Page 38 - Dutchess Tourism 2024

OUTDOORS:
A BREATH OF FRESH AIR
OUTDOOR RECREATION
Walkway Over the Hudson, Poughkeepsie
DISC GOLF
Play multiple layouts for up to 24 holes at Beacon Glades Disc Golf Course, designed around an abandoned summer camp with beautiful mountain views. Hackett Hill (Hyde Park) is a dynamic 9-hole wooded course, while Tymor Park’s 9-hole layout in Union Vale features wide-open fairways. For a challenge, tackle the PDGA-rated 27-hole course at Wilcox Memorial Park (Stanfordville).
PICKLEBALL
Quiet Cove Riverfront Park (Poughkeepsie) debuted four brand-new pickleball courts in 2023, including an ADA- accessible court for wheelchair-using players. James Baird State Park (Pleasant Valley) has several courts amidst robust sports activities and trails, including an educational playground. Find three outdoor courts at Staatsburg’s Dinsmore Park.
CAMPING
Malouf’s Mountain Campground (Beacon) is perfect for
the novice camper with no gear and no car — they supply everything needed for a getaway. The Rudd Pond Area at Taconic State Park boasts 15 tent sites and 26 tent platform sites with views of the Taconic Mountain Range, pond and nearby countryside. Similarly, choose from 27 campsites at Wilcox Memorial Park.
SAILING
Sail aboard the Hudson River Sloop Clearwater — a faithful replica of a 19th-century Dutch vessel co-founded by folk music legend and environmental activist Pete Seeger — and learn about the Hudson River and the local environmental movement. Nothing But Time Sailing Charters (Poughkeepsie) serves champagne with sunsets on a 40-foot sailing yacht.
PADDLING
Explore Mills-Norrie State Park on the Hudson River with Atlantic Kayak Tours, launching from Vanderbilt Mansion or Staatsburgh State Historic Site. Paddle through Tivoli Bays, along the shoreline of Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Springwood estate or to Bannerman Castle with The River Connection. Hudson River Expeditions launches explorations of Fishkill Creek and Denning’s Point at Scenic Hudson’s Long Dock Park, just a short walk away from Beacon train station.
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DUTCHESS COUNTY DESTINATION GUIDE
7 GOLF COURSES WHERE YOUR DRIVE WILL BE WORTH THE DRIVE
Dinsmore Golf Course — the third-oldest golf course in the country, found in Mills-Norrie State Park
McCann Memorial Golf Course — conceived by William F. Mitchell in the ‘70s and updated by Stephen Kay in 2001; blind tee shots, water hazards and obstacles
Casperkill Golf Course — beautiful course designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr.
Beekman Golf Course — 27 holes with stunning views of the Berkshire Mountains
The Links at Union Vale — “18 holes of Ireland in Dutchess County”
Dutcher Golf Course — built in the 1890s and one of the oldest public courses in the country
Red Hook Golf Club — player-friendly 18-hole course
Discover more: College Hill, Vassar Golf Course, Dogwood Knolls Golf Course, Par Fore Golf Center,
Fishkill Golf Course and Driving Range
BIKING
Bike shops and rental facilities include Bikeway (Wappingers Falls and Beacon) and City Bike Rentals PK (Poughkeepsie), as well as Pedego (Beacon) for electric bike rentals.
Scan for our Bike Tour Guide featuring trails.