The long wall of the Catskill escarpment across the valley, seen from Olana

Waterfront & Attractions

14 places 7 towns $16 one-time

The Hudson Valley waterfront runs through seven towns, each with its own reason to claim a riverside. Cold Spring's Main Street ends at a 19th-century gazebo facing the water. Kingston's Rondout waterfront holds a working boat school and a museum with an old steamboat. Beacon's Long Dock Park sits on a former rail-car ferry terminal, now a 19-acre park with public art. Peekskill and Tarrytown both turned industrial waterfronts into gathering spaces: one a sculpture walk, the other home to a Saturday farmers market. The category includes nature centers where you can hand-feed peacocks and alpacas, a cruising boat that narrates the river's history from Rondout lighthouses to riverside estates, and museums housed in restored downtown buildings. These places cluster along the river itself or within walking distance, many free to enter. Most work well for families and picnics.

What we thought of each of these 14 places is in the guide. $16 for all 460 places.

Waterfront & Attractions 14 places

Cold Spring

Cold Spring Village & Main Street

Cold Spring's Main Street slopes a half-mile to a gazebo on the Hudson with West Point views; the village is built on the river's deepest point.

Cost: Free (shopping/dining costs vary)
Hours: Year-round; individual shops vary
Season: Year-round; best in fall for foliage, summer-fall for river scenery

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Kingston

Forsyth Nature Center

Kingston's Forsyth Nature Center: free since 1936, 24 exhibits on 18.5 acres where you hand-feed peacocks, goats, and alpacas with carrots and lettuce.

Cost: Free (donations accepted)
Hours: Daily 9am–5pm
Access: Wheelchair-accessible paths and grounds; accessible bathrooms (solar composting toilets); stroller-friendly

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Kingston

Hudson River Maritime Museum

Hudson River Maritime Museum in Kingston: working boat school with steamship and ice-harvesting exhibits, plus solar tour boats on the Rondout waterfront.

Cost: $10 adults, $7 seniors (62+), $6 kids 6–18, free under 6; $25 family rate (2 adults + kids); free with a Solaris cruise ticket
Hours: Mon 11:00 AM–5:00 PM; Wed–Sun 11:00 AM–6:00 PM; Closed Tuesdays. Summer hours: Mon 11 AM–5 PM, Wed–Sun 11 AM–6 PM. Guided tours Fri–Sun at 1:00 PM.
Access: Waterfront location at Rondout Landing; check for accessibility details on website

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Beacon

Long Dock Park

Long Dock in Beacon: a 19-acre park on a former ferry terminal with a George Trakas sculpture and kayak rentals off the cove for exploring the Hudson.

Cost: Free
Hours: Daily 6:00 AM–8:00 PM (summer hours); check website for seasonal adjustments
Access: Well-maintained paved and gravel paths; accessible parking; restrooms and pavilion available

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Sleepy Hollow

Sleepy Hollow Cemetery

Sleepy Hollow Cemetery: Washington Irving and Gilded Age fortunes buried in grand tombs, including one with Manhattan skyline stained glass.

Cost: Free admission; guided tours available for fee
Hours: Daily 8:00am–4:30pm (Mon–Fri), 8:30am–4:30pm (Sat–Sun)
Season: Year-round (365 days)
Access: Grounds are drivable and walkable; some paths unpaved

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Kingston

Stockade District (Uptown Kingston)

Kingston's Stockade District: eight walkable blocks of 1700s buildings including the 1777 Senate House where New York's first capital was established.

Cost: Free to explore; restaurants/shops vary
Hours: Self-guided, 24/7; business hours vary by shop/restaurant
Access: Walkable neighborhood with bluestone sidewalks; various shops and restaurants with street parking and public lots

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Free to read

Great Beacon

Bannerman Castle (Pollepel Island)

A Scottish arms dealer's mail-order warehouse, built to look like a medieval fortress and lit up like a billboard for his surplus catalog, now a half-ruined island you reach only by a 30-minute boat ride up through the Hudson Highlands.

