Ranger Deborah was awesome!! Such a welcoming and knowledgeable tour guide that made our tour at Val Kill, the home of Eleanor Roosevelt, amazing. It was really interesting to learn more about Eleanor, who was truly a fascinating and hard working individual. There are all sorts of personal touches around the house that made it feel very homey and welcoming. There is a memorial to the 75th anniversary of the passage of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, an effort which Eleanor led, in the gardens too. The grounds are pretty and welcoming, and the community is allowed to just stop by and play on her tennis court whenever it is open. The home itself requires tour tickets with a ranger, which you can get at the small cottage that serves as a visitor's space, featuring an exhibit, film, and maps/stamps/etc. Restrooms are in a third building on the property and were clean and well-kept. read more

Great place to visit if you are into history or simply to enjoy a nice outdoor. There is a walking trail inside the property. You can join a free tour of the house. Our guide were knowledgeable. 80% of the stuff inside the house were original. Great tour. read more

Eleanor Roosevelt Center At Val Kill - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Hyde Park, New York

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A lovely little gem of the National Park sites. Beautiful grounds with two primary structures full of history. The Park Ranger Eric gave our tour and he was extremely knowledgeable and gave an entertaining and educational presentation and tour of Eleanor's house. It was originally built to be a furniture factory! An impressive amount of historical figures visited Eleanor here. This month's trip was my second here. I always recommend it to anyone visiting the area. Such a huge difference in scale and opulence from the FDR and Vanderbilt sites nearby. The charm and simplicity of it though makes it easy to understand why Eleanor preferred living here over the FDR estate. read more

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I love the National Parks sites in the Hyde Park area. After having visited the FDR home & Vanderbilt mansion on past visits, I didn't expect too much out of Val-Kill, but it was a pleasant surprise and helped me realize each of the sites in the area has a little something unique to offer. The site offers free tours from very well versed Park Rangers who not only provide a great deal of information, but are engaging and enthusiastic as well. I never realized what a fascinating life that Eleanor Roosevelt lived, so between the tour, exhibits, and film here, it was very educational without being history overload. The property is small compared to other area sites, but very peaceful and beautiful. I really liked that the modern and modestly sized theater with an introductory film & exhibits, as I've found those tend to enhance the experience at any National Parks sites. This is definitely worth a visit in the Hyde Park area. read more

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Eleanor Roosevelt considered Val Kill the first home of her very own. You can feel her in this place. It's simple, full of things she loved, comfortable. Full of original furnishings. Her son offered to sell Val Kill to the government, who refused. It was the sold to a developer, who was going to raze it to the ground and build senior living or affordable housing. Everything was auctioned off. Then activists got involved and the government was pushed into buying it back. The preservation effort was impressive. Family members returned all of Eleanor's things to the estate. People who bought the furnishings in auction donated them back for permanent display. Photos of the property were used to restore it back to exactly as Eleanor had it. The visitors center has home movies. I loved these. It really have you a sense of who Eleanor was. That she liked to have fun when not working to change the world. The ranger and volunteer were both awesome! A surprising 30-something people showed up the day I visited for the 11 AM tour, and they let us in 10 at a time, giving us all the time we wanted to enjoy the rooms. I wish I could remember the volunteer's name. He was an older man, maybe something like Dan? He was funny and told the story of Eleanor and Val Kill in a cohesive, lighthearted, illuminating way. You could tell he loves his job and the property. This tour is FREE. It runs three times daily during the open season, and closes in the winter. Please be advised it is what's called a "walk through" tour. You go in the front door, see Eleanor's office (formerly the living quarters of her personal assistant). Then you pass through the dining room and Eleanor's den/living room. You do not your the upper level or her bedroom. It was worthwhile, though the whole experience was only about 45 minutes. I drove over an hour just for this, as I have already seen the Vanderbilt home and FDRs original home and presidential library. This would be best done in conjunction with those things over a day or two rather than standalone. The property itself is also beautiful, and is a park open to the public, so enjoying the grounds would also be a good call. read more

