Things To Do

New York

Kykuit, the Rockefeller Estate

All Kykuit tours originate from the Visitor Center at Philipsburg Manor and include a shuttle bus ride to the estate. Do not type “Kykuit” into your GPS, as it will not bring you to the right location.

Rockefeller State Park Preserve

The Preserve offers quiet countryside walks of all lengths through 1700 acres of forested hills and valleys surrounded by sunlit pastoral fields. The property, which is managed by NYS Parks & Recreation, is the former Pocantico Hills and Rockwood Hall country estates of John D. Rockefeller. The Preserve is free and open to the public year-round, sunrise to sunset. The trails of the Preserve are crushed stone carriage roads laid out by John D. Rockefeller Sr. and Jr. in the first half of the 20th century. Designed to complement the landscape, the 45 miles of scenic carriage roads are wide and easy to walk. Popular for walking, riding, jogging, and carriage driving, combinations of trails lead through varied landscapes and past natural and historical features, such as Swan Lake, the Pocantico River with its wood and stone bridges, gurgling streams, colonial stone walls and rock outcroppings. Trail maps of the carriage roads are available at the Preserve Office.

Washington Irving's Sunnyside

In 1835, Washington Irving (author of such classics as “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” and “Rip Van Winkle”) bought a two-room Dutch stone house on the banks of the Hudson. He expanded and extensively remodeled the building, adding Tudor-style clustered chimneys, Dutch stepped gables, Gothic windows, and a Spanish tower. Irving also made the grounds more picturesque, planting trees in carefully chosen locations and creating hills, a pond, and a meandering stream with a waterfall. Today, both the house and grounds have been restored to look much as they did in the 1850s. Many of the original furnishings remain, while the wisteria vine Irving planted by the front door continues to bloom each spring. Winding trails throughout the estate afford superb vistas of the river and the landscape, and visitors can walk between Sunnyside and Lyndhurst via the Old Croton Aqueduct Trail.

Old Croton Aqueduct Trail & Lyndhurst Riverwalk

In 1968, the year Karen and John Mackie were born, NYS purchased 26.2 miles of the original 41-mile Old Croton Aqueduct from New York City. The Aqueduct is a linear park which runs from Van Cortlandt Park at the Bronx County/City of Yonkers border to the Croton Dam in Cortlandt. The scenic path over the underground aqueduct winds through urban centers and small communities. It passes near numerous historic sites, preserves, a museum highlighting the construction of the Aqueduct, and many homes. One of those historic sites is Lyndhurst, a spectacular Gothic Revival Mansion (admission fee) overlooking the Hudson River. At the foot of the Lyndhurst Estate is access to a newly-opened section of the Hudson Riverwalk, with scenic views of the Hudson and Tappan Zee Bridge. The park is primarily for walking, running, and biking.

Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge

The Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge Path welcomes runners, bikers, walkers, and commuters alike. The 3.6 mile 12-foot wide shared use path is located on the northern side of the westbound span and features six scenic overlooks, interpretive displays, and public art across its length. Whether you're looking for a new trail connection for your weekend bike ride, or an alternate way to get to work, find your own path here.