Because the valley boasts thousands of trail miles, the area is considered a skier’s delight. Photos courtesy of Hudson Valley Tourism.

On September 12, 1609, Henry Hudson began his legendary exploration of the river that now bears his name. With a crew of 20 Dutch and English sailors aboard an 80-ton ship called the Half Moon, he followed the river’s sinuous curves straight into the history books. Technically speaking, the voyage was a failure. Hudson had been seeking the Northwest Passage, a fabled water route that would lead to the Pacific Ocean and the riches of the Orient beyond. What he found instead was a breathtakingly beautiful river that would play a prominent role in the history of a proud new nation.

In the 17th and 18th centuries, the Hudson River was a major thoroughfare for settlers, supplies, and revolutionary ideas. In the 19th century, the unbridled natural beauty of the valley inspired a new school of art. Renowned painters like Thomas Cole, Charles Herbert Moore, and Frederick Church, led the Hudson River School of Painters as they sought to capture the river at its finest; the fertile shoreline harbored writers like Edith Wharton and Washington Irving. From gracious estates along the river’s shores, legendary American families like the Vanderbilts, Roosevelts, and Rockefellers helped to shape the nation’s destiny.

The river valley has much to offer to those who visit it today. The towns that dot the valley preserve a legacy steeped in history and enthusiastically celebrate one of the most basic American rights: the pursuit of happiness.

Almost 400 years after Hudson’s voyage, modern explorers can easily imagine the awe with which he and his crew viewed the lush scenery from the wooden deck of the Half Moon. In spring and summer, the landscape is alive with sparkling light. The fall foliage rivals anything New England has to offer. Even the simple white palette of winter becomes an elegant landscape.

The region celebrates the arts and the outdoors; visitors can explore for days the local museums and manor houses, lavish gardens and galleries, antique shops, and wineries. The valley welcomes you to the pleasures of hiking, biking, fishing, boating, and skiing — from Yonkers to the river town of Hudson, the valley is packed with beautiful possibilities.

Kykuit, in Westchester County, is the home of four generations of the Rockefeller family. Photos courtesy of Hudson Valley Tourism.

Start your journey

If you follow in the wake of Hudson and his crew as they sailed north from the waters of what would become New York’s harbor, you will discover the region's natural appeal just beyond the bright lights of the city. The Lower Hudson River Valley, which includes Rockland, Orange, Westchester, and Putnam Counties, borders The Bronx. In addition to chic shopping, picturesque villages and farmers’ markets, the area is awash in historic sites and recreational opportunities. Popular beaches can be found in Peekskill, Rye, and North Salem. The area also boasts some of the entire valley’s most popular sights.

Bear Mountain State Park welcomes more visitors per year than Yellowstone National Park. The area was saved in the early 1900s when development threatened to destroy much of the riverfront’s natural beauty, but in 1923 the first section of the Appalachian Trail was created at Bear Mountain. Now the park has something for everyone — hiking trails for the avid outdoorsman and nature in all of its glory for those out for a scenic Sunday stroll.

Kykuit, home to four generations of the Rockefeller family, is among Westchester County’s most notable attractions. Playland, America’s only government-owned and operated amusement park, also ranks high on the list. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Playland has been providing family fun since 1928. The park boasts 45 rides, including the famous Dragon Coaster and Kiddyland, and has a boardwalk overlooking Long Island Sound.

Our oldest service academy, The United States Military Academy at West Point, is in Orange County. Photos courtesy of Hudson Valley Tourism.

In Sleepy Hollow, until recently known as North Tarrytown, you will find the Old Dutch Church and cemetery used so effectively by Washington Irving as a backdrop for the story of Ichabod Crane’s encounter with the Headless Horseman. A walk on the Croton Aqueduct Trailway will take hikers right past the church and cemetery, where gravestones date back to the 1600s and carry the names of some of the area’s earliest Dutch settlers. Before moving on, refresh yourself with a stroll through Kingsland Point Park, where visitors can see the historic Tarrytown Lighthouse and the Tappan Zee Bridge.
Ossining boasts a commercial center that has been active since the post-Revolutionary War period; it has four magnificent churches and a number of impressive historic buildings, but is best known, perhaps, as the home of Sing Sing Prison. Among other exhibits, the Ossining Heritage Center features replicas of three prison cells and the Sing Sing electric chair. Nature lovers should not miss the nearby Teatown Lake Reservation, with its miles of hiking trails, Wildflower Island, exhibitions and educational programs. Skating on the lake in winter is also popular.

Orange County is home to the first Registered National Historic Landmark (Washington’s Headquarters), the country’s largest sculpture park (the 500-acre Storm King Art Center) and our oldest service academy (The United States Military Academy at West Point).

