What a great little historic spot tucked along the Hudson River. We were trying to kill time before…read morean afternoon wedding and I came across this place while searching online. This historic site was home to pivotal decisions during the Revolutionary War, made by George Washington himself. The museum/buildings themselves have limited hours (which are listed on the parks website) but we were able to walk the grounds freely which was nice. There are gates/fencing surrounding the site, which were locked as we went around - but toward the opposite side of the site (where I believe their designated parking lot is? We weren't sure but it looked like their lot) there is an opening where you can walk a gravel path that will take you through the site. It was really cool being able to see the buildings here. Even though the park is nestled in a neighborhood/town, I felt pretty immersed in the history just walking along the paths. We got to see the buildings that George Washington was present in, plus the various monuments that were erected on site. The state parks put up informational signs around the area so we could easily read up on the history. It was a really nice way to get even just a taste of history while we were here, which was perfect for our constricted time frame. If I'm ever traveling this way again, I'd definitely try to make it for a tour of the interiors.

Very nice park to walk around. There are few historic monuments here. Great views. If you are…read morenearby, definitely worth visiting.

Does everyone know that you can catch the Walkway Tram at any point on the Walkway?…read more Flag down the Friends of the Walkway volunteers and hitch a ride to the other side or one of the Tram pick up spots (marked with an A frame.) The ride over is such a fun way to experience the views of the city and the river. Signed, The Mocktail Madam

I'm so glad I stumbled across Walkway Over the Hudson while exploring Google Maps…read more We were in the area to visit the Mid‑Hudson Discovery Museum and realized the elevator up to the bridge was right nearby, so we decided to check it out first. My son was hesitant while we waited, but once we stepped inside, the staff member operating the elevator was incredibly friendly and put him at ease. The moment we stepped onto the bridge, the views were beautiful. We wandered around, read the dedication plaques, and my son immediately wanted to run everywhere -- he didn't want to leave! We eventually convinced him because the museum was next on our list, but he made it clear he wanted to come back. We'll definitely return and walk the full length next time. Such a great find.

First time visiting a presidental library and opted to tour the FDR home because we have the…read morelifetime park pass. Yes, sometimes I'm cheap . While we waited for the tour, we walked the grounds which includes a working vegetable garden and rose garden that was being re-done. FDR and his wife are buried there. The house is very cool because it takes you back in time and the guide was very knowledgeable. It's a nice historical stop on a great piece of land. Beautiful in fact! Parking is free, nice visitor center with a cafe and short movie that runs every half hour. Enjoy!

Did the tours of the three historic sites in the Hyde Park area. We were lucky as it was Fee Free…read moreday so we were able to visit the Presidential library as a bonus. The house holds so much history and covers Franklin Roosevelt's life from childhood to his older years. He is buried on the grounds. The Rangers give a detailed history and answer questions concerning the estate.

Nice grounds to walk around and picnic as well as gardens and a mansion from the gilded age…read more Arriving on a Saturday afternoon, parking was a a breeze and grounds were open. We just missed the 3 pm Mansion tour (free with national park pass) so waited an hour for the next one. We walked over to the garden area and saw some roses and other flowers, all 5,000 varieties planted by volunteers and staying true to the types back in time. Two friendly volunteers were stationed there, readEra, chat and provide information. The mansion tour was informative and interesting, largely due to the ranger tour guide. If you like history or that era, you'll likely enjoy the tidbits shared. There aren't many places to sit inside the house and even I had a hard time standing for so long after a long day. They did have elevator access for those who have trouble with mobility. The info center doesn't have a store anymore but has a few artifacts.

3/18/26: The Vanderbilt Mansion is a must see when visiting Hyde Park!…read more You first drive up a winding driveway, till you reach the visitor's center to purchase tickets. Should you have a National Service Park Pass, you'll be able to enter for free. It's best to call at 9 AM just to be sure there's availability. Inside the center, you'll find restrooms and a large display of the Vanderbilt family tree. Our docent Mike first started the tour at the visitor center. Mike was very knowledgeable and had wonderful wit. The visitor center used to be the guest house for Mrs. Vanderbilt's bachelor friends during their stay over. Mike walked us over to the main estate. The outside of the estate is stunning. We then entered the beautiful estate. All the furnishings are absolutely gorgeous. The last part of the tour is walking down the servants stairs. However, the best photo view is probably looking up from the bottom of the staircase. Hope you enjoy the photos. Photos are allowed, but without flash.

Carnwath Farms Park was a huge discovery, and boy, it's a beautiful treat to stop at. The trail…read morethat runs through this park is called the Wappinger Greenway Trail with so many surroundings to explore, and also views to observe across the Hudson River, specifically, to the south and west, Newburgh, West Point, and The Hudson Highlands State Park, to the north, Mid Hudson Bridge, and east, a bit of Fishkill with not a whole lot of viewing. The trail starts as you enter the park, beginning on the right side before the parking lot. There are a couple of spots to park right at the trailhead. It mainly parallels the Hudson River in the woods with a couple of fields until finally reaching more fields. Following the signs, it will end toward Wheeler Hill Road with a downhill with woods. This may go down as my favorite park in the Hudson Valley. The judging belongs to you.

