We did quite a few old home tours while up in the area and this was easily one of my favorites…read more Guides in period garb explained various portions of the home and answered questions as well. The pace was never hurried or rushed and there was plenty of time for photo opportunities. Unfortunately our day was besieged by high winds, so we didn't explore the grounds much, but the buildings were really fascinating.

Tranquil house out in Sleepy Hallow of the man that made the town famous. Although I think it would…read morebe even more enjoyable near Halloween, this is still a great historical site to learn about Washington Irving as one of the great early American authors. There is a big parking lot then a short trek to the visitor center. The tour groups are small so it can be good to buy tickets online, but we bought them on site with no problem. The gift shop has a lot of great items to peruse while you're waiting. The tour guides dress in period costumes which is a fun touch. Our guide was newish so didn't have all the answers to questions, but she was still pretty knowledgeable. A lot of the items in the house are directly from Irving or his descendants, so it was very informative to learn about his life and his most well-known books. The house has a nice view of the river and makes for a nice walk around the property after when the weather is nice. It's a great site in the Hudson Valley and worth visiting.

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.

It was fall, we were headed up north for apple picking but it was raining, and my girl likes…read moretouring old homes. You do the math... As far as old home tours go, this one was pretty interesting, and our guide was a veritable font of knowledge! Not only about the home, but also the residents and the transitions from one to another, etc. A horror movie was filmed here so that's pretty cool. I watched it once we got home. Sadly, it was not good...

I visited the Armour-Stiner Octagon House, when I drove up to the area from the city last weekend,…read moreand it was a great tour. I had only visited one other octagon house before (Longwood in Natchez, Mississippi), and I'm still fascinated by this architectural trend (apparently octagon houses were big in the 1850s?!). The Armor-Stiner Octagon House is beautiful, and it has such an interesting history. First off, it's the only known fully domed octagonal house, which gives it a very different look from the others. It's also soooo Victorian - with gorgeous paint colors, gingerbread detailing, and veranda. The house was fascinating to tour for many reasons. One is that the house is privately owned. It's owned by the preservationist architect who painstakingly restored the house over several years, but it's open for tours. Another is just that it's an octagonal house - it's only the second I've seen in person. Another is that the house contains some pretty incredible rooms - the Egyptian Revival style music room took my breath away. The last and perhaps most important reason I loved the tour is the story about the Lombardi family and their work to restore the home. From how they found English wool carpets as close as possible to what would have been in the house when it was built to the story about an incredible bed and bedroom set, I was really inspired by how much they loved and honored this home. Our tour guide was lovely - informative, friendly. And the tour was really fascinating. This is definitely worth a stop if you're in the area! If you don't love octagonal houses yet - it might make you love them.

Lyndhurst is a beautiful castle overlooking the Hudson River. It's a three-floor museum that's very…read morewell maintained and preserved. I visited during the flower show, and it made the experience even more special. So many talented floral designers decorated every corner of the mansion, turning the castle into a truly stunning display.

Wow! The Gilded is alive and well at Lyndhurst! Just WOW! The grounds and home are somply…read morestunning. I spent a few hours on the grounds and had a fantastic tour with Charlie. He was most knowledgable about the home having been a docent for 24years. The faux painting is exquisite and makes wood look like marble. The gallery was lovely and learning that the dining room is where they shot the Gilded Age. The grounds are stunningly kept and maintained.

If you want a thorough history of this cool spot, read the previous review. It's excellent and what…read moreinspired me to come visit. As someone who had a grandfather who survived WWII and a great uncle that did not, it was poignant to see such a nice depiction. I'd recommend it to anyone else who had relatives serve for the same reason.

For 1.3 million World War II American soldiers, Piermont, NY was their last stop in the country…read morebefore they sailed across the Atlantic to join the war in Europe. They were housed in nearby Camp Shanks, and on the day they left America to join the war, 40,000 men a month walked down the pier, and boarded either a ship to France or a ferry to New York on their way to England. For many, the walk down the Piermont pier was their final walk on American soil. This striking monument features a statue of a helmeted GI in full uniform. He has a hand grenade and a shovel on his belt, and a sash with many pockets for equipment storage. His right hand is raised in a sign of farewell. His left hand is resting on a stone whose plaque bears the following inscription: Last Stop U.S.A. During World War Two, 40,000 U.S. troops per month, including many Piermont residents, passed this spot enroute to the end of Piermont Pier, the largest port of embarkation on the East Coast, where ships were waiting to transport them to military duty in war-torn Europe. Many of these troops landed on the shores of France where the invasion began on June 6, 1944. Thus this area came to be known as "Last Stop U.S.A." After the war came to a victorious conclusion, some 533,869 men returned home to the U.S.A. first setting foot on their homeland at the end of that same Piermont Pier. "Lest We Forget," many of the men who embarked from Piermont never returned. This plaque is dedicated to the honor of those who served and the sacred memory of those who never returned. Dedicated 1994

The bridge at night is beautiful and such a nice ride as the road is smooth and wide enough to keep…read moreyou feeling safe.

Formerly known as the Tappan Zee Bridge crossing the Hudson River!…read more This bridge has a bus lane , emergency shoulder, as well as a shared lane for pedestrians and cyclists!! Bridge was built to provide a future commuter rail system!!

This was created in 2002 by Richard Masloski. It is a Bronze statue that captures the character…read morecreated by Washington Irving. "Rip Van Winkle depicts the literary character reclining. He has a large beard and crumpled hat and his eyes are half-open as if he has just woken up. His boots and hands blend in with the ground like he has become part of the ground. It is located on Irvington's Main Street under a beech tree between Town Hall and the Main Street School. It was unveiled in Irvington on September 21, 2002."

This is the entrance or welcome center for the Mario Cuomo bridge. There's public bathrooms and…read moreparking. You can see some art and rent electric bikes. It's very clean.

Amazing distillery with with fantastic whiskeys. If you are in the area and looking for something…read moreinteresting to do, this is a good place to visit. I recommend the distillery tour and tasting, as the tour guide is highly knowledgeable about the history of the flour mill and the distillery. The tasting is an excellent way to sample some of the fantastic whiskeys, so you can decide which ones you want to buy.

Great experience. Amazing staff! This is our second time visiting the distillery and doing the…read moretour. We will definitely be back for a third time. Also make sure to try out the food truck it was great!