Anjanette

Poughkeepsie is a both a town and a city and although it is practically impossible to talk about one without mentioning the offerings of the other, they do have their own individual governments.

The 31.2 square mile town lays claim to Vassar College, Marist College and Dutchess Community College and therefore has an abundance of educational and cultural opportunities and entertainment experiences. Vassar College alone has both the Frances Lehman Loeb Art Center which houses and displays over 15,000 impressive works of art as well as the incomparable Powerhouse Theater which is a partnership between the college and New York City’s renowned New York Stage and Film. The theatre presents top-notch plays and musicals, many of which feature major Broadway and motion picture stars.

The town of Poughkeepsie has a pretty well-developed parks and rec program with two solid day camps that offer arts and crafts, performing arts, games, sports and nature activities. There is little league, youth baseball and a soccer club. They hold tennis lessons in Red Oak Mills Park, swimming lessons for kids and adults at the popular, public Spratt Park Pool and ladies recreational softball played on the American Legion Field. There are often special events held at the pretty 160-acre Peach Lake Park such as apple pressing and bird-watching walks along its four miles of trails. In all actuality, an impressive total of twenty-two plus parks abound in the town of Poughkeepsie so there is a little patch of recreational green for everyone! And then of course the city of Poughkeepsie has the absolutely glorious wonder, Walkway Over the Hudson State Park which is an old, unused bridge that was cleverly turned into a lovely pedestrian park with bike paths and stunning views of the river. And there are plenty of more parks in Poughkeepsie proper to go around.

The town also proudly offers a senior citizen emergency watch program.

Historical Locust Grove is a town of P’keepsie claim to fame. It is a glorious 200 acre estate overlooking the Hudson River which includes the former Italianate villa home of famed artist Samuel Morse, winding carriage roads and stunning grounds. Visitors can tour the home and museum pavilion and just saunter around the beauteous gardens where they often hold special events. There is also a very cool education program for kids which offers classes such as Telegraphy, Machines and Levers.

There is enough shopping all over Poughkeepsie that you don’t have to leave the area if you don’t want to. The Poughkeepsie Galleria alone has hundreds of shops, varied eateries and the Regal Galleria Mall Stadium 6. There is also the Dutchess Center and Poughkeepsie Plaza and tons of other stores well peppering the whole of Poughkeepsie.

There are just oodles of great restaurants, eateries and cafes and such all over greater Poughkeepsie so it is easy to fulfill a food craving. Speaking of, Crave Restaurant and Lounge with its CIA alumni chefs has a sophisticated New York atmosphere and exquisite food made with the freshest of regional and seasonal ingredients. The Beech Tree Grill is an American bistro often well attended by Vassar students. The Artist’s Palate is a gorgeously decorated and more upscale bistro & bar that has fabulous food in addition to rotating art exhibitions, The Bull and Buddha Restaurant is an interesting Asian fusion destination that houses a two-ton hand-carved Buddha along with its great sushi. Alex’s Restaurant is a cozy downtown breakfast favorite. The Karma Lounge makes some really tasty tapas and creative cocktails concoctions. Café Bocca is a trendy, gourmet café that also has live local music, rotating art exhibits and poetry events, Mole Mole with its highly touted Enchiladas Con Mole, the Dubliner Irish Pub with its juicy burgers and finger-licking fish n’ chips and Babycakes Bakery and Café, with its distressed wooden tables, casual atmosphere and lovingly handmade goods. And there are plenty more including diners and chain favorites.

The Mid-Hudson Civic Center is the big area event venue and is comprised of Mair Hall & McCann Ice Arena. They have large-scale special events, concerts and performances such as the WWE Smackdown tour, Celtic Thunder, GLEE on Ice, the Hudson Valley Reptile Expo, competitive figure skating, ice hockey and public skating sessions. There is also the fantastic Mid-Hudson Children’s Museum, the Cunneen Hackett Art Center, Mill Street Loft, yet more parks and another public pool, a good library system and an array of great bars, pubs, dance clubs and live music venues.

Saint Francis Hospital is located in the town so you have medical coverage readily available for peace of mind.

The actual city of Poughkeepsie also has a reliable bus system as well as a Metro North and Amtrak station. Commute time to Grand Central Station in Manhattan is anywhere between one hour and thirty-eight minutes and one hour and forty-five minutes.

Town of Poughkeepsie students appear to be divided among several different school districts depending on where they live, but all of them seem to be relatively decent.

The median income is about $55,327.

The population is approximately 42,777.

Red Oaks Mill is a 3.6 square mile part suburban hamlet in the parent town of Poughkeepsie (and partly in the town of La Grange) in Dutchess County, NY. It has attractive mid sized homes and a decent commercial district around the often busy intersection of Spackenkill Road, New Hackensack Road and Vassar Road.

There are some good eats in the immediate area including Hobnobbin Pub (which is both a bar and restaurant) with its beloved burgers and wings, pool table and down to earth atmosphere, Good Fellas Pizzas which is one of the better pizza places around, Chen’s Peking Restaurant and good ol’ Subway. If you venture a little further, the food possibilities are downright endless. The city of Poughkeepsie has a wealth of great eateries ranging from authentic Irish pub grub to trendy Manhattan’esque restaurants to charming bistros, cafes and bakeries. If you are a foodie, you will not be easily bored.

As far as retail shopping in the immediate area of Red Oaks Mill, there is a Rite Aid in the Red Oaks Mill Shopping Center.

Poughkeepsie Plaza is about 2.9 miles west and has Marshall’s, Modell Sporting Goods, Jo Ann Fabrics, Famous Footwear, Just a Buck, Sew n’ Vac, Blockbuster Video, Marshall’s, the UPS Store, Marino’s Barber Shop, County Optical, Card Smart, Weight Watchers, Dragon’s Den, instyle Salon, Nail Pro, Toys R Us, The Pastry Garden, Orient Buffet, Safari Restaurant and Wendy’s and more. The very popular Poughkeepsie Galleria is 3.3 miles away and has hundreds of big name retail and specialty stores, a food court, Ruby Tuesday’s, the Melting Pot and a multiplex theater.

In order to fulfill your grocery shopping wants and needs, you will find Welcome Oriental Grocery, a Stewart’s Shop and Military Prestige Market. The closest major supermarkets would be Stop & Shop (2.9 miles away) and Price Chopper (3 miles away).

Red Oaks Mill is home to Macghee Park. But the town of Poughkeepsie as a whole has twenty-two total parks to meet your outdoor needs, with even more in the actual city. The town of Poughkeepsie actually has a very nice Parks & Rec program with two quality day camps that offer arts and crafts, performing arts, games, sports and nature activities. The town has a good little league as well as youth baseball and a soccer club. They hold tennis lessons in Red Oak Mills Park, swimming lessons for kids and adults at the popular, public Spratt Park Pool and ladies recreational softball is played on the American Legion Field. There are often special events held at the pretty 160-acre Peach Lake Park And then, of course, in the city of Poughkeepsie you will surely love the Walkway Over the Hudson State Park, an old, abandoned bridge that was oh so cleverly turned into a pedestrian park replete with bike paths and picture-worthy views of the majestic Hudson River and surrounds.

Red Oaks Mill is relatively safe and the crime rate is pretty low.

The median household income is about $77, 533.

The population is approximately 3, 613.

Fairview is a fairly attractive mostly suburban 3.5 square mile hamlet in the town of Poughkeepsie, NY.

Although you have an absolute bonanza of amazing eateries all over Poughkeepsie and none are really very far to reach, I will try to highlight some of the ones that are closest to the Fairview hamlet itself. In a two mile range you have Cosimo Trattoria, a popular Marist college student hang-out with some pretty decent specialty pizza pies, The Palace Diner with great breakfasts and desserts, El Ameer Mediterranean & Middle Eastern Restaurant with pretty good falafel, The Artists Palate, a trendy little gem with out of this world lobster mac n cheese, the amazing Crave Restaurant & Lounge with CIA graduates at the helm of the kitchen, Mole Mole with its raved about enchiladas con mole, Alloy’s Italian Restaurant with its authentic Italian fare, Dough Boy’s Pizza, Pleasant Ridge Pizza, Yeung Ho II Chinese Restaurant (with take-out and delivery), Applebees, Starbucks and quite a few more.

And don’t forget you are only a hop and a skip (1.9 miles) from the internationally acclaimed Culinary Institute of American in nearby Hyde Park. The institute has five award-winning student-run restaurants on campus that are open to the public and to reservations. These include St. Andrew's Café, Ristorante Caterina de' Medici, the Escoffier Restaurant, American Bounty Restaurant and the Apple Pie Bakery Café.

Shopping in the immediate area includes a Staples in Fairview itself and a few other stores within a two mile range including Home Depot, Rite Aid, and a Family Dollar Store. The Dutchess Center, Poughkeepsie Plaza and the ever-popular Poughkeepsie Galleria are 2.4 miles, 4 miles and 7 miles away, respectively. The Poughkeepsie Galleria has hundreds of retail stores, a bunch of good eateries and a movieplex.

The closest major supermarket is Super Stop & Shop about 2.3 miles from Fairview. In closer range, however, you will find some mini-marts.

Marist College is less than a mile away and boasts an attractive 150-acre campus overlooking the Hudson River and academic programs highly touted by the Princeton Review, Barron’s and U.S. New & World Report. They have a gorgeous riverfront park, a very high-tech library, an art gallery and some great plays and musicals produced by the theatre department. Dutchess Community College is in Fairview and also has a pretty campus and offers 60+ rock solid programs should you want to pursue an associates degree at a far more reasonable cost.

The town of Poughkeepsie has a solid parks and rec program with two day camps that offer arts and crafts, performing arts, games, sports and nature activities. There is little league, youth baseball and a soccer club. Tennis lessons are given in Red Oak Mills Park. Swimming lessons for kids and adults are conducted at the Spratt Park Pool. Ladies recreational softball is played on the American Legion Field. There are special events held at the picturesque 160-acre Peach Lake Park like apple pressing and bird-watching walks along its four miles of pretty trails. There are actually a whopping total of twenty-two plus parks in the town of Poughkeepsie!

And of course, the city of Poughkeepsie is absolutely brimming with exciting educational, culinary and entertainment possibilities including but certainly not limited to the Mid-Hudson Children’s Museum, the Mid-Hudson Civic Center comprised of Mair Hall and McCann Ice Arena, an astounding collection of varied artworks at the Frances Lehman Loeb Art Center at the world renowned Vassar College, the Barrett Art Center, the Cunneen Hackett Art Center, Mill Street Loft, yet more parks and another public pool, a good library system and a wealth of cool bars, authentic pubs and lively dance clubs and music venues.

And then in the city of Poughkeepsie, there is the not to be missed Walkway Over the Hudson State Park which is an old, unused bridge brilliantly turned into a pedestrian park with bike paths and glorious views of the Hudson river.

St. Francis Hospital is only a half mile from Fairview and is considered a very fine regional hospital.

The median household income is $45,676.

The population of Fairview is approximately 5,515.

Garrison is a lovely historical hamlet of parent town of Philipstown, NY with winding residential streets, attractive homes, proximity to the majestic Hudson River with breathtaking views of West Point and surrounds, some truly fine arts and culture and great golf clubs with sublime restaurants within. Garrison is filled with quiet charm and has less traffic than highly visited Cold Spring yet it is still close enough to all of the areas riches.

Garrison has a few high falutin restaurants including The Bird & Bottle Inn and Chalet on the Hudson, Bill Brown’s Restaurant, Valley Restaurant and The Tavern as well as the more casual and sporty The Stadium and the always popular Papa Johns for a quick pizza fix. In the charming neighboring hamlet of Cold Spring there are also some fabulous finds including Cold Spring Depot, Plumbush Inn & Restaurant, Riverview Restaurant, Silver Spoon Restaurant & Bar, Whistling Whillie’s American Grill, Angelina’s Restaurant & Pizza, Cold Spring Pizza, Brasserie Le Bouchon, Cathryn’s Tuscan Grill, East Side Kitchen, Foundry Café, Hudson House Inn, Main Course, Main Moon and Nick and Angie’s.

Garrison has a couple of antique stores, but the real shopping lies in the historic Main Street district of Cold Spring. It has a lovely little downtown section with a healthy dash of interesting boutiques, shops and services including The Beeswax Shop, Back in Ireland, The Country Touch, The Garden Studio, Romeo and Juliet, Silver Lady, Stationery Objects, Touch of Nostalgia, Shug, Momminia, Merritt Bookstore Volume II, Outdoor Sports, St. Claire Boutique and Knittingsmith. For more large scale retail shopping, the closest mall of some worth would be the Jefferson Valley Mall in Yorktown Heights, about 8.1 miles away. There is also a Walmart in Mohegan Lake about 6.5 miles away.

As far as food shopping goes, Garrison has Appalachian Market and Maple Lawn Farm Market. There is a Food Town in Cold Spring as well as Philiptown Farm Market, Pete’s Hometown Grocery, D P Mart and Maison Glass Delicacies. The closest large scale supermarket is Stop & Shop in Peekskill, about 6.7 miles south of Garrison.

The Garrison Art Center at Garrison Landing is a wonderful art center that holds rotating exhibitions of paintings, prints, photography, and ceramic sculpture and holds courses for adults and children including fiddle classes, classical drawing, painting on silk, bookbinding, pottery on the wheel, basic etching and Ukrainian egg decorating to name only a drop in the bucket. They have a special program for teens as well as a summer arts program for kids in K-8. The Russell Wright Design Center in Garrison is where Wright’s beloved retirement home Manitoga (a national historic landmark) is located. Folks can tour the house and grounds.

The Philipstown Depot Theatre located at Garrison Landing is a local performing arts center and resource which hosts plays, festivals, films and has classes for children and adults.

Boscobel Restoration is a prime example of Federal Domestic architecture. It is a stunning country home with equally stunning grounds and they host a wealth of special events on those grounds including the one of a kind Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival which is a stellar theatre experience with the Hudson River setting quite a glorious backdrop. They also hold the Taste of Boscobel, Yoga with a View on summer Monday’s, an annual Snapping Turtle Walk, the Great American Concert & Picnic, an upcoming presentation on historic cocktails aka “How to Get Tipsy in the 1800’s.”

The Desmond Fish Library has story hours, arts and craft sessions, homework help and free computer help.

Parent town of Philipstown has quite a well-developed parks and recreation program which offers a ton of activities and resources for kids, adults and seniors alike. Some examples of their offerings include an indoor tot park, Little Sluggers, Junior Nature Explorers, t-ball, Fairytale Theatre, Beading Bonanaza, Nature Scouts, Junior Fire Academy, different day camps, Foot in Mouth Players for teens, a Youth Employment service for teens, teen travel camps, floral design and ballet classes for adults, family bingo and pasta nights, classes in cooking and clayworks, mah jongg open play for seniors, a senior spring lunch, senior bus trips as well as dog obedience classes.

Clarence Fahnestock State Park is a resplendent 14, 086-acre park that boasts a beautiful beach, picnic areas, wonderful hiking trails, a pretty campground, boating, hunting, fishing and birding. Hudson Highlands State Park is a primarily undeveloped and lovely 6,000 acre preserve with a famous trail called Breakneck Ridge. This ridge was even featured in Newsweek as being one of the top ten day hikes in America. The park in general has picture perfect views of West Point and the Hudson River.

There is also Constitution Marsh Audobon Center and Wildlife Sanctuary which has lovely hiking trails and is a great place for birding. There is an Education Center there with a 500 gallon aquarium.

The Garrison Yacht Club right on the waterfront is splendid. The Hudson Highlands Country Club houses the exceptional Tavern restaurant with its locally sourced fresh ingredients. There is a sparkling pool as well as tennis and golf. The Garrison Golf and Country Club is yet another remarkable area institution with its stunning 300 acres with jaw-dropping 360 degree views of the Hudson River and mountains. The Garrison is home to two high end restaurants, one being the critically acclaimed Valley restaurant, a wonderful bar, a working farm, a four-room Inn and a lovely 18-hole golf course.

Hudson Valley Outfitters is located in Cold Spring and it is a premiere local resource to rent canoes or kayaks or plan guided tours for your Hudson River excursion.

The hamlet has its own Metro North train station located right next to the Art Center on Garrison Landing and commute time to NYC is is an hour and sixteen minutes on a through train and anywhere from an hour and thirty-six to an hour and forty-one minutes when requiring a transfer at the Croton Harmon station.

Garrison students are a part of the Garrison Union Free School District which is very good.

Garrison is pretty safe and the crime rate is relatively low.

The median household income is roughly $71,895.

The population of greater Philipstown is approximately 9,422.

Crown Heights is a predominantly residential 2.7 square mile hamlet of the greater town of Poughkeepsie, NY.

