Poughkeepsie, New York is a small city of roughly 30,000 people on the eastern shore of the Hudson River. It's the northern terminus of the Metro North Commuter Railroad into New York City. The Bardavon 1869 Opera House provides many cultural events throughout the year, namely concerts from the Hudson Valley Philharmonic, opera productions, and plays. For many years, the city was one of the main hubs of IBM Corporation.
The city sprang up in the 1600s, so there is much history to experience. No fewer than seven historic districts lie within the city and the neighboring Town of Poughkeepsie. These districts feature colonial homes and other buildings that were restored about 15 years ago. They appear now just as they did nearly 400 years ago. If you appreciate fine art, then a trip to the Frances Lehman Loeb Art Center is on order as its 21,000 exhibits are diverse and enchanting. You can also visit the home of Samuel Morse, who invented Morse Code. The old railroad bridge over the Hudson River has been converted into a lovely walkway, the views from which are stunning up and down the river.
When it comes to sports, the Hudson Valley Renegades, a Class-A minor-league baseball team affiliated with the New York Yankees, call Poughkeepsie home. The Mid-Hudson Civic Center hosts lower-card professional wrestling even though the WWE no longer holds its events there. In the past, Poughkeepsie, New York was hailed as the rowing capital of the world, and the area colleges and high schools use the century-old facilities to hold their regattas to this day.
Campgrounds Near Poughkeepsie, New York
The Sylvan Lake Beach Park is in Hopewell Junction, which is just about 12 miles from Poughkeepsie. The beach is no longer a public beach and is only open to visitors to the campground. The campground has 65 RV sites with full hookups available. There are 13 rustic campsites as well. There is a three-night minimum. For long-term campers, monthly rates are available. You do have to pay metered charges for electricity.
Just about an hour west of Poughkeepsie, you'll find the Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park Camp-Resort and Lazy River. The campground has 181 RV sites with full hookups. Some even have concrete pads. The sites at this campground are outfitted with cable TV in addition to electricity, water, and sewer. As a family-friendly place, the campground provides an 18-hold mini-golf course and playgrounds and is even soon starting laser tag.
If you drive an hour north, you will find the Brook n Wood Family Campground, which has both 125 RV campsites and 30 tent-only campsites. There is a volleyball court, a playground, a heated pool, and other sports-related amenities. Pets are allowed at the campground, but there are certain areas that are pet-free.
State Parks Near Poughkeepsie, New York
Just over the border in Connecticut, you can visit Macedonia Brook State Park. The park has both easy and moderately difficult hiking trails. The easiest ones are flat, and the toughest one gains almost 1,600 feet of altitude. In all, there are 10 miles of trails available. If you fish, then you can stop along one of your hikes and drop a line if you have a New York State fishing license. The view from Cobble Mountain is a top destination in the park.
Bear Mountain State Park is 5,000 acres of woods and hills along the Palisades Parkway just 31 miles from Poughkeepsie, New York. The hiking within the park ranges from the easy Hessian Lake paved trail to the extremely challenging Popolopen Trail that crosses the Appalachian Trail and climbs more than 500 feet extremely rapidly. You can fish, birdwatch, and boat within the park as well. During the winter, ice skating is a popular pastime on the park's lakes, and the hiking trails become snowshoeing challenges.
It's also just over 30 miles to Lake Taghkanic State Park. Take a paddle boat out into the lake during the summer and skate or ice fish upon it in winter. If you love a picnic, then the rentable pavilion and the grounds surrounding it are just the spots for you. If you're tech-savvy, you can download the park's hiking trail map to your phone. The trails are both color-coded by difficulty and laid out in an easy-to-read format. For swimmers, there is a small beach for summer sunbathing.
National Sites Near Poughkeepsie, New York
Franklin Delano Roosevelt's home in Hyde Park, New York is just a couple of miles from Poughkeepsie. For an easy hike, stroll along the same path Eleanor used when she took her dogs for a walk. There are two other easy trails that wander through the woods near the river. The former four-term president used to grow trees on this property, and you can see them along the Farm Lane Trail. Roosevelt's Presidential Library is on the grounds, as well, so it's easy to while away an afternoon reading while visiting.
Just up the road from the Roosevelt home is the Vanderbilt Mansion, which was home to the famous family until the government bought it from Gloria Vanderbilt for $1 to settle the family's tax problems. The estate is right on the Hudson River, and picnicking on the grounds is quite popular. You can tour the home and experience the exceptional luxury of a bygone era. The hiking trails on the 400-acre property go by gardens, ponds, and even Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt's private cottage retreat.
It's only 40 miles to the Thomas Cole National Historical Site. The Hudson River School painters founded their style of art there in about 1815. Today, you can tour both the museum dedicated to their work and the surrounding countryside, which includes Rip Van Winkle Bridge and Beattie-Powers Place. The hiking in the area is tough, with many steep hills and rocky terrain. The Kaaterskill Falls Trail leads to the tallest waterfall in New York State.
National Forests Near Poughkeepsie, New York
Green Mountain National Forest is 94 miles away in Vermont. There are 2,000 or so archaeological sites within the forest to explore. The best time to visit the forest is in the autumn when you can take foliage tours to experience the color of a New England fall. Hiking trails of all levels wend their way through the forest. The most popular is the 14-mile-long North Bourne Pond Loop, which is a difficult trail that rises nearly 2,000 feet.
The Finger Lakes National Forest lies 222 miles to the west of Poughkeepsie, New York. The Interloken Trail, an 11-mile moderate hike, is the most popular of the many miles of trails through the forest. Be sure to have sturdy hiking boots because the terrain is uneven on this trail. If you bring your handheld GPS, you can search out all the geocaches within the forest. Bring your binoculars, too, because birdwatching is fabulous in this forest.
New Hampshire's White Mountain National Forest is 260 or so miles away. It sprawls over 800,000 acres and contains a great amount of wildlife, so bring your camera to capture your favorite shots. If mountain hiking is on your list, then the Caps Ridge Trail is just right for you. It starts at more than 3,000 feet of altitude and climbs nearly that much across 5.3 miles. The trail might be inaccessible during certain times of the year because of inclement weather. Fishing and boating are also popular within the forest during appropriate seasons.