Rockland County offers rolling mountain vistas, sparkling lakes and 32,000 acres of unspoiled parkland. “But don’t be fooled by this seemingly rural charm,” the Rockland County Office of Tourism warns. The area’s proximity to Manhattan ensures a sense of big city sophistication.

The Great Estates region

Dutchess County lies at the heart of the Hudson Valley, midway between New York City, located 75 miles to the south, and the state’s capital, Albany, which is 72 miles to the north. Rolling hills, sparkling streams, lush forests, and fragrant orchards adorn the river’s shore for 40 miles, alongside towns and villages, such as Poughkeepsie, Hyde Park, Rhinebeck, Fishkill, Millbrook, Millerton, Red Hook, Pawling, and Beacon.
This is where families like the Vanderbilts and the Mills built truly spectacular spreads that epitomized the wealth and aspirations of that time. The Hudson Valley’s Great Estates, including the home of Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt, are now museums. The principal attraction at The Franklin Delano Roosevelt National Historic Site in Hyde Park is the FDR Library and Museum, the nation’s first presidential library. Springwood, the lifelong home of one of the nation’s most revered presidents, is open to the public. The house often served as the Northern White House for many of FDR’s meetings with heads of state. Nestled in a 180-acre wooded plot just a few miles away is Val-Kill, Eleanor Roosevelt’s famed retreat. The simple home belies the complexity of a woman who hosted presidents, kings, prime ministers, and other world leaders within its walls.

The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park has trained thousands of chefs and is one of the nation’s oldest culinary arts schools. Photos courtesy of Hudson Valley Tourism.

“Visitors to Dutchess County can enjoy a taste of history, a world-class meal, and a full menu of recreational choices in surroundings of outstanding natural beauty,” the local Tourism Office claims in language suitable to the home of the nation’s oldest culinary arts school. The Culinary Institute of America, located in Hyde Park, has trained thousands of professional chefs since it began in 1946, and is open to the public for lunch and dinner.

On the river’s opposite shore, the Catskill Mountains rise gently above the borders of Ulster County, inspiring adventure and the arts. From rock climbing and fishing to snow boarding, the region offers a heart-pumping array of outdoor activities and, from fairs and festivals to art galleries and antique shops, an enticing offering of history and culture.

The scenic slopes of the beautiful Catskills also provide a backdrop for the pleasures of Greene County, where you can follow the Hudson River School Art Trail to the sites that inspired America’s first great landscape artists.

Visitors love to participate in one of the popular area activities — antique shopping. Photos courtesy of Hudson Valley Tourism.

A fresh approach

Hudson River Valley promoters have traditionally emphasized the region’s historical treasures, but local leaders were not content to let the region’s agricultural industry become a thing of the past. Small farms have enjoyed a renaissance in recent years. The turnabout happened when farmers began to realize the potential of retail sales and the attraction their farms held for the urban and suburban crowd. “In a hurried technological world, many people yearn for the natural rhythms of farm life and the chance to feel connected with the earth, animals, and old-fashioned values,” the Dutchess County Office of Tourism explains.

With each passing year, more open-air farm markets are being spotted along the scenic roadways of the Hudson River Valley. Tourists can stop and pick their own produce on their way to one of the area’s many cultural attractions. Area wineries are proving to be an attraction, and hayrides, tours, and festivals enhance the pastoral ambiance of the area.

In the Upper Hudson River Valley, Macintosh and Empire apples, as well as cider, donuts, and apple pies warm from the oven, have earned a spot alongside the region’s traditional attractions. Historic museums and manor houses are still popular with both residents and visitors, but so are ripe raspberries, sweet corn, peaches, and plump tomatoes. In fact, Progressive Farmer magazine ranked Columbia County number 11 on their 2006 list of the Best Places to Live in Rural America.

The magazine bases its rankings on specific criteria; for others, the appeal of the Upper Hudson River Valley is harder to pin down. “The mystical melodies of folk music and the foot-stompin’ strains of blue grass,” contribute to the region’s winning lifestyle, according to the Columbia County Tourism Department. Others think it is the lure of general stores and eye-catching antiques; with 65 galleries, the town of Hudson has emerged as a major antiquing destination. Still others put a premium on a quiet moment beside a sparkling stream as it tumbles down from the Catskills.

The joy of learning adds to the appeal of New York’s nearby Capital Region, where the simple pleasures live in harmony with a thriving technology hub. Rensselaer and Albany Counties are home to a number of distinguished institutions of higher education, including the State University of New York at Albany, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, one of the premier science and technology universities in the world; Russell Sage College, one of the nation’s first colleges for women; and Hudson Valley Community College, a member of the State University of New York System and a nationally ranked community college.

At least there’s one thing that everyone can agree on, despite the geographic proximity: The charms of the Hudson River Valley are a long way from the hustle and bustle of New York City.