Crown Heights proper doesn’t really have much going on other than its well kept medium income homes, but it is very close to Route 9 (S. Road) where there are a number of fairly good restaurants. Some of the standouts within a mile to two mile radius are the Bonefish Grill, Crew, Giacomo Pizza Express with its delicious margherita pizza, Café Pazzo with its authentic Italian fare, Spice Aroma Restaurant with its fresh and delicious Indian cuisine, IHOP, Subway, Five Guys Burgers & Fries, Red Robins with its outstanding burgers, Robbies North Star Deli, Bonsai Japanese, Dunkin Donuts and Starbucks. You venture a little further than two miles and you will find a plethora of additional eateries throughout Poughkeepsie.

Shopping in the immediate area consists of the ever-popular Poughkeepsie Galleria which has hundreds of small and large scale retail stores as well as quite a few restaurants and a good movie theater.

The two closest supermarkets of worth near Crown Heights are Mother Earth’s Storehouse (1.4 miles away) and Stop and Shop which is 1.8 miles away. Mother Earth’s is quite an excellent natural food store and vitamin center.

Crown Heights is a smidge over a mile from the wonderful Casperkill Golf Club and Casperkill Country Club. The golf course has a lovely creek running through it and offers excellent pricing including an annual pass option. It once received a four-star rating from Golf Digest. The country club has a pool and you can also play baseball there.

Spratt Park in nearby Spackenkill (about 2.5 miles away) has the Spratt Park Swimming Pool which is a popular public pool run by the city of Poughkeepsie.

And speaking of Poughkeepsie, never forget that although Crown Heights may be on the quiet side, you are never far removed from the absolute wealth of restaurants, art centers, museums and performing arts institutions all within very reasonable driving ranges.

Crown Heights’ students are a part of the Spackenkill School District and Spackenhill High is purportedly very good.

The median household income is about $60, 994.

The population is approximately 2, 992.

Arlington is a historical 4.9 square mile collegiate hamlet in the parent town of Poughkeepsie, NY. I say collegiate because the biggest draw here is the renowned Vassar College. The area is laden with students and has a lively feel and as you might expect, a fair share of great bars and trendy eateries.

Some notable restaurants in the immediate area (all within a mile of Arlington) are Mole Mole with its cool atmosphere and highly recommended Enchiladas Con Mole, the fabulous Dubliner Irish Pub with its outstanding burgers and fish n chips, Babycakes Bakery and Café, with its distressed wooden tables, casual atmosphere and made from scratch fare, Beech Tree Grill, a student fave of an American bistro with great micro brews, the beloved Acropolis Diner with its delicious onion rings, Marco’s Gourmet Pizzeria with excellent pies, Tokyo Express with its amazing Volcano rolls, Twisted Soul with its yummy dumplings, Noshi’s Coney Island with its superb soups and hot dogs and S G Kismat Restaurant with its fabulous masalas. And those are but a drop in the bucket of all that you can eat and drink in the area.

As far as retail shopping is concerned, once again you don’t have to go far. Within a half mile alone you will find Kmart, Sears, Big Lots, Dollar Tree, Collage Hair & Color, House of Nutrition, Jubilee Christian Book Store and Quackles. And beyond that small radius, you have oodles of great shopping all over Poughkeepsie including the popular Poughkeepsie Galleria which has myriad retail stores, restaurants and a multiplex theater.

For grocery shopping, there is a Super Stop & Shop a little over a half mile away. There is also a My Market II, Taha Halal Grocery and Casa Latina Supermarket.

Vassar College, of course, is an incredible resource in and of itself. The 36,000 square foot Frances Lehman Loeb Art Center houses an unbelievable art collection of 18,000 works from antiquity to the present day including paintings, sculptures, drawings, prints, photographs, textiles, glass works and ceramics. The Powerhouse Theater is a renowned performing arts partnership between New York Stage and Film and the college which presents exceptional plays and musicals many which feature major stars as well as a top-notch apprenticeship program. And of course you have an abundance of lectures and other intellectual engagments right at your doorstep.

The Vassar Golf Course, located on campus, is a charming 9-hole golf course with a shop.

Poughkeepsie has a well-developed parks and recreation program. There is a Skate Park in Waryas Park. Spratt Park Pool is a popular summer destination for cooling off and having gun. You can buy a family pass, an adult season pass, children (under 13) season pass or daily pass. They offer swimming instruction there for kids and adults. There is also Pulaski Park Pool. There is a great little league program.

Arlington is also less than two miles from the glorious Walkway Over the Hudson State Historic Park.

Parents can bring their kids to the fantastic Mid Hudson Children’s Museum (2.4 miles away) which has outstanding educational resources including STARLAB Planetarium, games, arts and crafts in the Art Activity Center, hands-on exhibits, interactive story times, a rock climbing wall, the Great Bubble Machine, science demos, field trips, outreach programs, scout adventures and summer programs to name but some of its offerings

The median household income is about $43,141.

The population of Arlington is approximately 4,061. It is a little more diverse in its racial make-up, largely due to the student population.

Nelsonville is a tiny but attractive all residential hamlet in Philipstown, NY that often gets overshadowed by its very popular brother hamlet of Cold Spring, NY. It becomes sort of a quickie pass-through for the tourists who flock to the historical Cold Spring commercial district or, for that matter, to Garrison’s famous Boscobel Restoration where the yearly Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival is held.

That being said, Nelsonville is beautiful in its own right with broad winding streets and really pretty historical Victorian homes. It is also slightly cheaper to live there than in Cold Spring, yet close enough to reap Cold Spring and Garrison benefits.

There are definitely some pretty good restaurants in the area including Bird & Bottle Inn and Chalet on the Hudson in parent town of Philipstown, Bill Brown’s Restaurant and Bar located at the Garrison Golf & Country Club, The Stadium and Papa Johns in Garrison, as well, and the Cold Spring Depot, Plumbush Inn & Restaurant, Riverview Restaurant, Silver Spoon Restaurant & Bar, Whistling Whillie’s American Grill, Angelina’s Restaurant & Pizza, Cold Spring Pizza, Brasserie Le Bouchon, Cathryn’s Tuscan Grill, East Side Kitchen, Foundry Café, Hudson House Inn, Main Course, Main Moon, Nick and Angie’s in Cold Spring.

Cold Spring also has abundantly adorable shopping interesting and eclectic boutiques and shops such as The Beeswax Shop, Back in Ireland, The Country Touch, The Garden Studio, Romeo and Juliet, Silver Lady, Stationery Objects, Touch of Nostalgia, Shug, Momminia, Merritt Bookstore Volume II, Outdoor Sports, St. Claire Boutique and Knittingsmith, Indigo Chic, to name but some. It makes for a really pleasant afternoon. It’s the type of place you can walk your dog, sit on a bench with an ice cream cone, chat with familiar faces on the street. It has a very Americana friendly and wholesome feeling and vibe.

As far as local grocery shopping, Cold Spring has a Food Town, Philiptown Farm Market, Pete’s Hometown Grocery, D P Mart and Maison Glass Delicacies. Garrison is home to the Maple Lawn Farm Market.

Boscobel in Garrison is a stunning and elegant example of a neo-classical Georgian mansion. Visitors can tour the house, view the exhibitions and stroll through the lovely gardens. Events are often held there such as the incomparable Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival which is a divine theatre experience with the Hudson River as a backdrop. They also hold the Taste of Boscobel, Yoga with a View on summer Monday’s, an annual Snapping Turtle Walk, the Great American Concert & Picnic, an upcoming presentation on historic cocktails aka “How to Get Tipsy in the 1800’s.”

For an art fix, The Philipstown Depot Theatre in Garrison Landing is a terrific performing arts center which hosts plays, festivals, films and has classes for kids and adults.

Philipstown has a pretty well-developed parks and recreation program which offers a slew of quality activities and classes for little ones through seniors. Some examples of their programs, services and resources include an indoor tot park, Little Sluggers, Junior Nature Explorers, t-ball, Fairytale Theatre, Beading Bonanaza, Nature Scouts, Junior Fire Academy (running ten years strong), day camps, Foot in Mouth Players for teens, a Youth Employment service for teens, teen travel camps, floral design and ballet classes for adults, family bingo and pasta nights, classes in cooking and clayworks, mah jongg open play for seniors, a senior spring lunch, senior bus trips and several dog obedience classes for canine town residents.

Hudson Highlands State Park is right nearby and is a wonderful natural resource. It is a glorious 6,000- acre preserve that is mostly undisturbed and is home to the infamous Breakneck Ridge, a 5.5 mile hiking trail which has even been rated by Newsweek as one of the top ten day hikes in the country. The park in general has absolutely stunning views of the region, including of West Point and the Hudson River. The 14,000-acre Clarence Fahnestock State Park is also a relatively short drive away and this stunning park has a beach, hiking trails, picnic areas, a pretty campground and also allows for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing in the winter months. And of course one can just sit and reflect at the waterfront at the bottom of the Cold Spring main street.

Both Cold Spring and Garrison have a boat club. Also, the wonderful Hudson Valley Outfitters are located in Cold Spring and they can get you all set up for a canoe or kayak trip on the majestic Hudson River. Garrison is also home to the Highland Country Club which has a golf course and the terrific Tavern Restaurant. It is a popular place for weddings and parties. The Garrison is equally beautiful and has a lovely 18-hole golf course, two fine dining establishments, a four-room Inn, a yoga studio and a salon.

Nelsonville students are a part of the Haldane Central School District which is considered to be quite good.

Nelsonville is quite safe and the crime rate is relatively low.

The median household income is roughly $60,000.

The population of Nelsonville is about 565 people.

Spackenkill is a pleasant enough mostly residential hamlet of Poughkeepsie, NY. It is a safe and quiet area but in extremely close proximity to a good slice of Poughkeepsie’s many quality amenities.

The closest restaurants to Spackenkill are technically in the greater parent town of Poughkeepsie, but they are but a short one mile to a mile and a half up and down and around the Route 9 thoroughfare. These eateries include the excellent Giacomos with its terrific pizza and calamari, Red Lobster, Umberto’s of Mamma Mia’s with its Italian fare and banjo band on Monday nights, the Bonefish Grill with its tasty seafood offerings and self-proclaimed “big city bar,” Red Robin, famous for its delicious burgers, the modern and energetic Crew Restaurant & Bar, which offers up eclectic European fare and has received good ratings from Zagat, Caffe Pazzo with its always good old school classic Italian eats, Coyote Grill which is a 1950’s roadhouse’esque joint known for its global menu and martini lounge, the Table Talk Diner, Pizza Hut, Five Guys, TGI Fridays, Subway, IHOP and Starbucks and more. Not to mention all the other endless restaurants in greater Poughkeepsie.

Poughkeepsie Plaza is about 1.1 miles up the road from Spackenkill and is an easy convenient shopping center that houses a Modell’s Sporting Goods, Joann Fabrics, Blockbuster Video, Famous Footwear, Sew n’ Vac, County Optical, County Dental, Marshalls, Nail Pro, Weight Watchers, Harmon Beauty Discount, the Parent Teacher Store, Just a Buck, Dragon’s Den, Hudson River Yoga, Art Craft, Chase Bank, Craftsmen by Design, Rainbow, T & J’s Tailoring, in style Salon, Women’s Work, Jumpin Jakes Discovery, and more, as well as a handful of restaurants, cafes and caterers. For even more retail shopping options, you needn’t go far. The popular Poughkeepsie Galleria with its hundreds of retail stores and plethora of food choices is only about two miles from Spackenkill. It also has a good movie theatre.

Food shopping can be accomplished at the Stop & Shop or the Price Chopper, about one mile away.

Spratt Park is Spackenkill’s very own local park and has a popular swimming pool. You can buy different daily or season passes.

The Casperkill Golf Club and Country Club is right nearby (less than a mile away) and has a beautifully kept golf course, driving range, baseball field and pool. McCann Golf Course is a smidge over a mile away and has a good 18-hole golf course and a pro shop.

Spackenkill is quite safe and the crime rate is relatively low.

Spackenkill students are a part of the Spackenkill School District and Spackenhill High is apparently pretty darn good.

The median household income is about $77,689.

The population is approximately 4,123.

Red Hook is an utterly charming village within the parent town of the same name.

Red Hook does have some terrific eateries including Mercato Osteria and Enoteca is an absolutely adorable café, pasta shop and wine bar run by a Butoni brand family member, Max’s Memphis BBQ which produces excellent smoked meats, the sophisticated Flatiron Restaurant with its quirky burgers (one is actually made of duck) and sumptuous steaks, the Historic Village Diner, a nostalgic pre-fabricated dining car made in the 1920’s, An Apple a Day Diner, Red Hook Curry House, Salvatore’s Original Pizza, Hana Sushi, Dunkin Donuts and Subway. Taste Budd’s Chocolate and Coffee Café serves alternative foods, dazzling pastries and sweets and has rotating art exhibitions and live music.

There isn’t a ton of shopping here, but you will find the amazing Me Oh My Pie Shop and Café, Red Hook Drugstore, Annex Antiques Center, Cider Mill Antiques, East Market Street Antiques, Tiki Boutique, Wiltsie Bridge Country Store, Chocolate Factory, Sipperley’s Grog Shop, Kids Shop, The Awards Shop, and CVS.

Also, just a few miles away in gorgeous Rhinebeck, NY you have a fun slew of cool boutiques, shops and outlets like Rhinebeck Antiques Fair, Asher House Antiques, Warren Kitchen & Cutlery, Hudson Valley Blooms, Northern Dutchess Pharmacy, Cabin Fever Outfitters, Hummingbird Jewelers, Montgomery Row, SugarPlum Boutique, Workers and Dreamers, Winter Sun and Summer Moon, Darryl’s, EB’s Hudson Valley Finds, Pet Country, Haldora, Floral Fantasies by Sara, Paper Trail, Rhinebeck Artist’s Shop, Chamonix Bride, Wing and Clover, Country Comfort Furniture, Hammertown, Wonderland Florist, Hudson Valley Footwear, Verizon Wireless, A.L. Stickle Variety Store, Oblong Books and Music, Merriweather’s, Madison’s Avenue and The Pottery Shack. You can easily make a fun afternoon of it.

There is a local Hannaford supermarket and Red Hook Natural Foods for grocery shopping. If you want to pick your own raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, apples and pumpkins, just head on over to the lovely Greigs Farm which also houses an indoor farmer’s market and a café.

For local entertainment, there is the Lyceum Six Cinemas and Ro-Rin Lanes which is a bowling alley with a miniature golf course on the premises, as well. The Old Rhinebeck Aerodome in is a fun family-friendly outing, for sure. It is, essentially, a museum with an amazing collection of early airplanes, motorcycles, cars, engines and other assorted memorabilia from 1900 to 1935. They offer biplane rides and hold air shows on the weekends from mid June to mid October.

The Richard B. Fischer Center for Performing Arts at the exceptional Bard College has two great theatres and dance studios. It produces outstanding plays, shows fine films, holds a summer music festival and often brings in big name acts like Buckwheat Zydeco.

Red Hook has a pretty good parks and recreation program as well as some quality senior resident activities. Red Hook Recreation Park is a popular area park and has a very popular Olympic sized pool and playground, handball courts, basketball courts, baseball and soccer fields, an outside running track and an inside fitness center with cardio and weight lifting equipment and classes. Poets Walk Park is an idyllic place to hike with amazing views of the Hudson River, the Kingston-Rhinecliff Bridge and the Catskill Mountains. Some say this is where Rudyard Kipling dreamed up his famous Rip Van Winkle story!

Red Hook village students are a part of Red Hook Central Schools which are considered high quality and have an excellent sports program to boot.

The village is pretty safe and the crime rate is relatively low.

The median household income of the town of Red Hook is roughly 46,701.

The population of the greater town of Red Hook is approximately 11, 319.

There are several Clintons in New York (four, in fact if you want to include the “neighborhood in NYC) so be careful not to confuse them. The one I speak or write of here today is the 38.8 square mile town of Clinton in Dutchess County, NY, near Rhinebeck and Hyde Park. Clinton Corners is a charming hamlet in the southeast corner of the town and the most well known.

There is only one restaurant in Clinton and that is Wild Hive Farm, Store and Café in Clinton Corners. In nearby Salt Point, which is about five and a half miles away, there is Fireside BBQ & Grill, Happy Days Café, La Puerta Azul and Copperfields. At various locales in Rhinebeck, ranging from five and a half to seven and a half miles away, you have the beloved local Terrapin Restaurant (with bar), Cinnamon Indian Cusine, Beekman Tavern, Gigi Trattoria, Osaka Japanese, the wonderful Aroi Thai, the fantastic Calico Restaurant, Foster’s Coach House and the famous Eveready Diner. In Staatsburg, about 5.7 miles away, you have the highly regarded Italian favorite, Portofino Ristorante

And finally, in Hyde Park, which is about 8.9 miles away, you have the world renowned Culinary Institute of America with its epic restaurants run by students and open to the public.