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5/21/2021 Just after crossing Roosevelt Farm Lane leads to Vall Kill. There is no additional path for patrons on 9G, so you'll be walking on the main driveway for less than a mile. When reaching the parking lot which is to the right, to the left is where the road gets narrower with another parking reserved for handicaps on the left. Looking straight, the path is located with a blocker, indicating the start. The path starts off gravely for a bit until we go further in, it becomes dirt for the rest of the way. There is a big uphill which eventually leads to Top Cottage at the very top. We didn't end up going there which will be for another time. Please check for ticks at the end of the hike and bring bug spray. read more

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As we headed off for a short, 1-2 mile hike on the loop trails of this property a Ranger pulled up in her truck and put the fear of God in us. Tick season was upon us and she was concerned we not become future Lyme Disease sufferers. She handed over her tick repellant, we sprayed it over our clothes and bare skin, thanked her, and headed uphill where we spent the next hour or so consumed by the imagined feeling of ticks crawling upon us. So that wasn't the most relaxing hike. Mercifully, the hiking trails here are in loop form, depositing you back where you began. "Eleanor's Walk" has signs which instruct you how to call up a podcast to describe what you're seeing along the way. This was mildly interesting and useful, to put your head in the right state for envisioning Eleanor in this environment. Back at the base, there's a cottage to tour and a free guided tour as well but we quickly realized that if we waited for the guided house tour we'd not have enough time at the FDR Museum & Library. If you have time for only one thing in this area I'd head straight to the FDR Museum & Library but if you're around for more than one day, get a very early start, or wish to hike a bit, a stop here is worthwhile. Val-kill is just one small part of the story of the lives of Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt. It's a pretty locale and parts of her one-time home have been turned into an interesting, low-key museum. That it's far less intersting than the FDR Museum and Library is to be expected; it is, but it's still worth a visit for a fuller picture of the lives of this iconic duo. read more

Eleanor Roosevelt Center At Val Kill - Eleanor had a falling out with her one-time closest friend, Nancy. It's well documented here. - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Hyde Park, New York

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Very cool NPS site. Good interpretative content. Grounds are well maintained. House has a lot of original stuff, which makes the tour definitely worth doing. This is a place worth visiting. read more

8-22-19 Of all the First Ladies I think this one brought about the most change. She was quoted as saying she could have just stayed in and planned the parties but she needed to be doing more. She was huge black rights activist. The KKK even put a 25k bounty on her head. It didn't stop her. I watched the 20 minute film but had my dogs with me. I didn't get to tour the home and factory. Will definitely come back one day. Would be great field trip. Well maybe. Kids might get bored with this one. (Didn't get photos this stop). read more

Eleanor Roosevelt Center At Val Kill - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Hyde Park, New York

Val-Kill is an amazing place! It is really worth going to and learning about what a incredible person Eleanor Roosevelt was. Our national Park Service guides were so knowledgeable and interesting. I am looking forward to going back again. read more

Excellent ! Highly recommend it ! Learned a lot about Eleanor, the tour guide Elizabeth had so much information! Worth the time !

