14 Best Things to do in Putnam & Dutchess Counties
Whether it’s spring break or summer vacation, the warm weather provides opportunities for many to explore the surrounding counties in which we live. Here are 14 things to do for spring and summer travel in Putnam and Dutchess county. I hear a road trip calling.
Bannerman Castle Tour, Beacon
Visit the famous Bannerman Castle ruins, enjoy a guided walking tour of the island, and take a mini hike to the summit on Bannerman Island. www.bannermancastle.org
Green Chimneys Farm & Wildlife Center, Brewster
Visitors can experience the farm featuring over 200 animals including horses, birds of prey, and camels. http://www.greenchimneys.org/farm/tours/
Clarence Fahnestock Memorial State Park, Carmel
This 14,086-acre park boasts hiking trails, a beautiful beach, picnic areas, scenic campground, and abundant opportunities for boating, fishing, and birding. Tour Canopus Lake by rowboat, available for rental at the park. https://parks.ny.gov/parks/133/hunting.aspx
Chuang Yen Monestary, Carmel Hamlet
This monastery is home to the largest indoor statue of Buddha in the Western Hemisphere. Tours and classes are available. https://www.baus.org/en/
Clinton Vineyards, Clinton Corners
At Clinton Vineyards, visitors can enjoy explore the gardens and vineyards and partake in an informational and delicious wine tasting.http://www.clintonvineyards.com
Hudson River Expeditions, Cold Spring
Kayaks, canoes, and stand-up paddleboards are available for rental and instruction. Tours are also available of the Hudson River, Constitution Marsh, and Annsville Creek. http://www.hudsonriverexpeditions.com/
Hudson Valley Renegades game, Dutchess Stadium, Fishkill
Catch a game with the Hudson Valley Renegades, a Class A, short-season minor league baseball team affiliated with the Tampa Bay Rays. Contests and giveaways make for a fun time and
Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site, Hyde Park
Tour the Vanderbilt Mansion, an example of a gilded-age country place exemplifying the political, economic, and cultural changes that occurred as America industrialized in the years after the Civil War. www.nps.gov/vama/index.htm
Innisfree Garden, Millbrook
Based on principles of Chinese landscape design visitors can explore this150-acre garden dotted with streams, waterfalls, and terraces. www.innisfreegarden.org
Boscobel, Philipstown
Boscobel offers tours of the Neoclassical mansion and access to 68 acres of grounds, featuring lush gardens, a woodland trail, and stunning vistas of Constitution Marsh, Hudson River, and Bear Mountain. https://boscobel.org/
Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival, Philipstown
Enjoy a performance under an open-air tent on the beautiful grounds of Boscobel. https://hvshakespeare.org/visit/boscobel-house-and-gardens/
MANITOGA/The Russel Wright Design, Philipstown
Walkway Over the Hudson, Poughkeepsie
The Poughkeepsie-Highland Railroad Bridge, built in the late 19th century to link New York and New England to the coal beds of Pennsylvania and the West, is a marvel of Industrial Revolution engineering. For walkers, runners, bicyclists, and rollerbladers, it provides a stunning panorama and a connection to 27 miles of rail trails and riverfront parks on either side of the Hudson River. www.walkway.org
Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome, Rhinebeck
Watch an exhilarating airshow or go for a ride over the Hudson River in the open cockpit of a 1929 New Standard D-25. Here visitors can enjoy one of the world’s largest collections of World War I and Golden Age aircraft and antique automobiles. http://www.oldrhinebeck.org