As far as retail shopping goes, your best bet would be to head west to Rhinebeck or south to Poughkeepsie. Rhinebeck has a slew of interesting and eclectic boutiques and shops such as Rhinebeck Antiques Fair, Asher House Antiques, Warren Kitchen & Cutlery, Hudson Valley Blooms, Northern Dutchess Pharmacy, Cabin Fever Outfitters, Hummingbird Jewelers, Montgomery Row, SugarPlum Boutique, Workers and Dreamers, Winter Sun and Summer Moon, Darryl’s, EB’s Hudson Valley Finds, Pet Country, Haldora, Floral Fantasies by Sara, Paper Trail, Rhinebeck Artist’s Shop, Chamonix Bride, Wing and Clover, Country Comfort Furniture, Hammertown, Wonderland Florist, Hudson Valley Footwear, Verizon Wireless, A.L. Stickle Variety Store, Oblong Books and Music, Merriweather’s, Madison’s Avenue and The Pottery Shack.

Poughkeepsie is home to the Poughkeepsie Galleria which is a major shopping destination with hundreds of popular retail stores and quite a few restaurants. There are also an abundance of other choices in Poughkeepsie proper.

The closest supermarket that has even a decent supply of everyday fare would be Ianucci’s Stagecoach Market in nearby Millbrook, NY which is 5.8 miles away. As far as the big bad boy supermarkets go, there is an A&P Food Store in Pleasant Valley which is about 6.7 miles away, a Hannaford in Schodack Landing which is about 8.9 miles away and a Super Stop & Shop in Hyde Park which is about 9.9 miles away.

Clinton has a decent parks and rec program. The town’s Frances J. Mark Memorial Park, also known as “Rec Park” has a rentable pavilion perfect for larger family gatherings, playgrounds, a baseball field and a nice swimming pond. One does have to have resident sticker to swim there. There is also Friends Park which has a baseball field, tennis courts and a small pavilion. There is the Taconic Little League, The Clinton Card Club where everyone is welcome and a Senior Exercise Class.

The Clinton Community Library has various activities and events for kids, teens and adults including story hours, arts and craft sessions, adult computer classes, First Friday flicks and a book club.

Clinton students are divided up amongst the Rhinebeck, Millbrook and Pine Plains school districts depending on what area they live in.

There is Upton Lake Christian School in Clinton Corners, as well.

Clinton is pretty safe and the crime rate is relatively low.

The median household income is $66,406.

The population of Clinton is approximately 4,312.

Lake Peekskill is a completely residential lakeside hamlet within the parent town of Putnam Valley in Putnam County, NY. It is very tranquil and quite secluded and one should really desire to live a quiet, somewhat private and unhurried existence. That being said, it isn’t exactly isolated, either. You do have some amenities in Putnam Valley and plenty more to choose from in nearby Mohegan Lake, Jefferson Valley, Garrison and Cortlandt Manor.

Lake Peekskill only has one eatery to speak of, the Lakeside Market & Deli on Lake Drive which has a great view of the lake and equally great pizza. Putnam Valley has Forno III Brick Oven Pizzeria, Spruce Hill Inn, Panda Garden and Richy’s Pub Grub. For yet more dining options, you only have to go an additional two miles into Mohegan Lake where you will discover Augies Prime Cut Restaurant & Bar, Café Pizazz and Pizza Pizzaz, Hanada Hibachi, Brodie’s Pub, Piazza Roma, Baskin Robbins, Napoli’s Pizza and Restaurant, Panera Bread and Mohegan Diner.

Lake Peekskill has no stores or businesses, but you are only 3.9 miles from the popular Jefferson Valley Mall in Yorktown Heights which has all the favorite staples plus a huge food court. Also within reasonable respective driving distances are Walmart and The Home Depot in Mohegan Lake (about 2.2 miles away), Kohl’s and Marshalls in Cortlandt Manor (about 2.3 miles away) and a few dollar stores and a Walgreens in Peekskill (about 3 miles away).

Cortlandt Town Center Stadium 11 in Mohegan Lake (about 1.9 miles away) is the closest movie theatre.

Every September, Putnam Valley throws the festive Putnam Valley Town Day with exhibits, vendors, a concert and even a nice fireworks display.

For outdoors enthusiasts, Putnam Valley Town Park has three lighted tennis courts, several multi-purpose courts, two playgrounds, a rentable pavilion that boasts a full kitchen, two volleyball courts, several playing fields, a roller hockey rink, horseshoe pits and some nice hiking trails. Putnam Valley also has access to Clarence Fahnestock State Park which is a beautiful 14,086- acre park that has a great beach, picnic areas, hiking trails, a pretty decent campground, and allows boating, hunting, fishing and makes for some quality birding. Lake Peekskill itself has three private beaches.

Lake Peekskill is pretty safe and the crime rate is relatively low.

Lake Peekskill students are a part of the Putnam Valley Central School District which is fairly good.

The median household income is about $72,938.

The population of the greater Putnam Valley area is approximately 11,000 with the population of Lake Peekskill being considerably less.

Cold Spring is an utterly charming, eclectic and lively little scenic Hudson River village within the parent town of Philipstown in Putnam County, NY. It is filled with really nice homes of varying architecture including Victorians, Colonials, row-houses, more modern affairs and condos. There is a plethora of stuff to do, goodies to eat and history to sop up. Not to mention tons of great photographs just waiting to happen.

There are a ton of great restaurants in the village including Cold Spring Depot, Plumbush Inn & Restaurant, Riverview Restaurant, Silver Spoon Restaurant & Bar, Whistling Whillie’s American Grill, Angelina’s Restaurant & Pizza, Cold Spring Pizza, Brasserie Le Bouchon, Cathryn’s Tuscan Grill, East Side Kitchen, Foundry Café, Hudson House Inn, Main Course, Main Moon and Nick and Angie’s.

The historic Main Street district of Cold Spring is brimming with interesting and eclectic boutiques and shops and one could spend an entire delightful afternoon sauntering around and poking through The Beeswax Shop, Back in Ireland, The Country Touch, The Garden Studio, Romeo and Juliet, Silver Lady, Stationery Objects, Touch of Nostalgia, Shug, Momminia, Merritt Bookstore Volume II, Outdoor Sports, St. Claire Boutique and Knittingsmith and Indigo Chic, to name but a few.

For your grocery shopping needs and wants, Cold Spring is home to Grand Union supermarket, Food Town, Yannitelli Wines Philiptown Farm Market, Pete’s Hometown Grocery, D P Mart and Maison Glass Delicacies.

As for local arts and entertainment, you have the Philipstown Depot Theatre located in Garrison Landing which is a local performing arts center which hosts plays, festivals, films and classes for young and older alike.

Philipstown has a decent parks and recreation department with a nice array of events and programs including but not limited to a cool indoor tot park, Little Sluggers, Junior Nature Explorers, t-ball, a Fairytale Theatre, Beading Bonanaza, Nature Scouts, Junior Fire Academy, day camps, Foot in Mouth Players for teens, a Youth Employment service for teens, teen travel camps, adults-only classes like flower design and dance, family bingo and pasta nights, dog obedience instruction, classes in cooking and clayworks, mah jongg for seniors, a senior spring lunch and senior bus trips.

There are some seriously stunning parks in the region including Clarence Fahnestock State Park which boasts 14, 086 acres and harbors a beautiful beach, picnic areas, wonderful hiking trails, a nice campground, boating, hunting, fishing and birding. Hudson Highlands State Park is a fantastic mostly undeveloped (thankfully) 6,000 acre preserve with a famous trail called Breakneck Ridge, which was even featured in Newsweek. The park has absolutely breathtaking views of West Point and the Hudson River.

The Garrison Golf and Country Club is located in Garrison and boasts an 18-hole golf course on its 300 acre location. It also has a stunning inn popular with wedding parties and a salon, the yoga co-op and gym, The Terrace Restaurant and The Worlds End Bar. You can also visit the Hudson Highlands Country Club, also in Garrison which is proud of its Tavern and the Garrison Farm where organic herbs and veggies are grown.

Another Garrison area bragging right is the divine Boscobel Restoration, a magnificent example of New York Federal Domestic architecture. Visitors can tour the home and saunter the gorgeous gardens. It is also where the superb Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival is held during the summer. Exceptional acting is backdropped by the magnificent Hudson River. Boscobel also hosts a Taste of Boscobel, Yoga with a View on summer Monday’s, an annual Snapping Turtle Walk, the Great American Concert & Picnic and the upcoming tongue in cheek and throat presentation on historic cocktails also known as “How to Get Tipsy in the 1800’s.”

Also, very cool is the trolley that takes folks along a point of interest-route from Cold Spring to Garrison. There is a museum tour and a nature lover’s tour.

The popular Hudson Valley Outfitters is located in Cold Spring and it is the popular area resource to get equipment and instruction for canoeing or kayaking on the glorious Hudson River.

There is a Metro North train station in Cold Spring and commute time to NYC is anywhere between one hour and twelve minutes and one hour and twenty minutes.

Cold Spring students are a part of the Garrison Union Free School District which is very good.

Cold Spring is quite safe and the crime rate is relatively low.

The median household income is around $53,382.

The population of Cold Spring is approximately 1,983.

Hopewell Junction is an affluent and historical hamlet in the town of East Fishkill in Dutchess County, NY filled with well-manicured homes, some of which are rather grand in scope. There is definite wealth here, but in spite of that fact, the area retains a communal sense of well-being and friendliness.

There are some really nice restaurants located in Hopewell Junction including Daddy-O’s, Tokoharu with its fresh and tasty sushi, the elegant Le Chambord Inn, the rustic ItalianTiramisu, the intimate Muscoot North Restaurant, the award-winning Blue Fountain Restaurant, the kid-friendly Gian Bruno’s Restaurant, Joe’s Dairy Bar with its awesome chili fries, Monte Rosa Lodge Restaurant, Nick’s Brick Oven Pizza, Pizza Village, Hopewell Deli, Hopewell Hot Bagels, Golden Jade, Simone’s Pizza & Pasta, Dunkin Donuts, Subway and KFC.

Retail shopping in the junction consists of CVS Pharmacy, Hank the Painter, Flowers by Twilight, Star Printing USA, Williams Lumber and Clove Branch Gift Shoppe. There is a Walmart Supercenter, Ocean State Job Lot and a Sam’s Club in nearby Fishkill about six miles away, give or take. Also, a 6.4 mile drive to nearby Poughkeepsie and you arrive at the very popular South Hills Mall which has 250 retail stores, a bunch of eateries and a multiplex cinema.

For grocery shopping, Hopewell Junction does have an A & P Food store, Frankie’s Superette, Hopewell Farms, Fishkill Farms and a Stewarts shop. Nearby Wappinger Falls (about 5.1 miles away) has a Hannaford Supermarket, a Stop and Shop, Meadowbrook Farm Market, Saraswati Grocery, 7-Eleven and various other convenience stores. There is also a Shoprite in Fishkill (about 5.5 miles away).

Hopewell Junction is home to the popular Red Wing Park, an eighteen acre with an eight acre lake and nice beach, a bath house with restrooms and showers, a basketball court, a volleyball court, badminton, playgrounds, swimming, fishing, picnic areas and a pavilion. Swimming instruction is provided there for children and adults alike as well as lifeguard training. They also have a quality swim team. The amazing Sylvan Lake Beach Park is also located in the junction and yes, has a glistening lake and a nice beach and is a wonderful outing for the whole family on a sunny summer afternoon.

Parent town of East Fishkill has a well developed parks and rec program (as indicated by the swimming instruction mentioned above) in addition to a great new summer camp coming up this year called “Extreme Teens.” East Fishkill is also home to some other great parks such as Limekilm Recreation Park which has a fitness center, showers, restrooms, basketball courts, tennis courts, softball fields, soccer/football/frisbee all purpose field; boccie ball and horseshoe courts, a handball court and a walking trail. The town of East Fishkill also has a cool skate park.

East Fishkill holds a series of lovely free outdoor concerts featuring some great bands throughout the summer at various locations. Every September, for the past seventeen years, the town holds its Community Day with a nice parade along Route 82, live music, food vendors, community information booths and even a fireworks display.

Hopewell Junction students are a part of the Wappingers Central School District which is fairly good.

The closest Metro North train station is in Poughkeepsie which is about eleven miles away.

Hopewell Junction is very safe and the crime rate is practically non-existent.

The mean household income is around $102,421.

The population of Hopewell Junction is small at approximately 376.

Milan is a 36 square mile town in Dutchess County, NY comprised of sprawling farmland, red barns and mid to large scale old and newer homesteads many of which have ample parcels of land. It is almost painfully quiet here with no real local businesses to speak of and the closest Metro North train station to Manhattan is in Poughkeepsie which is nineteen miles away. This is a place for those who truly want to live a peaceful and rural life.

Milan has one restaurant within Jenny’s Country Manor Lodge. It is aptly named Jenny’s BBQ and it has received some rave reviews for its outstanding cornbread, hush puppies, jalapeno poppers, pork spare ribs, pulled pork, smoked Italian sausage and BBQ chicken.

The other closest restaurants of note and worth are in nearby Rhinebeck and Red Hook, NY, both of which are anywhere between 2.5 and 7 miles away. In Rhinebeck you will find Foster’s Coach House Tavern, Modern Taco, Wild Hive Farm Café & Bakery, Momiji Sushi Steakhouse & Bar, China Rose, Fransesca’s Restaurant & Pizzeria, Pete’s Famous Restaurant, Calico Restaurant & Patisserie, Gigi Trattoria, Arielle, Gaby’s Café, Terrapin Restaurant, Bistro & Bar, Tavola Rustica, Oliver Kita Chocolates, Bread Alone, Tavern at the Beekman Arms, Grand Cru Cheese and Beer Market, C.J.’s Italian Restaurant & Pizzeria and Osaka Japanese Restaurant.

In Red Hook, you will discover Mercato Osteria and Enoteca which is an adorable café, pasta shop and wine bar with a Butoni brand family member running the joint, Max’s Memphis BBQ which serves scintillating hickory-smoked meats, the casual but sophisticated Flatiron Restaurant with its luscious oysters, interesting burger choices (one is made of duck) and five varied steak selections, the Historic Village Diner which is actually a dining car made in the 1920’s, An Apple a Day Diner, Red Hook Curry House, Salvatore’s Original Pizza, Hana Sushi, a Dunkin Donuts and a Subway. Another great Red Hook hang out is Taste Budd’s Chocolate and Coffee Café with its alternative foods, delectable baked goods, superior confections as well as rotating art exhibitions and live music.

If you want to shop and you want your drive to count, I suggest heading over to Rhinebeck which has Antiques Fair, Asher House Antiques, Warren Kitchen & Cutlery, Hudson Valley Blooms, Northern Dutchess Pharmacy, Cabin Fever Outfitters, Hummingbird Jewelers, Montgomery Row, SugarPlum Boutique, Workers and Dreamers, Winter Sun and Summer Moon, Darryl’s, EB’s Hudson Valley Finds, Pet Country, Haldora, Floral Fantasies by Sara, Paper Trail, Rhinebeck Artist’s Shop, Chamonix Bride, Wing and Clover, Country Comfort Furniture, Hammertown, Wonderland Florist, Hudson Valley Footwear, Verizon Wireless, A.L. Stickle Variety Store, Oblong Books and Music, Merriweather’s, Madison’s Avenue and The Pottery Shack.

For more practical every day shopping, the closest outlet would be the Hudson Valley Mall in Kingston, NY which is 10 miles away. They have all the major retail stores as well as a multiplex cinema.

For your grocery shopping needs, you can hit up the Hannaford Supermarket & Pharmacy in Red Hook (4.9 miles away) or the Super Stop and Shop in Rhinebeck which is 5.6 miles away. There are also a number of liquor stores in Rhinebeck and Red Hook.

Milan does have a Memorial Day Parade at Wilcox Town Hall. They occasionally hold a rescue squad pancake breakfast. They also have a senior social club which meets on the first Tuesday of each month.

Milan Rec Park has a softball field, a children’s play area and a trailway. Also in the area are Wilcox Memorial Park, Roeliff Jansen Kill Multiple Use Area and the Lafayetteville Multiple Use Area.

Milan students are divided up, depending on where in Milan they live, into the Red Hook School District, the Pine Plains School District and the Rhinebeck School District.

Milan is quite safe and the crime rate is relatively low.

The median household income is around $54, 491

Milan is pretty sparsely populated at about 2,453.

Patterson is a 32.9 square mile town in Putnam County, NY. It has pretty landscapes and lovely homes and is rich in history, particularly Native American history.

One of the biggest attractions in Patterson is the Thunder Ridge Ski Area which offers great skiing on thirty trails, snowboarding, high quality instruction, comfortable lodging (with great “ski and stay” packages) and a ski shop. During the off-season, they have a haunted house, haunted hayrides, pumpkin picking, scenic chairlift rides, paintball and catered events.

Patterson has a few decent eating establishments including Magnolia’s Café which is a cute and cozy fave for breakfast and lunch, Mama Pizza which is supposed to be very traditional, other local fave the Carriage House Restaurant and Tavern which has “upscale” tavern food, Abruzzi Trattoria which is casual and has solid Italian fare, Rocco’s which is supposed to have excellent pizza and Thai Elephant II which is said to have really good and authentic Thai food.