We took the guided tour here. It was definitely worth it. The staff were extremely knowledgeable…read more There is also a barn inside that you can rent for a wedding. Beautiful place!

Mount Gulian is a wonderful home that is set up beautifully on the Hudson River. This location is…read moregreat for educational tours and weddings in the restored barn. Give a try.

While I love history and learning new things, I'll be honest and admit that I'm not generally a fan…read moreof touring historic homes, it just doesn't do much for me, but even with that said, of the 4 old estates I toured this weekend, Kykuit was the least noteworthy. Though the guide's knowledge was great, the house itself... Meh. Age and apathy seem to have settled the house down into a state not quite approaching disrepair but not far off either. What once may have been grandiose is now just old, jaded, faded, and big, but not fancy, while the conservation service running the show seems disinclined to keep up with the grounds on any level other than blowing leaves away from the walkways. Even the cars in the museum have half flat tires. Waste of time and money.

Great experience at the Kykuit Highlights Tour…read more This tour is about 1.5 hours and covers the first floor of the estate and outside. There are other (longer) tours that include more of the estate if you like. All tours leave from the Visitor's Center. There is a large parking lot there...but there is also some overflow parking around the corner ii needed. The overflow lot is a short walk to the Visitor's Center. The center has a large shop with lots of gifts and souvenirs. There are also some snacks and bakery-items (coffee, tea, pastries) available for purchase. There are bathrooms and the ticketing area. You check in at the ticketing area and are given a hand band. A bus (very nice and comfy) will take the tour guests from the visitor's center to the estate...the ride is about 10 minutes. The tour guide will also be on the bus offering some information throughout the ride, including information on the structures and facilities within the larger estate as you pass those by. The tour itself was great...but I can see some may want to visit the other floors of the estate, which is only included in the longer tours. Lots of information throughout the tour. They do keep the schedule pretty tight though as I noticed our tour guide checking the schedule regularly to determine how much time to spend at each room. I understand this is crucial in order to accommodate the various timed tours but it does leave little room for asking questions and some of it felt a little rushed. Photography is ONLY permitted outside of the estate. You cannot take photos inside the estate. You are taken back to the visitor's center when the tour it completed. Overall I had a great visit. I would love to return to view some of the other offerings...such as the Philipsburg Manor. All staff I encountered were friendly and helpful.

While part of the F. D. R. National Historical site in Hyde Park, a visit to Top Cottage requires…read morethe purchase of an additional ticket, a parks service provided bus ride (included in the Top Cottage ticket price) and about 90 minutes total commitment to see it. (About an hour at the cottage and the remainder bus time) For some or all of those reasons, many folks do not have Top Cottage on their list of things to do when visiting the FDR site. That is a shame because for four of us visiting the FDR site earlier this month, Top Cottage was one of the highlights. Not only of the F.D.R. site but of the three days we spent in the Hudson River Valley. Highly recommended! Built during his second term of office, Top Cottage is where Roosevelt would "escape the mob" (although you'll learn that neither he nor anyone else over nighted here during his time as President) to recharge his spirit. FDR also entertained visiting dignitaries here - like the King and Queen of England for the famous "hot dog picnic". Sadly, after FDR's death one of his sons and his wife moved into Top Cottage and it was eventually sold to settle the son's divorce, then sold again and only came into the possession of the Park' service in the late 1990's (?). It opened to the public in 2001. At Top Cottage you'll be able to browse around the inside on your own and if it is a nice day you'll have the great pleasure of sitting out on the same back porch as did FDR, Winston Churchill and others and listen to the wind and watch the same hills in the distance. It's easy to understand why Roosevelt felt his spirit revived by time spent there. And if you are very fortunate you will have Bob to drive the Top Cottage bus (such a nice guy) and remarkable "Ranger Charlotte" leading the tour. (That's her providing a wonderful tutorial on the Top Cottage porch in one of our photos.) You can find more information about Top Cottage at the National Parks service web page listed here. http://www.nps.gov/hofr/planyourvisit/top-cottage.htm If you're in Hyde Park, treat yourself and visit it. (Open daily from May through October.) Only a few tours (maybe four?) are offered daily and only a limited number of people (maybe 16?) are permitted on each tour. So just as Roosevelt used Top Cottage to "escape the mob", that's also true for those who tour it now. A tip: After riding the bus up, you'll have an option to ride the bus back to Wallace Center the FDR site or walk down a forest path to Valkill when weather permits.

Excellent spot. 1)…read moreThis is FDR's retreat during his presidency. 2) Also known for the famous visitors such as Churchill. 3) The tour is nice, and you can sit and touch most of the stuff inside. 4) I would not say to put this on top of your to do list, it is something is you saw the other 4 spots and just want to get this out the bucket list.