So the obvious thing right upfront is that while there are three houses to tour in Hyde Park via the NPS, Val-Kill is certainly the smallest but I think it's the most interesting. Maybe it's because ER was such a deep and complicated person or maybe it's because the house feels the most "homey" and approachable but whatever the reason is, it's hard not to like it. Why was Val-Kill built? Two points on that one. 1. After ER caught FDR screwing around and nearly divorced him, she wanted a place of her own away from him and away from his overbearing mother Sara. 2. ER and FDR never really had a home of their own. Sure people call Springwood two miles away FDR's house but in reality it only was for four years. FDR as you likely know died in 1945 but his mother Sara lived until 1941 and she ruled the house with an iron fist as it literally was...her house. So with that in mind FDR designed and had a little stone cottage built in the woods on part of the Roosevelt land to be just Eleanor's private space. He would later do the same for himself when he built Top Cottage but that's a whole separate review. Initially what is now Stone Cottage served as the house and what is now the house was built as a factory where during The Depression Eleanor and two "friends" tried to open a small shop to teach people among other things carpentry skills as a way to hopefully find employment. The idea was a failure and after it closes ER decided to convert the place to her living space where she stayed until she died and where the tour takes place today. There's a lot I'm leaving out like her love of picnics, her thousands of "My Day" newspaper columns, her intense meeting with JFK in her living room when he came looking for her endorsement (she wasn't a fan), the fact that she couldn't really cook anything past eggs or hot dogs, it was her idea to do a picnic with hot dogs for the King and Queen of England's visit to Hyde Park in 1939 even though neither had any idea what a hot dog was, the amazing idea that a First Lady let alone a woman born into wealth during the 1880's would go on to be so independent of her husband who was the President or the possible lesbian angle that no one at FDR's house will get into and here it's sort of discussed but only as an after the regular tour "off the record" type of thing. No matter why you come you should as there are amazing stories to be told about a one of a kind person who did things her way and did things in a way that will never be replicated ever again. If you go: The beautiful grounds are open daily from sunrise to sunset and are free. There is also a trail that connects Val-Kill to FDR's house and technically that trail also connects to the Vanderbilt Mansion so if you're a real health nut you could in premise get to all three sites via trials versus driving. If you want to tour the main house that is by guided tour only. Disregard everything on the Yelp listing for times and hours. November-April tickets are available first come/first served Thursday-Monday (closed Tuesday & Wednesday) starting at the small visitor center/gift shop at 12:30 and the tours are at 1 & 3. As an FYI, we were there in mid-March and even though there were only two tours scheduled, there was enough interest along with enough ranger/volunteer staffing that they added a 3:30 tour. While it is possible, don't count on it as it is highly unusual for that to occur and it was very spur of the moment decision by the ranger who was in charge that day (Shannon - who also gave a great tour). You can also tour the Stone Cottage which was the original house on the grounds. There will normally be a volunteer inside who will explain things as best as they can and the house is a self-guided tour of the first floor featuring a fair amount of reproduction documents and personal belongings of Eleanor and Franklin. May-October everything is open 9-5 with tours starting on the hour with the last one leaving at 4. Also during this time you can pre-reserve tour tickets at recreation.gov for not only Val-Kill for also for FDR's home and the Vanderbilt Mansion plus a combo ticket for all three. The ticket price for Val-Kill is $10 per person 16 and over (15 and under are free) although all NPS passes are accepted here and for the sake of full disclosure since I have a 4th grader in my household I paid $0. read more

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Val Kill, for me, has always been more about the grounds and the trails. I've lived near it for years, my property almost borders it in the back (1 lot in-between). I can also walk to the back entrance at the other end of my road. In younger days when the area was less infested with ticks, I used to hike the trails all the time. It's nice to see folks walking themselves and their dogs along the front entrance, and it's equally nice that in the past they've been able to have special ceremonies there from time to time. It's a nice complement to FDR's home just a couple of miles away, and it's a great mix of history and nature. read more

The first time I tried to get into the cottage there was a long wait for the next available guided tour. So I left and promised myself I'd go back. I ended up returning two weeks later and I'm very glad I did. $8 admission per person and worth every penny of the guided tour. Our guide, Dmitri, was excellent. He was clearly knowledgeable and passionate about the life of Eleanor Roosevelt. Very educational and moving experience. I recommend getting here early, scheduling a tour, then go back after lunch at the Culinary Institute of America. In any event, this is a must-do in the Hudson Valley. As one of my fellow Yelpers put it, "if you don't have respect for Eleanor before your visit, you will after you leave." read more

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This was our third on our tour of the National Park properties in the Hyde Park area. This was a pretty little gem of a park, with beautiful landscaping, and lovely gardens. We were too late in the day to visit the cottage, but we were able to visit the visitors center and talk to the rangers. My only complaint about Val Kill is that the disabled parking is difficult to figure out, so my mom had to take a longer walk than we expected. However, the rangers have a little shuttle and they took my mom back to the car when we were done. That was very cool for them to do. read more

Eleanor Roosevelt Center At Val Kill - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Hyde Park, New York