As far as retail shopping, there is Patterson Commons with Dollar Tree, a Verizon store, a nail and hair salon, a Dunkin Donuts and an A & P Food Store. The nearby town of Pawling (only about 1.8 miles away) has quite a few options including CVS Pharmacy, Dollar General, a Radio Shack, Good Tidings Gift Shop, Stage Door Furniture, Synchronicity, The Bead Vault, Greer Gallery, Red Barn Gifts & Antiques, Hobnail Antiques, Simply Unique, The Yarn & Craft Box, Made with Love, Earth Lore, Magnolias, Bailey’s TV & Appliances, the very cool The Book Cove, a couple of redbox locations, Tonis Hair & Nail Design, Family Quick Stop, Pawling Beer & Soda and Pawling Hannaford Supermarket & Pharmacy.

The Patterson Town Hall has a small museum that exhibits Native American pottery and is open for viewing Monday through Friday from 9-5 PM.

The newly constructed Patterson Library has a decent collection as well as a terrific kids’ summer program, cooking demonstrations, online access to a job resource center, homework help, story times, battle of the books, parents’ nights out, pottery talks, children’s health screenings, yoga for kids, computer classes and other various activities.

Haviland Hollow Farm is a swanky polo and equestrian center located in Patterson.

Patterson does have a decent parks and rec department with many varying activities and programs including a brand new upcoming Lego Camp, kindergarten pizza nights, soccer camps, multi-sports camps, lacrosse camp, theatre summer camp, a varsity high school basketball league, a pre-K summer camp, a multi-activity summer camp, a flag football summer camp, a basketball summer camp, a cheerleading summer camp as well as dog obedience classes, pre-school karate classes, a Pokemon club and more.

For adults and seniors, they offer dog obedience classes, an adult summer basketball league, mat Pilates, Zumba, senior citizen luncheons, senior fitness sessions and a senior drop-off program.

Parks in the area include Patterson Veteran Memorial Park, the Great Swamp, Wonder Lake, the Cranberry Mountain Multiple Use Area and the Michael Ciaiola Conservation Area.

Patterson does have a Metro North train station but the commute time is a little long at an hour and forty-three minutes and it does require a transfer at the Southeast station. But it is still doable, especially if you plan to make it an all day affair or a weekend visit.

Patterson is quite safe and the crime rate is relatively low.

The median household income is about $66,250.

Patterson students appear to be a part of the Carmel Central School District which is excellent. The high school reports a 94% graduation rate.

The population of Patterson is approximately 12,023.

Poughkeepsie is a bustling, dynamic Hudson River city brimming with great restaurants, great shopping, exceptional educational institutions, oodles of history, tons of entertainment and lots of arts and culture to go around.

Hudson River Housing is an organization that provides affordable, quality housing in the area to individuals, families and seniors.

There are far too many interesting, exotic, humble, mom and pop, indie and exciting restaurants, bakeries and eateries to mention in one review, but I will do my best to provide a nice handful or two of the very best out there. Crave Restaurant and Lounge with its CIA alumni chefs has a sophisticated New York ambiance and excellent fare made with the freshest regional and seasonal ingredients. The Beech Tree Grill is an American bistro often well attended by Vassar students. The Artist’s Palate is a beautifully appointed and sophisticated bistro & bar that has exquisite food and rotating art exhibitions, The Bull and Buddha Restaurant is a very cool Asian fusion joint that boasts an enormous (two-ton) hand-carved Buddha and some great sushi. Alex’s Restaurant is a cozy downtown breakfast favorite which also makes some great shakes. The Karma Lounge puts together some really tasty tapas and some interesting signature cocktails. Café Bocca is a trendy, gourmet café that also has live local music, rotating art exhibits and poetry events. And there are many, many, many more.

Shopping is a-plenty in the area and you will find everything your little heart could desire. The Poughkeepsie Galleria has 250 shops and varied eateries. It is home to Regal Galleria Mall Stadium 6 as well as a wealth of other indie stores.

The Mid-Hudson Civic Center is comprised of Mair Hall & McCann Ice Arena. They have large-scale events, concerts and performances such as the WWE Smackdown tour, Celtic Thunder, GLEE on Ice, the Hudson Valley Reptile Expo, competitive figure skating, ice hockey and public skating sessions.

Main Mall Row is a great example of Renaissance Revival architecture and is on the National Historic Registry of protected places. The main street district in Poughkeepsie is a source of local pride and has been steadfastly revitalized throughout the years.

The Chance Theatre is “The Hudson Valley’s Premiere Live Music Venue” and hosts an outstanding roster of up and coming talents. Bardavon Opera House has been in operation since 1869 and has a stellar calendar of world-class performers and productions including the likes of Michael McDonald, Laurie Berkner, exceptional operas, the Hudson Valley Philharmonic, a wonderful children’s series,

Frances Lehman Loeb Art Center at the world renowned Vassar College has over 15,000 impressive works. The Cunneen Hackett Arts Center has rotating gallery exhibits, educational programs and tours of local Victorian historical houses. The Mill Street Loft offers year round art classes and the award-winning Dutchess Arts Camp. The Barrett Art Center, which is located in the historic home of Thomas W. Barrett (a former famous local artist), has incredible rotating exhibitions, varied art classes, lectures and demonstrations. Twice a year they hold an impressive shows juried by the curators of some of the most famous museums around including The Whitney Museum and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Guggenheim Museum, the International Center of Photography and the DIA Art Foundation in NYC. They hold a wonderful annual High School Show. They also have a fantastic Barrett ClayWorks program

Mid Hudson Children’s Museum has wonderful educational resources for children including STARLAB Planetarium, games, arts and crafts in the Art Activity Center, hands-on exhibits, interactive story times, a rock climbing wall, the Great Bubble Machine, science demos, field trips, outreach programs, scout adventures and summer programs to name but some of its offerings.

Empire Cruise Lines, which operates on the mighty Hudson, has just launched a new dinner, sightseeing and tour boat called M/V Mystere. They offer wonderful cruises including a High Tea Cruise, Theatre Cruise, Sunset Cruises, Theme Party Cruises, and Farm Fresh Tour amongst quite a few others.

Poughkeepsie has a well-developed parks and recreation program. There is a Skate Park in Waryas Park. Spratt Park Pool is a popular summer destination for cooling off and having fun. You can buy a family pass, an adult season pass, children (under 13) season pass or daily pass. They offer swimming instruction there for kids and adults. There is also Pulaski Park Pool. There is a great little league program with its own website.

The Walkway Over the Hudson State Historic Park is a wonderful local resource. An old, unused bridge was turned into a lovely pedestrian park replete with bike paths.

The Main Street Farmer’s Market is a terrific weekly event held every Friday from 2 to 6 from June through October. It features fantastic local producers.

The city of Poughkeepsie also has a very good and mostly reliable bus system and a Metro North and Amtrak station. Commute time to NYC is between one hour and thirty-eight and one hour and forty-five minutes.

Poughkeepsie has a very good city library system with a nice collection and a series of solid events and programs.

City of Poughkeepsie students are a part of the Poughkeepsie City School District.

The median household income is about $28,389

The population of Poughkeepsie is approximately 32, 736.

Stormville is a hamlet in East Fishkill, NY. It doesn’t have a whole lot going on so your best bet is to head to the more dynamic sister hamlet of Hopewell Junction our out of Town to Fishkill proper or Poughkeepsie.

Stormville has three eateries to speak of, Stormville Pizza and More, Danny’s Pizzeria and Collins Ale House.

There are some additional decent restaurants in sister hamlet Hopewell Junction including the elegant La Chambord Restaurant Inn, the casual and cozy Tuscan-infused Tiramisu restaurant, pizzeria and bakery which hosts live music on Wednesday nights, the family-friendly Gian Bruno’s Restaurant, the warm Muscoot North Restaurant which has been around for a quarter of a century, The Blue Fountain which was awarded best Italian restaurant in the Hudson Valley by Zagat as well as Goodfellas Inn, Empire Wok, Peza Modern Bistro, Pizza Village, Dunkin Donuts, Monte Rosa Lodge Restaurant, Nick’s Brick Oven Pizza and KFC and Subway.

Shopping that does exist is mostly in sister hamlet Hopewell Junction and includes CVS, Hank the Painter, Out of the Loop Yarn Shop, Hopewell Plaza, and Unity Plaza. In the town of Fishkill there are quite a few more options including the Hudson Valley Towne Center, Ocean State Job Lot, Talbots, a cigar lounge, a Dollar Tree and a hallmark store.

The very popular South Hills Mall with over 250 stores in Poughkeepsie is only 9.7 miles away.

To fulfill your grocery shopping needs, you can head to Stop & Shop, A & P, Cumberland Farms, Hopewell Farms and Fishkill Farms or Stewarts in sister hamlet Hopewell Junction, go to the Sam’s Club, Walmart Supercenter or ShopRite in Fishkill or go to the BJ’s Wholesale Club in Wappingers.

Stormville does have one cool locale going for itself: The Stormville Airport Antique Show & Flea Market which holds half a dozen family-friendly and festive shows each year that are extremely well-attended. In fact, people come from miles upon miles away to treasure-hunt and HGTV even recently filmed there. They have great bargains, great food and various cool events.

Parent town of East Fishkill has a well-developed parks and recreation program. Red Wing Park is a very popular 18 acre spot with an eight acre lake and beach, a bathhouse, a basketball court, a volleyball court, badminton, playgrounds, swimming, fishing, picnic areas and a pavilion. Swimming instruction is provided there for kids and adults, lifeguard training and they also have a swim team. Limekilm Recreation Park has a fitness center, showers, restrooms, basketball courts, tennis courts, softball fields, soccer/football/frisbee all purpose field; boccie ball and horseshoe courts, a handball court and a walking trail. The town also has an awesome Skate Park. There are quite a few other parks in the area including Route 52 Recreation Complex, Wiccopee Recreation Area, Leewood Road Recreation Area, Brettview Recreation Area and Emmadine Pond. There is a great new summer camp coming up called “Extreme Teens.” The town also hosts lovely and free outdoor summer concerts and an annual fireworks display.

In September, the town of East Fishkill holds its annual Community Day with a parade along Route 82, live music, food vendors, community information booths and fireworks.

Stormville is pretty safe and the crime rate is relatively low.

Stormville students are a part of are divided amongst the Arlington, Carmel, Pawling and Wappingers school districts.

The median household income is about $78, 394.

The population of greater East Fishkill is approximately 29, 029.

Brewster is a lovely well-populated and popular village in the heart of the town of Southeast, NY that does have its own government, court system and train station independent of its parent town. Brewster is sometimes used synonymously with Southeast, however. This may be due to its good reputation and the abundance of offerings in the village itself.

Brewster has some pretty good eating establishments including Rraci Restaurant, which has received praise from the NY Times for its excellent Italian cuisine, Southeast Grille House, a more casual fine dining affair, Arch Restaurant which is a warm, gracious and beautifully decorated country home known for its out of this world soufflés, Aversano’s with its New York style lounge décor and delicious Italian fare, Jaipore Royal Indian Cusine has exceptional Indian cuisine and is located in a Brewster mansion, Fiesta Mexicana with its delicious and authentic Mexican cuisine, family-friendly Kelly’s Corner, the famed Eveready Diner which was featured on Guy Fieri’s Diners, Drive-ins & Dives, the Red Rooster Drive-in with its excellent cheeseburgers and onion rings, Filia’s and Sciortinio’s Restaurant.

Brewster has Kohl’s, Marshall’s, Animal Kingdom USA, Home Depot, Design Ease and Michaels. The Lakeview Shopping Center in Brewster has a Value Village which is a huge combination of drugstore, discount store and variety store extraordinaire. Right behind that Value Village is Empire Cinemas. Also located in the shopping center is McDonald's, a car wash, a pizzeria, a dry cleaners, a hair salon, Beneficial Financial, Laundry, H&R Block, a bagel place, a video store, a Chinese restaurant, a sushi restaurant, a dentist, Brewster Athletic Club, some medical offices, R & D Flooring, Cingular Wireless and Putnam Federal Credit Union.

For groceries, Brewster has an A& P, DeCicco Food Market, Kobacker’s IGA, Brewster Superette, Latinos Unidos Deli and the Brewster Community Food Pantry. There is also a Hannaford Supermarket and a Shoprite in nearby Carmel.

The Brewster Library has a great collection and has many terrific programs and events including but not limited to DIY projects, a visiting therapy dog, chess classes, homework help, book discussion groups, author visits, tech classes and much more. The Southeast Museum is a great local resource where one can learn all about its namesake and the history of the region.

The village of Brewster holds a Veterans Day Parade, a Memorial Day Parade, a Good Friday Parade and celebrates Founders Day. Brewster also has a lovely farmer’s market every Wednesday and Saturday from June through November.

Parent town of Southeast has a well developed parks and recreation program with many terrific activities for young’uns, teens, adults and seniors. The area has many great parks, as well. Henry Wells Park is the site of a terrific summer day camp. It also has a spray park, picnic tables, playing fields and restrooms. Markel Memorial Park has a community pool, playing fields, a basketball court, several playgrounds, benches and restrooms. Southeast Town Park at pretty Tonetta Lake has a beach. Douglas J. Scolpino Park has a picnic area, a playground and ball fields. There is also Blackberry Hill Park District.

Carmel Bowl is three miles away in nearby Carmel, NY.

Brewster has its own train station and commute time to NYC is about one hour and twenty-two minutes making it a feasible option for working professionals and weekend visitors.

Brewster is pretty safe and the crime rate is relatively low.

Brewster students are a part of the Brewster Central School District which is excellent. There are also two private schools in the area: The Melrose School and Longview School.

The median household income is around $42,750.

The population of Brewster is approximately 2,162.

Holmes is pretty much an all residential hamlet within the parent town of Pawling, NY in Dutchess County. The area, in general, is quite tranquil and undisturbed and filled with mid to large scale colonials, Victorians and more modern single family homesteads. Holmes is a place to come home to and just enjoy your abode and/or loved ones. But if you want to get out for a nosh or have some fun there isn't much of anything in the immediate vicinity so it is best to head into Pawling.

There are some decent restaurants in Pawling proper including McGrath’s Tavern, the highly lauded McKinney and Doyle Fine Food Café and Corner Bakery with its tremendous ambience, exquisite food, outstanding desserts and kids menu, Dante’s Trattoria, Hacienda Los Tres Potrillos, Pawling Tavern, Dunkin Donuts, a KFC, a Great Wall II Chinese and Hong Kong Chinese Kitchen.

Shopping options are predominantly in Pawling and include CVS Pharmacy, Dollar General, Radio Shack, Good Tidings Gift Shop, Stage Door Furniture, Synchronicity, The Bead Vault, Greer Gallery, Red Barn Gifts & Antiques, Hobnail Antiques, Simply Unique, The Yarn & Craft Box, Made with Love, Earth Lore, Magnolias, Bailey’s TV & Appliances, The Book Cove, a couple of Redboxes, Tonis Hair & Nail Design.

For your grocery shopping needs you can hit up the Family Quick Stop, Pawling Beer & Soda and Pawling Hannaford Supermarket & Pharmacy.

A gem of a Pawling institution is the beloved Town Crier Café which proudly presents exceptional live music and has been doing so since 1972. In fact, people from other towns and states flock here to hear everything from folk to jazz to blues to rock to Celtic music, Cajun music, Zydeco, roots and world. Pete Seeger, Roseanne Cash, Suzanne Vega, Sawn Colvin, Arlo Guthrie, Lucinda Williams are but a few of the amazing talents to have performed there.

The town of Pawling has a very well developed parks and recreation program. They hold a wonderful annual Fireman’s Parade and Carnival. They have terrific programs for toddlers, pre-adolescents, teens, adults and seniors. They have great summer day camps. There are quite a few decent parks, as well. Edward R. Murrow Memorial Park has a playground, swimming, a picnic area, camping as well as lovely hiking and horse trails. The town’s “Music by the Lake” summer series is held in Lakeside Park which has tennis courts, a lake and a beach where you can boat and swim as well as bbq grills and picnic tables. Pawling is also home to The Dutcher Golf Course which is the oldest public golf course in the nation. And last but not least, there is the very cool Appalachian Trail for eager hikers.

Holmes is pretty safe and the crime rate is relatively low.

Holmes’ students are a part of the Pawling Central School District which is very good,

The median household income is about $61,380.

The population of greater Pawling is approximately 8,463.

Mahopac is a hamlet in the greater town of Carmel, NY in Putnam County. It is a well-populated area for a hamlet and is steadily growing. Part of that is due to it having a fair amount of slightly, and I mean slightly more affordable, housing options including single family dwellings, condos, townhouses and apartments and access to a gorgeous lake.

