Dutchess County

Dutchess County is in New York's Hudson Valley.

There is beauty to be seen in Dutchess County in every season: A frozen waterfall of Wappinger Creek

Cities and towns

• 1 Poughkeepsie — the county seat
• 2 Amenia, including 3 Millerton and 4 Millbrook
• 5 Beacon
• 6 Fishkill
• 7 Hyde Park — home of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library & Museum
• 8 Rhinebeck
• 9 Red Hook

Understand

Tourist information

• Dutchess County Tourism website

Get in

By plane

• Stewart International Airport, 1180 First St, New Windsor, +1 845 564-2100. The closest major airport is across the river from Beacon, but it receives few direct flights flights major destinations.
• Westchester County Airport, 240 Airport Road, White Plains, +1 914-995-4860 (airlines). Two counties away, but an alternative to the congestion of the 3 major international airports around New York City. Rental cars available.
• Newark Liberty International Airport, Newark, New Jersey, John F. Kennedy International Airport, and LaGuardia Airport: Livery cars offer service to and from 3 major international airports. Metro-North Railroad and Amtrak offer rail links to Dutchess County.

By car

Taconic State Parkway runs through the center of the county and connects Albany and the I90 east-west portion of the Thruway system to New York City via the Saw Mill River and the Henry Hudson Parkways.

By train

• Metro-North Railroad - Hudson line. There is service between New York City's Grand Central Terminal and Beacon, New Hamburg, and Poughkeepsie. On-board train fares are subject to a stiff surcharge, so buy your tickets at the station or at the vending machines located on the platform.
• Metro-North Railroad -Harlem line. There is service between New York City's Grand Central Terminal and Pawling, Appalachian Trail flag stop (limited service, but convenient for hikers), Harlem Valley-Wingdale, Dover Plains, Tenmile River, and Wassaic. On-board train fares are subject to a stiff surcharge, so buy your tickets at the station or at the vending machines on the platform.
• Amtrak,. Runs on the Hudson River side of the county. Long distance connections are available at Metro-North's Poughkeepsie station.

See

In Hyde Park, you can visit several sites related to U.S. history: the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library & Museum, the Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site, the Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site, and the Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site.

Dia:Beacon is the Museum for the Dia Art Foundation's collection of modern art, including works by Andy Warhol, in Beacon.

Wilderstein, in Rhinebeck, is a stunning Queen Anne-style mansion set on park-like grounds designed by Calvert Vaux.

Innisfree Garden in Millbrook between Poughkeepsie and Amenia is a 150-acre garden open to the public with Chinese landscape design.

Do

Follow the Dutchess County Wine Trail. New York state is one of the larger wine producing states in the United States. The Hudson Valley is one of five production regions within the state, and Dutchess County produces some of the best wine in the area. Follow the trail and taste the produce of four wineries:

• Alison Wines & Vineyards in Red Hook
• Cascade Mountain Winery & Restaurant in Amenia
• Clinton Vineyards & Winery in Clinton Corners, near Amenia
• Millbrook Vineyards & Winery in Millbrook, near Amenia

Stay safe

County-wide 911 system for summoning emergency assistance. Dutchess County encompasses some of the safest areas in the United States and is a safe place to visit.

Connect

Most of the county is in telephone area code 845. The northeastern portion of the county uses the 518 area code.

Go next

The Berkshires of western Massachusetts and the Catskills of New York state are within driving distance. New York City is a train ride away.