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1. Lyndhurst – Tarrytown

Built in 1838 and overlooking the Hudson River, this gothic revival mansion has been inhabited through the years by numerous well-known figures such as railway tycoon Jay Gould and former NYC mayor William Paulding. The home is open for tours Friday-Monday and the grounds are open everyday. Weekend grounds charges may apply so call ahead or check their website to plan your visit. In addition, Lyndhurst hosts many events throughout the year, including concerts, theater events, exhibits, lectures and more for the entire family.

Kids will love: The Spring Craft Show at Lyndhurst returns from May 2nd through May 4th. During this event kids can experience various fun family activities like interactive puppet theater, face painting, craft demos and gourmet specialties!

Parents will love: Shop the 200 craftspeople featured in the Spring Craft Show, offering fashions, accessories, jewelry, home décor, furniture, photography, fine art, and much more!

2. Washington Irving’s Sunnyside – Tarrytown

This charming residence has been delighting visitors for years. Sunnyside telling the tale of the storied Washington Irving and how he rose to become America’s first internationally famous author, most well-known for The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. Hear Irving’s life story as told by tour guides dressed in traditional 19th century garb, surrounded by period furnishings, beautifully landscaped gardens and stunning views of the Hudson River. Sunnyside is open from May through December, and hours vary with the season.

Kids will love: Autumn is the most exciting time to visit Sunnyside, when you can experience Washington Irving’s classic The Legend of Sleepy Hollow as never before. Master storytellers offer dramatic performances of the tale, accompanied by live spooky music.

Parents will love: Autumn also brings Legendary Tours of Sunnyside to celebrate the classic tale. During these tours Irving’s fascinating home — a colorful blend of architectural styles — showcases numerous objects related to his famous story.

3. Kykuit: The Rockefeller Estate – Sleepy Hollow

This architectural gem was once owned by four generations of the Rockefeller family. Now this historic site is open to the public. Tour the beautiful six-story stone house, then enjoy the expansive gardens while taking in spectacular views of the Hudson Valley. Kykuit is open from May through November. Note: All tours originate from the Visitor Center at Philipsburg Manor and include a shuttle bus ride to the estate.

Kids will love: Selected Highlights is the quickest of the tours available, and still includes the main floor of the house, Inner Garden and West Terrace.

Parents will love: Wander through the incredible 20th century art garden, full of sculptures featuring works by Picasso, Warhol and many other famous artists.

4. Philipsburg Manor – Sleepy Hollow

Looking for a way to experience life in colonial New York? Visit Philipsburg Manor, a mill and trading complex where an enslaved community lived and labored for generations. History buffs will enjoy exploring such sites as the 300-year-old Manor House, cellar dairy, gristmill, textile production techniques and medicinal practices of past inhabitants. Philipsburg Manor is open from May through November.

Kids will love: The Pinkster Festival is a celebration filled with art, live music, dance, storytelling and more. The event honors the region’s African American history and culture.

Parents will love: Learn about the enslaved individuals who worked on the property in the year 1750, and how they maintained family networks, shared their cultural heritage, and expressed their fundamental humanity.

5. Glenview Mansion – Yonkers

This historic house, an 1877 Gilded Age home on the National Register of Historic Places, sits on the grounds of the Hudson River Museum. Several rooms of the mansion have been restored to reflect the lifestyle of its turn-of-the-20th-century residents. Enjoy a fascinating 45-minute guided tour, offered Wednesdays to Sundays, through the mansion’s six beautifully restored rooms. A separate admission from the Museum is required.

Kids will love: Encounter one of the largest dollhouses you will ever see, Nybelwyck Hall. The house stands 8 feet wide, 2 feet deep and 3.5 feet (or four stories) high. Inside there are 20 Van Nybelwyck family members and friends, with over 900 custom-built interior objects.

Parents will love: If Glenview looks familiar, it’s because the historic home is featured in Seasons 1 and 2 of HBO’s The Gilded Age, the popular Emmy Award–winning series from Julian Fellowes, creator of Downton Abbey.

6. Van Cortlandt Manor - Croton-on-Hudson
(NOTE: Van Cortlandt Manor is currently closed as the site makes essential infrastructure improvements to ensure the safety, access, comfort, and enjoyment of visitors to the historic site, and restores landscape elements that are central to the integrity of this National Historic Landmark.)
Kids and Parents Will Love: In October and November, families won’t want to miss the annual Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze featuring over 5,000 hand-carved illuminated pumpkins configured in breathtaking displays, complemented by an original soundtrack, synchronized lighting and cool special effects.

7. Boscobel House & Gardens – Garrison
(NOTE: Following the collapse of a ceiling in April 2024, the Boscobel House is currently undergoing a full-scale restoration, and is closed for the foreseeable future. However, during this time the Gardens & Grounds are open on Fridays-Sundays from 9am-Dusk.) 
Tour Boscobel’s beautiful 68 acres of grounds, featuring the Hudson River School Artists Garden, Apple Orchard, Formal Garden, Herb Garden and the Great Lawn. And enjoy dramatic views of Constitution Marsh, the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and the Hudson River. 