Mahopac has a fair share of notable restaurants in the area including The Terrace Club Restaurant which has two outdoor terraces right on stunning Lake Mahopac and a dining room interior reminiscent of a 1940’s supper club, Dish Bistro & Wine Bar which has received numerous media accolades for its warm atmosphere and outstanding food, the more casual and family friendly Four Brothers Restaurant & Pizza, Holy Smoke Restaurant with its amazing beer & bourbon list and sinfully good fall off the bone ribs, 151 Grill and Bar with its range of fabulous BBQ and classic American comfort foods, Marco’s Restaurant known for its excellent ever-changing menu of steak, seafood and wild game, Frankie’s Waffles & Burgers, Bamboo Village, bliss, Ramiro’s 954, Rick’s Seafood, Sea Chic, Route 6 Bistrant, Amatos, Anthony’s Deli & Catering, Ariano’s Trattoria, Arturo’s Tavern, Bucci Brother’s Deli and McDonalds amongst quite a few others.

Shopping and services in Mahopac include Kmart, Dress Barn, Trimmings Interiors, Rita’s Cleaning, CVS, Mahopac Flower Shop, Aljan Jewelers, Yellow Shed Antiques, Eagle Eye Two Thrift Shop, La Sposa Bridal Shoppe, Hrh Boutique, Mahopac Launderaid, Carol’s Boutique and Victoria Gift Shop, Sacred Heart Gifts & Apparel, Jumpin Jeepers, Hulya’s Tailoring, Brothers Connections and Gifts, Advance Auto Parts, Mandee Shop, Caterina’s Boutique, Game Fix, Card Smart, redbox amongst quite a few others. Parent town of Carmel also has a RiteAid and a Dollar World.

For grocery shopping, you can head on over to the Grand Union, Mrs. Green’s Natural Market, Longshot Foodmart, and Putnam Wine & Liquor. Carmel has a Shoprite and an A&P.

Putnam Valley Arts Council, located in the newly reconstructed Bella Levine Arts Center, is a treasure of a local resource which promotes the visual, performing and literary arts. They host revolving exhibitions, art in public spaces, workshops, a summer arts program, various concerts, theatre performances and other various events.

The area is also home to some lovely parks. Chamber Park is a stunning waterfront park located on the gorgeous 587-acre Lake Mahopac. It has a fountain, a gazebo, benches, a playground and walking paths. You can boat and jet ski on the Lake, as well, and it is a very popular warm weather destination. Putnam County Memorial Veteran Park is a 200-acre park with a lake for swimming and ice skating and some great hiking trails. The 32-acre Sycamore Park has a large beach, four tennis courts, a playing field, a playground, a picnic area, a paddle ball/hand ball court and concessions. Jimmy McDonough Memorial Park has three playing fields, a skate park, concessions and restrooms. There is also a dog park called Sycamore Bark Park. Chuang Yen Monastery is nearby as well and boasts the largest Buddha statue in all of the U.S. and Europe in addition to having lovely grounds for walking and communing with nature.

Putnam National Golf Club in Mahopac is a public 18-hole championship course that is considered an absolute gem and of great value. Carmel is also home to the Centennial Golf Club which is a professional 27-acre golf course. There is also the Carmel Fitness and Racquet Club which houses a pool, tennis courts and racquetball courts.

Mahopac is in close proximity to the Putnam Hospital Center.

Mahopac is quite safe and the crime rate is relatively low.

Mahopac students are a part of the Mahopac Central School District which is pretty good. They also have excellent sports teams.

The median household income is $86,592.

The population of Mahopac is approximately 8,675.

Tivoli is a very cool little village within the pleasant parent town of Red Hook, NY. It is a close-knit family-friendly community with a lot going on for itself including some terrific village sponsored activities and events, some great restaurants, terrific outdoor recreation areas, a developing waterfront district and a nice arts and culture scene.

There are quite a few great eateries in the area including Luna 61, Santa Fe Restaurant, Broadway Pizza, Osaka Japanese Restaurant, Patty’s Little Italy, Back in Time Pizzeria & Café, Murray’s, Black Beans and Rice and Pan Zure. For even more options, head on over to parent town Red Hook where there are a slew of others including the notable Mercato Osteria and Enoteca, owned by a Butoni family member and the succulent Memphis Max’s Barbecue.

Taste Budd’s Chocolate and Coffee Café in Red Hook has fantastic alternative foodstuffs, yummy pastries, tasty confections, art exhibitions and live music and is great place to just hang out, relax and indulge your senses while taking in the scenery.

As for retail shopping, there isn’t a ton here, but most people don’t seem to mind too much as there are soo many other wonderful resources to make up for it. Plus, the area retains its charm that way. Tivoli is home to Fabulous Yarn and Village Books. In Red Hook, you will find the Me Oh My Pie Shop and Café with its luscious offerings, Red Hook Drugstore, Annex Antiques Center, Cider Mill Antiques, East Market Street Antiques, Wiltsie Bridge Country Store, a CVS Pharmacy and Hannaford supermarket and Gigi Market (an indoor farmer’s market and café located on the 500 acre Greig’s Farm) for grocery shopping and super fresh farm to table food items.

Tivoli hosts a lot of wonderful community events including but certainly not limited to an annual Easter Egg Hunt replete with coloring contests, a village-wide Yard Sale Day, a Street Painting Festival with hosted music and entertainment, a Halloween Bash & Block Party with a costume contest, live music and various games for kids, and a WinterFest Tree Lighting Ceremony with music, arts and crafts, a bonfire and a fireworks display.

The Tivoli Free Library has a wonderful book collection and a slew of other great resources including Homework Help, story times, an adult book club and free use of public computers

Kaatsbaan International Dance Center is located within the village and is a world renowned dance center which provides creative residences, educational outreach, extreme ballet, workshops and often hosts stellar events and performances.

The stunning park-like Bard College is also nearby and is brimming with cultural and intellectual activities to partake in. It offers breathtaking views of the Hudson River from the rose garden at Blithewood Mansion. The Richard B. Foster Center for the Performing Arts at Bard is exceptional and hosts a wonderful music festival amongst myriad other spectacular events.

The Tivoli Bay Visitor’s Center is located in the historic Watts dePeyster Hall and they can tell you a lot about Tivoli’s interesting history as well as provide maps, directions and tips. Sometimes they sponsor interesting events, as well.

For a lovely day spent outdoors, first stop at the Tivoli Commons and sit in the pretty gazebo before you walk the trail behind the aforementioned visitor’s center to the amazing not-to-be-missed Tivoli Bays. The Tivoli Bays is a national park, nature preserve and research area consisting of 1,700 acres of freshwater tidal marshes right on the Hudson. It is filled with creeks and swamps and streams and coves and mudflats and islands. It is also a very popular birding area as noted by the Audobon Society. Tivoli Memorial Recreation Park is a popular outdoor area with a playground, pavilion, basketball court and a baseball field.

Red Hook Recreation Park is another highly popular area park and has an outstanding Olympic sized pool, a playground, handball courts, basketball courts, baseball and soccer fields, an outside running track and an inside fitness center. Poets Walk Park is a really romantic place to hike and boasts great views of the Hudson River, the Kingston-Rhinecliff Bridge and the Catskill Mountains. Some say this is where Rudyard Kipling developed the idea to write his famous story Rip Van Winkle!

Red Hook is also home to Lyceum Six Cinemas and a mini golf course and 20-lane bowling alley called Ro-Rin Lanes. Red Hook Golf Club is also in proximity.

Tivoli students are a part of the Red Hook Central School District which is considered to be excellent.

Tivoli is quite safe and the crime rate is relatively low.

The median household income is $40, 536.

The population of Tivoli is approximately 1,118.

Beekman is a town in Dutchess County with a friendly atmosphere, a close knit community and rich and colorful history. There are tons of historical sites to visit or photograph including The Old Upper Road, Town Hall, Toll Gate, The Beekman Furnace, Old Mill, Millstone, Green Haven Prison, Camp Whitman, Apoquage Friends Meeting, St Denis Church, Beekman Baptist Church, Beekmanville Baptist Church Cemetery, M.F. Church & Burial Grounds, Vanderburgh Burial Grounds, Rogers Burial Ground and Bentley Burial Ground. There will soon be a Historical Museum & Visitor’s Center in Beekman. The area is filled with mid to large scale homes, wooded areas and lovely lakes.

Beekman has a couple of restaurants including the family owned and operated Beekman Square Restaurant which is essentially a family-friendly diner with really good food and Pleasant Ridge Pizzeria which is said to have some of the best pizza around. For more options, I suggest you head on over to nearby Hopewell Junction.

Retail shopping in Beekman is slim to none but residents are only a good eleven miles from Poughkeepsie which has a ton of varied choices.

There are a number of good supermarkets in the immediate area including Stop & Shop in Hopewell Junction which is only 1.3 miles away and A & P in LaGrangeville which is only 3.3 miles away. That being said, it would be good to own a car if you are going to move here.

Beekman Library has many great resources including homework help, story times for various ages, arts & crafts events, Weight Watchers meetings, Yoga instruction, a Chess Club, Lego building events, various parties, movies and lectures.

Beekman has a very solid parks and recreation department and offers summer day camps, sports-specific camps, play groups, fitness classes, family fun nights, egg hunts, an annual Community Day, a teen leadership council, road trips to Lake Compounce and other fun destinations, swimming lesions, lifeguard training, teen party nights, parenting classes and an extensive seniors program including the wonderful “Friends of Seniors” Program which provides door to door transportation for its senior residents to run non-emergency related errands, etc. and much more. Beekman is home to Beyer Drive Soccer Field and is close to Beekman Recreation Park, Sylvan Lake Beach Park, Doherty Park and quite a few others in nearby Hopewell Junction.

Beekman Athletic Club offers baseball and softball.

Beekman students are a part of the Arlington Central School District which is quite good.

Beekman is pretty safe and the crime rate is relatively low.

The median household income is $65,610.

The population is approximately 14,621.

East Fishkill is a 57.3 square mile town in Dutchess County comprised of the better known hamlets of Hopewell Junction, Stormville and Hillside Lake, amongst quite a few others. The area has mid to large scale homes and developments as well as some apartments and condos. Although it is a fairly large town with a fairly sizable population of around 29,000, it does retain a small town feel and a great deal of community spirit.

Notable area restaurants include the Euro chic La Chambord Restaurant Inn, the rustic, Tuscan Tiramisu restaurant, pizzeria and bakery which hosts live music on Wednesday nights, the casual, family-friendly Gian Bruno’s Restaurant, the cozy Muscoot North Restaurant which has been around for a quarter of a century, The Blue Fountain which was given the honor of best Italian restaurant in the Hudson Valley by Zagat, Pizza Village, Dunkin Donuts, Monte Rosa Lodge Restaurant,

Shopping in the region includes Hank the Painter, Out of the Loop Yarn Shop, Hopewell Plaza, and Unity Plaza. In the town of Fishkill there are quite a few more options including the Hudson Valley Towne Center, Ocean State Job Lot, Talbots, a cigar lounge, a Dollar Tree and a hallmark store. For grocery shopping, you can head to Stop & Shop, A & P, Cumberland Farms, Hopewell Farms and Fishkill Farms or Stewarts in Hopewell Junction or go to the Sam’s Club, Walmart Supercenter or ShopRite in Fishkill or the BJ’s Wholesale Club in Wappingers

Every September (now in its 17th year) the town holds its festive Community Day with a parade along Route 82, live music, food vendors, community information booths and a fireworks display.

East Fishkill has a terrific community center and a very well-developed parks and recreation program. Red Wing Park is a very popular 18 acre spot with an 8 acre lake and nice beach, a bath house with restrooms and showers, a basketball court, a volleyball court, badminton, playgrounds, swimming, fishing and picnic areas and a pavilion. They offer swimming instruction there for kids and adults, lifeguard training and they also have a swim team. Limekilm Recreation Park has a fitness center, showers, restrooms, basketball courts, tennis courts, softball fields, soccer/football/frisbee all purpose field; boccie ball and horseshoe courts, a handball court and a walking trail The town also has an excellent Skate Park. There are quite a few other parks in the region including Route 52 Recreation Complex, Wiccopee Recreation Area, Leewood Road Recreation Area, Brettview Recreation Area and Emmadine Pond. There is a great new summer camp coming up called “Extreme Teens.” The town holds a ton of free outdoor summer concerts with great bands throughout the summer at various locales and they do hold an annual fireworks display.

Hudson Valley Research Park aka IBM Fishkill is also located in town.

East Fishkill students are divvied up amongst the Arlington, Carmel, Pawling and Wappingers school districts, all of which are quite good.

The median income is $78, 394.

Carmel is a 40.7 square mile town in Putnam Valley laden with woodlands and picturesque lakes. Property here is a little more affordable which is great, especially in light of its close proximity to more affluent Westchester County, NY.

Notable restaurants in Carmel proper include the legendary Smalley’s Inn & Restaurant which is purportedly “haunted” and where many serious ghost hunters make pilgrimages, Cutillo’s Restaurant, which has four star fare and is located in a lovely large white homestead, Pasquale Trattoria, a classic family-friendly Italian restaurant, Thai Golden Restaurant, Toro Restaurant with its quality sushi, Pueblo Viejo, Izumi Japanese Restaurant, Valentina’s Restaurant, Ice Cream Café and Wendy’s.

Shopping in Carmel includes the Carmel Shoprite Center with of course, a Shoprite, Putnam Plaza Shopping Center, a Dress Barn, an A & P, Rite Aid, and Dollar World. There is a Kmart in nearby Mahopac and a Kohl’s and Marshalls just east in Brewster

Carmel is home to some lovely parks. Putnam County Memorial Veteran Park is a 200-acre park with a lake for swimming and ice skating as well as some nice hiking trails. The 32-acre Sycamore Park has a well sized beach, four tennis courts, a playing field, a really nice playground, a picnic area, a paddle ball/hand ball court and concessions. Jimmy McDonough Memorial Park has three playing fields, an awesome skate park, concessions and restrooms. Chamber Park is a gorgeous waterfront park located on Lake Mahopac. It has a fountain, a gazebo, benches, a playground and walking paths. There is also a dog park called Sycamore Bark Park.

For even more ardent fitness, Carmel harbors the Centennial Golf Club, a professional 27-acre golf course and the Carmel Fitness and Racquet Club with a pool, tennis courts and racquetball courts.

Chuang Yen Monastery is a really tranquil and interesting must-see local destination which houses a huge Buddha, the largest in the U.S. and Europe, and also has lovely grounds to saunter through and commune with nature and meditate.

For peace of mind, Carmel is home to a great medical facility, the not for profit Putnam Hospital Center. Arms Acres, an Alcohol and Substance Abuse Treatment Facility is also located in town.

Carmel students are a part of the Carmel Central School District which is excellent. It is reported that its high school has a 94% + graduation rate.

The median household income is roughly $92,000.

The population is approximately 33,200 and is about 90 % White.

Putnam Valley is both a town and hamlet in Putnam County, NY and is affectionately referred to as the “Town of Lakes,” as it does indeed have many pretty ones. It doesn’t have many amenities, however, so it is good for those who prefer a quiet lifestyle and do own a reliable car.

Putnam Valley is a little scant on decent eateries but does have Forno III Brick Oven Pizzeria, Spruce Hill Inn, Panda Garden and Richy’s Pub Grub. For more options one need not go far to nearby Mohegan Lake where there is Augie’s Prime Cut, Café Pizzazz, Piazza Roma, Panera Bread, Baskin Robbins, Applebees, Cold Stone Creamery, Wild Fusion and Mohegan Diner.

As far as retail shopping, there isn’t a whole lot in Putnam Valley itself, but there are some major stores in nearby towns. Cortland Manor has a Marshalls and a Kohl’s. Mohegan Lake has a Walmart, a Bed Bath & Beyond, a Barnes & Noble, an Old Navy and an UA Cortland Stadium 11 multiplex showing the latest biggies. The Jefferson Valley Mall in Yorktown Heights is within reasonable driving distance at 4.3 miles and there you will find Macy’s and Sears as well as over 90 specialty stores including such favorites as H & M, Hollister, Victoria’s Secret, Express, Foot Locker, Gap, etc. They also have a 400-seat food court and a lot of other great restaurants, chain and independent, in the immediate area.

There is a Super Stop & Shop in Peekskill which is about 2.9 miles away and a DeCicco Marketplace in Jefferson Valley which is about 3.3 miles away.

Every September, the town holds the wonderful Putnam Valley Town Day with fun exhibits, vendors, a concert and a fireworks display.

There is also Putnam Valley Town Park which has three lighted tennis courts, several multi-purpose courts, two playgrounds, a rentable pavilion with a full kitchen, two sanded volleyball courts, several playing fields, a roller hockey rink, horseshoe pits and some nice hiking trails. Putnam Valley has access to Clarence Fahnestock State Park, a stunning 14,086 acre park that boasts a beautiful beach, picnic areas, wonderful hiking trails, a pretty campground, boating, hunting, fishing and birding.

