Travel Photos: Travel Guide to Hyde Park, New York
Former New York City corporate gal, now a dual based photographer in Costa Rica and Savannah, Georgia. In my whole “About” section, I forgot to mention where I grew up. Can you take a guess? Don’t let the blonde hair and surfer girl image fool you – – California is the wrong answer! New Jersey! I grew up in Northern New Jersey, about 30 miles outside of the best city in the world, New York City. The majority people I meet can’t believe I am a Jersey girl because, A) I don’t have a “Jersey accent”, B) being a tall blonde surfer, I fit right in with those Southern California girls. Well, what most people don’t know, especially those who have never been to New Jersey, is that NJ is an extremely beautiful state, with hundreds of miles of beaches, farmland, forests, and you don’t pump your gas in NJ! Heck yea!
So whenever I get a chance to visit my old stomping grounds, which includes the NY-NJ-CT tri-state area, especially during the summer time, I am ever-so-ecstatic. With my former college basketball teammate’s wedding in Philadelphia last month, I took an extra couple of days to jaunt around the NYC area, visiting my oldest brother Lee with my parents and hanging out with old friends. Some of these old friends have known me since I was a baby! The only thing missing was my Chihuahua Gidget, who was in amazing hands with Auntie Cristina back in Costa Rica. I know, I know Ms. Gidget comes everywhere with me, but it wouldn’t have been fair to her as I was jumping around so much, staying in one place for sometimes only a night. She for sure wouldn’t have been going on many dog walks with all the travel I was doing!
So where did I go? Let’s rephrase that, where didn’t I go?!?! I covered so much ground on my trip and as result have so many photos, so stay tuned for several more posts to come! First up is Hyde Park, New York, which I can’t believe it took me until moving to another country to come back and visit the awesome National Historic Sites in this town!
Things to Do in Hyde Park:
- Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site and FDR Presidential Library: FDR’s birthplace, home, and site of his presidential library. I suggest taking a weekend or two days as there is so much to learn and see.
- Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site, Val Kill: Eleanor Roosevelt’s home, located a couple of miles from FDR’s home.
- Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site: Take a your of a beautiful home from America’s Gilded-Age. If visiting during the warmer months, plan your visit in the morning as the house is not air-conditioned.
- Walkway Over the Hudson in Poughkeepsie, NY: Pedestrian bridge over the Hudson River created from a former railroad bridge. 10 minute drive from Hyde Park.
Places to Eat in Hyde Park:
- Hyde Park Brewing Company: Really good craft beer, amazing food that is sourced locally, great service. If you love sausages, you must try their beer bratwurst, kielbasa, and knockwurst!
- The Poughkeepsie Grind: I went 15 minutes out of my way just to get a great latte from this coffee shop. ‘Nuff said!
- Coppola’s: My rule of thumb is you can tell a good Italian restaurant by their white pizza and Coppola’s didn’t dissapooint. I’m still dreaming of how good that pizza was…
- Yogurt Berry for bubble tea: All I needed to see was a sign for bubble tea and I had my father turn the car around. So, so, sooooo good!
