If you’ve ever dreamed of wandering through grand ballrooms or secret passageways, then get ready…
The Hudson Valley is packed with some of the most incredible mansions and castles in New York.
We’re talking about gilded palaces with gold-trimmed ceilings, crumbling ruins on tiny islands, and hilltop estates with views so stunning they belong in a painting.
Some were built by the richest families in America, others by eccentric dreamers with a love for history, and every single one has a story that’s almost as wild as the architecture itself.
So grab your camera and get ready for the ultimate road trip through the Hudson Valley’s most jaw-dropping castles and mansions.
1. Lyndhurst Mansion
Lyndhurst Mansion in Tarrytown looks like something straight out of a gothic novel, with towering turrets, dramatic archways, and a massive front lawn that practically begs for a picnic.
Completed in 1842, this sprawling mansion sits right on the Hudson River and is packed with stained glass windows, intricate wood carvings, and multiple chandeliers.
It’s been home to some seriously rich and famous folks—including railroad tycoon Jay Gould.
Today, you can tour its grand rooms, wander the 67-acre estate, and even spot it in productions like House of Dark Shadows (1970) and the TV series The Gilded Age.
Please note that it’s open seasonally from April through December.
2. Kykuit, The Rockefeller Estate
Kykuit, The Rockefeller Estate, takes luxury to a whole new level, sitting high on a hill in Sleepy Hollow with jaw-dropping views of the Hudson River.
Built by oil tycoon John D. Rockefeller in the early 1900s, this place is packed with fine art, underground passages, and gardens so perfectly manicured they look like they belong in a royal palace.
From the Picasso tapestries inside to the grand fountains and sculptures outside, every inch of Kykuit screams elegance.
If you take a tour, you’ll even get a peek into the Rockefellers’ private life—including their insanely fancy carriages and vintage cars.
Just be aware that the estate is open to the public for guided tours from May through November—be sure to check online before planning a visit.
3. Bannerman Castle
Bannerman Castle might look like the ruins of a medieval fortress, but it’s actually the remains of a giant weapons warehouse sitting on a tiny island in the middle of the Hudson River.
Built in the early 1900s by military surplus dealer Francis Bannerman, this crumbling castle on Pollepel Island once stored everything from cannons to gunpowder.
Today, you can take a boat ride out to the island, wander through the ivy-covered ruins, and hear wild stories about explosions, abandoned stockpiles, and the eccentric man who built a castle just to stash his leftover war supplies.
Please note that the castle normally closes during winter and typically reopens from May through October.
4. Mohonk Mountain House
Mohonk Mountain House looks like a fairytale hotel dropped right onto the edge of a cliff, with its massive Victorian-style towers, wraparound porches, and a lake so still it looks like glass.
Built in 1869, this legendary resort in New Paltz has hosted everyone from rock stars to U.S. presidents, offering 85 miles of hiking trails and a dreamy mountaintop spa.
Spend your time kayaking on the lake, exploring the famous Lemon Squeeze rock scramble, or just sip tea on the porch with a front-row view of the Catskills.
5. Vanderbilt Mansion
Vanderbilt Mansion in Hyde Park is basically a Gilded Age flex, with its massive marble columns, gold-trimmed everything, and a super fancy riverside lawn.
Built in the late 1800s as a “summer home” (because why have just one mansion?), this 54-room estate was the getaway spot for Frederick Vanderbilt.
Vanderbilt filled it with European art, silk-covered walls, and a dining room that could host the most over-the-top dinner parties.
Now part of a national historic site, you can tour the mansion, stroll through the Italian-style gardens, and soak in the same Hudson River views that made the Vanderbilts—and pretty much everyone else—fall in love with the place.
6. Staatsburgh State Historic Site
Staatsburgh State Historic Site feels like it belongs in The Great Gatsby, with its grand Beaux-Arts mansion and sweeping river views.
Once the country home of Ruth and Ogden Mills, this 79-room estate is packed with crystal chandeliers, velvet drapes, and elaborately decorated ceilings.
Today, you can tour the mansion, learn all about the high-society parties that once filled its halls, and walk the neat grounds that still feel like they belong to New York’s elite.
Just a heads-up! The mansion is usually open from late April through October but the grounds surrounding the mansion are open to the public year-round from dawn to dusk.
7. Wing’s Castle
Wing’s Castle is not some centuries-old fortress—it’s a one-of-a-kind dream house built almost entirely from salvaged materials by two artists with a serious love for medieval architecture.
Perched on a hill in Millbrook, this funky, hand-built castle is made from old bricks, scrap metal, and other salvaged materials, giving it an unusual patchwork look that’s straight out of a fantasy novel.
You can stay overnight in one of its eclectic, antique-filled rooms or just soak in the amazing Hudson Valley views from a castle unlike anything else in New York.
8. Montgomery Place
Built in 1805 and later owned by the Livingston family, this estate in Red Hook is filled with landscaped gardens, shady walking trails, and even a waterfall hidden in the woods.
Now part of Bard College, this historic estate features a mansion that blends Federal and Classical Revival styles, surrounded by rolling meadows, orchards, and some of the most peaceful river views in the Hudson Valley.
Whether you’re wandering through the apple orchards or just soaking up the quiet, Montgomery Place is all about classic charm and laid-back beauty.
Please note that, at the time of writing, tours of the mansion are suspended for preservation work. However, the grounds are still open to the public.
9. Clermont State Historic Site
Clermont State Historic Site is all about Revolutionary War history, riverfront views, and one seriously powerful family—the Livingstons, who helped shape America while living in style on this gorgeous Hudson Valley estate.
Built in the 1700s and rebuilt after the British burned it down, this riverside mansion in Germantown has hosted founding fathers, steamboat inventors, and generations of Livingstons who somehow made politics and farming look equally glamorous.
Today, you can tour the historic home, stroll through the blooming gardens, and stand on the same bluff where generations of revolutionaries, inventors, and aristocrats once plotted their next big move.
10. Olana State Historic Site
Olana State Historic Site isn’t just a mansion—it’s a full-blown masterpiece, designed by Frederic Church to look like a Persian-inspired castle sitting high above the Hudson.
Located in Greenport, this 19th-century estate is packed with bold colors, intricate stencils, and giant windows framing the same river views that inspired Church’s famous landscape paintings.
You can tour the house, wander the grounds, and soak in the dramatic scenery that makes you want to grab a paintbrush—or at least snap a hundred photos.
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