum still fly; indeed, many are used during air shows, held on weekends from mid-June to mid-October (weather permitting). The collection includes a reproduction of Charles Lindbergh's Spirit of St. Louis and fighter planes from World War I. For a thrill you can don a Snoopy-style cap and goggles and soar over the area in an open-cockpit biplane. Ride booths open at 10 on weekends of air shows, and the rides are $65 per person. Air shows start at 2.

Spectacular views of the Hudson River and the Catskill Mountains are your reward for trekking through the fields and wooded trails (2¼ miles) at this 120-acre park. Rustic cedar benches, footbridges, and gazebos add to the park's charm and offer places to picnic and rest.

The well-known architectural firm of McKim, Mead, and White was responsible for the beaux arts style of this grand 65-room mansion fronted with mammoth columns. Formerly known as Mills Mansion, the Hudson River estate was a family home of financier Ogden Mills and his wife, Ruth Livingston Mills, in the late 1800s to early 1900s. You may see the mansion's lavish interior by guided tour only. The estate, one of the most beautiful properties in the Hudson Valley, has hiking and cross-country-skiing trails, and a huge hill for sledding in winter.

Founded by David Rockefeller in honor of his late wife, Peggy, Stone Barns is a groundbreaking nonprofit educational center that aims to promote sustainable, community-based agriculture. The 80-acre working farm encompasses Norman-style barn buildings, a restaurant and café, a greenhouse, and livestock, including sheep and swine. Garden tours, greenhouse workshops, and introductions to local environmentalists, winemakers, and organic farmers are among the programs. Self-guided tours are free; guided tours are $15. The dinner-only restaurant, Blue Hill at Stone Barns, is an outpost of Manhattan's famed Blue Hill. The Blue Hill Café serves light fare and sandwiches until 4:30.

Sixty-three acres showcase the landscape design of Francis Cabot, founder of the Garden Conservancy. Display gardens span 12 of the acres, in settings ranging from rock cliffs and woodlands to placid pools and verdant lawns. Don't overlook the picture-perfect conservatory, where the winter garden includes trees and flowers native to South Africa, New Zealand, and Australia.

More than 100 sculptures by major international artists—including David Smith, Alexander Calder, and Isamu Noguchi—are spread out on 500 acres of hills, fields, meadows, and woodlands. The relationship between art and nature is a focus for the center. For the best overview of the grounds and collection, ride the shuttle (wheelchair-accessible), which runs every half hour. Free "Highlights of the Collection" walk-in tours are offered daily at 2. Designated picnic areas have tree-shaded tables. Whether or not you picnic, consider wearing bug repellent. Kids love to run around the grounds and the sculptures; you just need to make sure they don't touch the installations.

The nondenominational stone church built in 1922 on land donated by John D. Rockefeller is loosely based on early English Gothic buildings but deliberately devoid of sectarian detailing. The real stars of the site, however, are the stained-glass windows by Marc Chagall and Henri Matisse, also gifts of the Rockefeller family.

Occupying the western shore of one of the most scenic bends in the Hudson River, the academy consists of some 16,000 acres of training grounds, playing fields, and buildings constructed of native granite in the Military Gothic style. The oldest continually garrisoned post in the U.S. Army, the citadel was founded in 1778 and opened as a military academy in 1802. Distinguished graduates include Robert E. Lee, Ulysses S. Grant, and Douglas MacArthur. The world's oldest and largest military museum, the West Point Museum in Olmstead Hall, showcases a vast collection of uniforms, weapons, flags, American military art, and other memorabilia. Fort Putnam, built in 1778 and a key component of West Point's defense during the Revolutionary War, was restored in the 1970s. Campus visits are by bus tour only (bring photo ID), but you do get a chance to step off the bus, look at a few memorials and cannons up close, and perhaps glimpse cadets in action. Civilians are also allowed on campus for sporting and cultural events, including football games, theater presentations, parades, and concerts. You can visit the museum and visitor center without taking the $11 tour. Tours aren't given during graduation week (usually late May) and on Saturdays of home football games.