ER! Oh boy. I knew she was a badass first lady but I never really knew the extent of it! I started reading about her at the FDR museum & library and was intrigued and knew I had to come here. Val-Kill is a beautiful landmark and historical site. 1) There is Stone Cottage, which has a mini exhibit and a bunch of photos/artifacts to check out. 2) There is the tour: you watch a short video and then get the guided talk as you walk through her home. This was pretty interesting to hear and see; it's a mix about her early childhood and adulthood. I had wished to hear some more about the actual work she did, but I guess that's not really what the tour is about. Still interesting nonetheless (I think our great tour guide's name was Donna?) and more motivation for me to buy a biography so I can continue learning! 3) The surrounding grounds are beeeautiful. Pro-tip: It is $10 for the guided tour and getting to explore the grounds. If you visit here, the FDR museum, and the Vanderbilt Mansion, save your receipts from whichever two you visit first and the last will be free. read more

Eleanor Roosevelt Center At Val Kill - New role model! - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Hyde Park, New York

I just went there for the trails. Let me tell you...it's not a loop. You have to go back and then forth. We didn't know that so...we ended up walking along the highway to go back. We pretty much did our own loop...except that more than half of it wasn't on a trail. The trails were okay. It was a humid day so it wasn't as fun but it was relaxing. read more

Eleanor Roosevelt Center At Val Kill - This is our loop so don't do that! - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Hyde Park, New York

Amazing! 1) There are two sections. One is the stone cottage which is self guided. Another is the home, which is with the guide. 2) The tour was excellent. It was very informative and fun. 3) This is a must visit landmark. 4) Fun fact: this is the only US National Landmark dedicated to a First Lady. read more

Eleanor Roosevelt Center At Val Kill - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Hyde Park, New York

Great museum dedicated to Eleanor's life after the death of FDR. A true woman dedicated to equal rights for all. Her home is lovely with all of her stuff. read more

Another fantastic tour on the Roosevelt family day. I was amazed to learn so many new and interesting facts about Eleanor! I loved her down home and laid back attitude. She really is one of my hero's, most First Ladies are only recognized as the wife to a President husband. Eleanor went beyond that and build her own legacy, one of inspiring people to do the right thing! She was amazing and influential even after her husband left office and passed away. Take the tour and learn about the many things that Eleanor accomplished along with how incredible she was at making others feel at home. The overall tour of the Val-kill cottage is 45 minutes after a 15 minute movie. I loved that this tour was about Eleanor and her life not just FDR. The sad part is that most people don't appreciate a strong woman. They offer a junior ranger program for the little ones which helps to keep them engaged during the tour. read more

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Ranger Ken Stinger was an excellent presenter in the life and home of our beloved former First Lady. Her "cottage" or rather her country home was simplistic and beautiful and highlighted what she cared about most, her family and rejuvenating in nature to sustain her advocacy as a potent voice for social justice at home and around the world. The home is filled with lots of her personal items and the Park ranger displayed his passion and respect for her only home and for the woman her self. The gift shop is small but has a nice assortment of her writings and other sort of Knick Knacks. There is a tram to help with walking from the parking lots to the visitor center. There are lots of gravelly pathways that make wheelchairs slow but doable.. The rangers are very sensitive to people with walking and standing challenges and make accommodations for you. The bathrooms are well maintained. All of the staff were delightful. She was a national treasure. read more

It's the photographs, the history of events, the personal objects that make a house a home. Val-Kill was Anna Eleanor Roosevelt's home and a clear reflection of who she was. Brought to life by knowledgeable docents, the 45 minute tour leaves you with an intimate and complete portrait of Eleanor. From her furnishing choices to a long list of world leaders who came to Val-Kill, to her personal a public life, this is the complete Eleanor. Guided tours are available Thursday-Monday at 1pm and 3 pm. The grounds are open year round and many people stop at Val-Kill after visiting the FDR Presidential Library which is only 2 miles away. There is also a walk to Top Cottage. If you want there is an "Eleanor's Walk Trail" which is a podcast trail tour which can be downloaded online from the Val-Kill website. A Hyde Park Walkabout trail map can be picked up a Wallace Visitor's center, Val-Kill or online. Children 15 and younger are free admission to Val-Kill. It's $10 for adults unless you have one of the many National Park Passes. There is a 12 minute film called "Close to Home" before the 45 minute tour. If you are interested in Anna Eleanor Roosevelt, this is the place to visit. read more