Kids Will Love: Hike the 1.25-mile Woodland Trail of Discovery, which winds through 29 acres of the property. Enjoy scenic vistas, a waterfall and even shaded structures to take a quick rest.
Parents Will Love: The annual Big Band Night is one of Boscobel’s most highly anticipated events, held this year on Sunday, June 8. Dance away the evening with the Big Band Sound, a swinging 20-piece jazz orchestra.

8. Clermont - Germantown
Clermont is a riverside mansion with a rich and varied history. It was home to seven generations of the rich and powerful Livingston family, and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1973. The park is open daily from 8:30 am to sunset. The mansion is open for guided tours from Thursday through Sunday, 11 am to 4 pm, as well as holiday Mondays (i.e., Memorial Day).

Kids Will Love: During the Annual Sheep & Wool Showcase kids can enjoy shearing demonstrations, farm animals, crafts, storytelling and the chance to meet their first sheep!
Parents Will Love: The Visitor Center Exhibit, "Life in the Land of Livingston" explores how the lives of the Livingstons, and all the other residents of this location, were intertwined, and how they left their imprint on the mansion's appearance and legacy.

9. Olana – Hudson
Olana was built by nineteenth century American artist Frederic Church. He created a 250-acre living landscape, one of the most intact and well-preserved artistic environments in the country. A visit to Olana encompasses many elements, including the historic house, the farm, the lake, the native woodlands and meadows, the extensive carriage road system, the landscape’s far reaching views, and the site’s rich collections of art.

Kids Will Love: Gallery Explorers is a series of free museum gallery programs designed for families with children ages 3 and up. Each month educators lead an exploration of two to three works of art through family-friendly dialogue and hands-on activities. 
Parents Will Love: Encourage the young chef with Create and Cook: Family Cooking & Art Workshop, a series of family-friendly classes focused on cooking food and making art inspired by Olana’s landscape and history. 

10. Vanderbilt Mansion - Hyde Park
Constructed by one of the first families of wealth in America, Vanderbilt Mansion is a home built expressly for the aristocratic lifestyle. Start your day at the Pavilion Visitor Center, then tour the exquisitely decorated three-story mansion and the European-inspired Formal Gardens. Park and mansion tour hours vary by season. The grounds are open daily, except for New Years Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.

Kids Will Love: Bring a basket and enjoy a picnic at scenic Bard Rock, one of the only places onsite that visitors can gain proximity to the Hudson River. Enjoy spectacular views of the Hudson River Valley, Hyde Park and the Catskill Mountains.
Parents Will Love: Bring your walking shoes and hike the historic Vanderbilt Riverfront Trail, which takes you on a journey along the Hudson River from the first waterfront settlements through the Gilded Age of the early 20th century.

11. Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt - Hyde Park 
Visit the estate of the 32nd, and longest-serving, President of the United States. There you can tour his home, library, burial site (of FDR and Eleanor) and gardens. Park and home tour hours vary by season. The grounds are open daily, except for New Years Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.

Kids Will Love: Enjoy hiking, bicycling, cross-county skiing or snowshoeing Roosevelt Farm Lane, part of an historic road network that connects the Roosevelt Home with various properties, and also intersects with three additional trails.
Parents Will Love: Explore the FDR Presidential Library Exhibits, featuring immersive audio-visual theaters, touch screen experiences, special interactive exhibits, rarely seen artifacts and more to convey the dramatic story of the Roosevelt era.

12. Staatsburg State Historic Site – Staatsburg
This elegant Gilded Age mansion, once the country home of Ogden Mills and wife Ruth Livingston Mills, provides a breathtaking view of the Hudson River and Catskill Mountains. Staatsburgh has been lovingly restored to its turn-of-the-century appearance, and is open for tours of the house and grounds. Special events are offered throughout the year.

Kids Will Love: Experience “A Gilded Age Christmas,” the annual holiday celebration at Staatsburg, during which the site is adorned in spectacular period decorations, complete with tour guides in costume, live music and much more.
Parents Will Love: Tales of the Titanic, a Special Theme Tour marks the 113th anniversary of the sinking with a special 90-minute tour of the home of Titanic ticket holders, Ogden and Ruth Mills. Tales of the tragic voyage are presented by a guide in period attire who also points out remarkable similarities between the Titanic's interiors and Staatsburgh's rooms.

13. Lindenwald – Kinderhook
Tour the home of another of our presidents, Martin van Buren, the first president born a US citizen. Tours cover the interior of Lindenwald and discuss Van Buren's political career, his life as a gentleman farmer, and the lives of domestic servants living and working on the property. The house and the Visitor Center will reopen for the season on May 24, and will be open daily from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.  Park grounds are open year round from 7:00 a.m. to sunset. 

Kids Will Love: Participate in the Junior Ranger Program, which offers students an engaging way to explore Martin Van Buren's house and grounds. Check in at the park's visitor center to pick up a Junior Ranger book, receive instructions and earn your badge!
Parents Will Love: Whether you're a nature enthusiast, a history buff or just looking for a scenic spot to stretch your legs, the park’s three-quarter-mile trail is perfect for a leisurely walk or an invigorating stroll. And leashed dogs are welcome to join you on the park grounds and trails.

Check out our Rivertowns Neighborhood Kids Guide for more things to do in these towns overlooking the Hudson River!

Photo compliments of Historic Hudson Valley.