Putnam Valley is also not far from the fantastic Franklin D. Roosevelt State Park in Yorktown Heights which has an enormous and very popular outdoor pool, disc golf, cross country skiing, snowshoeing, sledding, snowmobiling, ice skating, boat rentals, boat launches, playgrounds, playing fields, hiking, fishing, pavilions, picnic tables, concession areas and restrooms and showers. The town park has a wonderful concert series that kicks off in May and hosts some pretty great acts including the likes of Steve Forbert. The concerts are always free and they sell reasonably priced food. The park also holds a fun car show. Putnam Valley also has the Lucky Dog Park. Just make sure you register your furry friends at the park and rec office first!

Putnam Valley students are a part of the Putnam Valley Central School District which is quite good.

The median household income is $72,938.

The population is approximately 11,000.

Wappinger is a town in Dutchess County comprised of the hamlets of Chelsea and Myers Corner and the village of Wappinger Falls. It is an area with great community spirit and neighborliness.

Restaurants in Wappinger include the colorful and sophisticated Double O Grill, the charming Locanda with its tasty Italian cuisine, Greenbaum & Gilhooley’s with its fresh Cape Cod seafood, the beloved family-favorite, Franks Italian Restaurant and Pizzeria, with its authentic southern Italian cuisine, Gino’s Restaurant, the family-friendly (replete with kids’ menu) and festive Margaritas Mexican Restaurant and the tried and true Outback Steakhouse. Bad Ass Coffee is another great little local joint with a terrific atmosphere and some delish java.

Shopping in Wappinger is fairly decent and includes BJ’s Wholesale, Big Lots, The Home Depot, Babies “R” Us, Dollar General, Goodwill, Sleepy’s, Foot Locker, AC Moore, What’s New Again Consignment Boutique, Bikeway (a sporting goods store), Wheet and Heel Bicycle Shop, Fashion Exchange (a thrift shop), Just for Kids, Alto Music (for instrument rentals), Rosemary Flower Shop, Jewelry Annex and Jaymark Jewelers. For more extensive options, you will surely find what you need at the South Hills Mall or Kmart in nearby Poughkeepsie which is only 2.5 miles away.

For grocery shopping wants and needs, there is a Hannaford Supermarket, a Stop and Shop, Meadowbrook Farm Market, Saraswati Grocery, some convenience stores and Los Hornitos Bakery.

Country Players is a performing arts group that was voted “Best Community Theatre in the Hudson Valley.” They put on popular shows like City of Angels, Aida, Forever Plaid and Full Monty. Ticket prices are only twenty dollars which is a steal for such quality local entertainment.

The town of Wappinger holds a festive Community Day at Schlathaus Park in June featuring various fun activities, fireworks, craft and food vendors and a parade. That park is also site to a Halloween Parade, a Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony, The Playground End of Summer Picnic, a summer concert series and a memorial race.

As you can see, Wappinger has a well developed parks and rec department. There are quite a few other decent parks in the area including the 38 acre Reese Park, Veteran’s Memorial Park with ball fields, a basketball court and playing fields as well as Mesier Park, Little Falls Park, Castle Point and Rockingham. There is also beauteous Wappinger Lake where people often go fishing. There is a nice gymnastics program, a summer day camp, a summer tennis program, a summer fishing program and a summer basketball program.

For more entertainment options and such, Poughkeepsie is only twenty minutes away and has plenty to do and see and then some. There is also a Metro North Train Station tin Poughkeepsie which would bring you into NYC for a fun day outing or weekend get-away in around one hour and forty minutes

Students are a part of Wappingers Central School District which is pretty good.

The median household income is roughly $58,079.

Wappingers has a total population of about 27,048.

Rhinebeck is a scenically gorgeous 39.6 square mile Hudson River town and National Landmark District that is absolutely steeped in history and has oodles of great restaurants, great shopping, outdoor recreation, cultural activities and an interesting medley of architectural styles with everything from charming Victorians to stone churches to modern condos to handsome Colonials.

There are restaurants here to suit all tastes and moods, including fine dining establishments, kid-friendly family restaurants, coffee shops and bars. You have Foster’s Coach House Tavern, Modern Taco, Wild Hive Farm Café & Bakery, Jenny’s Country Manor Lodge & BBQ, Momiji Sushi Steakhouse & Bar, China Rose, Fransesca’s Restaurant & Pizzeria, Pete’s Famous Restaurant, Calico Restaurant & Patisserie, Gigi Trattoria, Arielle, Gaby’s Café, Terrapin Restaurant, Bistro & Bar, Tavola Rustica, Oliver Kita Chocolates, Bread Alone, Tavern at the Beekman Arms, Grand Cru Cheese and Beer Market, C.J.’s Italian Restaurant & Pizzeria and Osaka Japanese Restaurant.

There are a also a bunch of cool, eclectic and cute boutiques in town such as Rhinebeck Antiques Fair, Asher House Antiques, Warren Kitchen & Cutlery, Hudson Valley Blooms, Northern Dutchess Pharmacy, Cabin Fever Outfitters, Hummingbird Jewelers, Montgomery Row, SugarPlum Boutique, Workers and Dreamers, Winter Sun and Summer Moon, Darryl’s, EB’s Hudson Valley Finds, Pet Country, Haldora, Floral Fantasies by Sara, Paper Trail, Rhinebeck Artist’s Shop, Chamonix Bride, Wing and Clover, Country Comfort Furniture, Hammertown, Wonderland Florist, Hudson Valley Footwear, Verizon Wireless, A.L. Stickle Variety Store, Oblong Books and Music, Merriweather’s, Madison’s Avenue and The Pottery Shack.

For your grocery shopping needs, you can hit up the Stop and Shop supermarket, Rhinebeck Health Foods, Breezy Hill Farm Market, Old Mill Wine and Spirits and Park Plaza Liquor Store.

The Center for Performing Arts at Rhinebeck is a fabulous cultural and entertainment institution that shows outstanding Broadway musicals a la Fiddler on the Roof, Avenue Q and The Wedding Singer. They also have an education program with various offerings including Kids on Stage, field trips and summer camps and workshops. Also in town is the Rhinebeck Chamber Music Society.

The Old Rhinebeck Aerodome is what they call a living museum with an amazing collection of early areoplanes, motorcycles, cars, engines and other assorted memorabilia from 1900 to 1935. They have biplane rides and air shows on the weekends from mid June to mid October. The Aerodome is truly a special place and tons of fun for the entire family.

Rhinebeck also has a whopping four hundred homes that are listed on the National Historic Registry!

Rhinebeck has an extremely well-developed parks and recreation department with a plethora of programs and activities for all ages. The Rhinebeck Town Pool is a popular summer destination. The new pavilion at the town pool is the site of a Friday Music Night which has some great performers and is free to the public. There are wonderful summer camps for kids. There is the Rhinebeck-Red Hook bike route. Rhinecliiff Landing is a lovely Hudson River waterfront park with ramp access for boats, canoes and kayaks as well as facilities for picnicking. Lion’s Mini-Park has a playground, a gazebo and stream fishing. Burger Hill Park is a 76 acre park with a great hill for sleigh riding, cross country skiing, snowshoeing, hiking trails, picnicking and bird watching. Dogs are allowed. Thomas Thompson & Sally Mazzarella Community Park is where the outdoor pool is located and also has a picnic pavilion, a volleyball/badminton court, a basketball court, a shuffleboard court, lighted tennis courts and seasonal food concessions. American Legion Park has a pond with a waterfall, picnicking, fishing and a hill for sledding, as well. There is also the beautiful Northern Dutchess Botanical Gardens

Rhinebeck students are a part of the Rhinebeck Central School District which is very good.

The median household income is about $52,679.

The population is 7,458.

Kent is a largely residential 43.2 square mile town in Putnam County which has gorgeous rustic large-scale properties, a few interesting modern homes, smaller to mid-range single family dwellings and some apartments. The area is known for its bucolic landscape filled pristine sparkling lakes, ponds, mountain ranges and lush greenery. It is truly a charming scene and way of life.

There is a Johnny Gelato and Healy’s Corner Restaurant & Bar in Kent, but otherwise most people head to nearby Carmel where you will discover a bunch of great eateries including Margheritas Lake View Restaurant , Cutillo’s Restaurant, McCarthy’s Family Eatery, Cacciatore’s Trattoria & Pizzeria, Redendo’s Pizza, Pueblo Viejo, Deli Land, Foo Kam Chinese restaurant, New Grace II, Thai Golden Restaurant, Smalley’s Inn, Ice Cream Café, Mimi’s, Gappy’s, Toro Restaurant, Carmel Diner and Subway.

McGuire’s Pub & Restaurant in Carmel is a good choice for some local nightlife. They have a bar that seats 100 peeps, darts, pool and some great wings and burgers.

Carmel is home to the Carmel Shoprite Center with a Shoprite, Carmel Movieplex 8, Carmel Nails, Coinstar, Gold's Gym, Grapevine Wine, Health Quest Medical Practice, Image Cleaners, Magic Clippers II, Redbox, Rite Aid, Sunscape Tan and a Verizon store. There is also the Putnam Plaza Shopping Center with a Hannaford Brothers Supermarket, New York Sports Club, Rite Aid, Radio Shack, Starbucks and Dress Barn.

There is also Kohl’s, Marshall’s and True Value hardware in Brewster and a Kmart in Mahopac.

Senior Citizens in Kent often meet for social events at the Lake Carmel Community Center.

Kent is home to Sagamore Lake, Kentwood Lake, Lake Tibet, China Lake, Palmer Lake and White Pond. The Ninham Mountain State Multiple Use Area is located in Kent and is purportedly a great place for mountain biking. Wonder Lake State Park is a 973 acre park with a pond, streams, rivulets, ledges, ravines gorgeous meadows surrounded by stone walls, 8.7 miles of hiking trails and a bridle path. Fahnestock State Park in nearby Carmel is a wonder with 14,086 glorious acres. The park has hiking trails, a beautiful beach, picnic areas, campgrounds and allows boating, hunting, fishing, birding, snow-shoeing and cross-country skiing. There are row boat rentals by the hour and the park is also home to the Taconic Outdoor Education Center.

Kent students are a part of the Carmel Central School District which is considered very good.

Kent is quite safe and the crime rate is relatively low.

The median household income is $72,346.

The population of Kent is approximately 14,000.

Stanford is a small and very quiet town in Dutchess County comprised of the hamlets of Stanfordville and Bangall. The area is pretty enough but as for amenities and entertainment, it is pretty slim pickings and you really have to drive to neighboring towns. That being said, if you want a peaceful, relatively undisturbed rural lifestyle with no hustle and bustle, then this place might be for you.

As far as what Stanford does have to offer, you will find Elvin’s Market in Stanfordville. Your best bet for shopping is to head West to Kingston to the Target or down South to Poughkeepsie where you will find just about everything you could want or need, goods and service-wise.

Luckily, there are some fairly decent restaurants in Stanford to satisfy your need for good food and social interaction. The lovely Red Devon Restaurant & Market in Bangall which serves environmentally friendly locally grown sustainable fare which is super fresh and delicious. They have organic beer and wine at the bar. They sell goods in their market during the week and serve breakfast and lunch there. The actual restaurant is open for dinner on Fridays thru Sundays. There is also Stanford Pizza, Picolo 82, Home Plate, Uncle Sonny’s Café & Pizzeria, The Bangall Whaling Company and Doreen Brown in Stanfordville,

The Stanford Free Library does hold some nice programs including a defensive driving class, a writer’s group, a watercolor class, a meditation workshop, a mountain lion presentation and the wonderfully wholesome “Songs Around the Campfire,” a festive night of singing, s’mores and hot chocolate.

For outdoor activity in Stanford itself, there is Stanford Recreation Park, Whitlock Preserve and the beautiful Buttercup Preserve where you can picnic. Stissing Mountain is within driving range in nearby Pine Plains, NY and has an elevation of 1,400 feet as well as 595 beautiful acres. One can hike here on several trails and mountain bike and there are absolutely splendid views.

Stanford students are a part of the Millbrook Central School District.

Stanford is quite safe and the crime rate is relatively low.

The median household income is about $54,118.

The population of Stanford is approximately 3,825.

Staatsburg is a teeny tiny two square mile hamlet on the west side of parent town Hyde Park with a population of only 377 people. Staatsburg is home to Margaret Lewis Norrie State Park where you can camp in tents or cabins, hike, bike or boat from the marina. It also houses the second oldest golf course in the country, Dinsmore Golf Club. The Mills Mansion is another Staatsburg bragging right and is a glorious example of Beaux-Arts architecture and is a state owned and operated historical site. It was actually the site of the Hudson Valley Green Festival in 2010. And finally, there is the John Hendricks House and Dutch Barn which dates back to the 18th century and is on the National Historic Registry.

There isn’t really much going on in Staatsburg itself other than the park and two stately homesteads, but it really doesn’t matter all that much because Hyde Park has oodles of stuff to do. So really, one best think of Staatsburg as a green country-quiet place to hang one’s hat, kick back, relax and/or raise a family.

Hyde Park has a fun little medley of interesting stores including an Amish Market, Deer Hill Farm Cross Stitching, Green Oak Florist, Hyde Park Jeweler, Hyde Park Farmer’s Market, The Kitchen Drawer, and Liquorama Wine Cellars.

But the true draws of Hyde Park are the Culinary Institute, The Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site where Springwood, his revered home is located, as well as “Top Cottage,” the president’s get-away retreat, Val-Kill, the first lady’s cottage, and The Vanderbilt Mansion Historical Site.

At the Culinary Institute, there are actually five award-winning public restaurants on campus that are student-run: St. Andrew's Café, Ristorante Caterina de' Medici, the Escoffier Restaurant, American Bounty Restaurant, and the Apple Pie Bakery Café are all visitable and open to reservations.

Other less lofty but very good restaurants in Hyde Park include Hyde Park Brewing Company, Eveready Diner, Coco’s Pizza, Joe Cristiano’s Pizza, Antonella’s Pizzeria & Restaurant, Belvedere Country Inn, Coppola’s Italian Bistro, 2 Taste Food & Wine Bar, Cranberry’s at Tilley Hall, Pete’s Famous Restaurant, Portofino Ristorante, Rita’s Italian Ice, Dunkin Donuts, Baskin Robbins, Dairy Queen and McDonalds.

Hyde Park is also home to several nice parks including Pinewood Park which has a very cool skate park, a playground, tennis courts, a basketball court, a ball field, a nature trail and fishing, Hackett Hill Park which has a swimming pool, a pavilion, hiking trails, campsites, and playing fields and a day camp. Hyde Park holds many terrific community events including parades and a concert in the park series which is held at the aforementioned Vanderbilt Historic Site as well as other places in town. Hyde Park also has a well-developed Senior Activities Club.

Students are a part of the Hyde Park Central School District which is pretty good.

Staatsburg is very safe and the crime rate is quite low.

The median household income is $59,375

Millerton is a small hamlet within the greater town of North East in Dutchess County. The area as a whole is picture-perfect and laden with horse farms, requisite red barns, handsome Colonial homes and more modern and modest single family dwellings.

There are a small slew of decent restaurants in Millerton including the highly acclaimed Number 9 which offers exceptional farm-to-table American fare featuring innovative French and Austrian twists and turns, a decent wine list and a lovely outdoor patio for al fresco dining in the warmer months. The Wienerschnitzel is apparently a menu must-try! In the area you will also find Manna Dew Café, Irving Farm Coffee House, Salsa Fresca, Oakhust Diner, Martha’s Restaurant, Taro’s NY Style Pizzeria, Sky Farm Exquisite Salads and The Round Tuit Restaurant.

Millerton is also home to an eclectic little mix of shops and services. Oblong Books and Music is a very cool little indie joint which hosts book signings by acclaimed authors and interesting book readings and discussions. They have a nice selection of books and a helpful, knowledgeable staff. Also in the hamlet are Harney & Sons Master Tea Blenders which houses a cafe, BW's Eagle Eye with its vintage clothing, Copper Star Alpaca, Eckert Fine Art, GIlded Moon Framing and Gallery, Country Garden Florist, Saperstein’s Clothing & Footwear, O’Halloran Co., with its elegant and upscale equestrian apparel, Gilmor Glass Works, Green River Gallery, Hunter Bee, which is an antique store, Johnson's Antiques, Mary Magdeline's Boutique with its upscale fashions, Millterton Antiques Center, Masha's Fitness Studio, Agway and the not to be overlooked, Terni's, the oldest shop in Millertown that sells hunting and fishing gear, but actually contains a really cool vintage marble soda fountain!

The charming Movie House on Main Street houses three screens and shows all the best first-run, independent and documentary films. It also boasts a nice art gallery and a cafe where the hot chocolate is delicious, especially on a cozy winter night.

Grand Union, Millerton Food Mart and McEnroe Organic Farms are your local grocery markets and should contain everything you need.