Cost: $$
Hours: Seasonal tours (typically May–November); check website for current schedule
Season: May through November (seasonal tours); best in fall for weather and foliage
Access: Accessible by boat tour only; some walking on island required

Heads upTours operate seasonally (typically May–November); confirm dates and book in advance. Expect a 30-minute boat ride; weather can affect scheduling. The island involves some walking on uneven terrain. Bring water and sun protection. The castle itself is partially restored; some areas are off-limits. Photography is allowed. Metro-North Beacon Station is a short walk from the boat launch.

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Kingston

Hudson River Cruises — Rip Van Winkle II

The Rip Van Winkle II in Kingston offers 90-minute Hudson River cruises past two lighthouses, old estates, and Catskill views from the Rondout waterfront.

Cost: $$ (varies by cruise type)
Hours: Mon-Sun 8am-5pm (ticket office); cruises seasonal May-October
Season: May through October
Access: Fully wheelchair accessible, three decks with enclosed and open seating

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Peekskill

Peekskill Riverfront Green Park

Peekskill's Riverfront Green Park: a former industrial waterfront turned sculpture walk with Emil Alzamora's bronze family and a kinetic dragonfly.

Cost: Free
Hours: Dawn to dusk, year-round
Season: Year-round
Access: Wheelchair accessible; free parking

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Poughkeepsie

Cunneen-Hackett Arts Center

Cunneen-Hackett Arts Center in Poughkeepsie: three rotating galleries and a 200-seat theater inside two restored 1880s buildings downtown.

Cost: Admission varies by event; many exhibits and receptions free
Hours: Office hours Mon–Fri 9am–5pm; events/performances weekends (see calendar)
Access: Wheelchair accessible

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Peekskill

Lincoln Depot Museum

Lincoln Depot Museum in Peekskill marks where the president-elect and his funeral train both stopped; exhibits include rare life masks and artifacts.

Cost: Free
Hours: Sat 1pm-4pm, Sun 1pm-4pm; closed weekdays
Season: Seasonal: roughly May through late November, closed in winter
Access: Accessible

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Tarrytown

Patriots Park

Patriots Park in Tarrytown hosts TaSH farmers market with 30-plus vendors Saturday mornings; weekdays offer river views, stone bridges, and playgrounds.

Cost: Free
Hours: 6:00 AM–10:00 PM daily
Season: Year-round
Access: Accessible

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Peekskill

Peekskill Museum

An 1877 Victorian designed by William Rutherford Mead, this Peekskill Museum building displays cast-iron stoves tracing the town's industrial history.

Cost: $
Hours: Sat 1-4pm, appointments available by calling ahead
Access: Accessible

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Poughkeepsie

Waryas Park & Poughkeepsie Waterfront

Waryas Park in Poughkeepsie: nine acres of riverfront with a mosaic whale sculpture kids can climb, picnic tables, and Hudson River views.

Cost: Free
Hours: Daily 7am-9pm
Access: Wheelchair accessible pathways; no restrooms on-site

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Quartz cliffs rising from the still blue water of Lake Mohonk

In the guide

We rated all 14 of these.

The names and the practical detail above are free. The guide adds what we thought of each place, how we rated it and what to watch out for, including the ones we'd tell you not to bother with. It does the same for the other 446 places in the other categories.

You pay once. Access doesn't expire, and anything we add or correct later is included.

Towns covered

BeaconCold SpringKingstonPeekskillPoughkeepsieSleepy HollowTarrytown

More in Hudson Valley Field Guide

Antique Shops & Boutiques Art & Sculpture Parks Breweries Cafes & Bakeries Estates & Historic Homes Family Activities Farmers Markets Farms, Orchards & U-Pick Independent Stores Live Music Venues Nightlife & Indoor Fun Restaurants & Treats Swimming & Beaches Theaters & Performing Arts Trails & Outdoors