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Oy. I'll never forget my experience here. I'm very glad there is an NPS site dedicated to Eleanor Roosevelt but she deserves better. The site consists of an exhibit and a house tour of the only home she ever owned. The exhibit is brief and doesn't give details about her accomplishments. They have five or so signs about her role as a First Lady, grandmother, diplomat, etc. but no details or facts just general ideas about her. There was a film in the exhibit but it's all about her relationship with her dog... it was insulting that there wasn't something more substantive. Then before the tour you watch a video of her life that was comprehensive and well done- by far the best part of the tour. But I could have watched it at home... Then the house tour. Oh the house tour. The house tour consists of two rooms and you can only go with a park ranger guiding you. There are only three rooms but that's not the issue. The issue is the guide does not use the rooms to tell you about her life in the home, her accomplishments, what happened at the house. He just literally rambled about fun facts. It was honestly uncomfortable and mind numbingly boring. I don't need to know about how Eleanor made friends with a flight attendant once, I'd rather hear about the house or her life. This may have just been our guide. But it didn't do this incredible woman justice. read more

It's surprising and sad to note that Eleanor Roosevelt's Val-Kill Cottage has received only one other Yelp commentary. It is an astonishing place, a home where you can sense the character and closeness of ER in the only home she ever owned during her long and rich life. FDR built this "cottage" for her as an escape from his family home Springwood (open for touring as part of the FDR Library and Museum) where she had to contend with his overbearing mother Sara. At Val-Kill, Eleanor came into her own, and the home reflects her interests and desire for unpretentious comfort. The photos on the wall of family show us that Eleanor was indeed a "people person" throughout her lifetime. She entertained celebrities and world leaders here, but the cottage has no hints of luxury about it. Eleanor herself slept on the porch most of the time, even during chilly weather (on our tour we got a rare look at her upstairs bedroom and the porch -- delightful!). the grounds include a small shaded lake, a tennis court, a wonderfully appealing stone outbuilding where Eleanor's female friends stayed, and the playhouse FDR's grandchildren used. The Park Service guides here take uncommon time to explain everything, and their tours are so informative. They say that they get about 60 visitors for every 600 to the FDR Museum, and while we suppose that is understandable, we urge you not to miss seeing Val-Kill. It is a memorable celebration -- albeit low-key -- one one of America's greatest and most accomplished women, Eleanor Roosevelt. read more

Unlike some restored homes where one just sees a bunch of furniture, this was lovingly restored to its photographed appearance in 1962 after Eleanor's death, including replicating her library with the same books in the same order. As a result, you FEEL her charismatic personality here. Everything is ordinary and down to earth with an emphasis on comfort. Our docent mentioned how she'd entertain royalty (for example Haile Salassi) by listening with them to the radio. Collection of photographs displays important people in here life. Pleasant gounds with a pond too. Anyone interested in a woman who probably qualifies as the greatest woman in the history of American public life MUST visit this place. PS: This is not the same as the Roosevelt home. Eleanor probably wanted this place to get away from that old bitch of a mother-in-law, Sarah Delano. It a lot more fascinating than Sarah's house (at the Roosevelt Home and Library) as it is much more personal. read more

Out of the three homes we toured (in addition to the FDR house and Vanderbilt mansion), Val Kill was hands down the best. It was easily the most interesting and, thanks to its diminutive size, the most intimate and relatable. When you walk in, you will absolutely feel like you're at your grandma's house. The stories too are fascinating. If you didn't have a respect or appreciation for Eleanor Roosevelt before you visited, you certainly will once you're done. This site is highly recommended. read more

Eleanor Roosevelt Center At Val Kill - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Hyde Park, New York

