Things To Do In The Area
Cultural Activities
The Hudson Valley, extending 150 miles from the northern tip of Manhattan, is so rich in history and culture that it has been designated as a National Heritage Area. National Geographic Traveler called it one of the top 20 destinations in the world for 2013.
Along the Hudson River near Reynolds Hills are the towns of Peekskill, Garrison and Cold Spring. Artists have added vitality to these once thriving industrial towns.
Peekskill has cafes, restaurants ranging from casual to fine dining, a lively art scene, and a weekly farmer’s market. The historic Paramount Hudson Valley Theater is a completely restored 1930’s movie palace, which is now a venue for a variety of live performances as well as film. The Hudson Valley Center for Contemporary Art, Open Artist Studio days, and various ethnic festivals at the riverfront are some of the things you can do locally. With their beer currently served in hot spots all over NYC, the Peekskill Brewery is a rising star. And the Peekskill Coffee House is a popular gathering spot.
The nearby historic mansion Boscobel in Garrison offers an outdoor summer Shakespeare Festival on its beautiful grounds. Graymoor, run by Franciscan Friars, has a great thrift shop in an old stone house. Dragon Rock, the designer Russel Wright’s former home and studio, can be toured. Cold Spring is well known for its many antique stores.
Further north is DIA:Beacon, an expansive museum of contemporary art in a former factory. The many restaurants at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park are not to be missed!
We also must mention the many musical performances at the Caramoor Center for Music and Arts and the charming Katonah Art Museum, both east of Reynolds Hills in Northern Westchester. The well-known Jacob Burns Film Center in Pleasantville has the latest in foreign and indy films.
There are a multitude of historic mansions to be explored along the Hudson River, and also Revolutionary War sites, the military academy at West Point, Storm King Art Center with its outdoor sculptures, the yearly Clearwater music festival in Croton Point Park, etc., etc.
Outdoor Activities
Our property is directly adjacent to the Blue Mountain Reservation, a Westchester County park with lakes, hiking, mountain biking and picnic facilities. People enjoy swimming at Croton Point Park and in the lake in Bear Mountain/Harriman Parks. The Rail to Trail Conservancy paths provide easy walks.
In addition, our northern Westchester location gives us proximity to many of the lowerand mid-Hudson Valley’s best hiking spots. Staying on the east side of the river, a 25 minute drive brings you to Mount Taurus and the challenging Breakneck Ridge, one of the highest rated hikes in the country. About five minutes further north is the city of Beacon, with more great hiking on Mount Beacon.
Bear Mountain State Park, a few minutes away from Peekskill on the other side of the Hudson, is an historic hiking locale, popular with swimmers, boaters and picnickers. A little farther west is the expansive Harriman State Park, with 52,000 acres of forest land and almost 250 miles of hiking trails.
The Annsville Creek Paddlesport Center was the first kayak and canoe center on the Hudson River, where they currently offer kayak tours and lessons. When former Governor Pataki designated this three-acre site as part of the sprawling Hudson Highlands State Park, he declared it would provide “spectacular access to the water” for recreational boaters. It does, and it’s just a few minutes down Route 9 from Reynolds Hills. Other beautiful recreational areas include Rockland Lake State Park, Teatown Lake Reservation and the Schunemunk Mountain State Park. The Croton Gorge Park is a beautiful site for a picnic and a hike to the New Croton Reservoir. Construction of the dam began in the 1890s, and it was the tallest dam in the world at the time of its completion in 1906.