It’s said that home is where the heart is. That’s easy to understand in Tarrytown/Sleepy Hollow. This beautiful Hudson Valley land, just 30 miles north of Manhattan, has been the beloved home of prominent families, artists and authors since Colonial times. Many
historic Hudson Valley estates are open for tours.
This region inspired Washington Irving’s famous tales, including the Legend of Sleepy Hollow. In Tarrytown, you can visit his charming 19th-century home,
Sunnyside. Other local sites from Irving's stories include the
Old Dutch Church Burying Ground and
Rockefeller State Park, where
hiking paths wind through scenic woodlands.
Within walking distance, by way of the
Old Croton Aqueduct Trail, you will find
Lyndhurst, one of America's finest Gothic Revival mansions. Railroad magnate Jay Gould purchased the estate in 1880 as a retreat from the pressures of business life. The grounds include splendid river views, sweeping lawns, and the nation's first steel-framed conservatory, a technological marvel in its time.
In Sleepy Hollow, you can tour
Kykuit, the Rockefeller Estate. The expansive gardens contain an extraordinary collection of 20th-century sculpture by artists such as Pablo Picasso and Alexander Calder. Nearby,
Philipsburg Manor, a family farming estate in the mid-1700s, provides a fascinating contrast.
Along with rich history, Tarrytown has unique festivals, antique shops, art galleries and restaurants. At Sleepy Hollow’s
Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture, a sustainable farm and education center, you can tour the gardens and dine on fresh local fare at the
Blue Hill Restaurant. The landmark Tarrytown Music Hall presents concerts throughout the year.
With so much to see and do in the area, you'll want to stay a while. Reviews say guests are treated like royalty at the
Castle-on-the-Hudson, a replica of an early Norman style castle.