This review is for the guided tour of Val-Kill, the home of Eleanor Roosevelt. Kudos to the National Park Service for this site. The tour guide was very knowledgeable about the history of the property (it was a former furniture factory) and Eleanor Roosevelt. He had many anecdotes about visits from Sir Winston Churchill, Nehru Gandhi and John F. Kennedy. The tour in the house really brought history alive. The Val-Kill guided tour is highly recommended, and was one of our highlights of our trip to the Hudson Valley. read more

The tour guides and docents from the National Park Service do wonderful tours. They're incredibly insightful about the life and times of Mrs Roosevelt, and this unique property that continued on following FDR's death. It's kind of neat to think that this modest house once hosted heads of state etc. Mrs. Roosevelt's personality and life's work can be had throughout the property, and it's fascinating to learn more about her simply from walking the grounds and being in this house. This is not a place to miss. The bucolic woods and streams around the property make this an even better place to visit. read more

I felt so special getting a tour of Val-Kill! The grounds are open, but the only way to see inside of the house is via a guided tour. And they only do a few tours a day, I think limited to no more than about 10 people per tour. This is the only site dedicated to a first lady, too. There is a short video, a garden (not nearly as well kept as the ones up at the official FDR house!), a pool (under construction), and a stone cottage. Plus the actual house where ER had her office and bedroom. All very intimate, and about 40% original - her son sold some things at auction and they slowly trickle back in each year. My tour guide was Denise and you could tell she really liked ER. She was also very forgiving about Sara, FDR's mother, who was portrayed as pretty overbearing and overly-involved at the other properties. After the tour my friend and I went on the one mile hike (two miles round trip) from Val-Kill to Top Cottage. It's a nice walk, mostly leisurely, though definitely uphill on the way there! As always, worth it for the view. I'd also like to call out John at the front desk for being very nice and welcoming. read more

This historical site is a hidden gem. It is the house that Eleanor Roosevelt lived in after FDR's death. It's not a huge house, but our tour guide had all sorts of interesting and funny stories about Eleanor. This is not as big a tourist attraction as FDR's home and presidential library, but you get a more in-depth look and more intimate details about the people who lived here. read more

More interesting than I expected.A rural cottage where ER hung out and entertained and escaped her mother in law and I suspect her husband.Good collection of artifacts are on display .The tour was excellent.Also the setting is quite nice and there appear to be some good trails that you can walk. read more

One of the most remarkable Americans in history so for that alone, worth a visit. The film about her life was more informative than the guide, though she was enthusiastic. The house shows its former occupant's personality well; the park service has done a good job of restoring many of the original contents of the house. The stone cottage nearby contained more background info and photos. The trails nearby were a highlight, even on a rainy day. read more

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Unbelievable. Eleanor Roosevelt is a remarkable woman and the tour was exceptional. Found out leaders of the world crossed through the front doors as well as local friends she would invite to dinner. Just because. This was "her" home and her sanctuary. After taking the tour and walking the grounds you can see why. Informational and a place to visit to learn more about an exceptional woman and her impact on social reform, economic justice, and human rights. read more

I've wanted to get to Val-Kill for some time. Thoroughly enjoyed our tour.I learned so much more about this remarkable woman. What an incredible role model for women of all ages! LOVE IT! read more

This was a nice place to visit. You have to buy a tour to see the inside of the home. Before the tour starts, you are required to watch a 15 minute "orientation video." The video was a brief history of Eleanor Roosevelt. It was a huge waste of time because when the tour guide picked us up and brought us to the front of the house; he repeated everything! I was getting frustrated because why bother showing us the video if we have to hear it all over again 30 seconds later! The nice thing about this tour guide is he did have more to say on top of the video. He talked a lot inside the house explaining each room in detail and what events took place where. The only time he stopped talking about the rooms was the last room, the sitting porch, he did not have anything to say so he covered more history about the home after Roosevelt died. He made one mistake. He mentioned the furniture was all auctioned off then ended the tour. Someone had to ask him how they got the furniture back and he did explain that. He should have known to say that. The trees were very beautiful this time of year when they start turning orange. You can walk around the rest of the grounds for free. read more