The imposing 1898 McKim, Mead, and White mansion, built for Cornelius Vanderbilt's grandson Fredrick, makes a striking contrast with its Roosevelt neighbor, Springwood. A fine example of life in the Gilded Age, the house is lavishly furnished and full of paintings. It conveys the wealth and privilege of one of the state's most prominent families. The grounds offer excellent views of the Hudson River and encompass lovely Italian gardens.

The estate includes the Widow Jane Mine, cement kilns, and parts of the D&H Canal. A museum concentrates on the local cement industry and showcases antique sleighs and carriages. It's about 3 miles east of High Falls.

At the A. Scott Warthin Geological Museum on the ground floor of Ely Hall at Vassar, you can see fossil, mineral, and rock specimens.

Tastings are offered in this small winery's centuries-old Dutch barn. For $5, visitors can taste five to seven different local Hudson Valley wines.

The museum, a country mile from the Warren Street hub, contains 43 examples of hand-pulled engines and hose carts, including a Newsham engine built in London, imported to Manhattan in 1731, and in active service for more than 150 years. A pair of horse-drawn trucks, five steam-powered vehicles, and 15 internal-combustion engines round out the hardware, which along with other artifacts purport to tell the history of firefighting.

Set back from U.S. 209 between the center of Stone Ridge and Hurley is the Bevier House Museum, which dates from 1690 and is the headquarters of the Ulster County Historical Society. Among the house-tour highlights are the scullery, which contains early building and food-prep tools (some from the 17th century), and an extensive collection of Civil War artifacts, including guns, photos, drums, and uniform pieces. A small gift shop has books about local history and architecture.

High-style period furniture and collections of crystal, silver, and porcelain fill this restored 1808 mansion, now a museum of Federal-period decorative arts. Built by States Morris Dyckman, a descendant of one of New Amsterdam's early Dutch families, the house originally stood in Montrose, some 15 miles south. It's open by tour only, but the grounds are reason enough to visit.

The oldest continually operating winery in the United States, Brotherhood includes some European-style stone buildings that date from 1839. Tours and tastings are available; call ahead to reserve. A charming on-site café with patio seating serves sophisticated French fare in warmer weather. The winery is about 16 miles west of West Point.

Devoted to teaching the public about ecology, the Carey Institute lets you explore the walking trails and roadways where you'll find fields, upland forests, and wetlands. Stroll through a fern glen and discover diverse habitats—or relax in Adirondack chairs and take in the sounds of the creek. The center also offers free lectures on ecology and birding and one-day courses about everything from Hudson Valley landscapes to rock-garden basics.

A Hudson Valley wine pioneer, the now well-established winery produces a collection of reds and whites. The winery was built in 1977 by novelist Bill Wetmore, who recently passed the torch to his daughter Joanie Yahn.

East of Cold Spring, in Carmel, the largest indoor statue of the Buddha in the Western Hemisphere resides at the Chuang Yen Monastery. Standing 37 feet tall, it is surrounded by 10,000 Buddha figurines on a lotus terrace in Great Buddha Hall.

Robert R. Livingston Jr. (1746–1813), who helped draft the Declaration of Independence, was just one of the illustrious Livingstons who made their home on this estate between Tivoli and Hudson. The stately white house reflects the changes made by several generations: it was burned by the British during the Revolutionary War and rebuilt in the late 1700s on the original foundations. The rooms are furnished with family heirlooms and include splendid examples of decorative objects and of cabinetmaking.

Seyval blanc is the specialty of this family-run operation housed in an 1800s converted barn. The owner, when he's around and about, conducts tours himself, displaying wit, style, and a passion for wines and winemaking.

The house, built between 1783 and 1790, contains the Hurley Heritage Society Museum. It includes a good collection of Revolutionary War materials, and has changing exhibits about local history. Walking- and driving-tour brochures are available in its front lobby.

The building that houses the museum and the offices of the Columbia County Historical Society was a Masonic temple and dates from 1916. You can trace your roots with the help of staff and extensive genealogical archives, peruse period postcards, and see fine examples of period furniture.