North East Community Center is a gem of a local resource that is devoted to the improving the quality of life of its community members. It has great toddler, youth and senior programs including playgroups, after school programs, a teen team and a volunteer driving program which takes senior residents to medical appointments. The center also offers many terrific classes and programs like Kindermusik, a folk jam, gymnastics, yoga, defensive driving, tax assistance and GED preparation. They also hold a wonderful farmer’s market.

There are several good recreation areas in the immediate area and within acceptable driving distance including Taconic State Park/Rudd Pond is pretty large and lovely and has campsites, boating on the 64-acre pond, fishing, ice skating in winter and an extensive trail system for hikers and bikers alike. There is also Millerton Recreation Park in Millerton, Stissing Mountain in nearby Pine Plains, Taconic State Park and Housatonic State Forest over the border in Connecticut.

The beauty of Millerton's geographical located is that it is within close range of many other wonderful places to visit. It is only a half hour from Great Barrington, Massachussets and Hudson, NY and borders beautiful Litchfield County, CT so if you hvae a car, there are many great day and overnight trips for the taking.

The median household income is roughly $42,038.

The population of greater North East is approximately 3,031 and the hamlet is composed of about a third of that.

Amenia is a charming and picturesque if not terribly quiet little hamlet within the parent town of Amenia located in Dutchess County, New York. It is an attractive area with a rolling landscape interspersed with gorgeous horse farms, charming red barns and lovely homes ranging from large scale Colonials to mid-scale modern single family dwellings.

Shopping in Amenia is slim but does includes Sears, Label Shopper, Family Dollar, Video Forum, Happy Endings Antiques, Apple Antiques Classic Modern Furniture, Drug World Pharmacy, Cascade Spirit Shoppe, Subway and Old Books N’ Such.

Serevan Restaurant is a beloved local culinary treasure with a warm, rich décor and outstanding Middle Eastern and Mediterranean fare. It was awarded Best Restaurant in the Hudson Valley and Best Chef in the Hudson Valley in 2008. Also in the area you will discover Santo Pizzeria & Restaurant, Four Brothers Pizza, Yi Kitchen, Happy Days Café, Xe Sogni, De La Vergne Steakhouse, Steakhouse on the Ridge, Moe and Julia’s, East Dragon, The Metro Café, Fudgy’s Ice Cream and Charlotte’s Restaurant located in a beautiful home with both outdoor and indoor hearthside dining.

Psk Supermarket and Food Town are the local places to fulfill your grocery wants and needs.

Cascade Mountain Winery & Restaurant offers wine tours and wine tastings. The Harlem Valley Rail Trail has a paved section of trailway stemming from the Wassaic Metro North Station which will in the future wind its way all the way up to Chatham. You can commune with the likes of ducks, beavers, deer and foxes on your walk. Nearby you will also find the 488 miles Wassaic State Forest and Beekman Park with three baseball and softball playing fields. Amenia is home to Silo Ridge Country Club which has a nice public golf course and driving ranges.

There is a Metro North Train Station called Ten Mile River Station in Amenia as well as one in the hamlet of Wassaic. Commute time to NYC is anywhere between two hours and ten minutes and two hours and twenty-five minutes which makes it a far less appealing choice for professionals looking to work in NYC.

Amenia is part of the Webutuck Central School District and the Dover School District which are both decent. There is also the Kildonan School, a private day and boarding school which provides marked quality of life improvements as well as an impressive education for students with dyslexia and other learning disabilities.

Amenia is relatively safe and the crime rate is quite low.

The median household income is around $56,216. The median home value is about $307,830.

The population of greater menia is approximately 4,436 and is predominantly White at 93%.

Pawling is a mostly residential 45 square mile town harboring a village of the same name. There are lovely homes here including relatively large handsome Colonials, some stunning Victorians peppered here and there and a slew of more modest modern single family dwellings. Most homes have nice land parcels. Overall, Pawling has an attractive landscape and a warm, old-fashioned community-oriented feel to it.

Shopping options in town include a CVS Pharmacy, Dollar General, a Radio Shack, Good Tidings Gift Shop, Stage Door Furniture, Synchronicity, The Bead Vault, Greer Gallery, Red Barn Gifts & Antiques, Hobnail Antiques, Simply Unique, The Yarn & Craft Box, Made with Love, Earth Lore, Magnolias, Bailey’s TV & Appliances, the very cool The Book Cove, a couple of redbox locations, Tonis Hair & Nail Design, Family Quick Stop, Pawling Beer & Soda and Pawling Hannaford Supermarket & Pharmacy.

There are a small slew of solid to great eateries in town including the casual, unpretentious and family-friendly McGrath’s Tavern, the highly lauded McKinney and Doyle Fine Food Café and Corner Bakery with its tremendous ambience, exquisite food, outstanding desserts and kids menu, Dante’s Trattoria, Hacienda Los Tres Potrillos, Pawling Tavern, Dunkin Donuts, a KFC, a Great Wall II Take Out Chinese and Hong Kong Chinese Kitchen.

For great entertainment to go along with equally great eats, be sure to visit the beloved local institution, the Town Crier Café proudly presenting outstanding live music since 1972. In fact, music aficionados from other parts of New York, and beyond, have made the trek to this little gem to hear everything from folk to jazz to blues to Celtic music, Cajun music, Zydeco, roots and world. Pete Seeger, Roseanne Cash, Suzanne Vega, Shawn Colvin, Arlo Guthrie, Lucinda Williams are but a few of the greats who have graced the stage, if that tells you anything.

Pawling has a well developed parks and rec department. Every year they hold the best Fireman’s Parade and Carnival. They have wonderful programs for youth, teens, adults and seniors alike. They have great summer day camps. Their parks are quite good, too. Edward R. Murrow Memorial Park has a playground, swimming, a picnic area, camping, hiking and horse trails. Their lovely “Music by the Lake” series is held in Lakeside Park which also has tennis courts, a lake and a beach where you can boat and swim as well as bbq grills and picnic tables. Pawling is also home to The Dutcher Golf Course, the oldest public golf course in the U.S. There is also the lovely Appalachian Trail for avid hikers.

Pawling does have two Metro North train stations and commute time to NYC is anywhere from ninety-eight to one hundred and nine minutes.

Pawling is pretty safe and the crime rate is quite low.

Pawling students are a part of the Pawling Central School District which is very good,

North East is a relatively quiet town in Dutchess County comprised of the hamlet of Millerton. The area has long beautiful stretches of land, handsome farms, red barns, stately Colonials and more modest single family dwellings.

There are a good handful of great restaurants in the actual hamlet such as the critically acclaimed Number 9 which offers outstanding farm-fresh American fare with creative French and Austrian twists, a lovely wine list and a beautiful patio out back. Apparently the Wienerschnitzel is out of this world. Also worth noting, Manna Dew Café, Irving Farm Coffee House, Salsa Fresca, Oakhust Diner, Martha’s Restaurant, Taro’s NY Style Pizzeria, Sky Farm Exquisite Salads and The Round Tuit Restaurant.

Millerton is also home to Oblong Books and Music, a very cool little indie place which hosts great events such as the upcoming book signing by Frank Langella. They also have many interesting book readings and discussions as well a wonderful selection of books and a helpful, knowledgeable staff. Also in the hamlet are Harney & Sons Master Tea Blenders (replete with café) Country Garden Florist, Saperstein’s, O’Halloran Co., with its chic equestrian apparel and Gilmor Glass Works. There is a Grand Union Family Market in town on Route 44 so you can fulfill your grocery needs. For a few extra (though not many) shopping options you can head south to Amenia or west to Sharon, CT.

Luckily there is a cool local movie house on Main Street that has a Gallery Cafe with rotating exhibitions and a lovely little menu of coffee, chocolate and tea. There is also a Blockbuster Express if you'd prefer to stay in and rent a good flick.

North East Community Center is a wonderful local resource that is devoted to the enrichment of its community members. It has great toddler, youth and senior programs including playgroups, after school programs, a teen team and a volunteer driving program which takes senior residents to medical appointments and such. The center also offers myriad classes and programs like Kindermusik, a folk jam, gymnastics, yoga, defensive driving, tax assistance and GED preparation. They also hold a farmer’s market in summer and partly in winter.

There are quite a few great outdoor recreation areas in the immediate region and beyond including Taconic State Park/Rudd Pond is pretty large and lovely and has campsites, boating on the 64-acre pond, fishing, ice skating in winter and an extensive trail system for hikers and bikers alike. There is also Millerton Recreation Park in Millerton, Stissing Mountain in nearby Pine Plains and Housatonic State Forest over the border in Connecticut.

The median household income is $42,038.

The population is approximately 3,031.

Union Vale is a predominantly residential town in Dutchess County which doesn’t have a whole lot going for itself other than its pretty landscapes, nice nearby parks and large fancy homes. If you don’t mind the quietude and have a good car with which to drive to more happening Poughkeepsie, then you should be just fine.

There are no real restaurants that I know of in Union Vale, but you will find some decent choices in nearby towns. In Verbank, you have Verbank Delicatessen, Joey’s Pizza Café, and Perri’s Verbank Inn. In Poughquag, you have Beekman Square Diner and Pleasant Ridge Pizzeria. In Hopewell Junction you have a Dunkin Donuts. In LaGrangeville you will discover Villa Pasta and Grille with their delicious traditional Italian cuisine, The Daily Planet, a vintage diner, Sonny’s Ristorante & Pizzeria, Kelly’s Steak & Spirits, Pizza Express, Happy Wok, Brooklyn Bagels and Bakery and the ever popular and festive States Grill. And last but certainly not least, you have a wide range of dining options in the saving grace of Poughkeepsie.

Do keep in mind, however, that all the above excursions are a good twenty and thirty minutes away from Union Vale.

Shopping in Union Vale is practically non-existent as well, so again, your best bet would be to head west to Poughkeepsie and hit the Poughkeepsie Galleria Mall or the South Hills Mall which have an abundance of retail and specialty stores and a Kmart, Target and Big Lots.

Poughkeepsie has two movie theatres: the very cool Overlook Drive-in Theatre and the Silver Cinemas South Hills 8. Poughkeepsie also has an abundance of arts and culture if you desperately need a fix, including opera, museums, book stores, lectures at the colleges, theatre, you name it.

For your basic grocery store needs, there is a Stop & Shop and Cumberland Farms in Hopewell Junction and an A&P, IGA and a Hannaford Supermarket in LaGrangeville.

Union Vale is close to Tymor Park which is a fantastic local resource and actually the largest municipal park in New York State, boasting over five hundred acres! It is laden with recreational possibilities including playing fields, a pool, playground, pavilions, a concession stand, a senior center, rental halls, an equestrian center, camp sites, a fishing pond, ice rinks in the winter, tennis courts, basketball courts, volleyball courts as well as twelve plus miles of hiking, biking and horse trails. Godfrey Memorial Park is twelve acres and has hiking trails, a playground, a basketball court, a volleyball court, a playing field and restrooms.

Union Vale is pretty safe and the crime rate is low.

Union Vale students are a part of the Arlington Central School District which is pretty good.

The median household income is about $70,500.

The population of Union Vale is approximately 4,877 and is roughly 94% White

Pleasant Valley is a picturesque town within close range of well known Poughkeepsie that has wide open spaces, a few large scale dwellings and many small to mid scale single family homes.

Restaurants in the valley include The Purple House Italian Restaurant which is indeed a vibrant plum purple and serves really good “home-cooked” Italian fare. Many folks just rave about the pizza there. Other establishments include Village Restaurant, Subway, Four Brothers Pizza, Amore Pizzeria & Café, Madison’s Pizza Café, Comx Cyber Café, Beijing Chef and McDonalds.

The popular Publick House Bar and Camaraderie has a full menu of great American food including award-winning wings, and has been touted as one of the best restaurants in the Hudson Valley. But perhaps even more importantly, it offers some nice nightlife and was ranked as one of the top five hotspots in/around Poughkeepsie. They have Wi-Fi access, big screen HDTVs for sports enthusiasts, a pool table, beer pong, darts, a DJ and dancing, live entertainment, cool cocktails and great happy hours.

Shopping in the area includes the likes of PV Bike Shop, Past n’ Perfect which has fashions for the whole family and cool consignment items, gifts and jewelry, etc., Valley Hardware, Family Dollar, Dollar General, The Barn Thrift Shop, Pleasant Valley Frame Shop, Party-Rific, Glitz, The Jewelry Store, Cotter’s Wine and Liquor Store, Tomorrow’s Treasures, redboxes and some gas stations. And never fret, for the Poughkeepsie Galleria Mall and many other shopping and entertainment resources are only twenty minutes away.

For your local grocery shopping needs, you can head over to the A & P on North Avenue which also has an associated Valley Wines & Spirits. There is also the lovely family-owned Quattro Farm Store and the Branch Health Food Center.

Local Bower Park will give you access to the beautiful Bower Quarry Trails that are open for walking, biking and cross-country skiing. James Beard State Park harbors the wonderful James Beard State Park Golf Course whose 13th hole is known as one of the most challenging in the entire Hudson Valley! The golf course also has a driving range, a pro golf shop, a clubhouse and a snack bar. The park itself has wooded picnic areas, picnic pavilions, a playground, a nature center and a sports complex where you can enjoy basketball, softball, tennis and volleyball. The park also has seven miles of scenic wooded trails for walking, snowshoeing and cross country skiing.

The parks and rec department holds some fabulous summer camps for kids in grades one through nine. The Pleasant Valley/La Grange Senior Drop-in Center is located in the town hall and they host classes, games and luncheons as well as informational programs concerning health, transportation, medicine, nutrition and music.

Students are part of the Arlington School District which is pretty good.

Pleasant Valley is pretty safe and the crime rate is quite low.

The median household income is about $54,578.

The population of Pleasant Valley is approximately 9,672.

Pine Plains is a 31.4 square mile town in Dutchess County, NY although it does directly border Columbia County, NY.

The Stissing House is one of America’s oldest and longest operating restaurants and was once voted as one of THE very best in the Hudson Valley region. Agriturismo is housed in a long yellow building and has a cozy interior with whimsical black and white checkerboard floors where the chef shows off his ever-changing and creative farm to table cuisine. Other area eateries include Lia’s Mountain View Restaurant, Mountain Cow Café, New Chinatown Restaurant, USA Pizza Restaurant and Crumpets. There is also the very cool The Scoop Creamery, a family-friendly ice cream parlor that serves local Ronnybrook brand ice cream.

There isn’t much shopping to speak of in Pine Plains, but there is Pine Plains Pharmacy, Chisolm Gallery, Grassi Copy Shack, Flower Basket, Deuel’s Home Center (a hardware store) and Hammertown Barn which is a cool country store that sells antiques, home furnishings and décor items, kitchen utensils, gardening paraphernalia and gifts. For more extensive shopping options, one can drive to nearby Red Hook where you will find Red Hook Drugstore, Annex Antiques Center, Cider Mill Antiques, East Market Street Antiques, Wiltsie Bridge Country Store, a CVS Pharmacy and a Hannaford supermarket for grocery shopping and a slew of good restaurants.

Also in Red Hook, you will find the Lyceum Six Cinemas and a miniature golf course at Ro-Rin Lanes which is a bowling center with twenty lanes.

Peck’s Market in Pine Plains is a full service grocery store.

The HOPP (Heart of Pine Plains) is a wonderful community center that proudly promotes community well-being and provides engaging activities to all the town’s residents. It has engaging senior activities, a gamer’s club, contests, creative arts events, family sessions to help local area families, a shelter for emergencies and/or inclement weather, a safe teenage hangout, yoga and Zumba sessions, tutoring, digital photography instruction as well as the Brad Pulver Movie Theater. It holds an annual Soup Fest and a town decorating day.

Stissing Mountain is a park with what they call a geologically significant mountain with an elevation of 1,1403 feet. There is a steep hiking trail that leads up to a fire tower with long and magnificent views. Mountain biking and dogs are allowed there, as well. Twin Island Lake is in the center of town. Just west of town is Stissing Lake where you can go swimming. Pine Plains is also home to the Thomas Carvel Country Club.

Local students are a part of the Pine Plains School District which is pretty good.

Pine Plains is pretty safe and the crime rate is low.

The median household income of Pine Plains is around $43,125.

The population of Pine Plains is approximately 2,473.

Red Hook is a 40.1 square mile town in Dutchess County. It has a friendly feel and an old-fashioned down home atmosphere. Houses there range from small to medium size single family dwellings to pretty Victorians to more large scale Colonials. It has some wonderful outdoor recreational activities, a few decent entertainment options, some good eateries and lots of gorgeous scenery to go around.

Dining out options in Red Hook include Mercato Osteria and Enoteca which is an absolutely adorable café, pasta shop and wine bar with a Butoni-famed family member at its helm. They turn out some pretty exciting and delectable pasta dishes. Even Iron Chef Mario Batali brings his family here! Other notables are Max’s Memphis BBQ which serves up some pretty stellar hickory smoked meats, the casual but sophisticated Flatiron Restaurant with its luscious oysters, eclectic burgers (one made of duck) and five different succulent steak selections, the Historic Village Diner which is actually a nostalgic pre-fabricated dining car made in the 1920’s, An Apple a Day Diner, Red Hook Curry House, Salvatore’s Original Pizza, Hana Sushi, a Dunkin Donuts and a Subway.

