Page 43 - Busienss Council of Westchster - Relocation & Moving Guide 2020

DUTCHESS COUNTY
In the heart of the Hudson Valley, Dutchess County has a reputation for attracting students— Bard, Vassar, Dutchess Community College, and Marist, which debuted its new Steel Plant fashion studio and makerspace in 2019, are all within its borders. The county is also a draw for young families from NYC. (Don’t worry seniors; new community centers and recreation programs make this a good place to retire, too.) Metro-North and Amtrak connect destinations like Beacon, Hyde Park, Poughkeepsie, and Rhinebeck, which boast big-ticket historic, cultural, and culinary attractions. New and forthcoming openings in Dutchess include a sake brewery at the Culinary Institute of America (CIA), a $300 mixed-use retail/residential “redevelopment” on the former IBM campus in East Fishkill, and the opening of the luxurious Mirbeau Inn & Spa in Rhinebeck.
Hudson Valley Hot-Air Balloon Festival
T he Hyde Park-based CIA culti- vates talented graduates who often go on to enhance the rich dining culture of the county. Beyond excellent cuisine, Dutchess also serves up some of valley’s finest suds from breweries such as Hudson Valley Brewery, Plan Bee Farm Brewery, and
Sloop Brewing Co.
From window-shopping in picturesque
Rhinebeck to viewing world-class art- work at Dia:Beacon and admiring the view from the Walkway Over the Hudson in Poughkeepsie, there are activities for ev- ery taste in Dutchess County. Visit the Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site in Hyde Park and then stop by the Vanderbilt Mansion, one of the region’s oldest Hudson River estates.
Outdoor recreation in the couty in- cludes biking, hiking, horseback riding,
golf, kayaking, and more. The Dutchess County Fairgrounds is home to one of the best county fairs in the state, as well as many other events including the Hudson Valley Hot-Air Balloon Festival. To get the complete Hudson Valley experience, visit the many family-owned farms for pick-your-own produce, farm stands, and seasonal festivals such as the Fall Festival at Barton Orchards in Poughquag.
For a thrilling Halloween experience, attempt Kevin McCurdy’s Haunted Mansion in Wappingers Falls, known
as one of the most interactive scream parks around. In Kingston, the annual Sinterklaas Send-off Celebration will usher in the holidays with puppetry, music, and a parade, while Candlelight Tours at Clermont State Historic Site in Germantown will have you cherishing the beauty of the holiday season.
The Culinary Institute of America
Dutchess County Fairgrounds
Did you know?
In 1944, there were two opposing presidential candidates with homes in Dutchess County: Franklin D. Roosevelt of Hyde Park and Thomas E. Dewey of Pawling. As we well know, incumbent Roosevelt won.
LIVING IN WESTCHESTER AND THE HUDSON VALLEY | RELOCATION & MOVING GUIDE 33
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