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 a fireworks are displayed after Friday night games. https://www.milb.com/hudson-valley/tickets

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

Manitoga was the estate and modernist home of industrial designer Russel Wright. A variety of tours are offered of his house, studio, and grounds. Inspirational, his vision integrates Japanese design and the juxtaposition of natural and synthetic materials. https://www.visitmanitoga.org/

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

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