Family-Friendly Attractions in the Mid-Hudson Valley, New York

When we hear the words “New York,” most of us think immediately of NYC, but just north of the city there are many family-friendly attractions in the Mid-Hudson Valley area. The state of New York is beautiful and has so much to offer outside of the city. The Hudson Valley area is easy to access from the other mid-Atlantic states, and there are many natural attractions as well as noteworthy landmarks in art and history there. Here are a few of our favorites that make up a great Hudson Valley itinerary.

Walk Across the Hudson in the Mid-Hudson Valley

The Walkway Over the Hudson is a fun way to appreciate the view from the middle of the Hudson River. When we visited, we started in Highland, NY, at the start of the “rail trail” and made our way across the pedestrian bridge to the other side of the Hudson in Poughkeepsie, NY.

Dogs (on a 6 foot leash) are welcome. The wind really whips in the middle! The bridge is a little over a mile long – one of the longest elevated pedestrian bridges in the world. It is open every day from 7AM to sunset. Visit this website for detailed parking information.

If you’re up for an even longer walk, the Walkway Loop Trail is about 4 and a half miles and crosses the beautiful Mid-Hudson Bridge as well as the Walkway Over the Hudson. It traverses the towns in between on either side of the river, passing restaurants and shops where you can stop for a bite or a buy.

On the Poughkeepsie side of the river just below the bridge sits the Mid-Hudson Discovery Museum, a children’s museum with a science center, art studio and lots of imaginary play stations for younger children. Admission is $15 per person and hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 9:30 to 5, and Sundays, 11 to 5. Hours may vary by season, so check the website for most up-to-date info.

Family-friendly State Parks in the Mid-Hudson Valley

There are 22 state parks in the Hudson Valley area of New York! Below are the two that we visited and enjoyed during our visit.

Bear Mountain State Park is an hour or so north of the city. It is big enough to spread out, and has attractions to interest family members of any age. There is a small zoo, a Merry-go-round, a Playground, and even an antique but functional Merry-go-Round. Check here to see if it’s open before you visit if this is on your list of things to do. All of this can be reached easily from the main entrance and parking lot at the lodge.

You can also hike or drive to the mountain top at Perkin’s Peek. We drove there in April and found it snowing with a wicked wind. It was invigorating to run to the viewing tower and the views at the top were worth the climb. Visiting later in the spring or summer would probably have allowed us to stay a bit longer!

Minnewaska State Park is about 45 minutes west of the Hudson, but had to be included as it is our favorite park in NY. Minnewaska is full of natural wonders. $10 per vehicle gives you access to the park. Awosting Falls are a short hike from the lower lot, perfect for young families. However, you can go right up to the edge of the falls at the top (terrifying!). So keep dogs (and small children) tightly leashed. You can also make your way down to the bottom to get a better view and dip your toes in the water.

There are several beautiful mountain lakes. Go to the visitor’s center to see the jewel blue Lake Minnewaska right in back of it, surrounded by rock ledges and foliage. It is breathtaking. On the western side of the park, Sam’s Point overlook, and several interesting ice caves are worth a visit. Also located here are Verkeerder Falls, which are even higher than Niagara!

Family Attractions in Hyde Park in the Mid-Hudson Valley

Hyde Park is a town in the MId-Hudson Valley in Dutchess County, NY known for several family-friendly attractions.

Springwood and the Museum and Library of FDR includes the grounds, mansion, library and museum of Franklin D. Roosevelt. You can easily spend half a day here, depending on the attention spans of your youngest family members. The resting place of the Roosevelts sits beneath a simple white headstone in the middle of a large flower garden behind the library. Visit the stables to see the names of his horses, and you’ll see the stable formerly belonging to “New Deal.”

The Vanderbilt Estate is an impressive, gilded-age mansion right across the street from Springwood. The grounds are just as impressive as the mansion. The grounds and views make it worth a visit, even if the mansion is closed. Tours of the mansion are $10 per person, and the grounds are free. There is an Italian Garden complete with fountains. Benches provide a space to sit and take in the Hudson in from the mansion’s back yard. Because the estate is so close to Springwood, both visits can be done easily in a day.

For additional stops north and south of this area on a Hudson Valley road trip, check out this post.