Another fun little place to hang out a while is Taste Budd’s Chocolate and Coffee Café with its alternative foods, yummy pastries, tasty confections, art exhibitions and live music.

Shopping is scant but the town does have a few spots like the amazing Me Oh My Pie Shop and Café, Red Hook Drugstore, Annex Antiques Center, Cider Mill Antiques, East Market Street Antiques, Wiltsie Bridge Country Store, a CVS Pharmacy and a Hannaford supermarket for grocery shopping.

Gigi Market is a wonderful indoor farmer’s market and café located on the 500-acre Greigs Farm. Greig’s Farm also has wonderful pick your own raspberries, blueberries, blackberries opportunities as well as apple-picking and pumpkin picking.

Red Hook has a good parks and recreation program as well as some decent senior activities. Red Hook Recreation Center/Park is a beloved area destination and has a very popular Olympic sized pool and playground, handball courts, basketball courts, baseball and soccer fields, an outside running track and an inside fitness center with cardio and weight lifting equipment and classes. Poets Walk Park is a romantic place to hike with great views of the Hudson River, the Kingston-Rhinecliff Bridge and the Catskill Mountains. Some say this is where Rudyard Kipling found inspiration to write Rip Van Winkle!

Also in town is the Red Hook Golf Club.

Red Hook is home to Lyceum Six Cinemas and a miniature golf course at Ro-Rin Lanes which is a bowling center with twenty lanes.

Red Hook is part of the Red Hook Central Schools which is considered excellent. Also, the sports programs in the high school are pretty high caliber.

Red Hook is quite safe and the crime rate is pretty low.

The median income for a household is about $46,701.

The population of Red Hook is approximately 11,319 and is 94% White,

Hyde Park is a historical town in the glorious Hudson River Valley known for being the birthplace of FDR and for playing long-time host to the internationally renowned Culinary Institute of America. But Hyde Park has yet more tricks up its sleeves, boasting many beautiful parks with myriad recreational activities and events, glorious Hudson River views, some great food destinations, a wonderful farmer’s market, eclectic shopping and antiquing and an equally wonderful community spirit made known by people proud of the area’s heritage.

History buffs can rejoice for Hyde Park is home of the Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site where you can visit FDR’s beloved home, Springwood, the first presidential library and a great museum. A fourteen dollar ticket will afford you a visit of two days, however, the elaborate grounds, pretty rose gardens and FDR burial site are all free. One hour guided tours are offered. You should start off your visit at the Henry A. Wallace Visitor and Education Center where they show a short, introductory film and where you can get info and arrange the tour. You can also visit “Top Cottage,” a little Dutch colonial retreat that FDR built to escape the hub bub of Springwood. There is also “Val-Kill,” the first lady’s cottage retreat of choice.

The Vanderbilt Mansion Historical Site is a wonderful glimpse into the “Country Home Lifestyle.” You can tour the house and walk the 200 plus acre grounds that are replete with old trees, beautiful gardens and awesome views of the Hudson River and the Catskill Mountains.

For more outdoor resources, there is Margaret Lewis Norrie State Park in Slaatsburg which houses the second oldest golf course in the country, Dinsmore Golf Club. Pinewood Park has a very cool skate park, a playground, tennis courts, a basketball court, a ball field, a nature trail and fishing, There is also Hackett Hill Park which has a swimming pool, a pavilion, hiking trails, campsites, and playing fields. This is where the town’s terrific day camp is held. In fact, the town of Hyde Park has a well-developed parks and rec department, appropriately enough, and holds many community events including parades and a concert in the park series which is held at the aforementioned Vanderbilt Historic Site as well as other places in town. Hyde Park also has a fantastic Senior Activities Club.

And as if that wasn’t enough, The Culinary Institute of America is also located in Hyde Park. What is very cool is that the CIA actually has five award-winning public restaurants on campus where students gain invaluable experience and local foodies can partake in sumptuous fare. St. Andrew's Café, Ristorante Caterina de' Medici, the Escoffier Restaurant, American Bounty Restaurant, and the Apple Pie Bakery Café are all visitable and open to reservations.

Other notable area eateries include Hyde Park Brewing Company, Eveready Diner, Coco’s Pizza, Joe Cristiano’s Pizza, Antonella’s Pizzeria & Restaurant, Belvedere Country Inn, Coppola’s Italian Bistro, 2 Taste Food & Wine Bar, Cranberry’s at Tilley Hall, Pete’s Famous Restaurant, Portofino Ristorante. There is also a Rita’s Italian Ice, Dunkin Donuts, Baskin Robbins, Dairy Queen and McDonalds. Hyde Park also has a Super Stop and Shop and Stewart's shop for your grocery needs.

Crossroads Pub and Darby O'Gills are two nice quality bars in the area.

Hyde Park also has a roller rink, a drive-in movie theatre, the River Connection which has guided Kayak Tours and Hyde Park Landing which has Hudson River access.

As a shopping destination, Hyde Park is also quite fun with a wonderful array of interesting stores including an Amish Market, Deer Hill Farm Cross Stitching, Green Oak Florist, Hyde Park Jeweler, Hyde Park Farmer’s Market, The Kitchen Drawer, Liquorama Wine Cellars, The New Deal Store, Molloy Pharmacy (which is like a General Store), Hyde Park Antiques Center and Village Antiques as well as some additional bookstores, antique stores and florists.

Students are a part of the Hyde Park Central School District which is pretty good.

Hyde Park is quite safe and the crime rate is low.

The median household income is about $50,870.

The population of Hyde Park is approximately 21,571.

Dover Plains is a slow-paced rural hamlet of greater Dover, NY.

It is a pretty enough area and housing is somewhat more affordable, but it is a little lacing in the amenity and enterainmnet department. That being said, if you enjoy a simpler, more rustic and peaceful way of life, you should do fine here. As long as you own a car!

In Dover Plains itself, you will find some reprieve to the tranquility in its small stock of fair restaurants including a Subway, a McDonald’s, an American-Mexican Deli called Freshco 22, Dover Café and Four Brothers Pizza Inn, a family-friendly favorite with fresh salads and quality pizza. In brother hamlet, Wingdale, there are a few more decent dining options including the likes of Il Compare Restaurant, an intimate family-friendly place with solid Italian fare, The Lodge Restaurant with its charming decor, Ben’s Deli, Valley Diner and the big rave, Big W’s Roadside BBQ with its incredibly fork tender, succulent and savory hickory smoked meats.

When it comes to shopping, Dover Plains has a Freshtown, Renny’s Store, which is a specialty food store, a CVS Pharmacy, a Dollar Plus, a Redbox, Good Tidings and A Little Bit of Everything. Wingdale has the Wingdale Supermarket, Blue Owl Boutique and Consignment, Hunt Country Furniture, Style Haven, Tilly’s Accessories, Webatuck Craft Village and Grind Inc, which is a sporting goods store and Wingdale Hardware.

Parent town of Dover has a pretty well developed parks and rec department with a good sports program, lots of classes, a quality senior program and a lovely park, Thomas J. Boyce Park where you will find a nice playground and a skate park. Dover Plains also has the J H Ketcham Memorial Pool.

There are movie theatres up north in Poughkeepsie as well as over the border in CT.

There is a Metro North Train Station in Dover and the commute time to NYC is between two hours and two minutes and two hours and seven minutes.

Dover Plains students are a part of the Dover Union Free School District which is decent.

Dover is relatively safe and the crime rate is fairly low.

The median household income is about $50,361.

The population of the greater Dover area is approximately 8,699 people with far less than that in each of the hamlets.

Wingdale is a quiet, rural hamlet located within the greater town of Dover, NY. There isn't much here in the way of shopping or nightlife. Houses here are more modest and affordable, which is nice, but the lack of ameneties and entertainment are definitely the big trade-off. You really do need to enjoy peace and quietude or you might feel isolated and lonely. It is also practically imperative to own a car here due to its stretched out nature and especially if you have anything more than very basic needs.

In Wingdale, you will find a few decent restaurants, at least, including Il Compare Restaurant, an intimate family-friendly place with solid Italian fare, the elegant Lodge Restaurant, Ben’s Deli, the Valley Diner and the awesome Big W’s Roadside BBQ with its oustanding fall of the bone tender smoked meats. In Dover Plains, you will find a Subway, a McDonald’s, Freshco 22 which is an American-Mexican Deli, the Dover Café and Four Brothers Pizza which is a family-friendly local favorite that serves up excellent salads with luscious Greek dressing and some fairly food pizza.

As for shopping, Wingdale has the Wingdale Supermarket, Blue Owl Boutique and Consignment, Hunt Country Furniture, Style Haven, Tilly’s Accessories, Webatuck Craft Village and Grind Inc, which is a sporting goods store and Wingdale Hardware. Dover Plains has a Freshtown, Renny’s Store,a specialty food store, a CVS Pharmacy, a Dollar Plus, a Redbox, Good Tidings and A Little Bit of Everything.

Parent town of Dover has a relatively well developed parks and rec department, thankfully, with myriad classes, a nice senior program and a pretty good park that is home to many of these events, Thomas J. Boyce Park. There you will also find a nice playground and a skate park. In Dover Plains, there is the community pool, J H Ketcham Memorial Pool.

For more entertainmnet options, one can drive up to Poughkeepsie to see a movie or to New Milford, CT to go bowling.

Wingdale is relatively safe with little crime.

There is a Metro North Train Station in Dover and commute time to NYC is between two hours and two minutes and two hours and seven minutes.

Wingdale students are a part of the Dover Union Free School District which is decent.

The median household income is about $50,361.

The population of greater Dover is approximately 8,699 people.

Dover is a 56.3 square mile town in Dutchess County made up of the hamlets of Dover Plains and Wingdale. There is not a ton going on in this area so you really must enjoy the simple pleasures of peace and quiet and nature. And you should almost definitely own a car so you can make use of the amenities in the surrounding areas,

In Wingdale, you will find Il Compare Restaurant, an intimate family-friendly place with solid Italian fare, The Lodge Restaurant with its charming elegance, Ben’s Deli, Valley Diner and the very cool Big W’s Roadside BBQ with its amazingly tender and succulent hickory smoked meats. In Dover Plains, you will find a Subway, a McDonald’s, Freshco 22, an American-Mexican Deli, Dover Café and Four Brothers Pizza Inn, a family-friendly favorite with excellent salads and pizza.

As for shopping, Dover Plains has a Freshtown, Renny’s Store, which is a specialty food store, a CVS Pharmacy, a Dollar Plus, a Redbox, Good Tidings and A Little Bit of Everything. Wingdale has the Wingdale Supermarket, Blue Owl Boutique and Consignment, Hunt Country Furniture, Style Haven, Tilly’s Accessories, Webatuck Craft Village and Grind Inc, which is a sporting goods store and Wingdale Hardware.

For more grocery store options, you can take a drive to Millbrook, NY to Merona’s Market or J.P. Gifford Market in Kent, CT, a short drive across the border. A little farther out you will find a Food Town in Amenia and a Super Stop and Shop in Hopewell Junction.

The closest movie theatres are in Poughkeepsie and Millerton, NY and across the border in CT.

Dover is a short drive to Macedonia Brook State Park in Kent, CT. Also within range is the absolutely breathtaking Innisfree Garden in Millbrook which is famous for its Chinese landscape design.

Dover itself has a pretty nice parks and rec program and offers a quality half and full day day camp as well as tennis lessons, softball, karate, pilates, kick boxing, family movie nights, volleyball and basketball to name but some. Thomas J. Boyce Park is THE park in the area where many of these activities are held. The park also has a nice playground. There is also J.H. Ketcham Memorial Pool and a skate park.

There is a Metro North Train Station in Dover and commute time to NYC is between two hours and two minutes and two hours and seven minutes.

Dover students are a part of the Dover Union Free School District which is fairly good.

Dover is fairly safe and the crime rate is pretty low.

The median household income is about $50,361.

The population of Dover is approximately 8,699 people.

Fishkill is a small modestly wealthy suburban town in Dutchess County with quite a few amenities as well as gorgeous views of the glorious Hudson River. Fishkill has everything from Victorian homes to small and mid-scale single family dwellings to condos and apartments. It also has affordable housing options and senior housing.

Fishkill restaurants include Locanda Restaurant with its family-friendly atmosphere and terrific Southern Italian cuisine, Charlie Brown’s Steakhouse, Toro which has excellent sushi and Korean kalbi, Mamma Carmela’s Italian Deli, Ruby Tuesday, Sapore Steakhouse with its succulent aged beef offerings, Tanjore Cuisine of India, a little gem with delicious and diverse Indian fare, the romantic and casual-chic Il Barilotto Enoteca, the I-84 Diner where breakfast is served twenty-four hours a day, the festive Maya Café replete with mariachi music, Boston Market and old stand-by, Friendly’s Ice Cream Shop. There is also a beloved local Cracker Barrel

Shopping in Fishkill consists of Simply Chic Consignment Boutique, Once Again, Dean’s Books, Hallmark Cards and Gifts, Payless Shoe Source, Nifty Thrifty Resale Shop, Anthony Jewelers, Special Occasions & Bridal, Country Curtains, Play n' Trade, Radio Shack, Old Navy, Ames Department Store, Chico’s, Sears, Talbots, Famous Footwear, Gap, Dollar Tree, a Home Depot, a Walmart and a Sam’s Club. There are also several dry cleaners, laundromats, liquor stores, gas stations, jewelry stores, opticians and florists.

For additional grocery food options other than Walmart and Sam’s, you can head to Shop Rite, Osbourne Mini Market, Convenient Food Mart, T & F Grocery Center and Fishkill Beer & Soda Discount.

The Fishkill Recreation Center has great summer camps and a ton of terrific sports programs including little league as well as classes such as karate. They also offer a babysitting course. You can even rent rooms at the center to host special events. Their main hall has a full kitchen.

For further entertainment, Splash Down Beach is a very cool water park located in Fishkill with a monster wave pool, a lazy river, huge slides, a super bungee jumper, winding water tunnel rides, a shipwreck lagoon, a new Big Cat Encounter Animal Show and a rock beach with a Nathan’s Famous and a Pepsi Stage where even Justin Bieber has performed! There is also a Regal Cinemas 10 and Schneider’s Fishkill Bowl.

Maurer Geering Park has four tennis courts, two basketball courts, a little league playing field, a senior league playing field, a playground, a pavilion, a concession area and restrooms. It also holds summer concerts in the parks. Shepheard Memorial Park has a baseball field, a softball field, two little league fields, a concession stand and restrooms. Sarah Taylor Park has a nice new jungle gym for kids. Doug Philips Park has a basketball court, three tennis courts, nature trails, two softball fields, a playground, picnic areas and restrooms. Friendly Paws Park is located within Doug Philips Park.

Fishkill is only ten miles from Steward International Airport. The nearest train station is in nearby Beacon and the commute time to NYC is one hour and seventeen minutes to one hour and a half, depending on time of day.

And speaking of Beacon, many Fishkill residents head there for an arts and culture fix as it has an amazing contemporary art museum, the Howland Cultural Center with its myriad offerings as well as a ton of very cool art and sculpture galleries. It also has a very eclectic mix of shopping in its Historic Main Street District.

Fishkill students are a part of both the Wappingers Central School District and the Beacon School Board, both with bragging rights to award-winning schools.

The median income is about $52,145 and the median home value is roughly $151, 000.

The population of Fishkill is approximately 22,000. .

Beacon is a city of about 15,000 folks with a growing arts culture, a charming downtown shopping district, tons of restaurants, great parks, wonderful community spirit and some really interesting history. In fact, the city was actually named after the fires once set ablaze atop nearby Beacon Mountain which served as a signal to the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War. Another little known factoid: Beacon was once the hat-making capital of the U.S.!

Beacon is filled with gorgeous whimsically colored Victorian homes with wraparound porches, modest to mid size single family houses, condos, town homes and some apartments.

The historic Main Street Shopping District is a lovely Italianate old-school red brick shopping district with an eclectic mix of shops including the likes of Dickinsons, an old-fashioned clock shop, Hudson Valley Auctioneers, Blackbird Attic, Echo Boutique with ladies’ fashions, Jaqueline, a hat and handbag boutique, Lauren and Riley, Modern Vintage, The Dance Bag, Batt’s Florists & Sweets, Beacon D'Lites, a soy candle shop, Lady Gray Bridal, Hudson Beach Glass, Beacon Bath and Bubble and Dream in Plastic, to name but a chosen few of the funky places with the beautiful Beacon mountaintop as a backdrop.

For more standard shopping, the area is also home to a Rite Aid, a Vogel Pharmacy, wine shoppes, bakeries, a year-round farmer’s market on Sundays, the Beacon Natural Market with its organic fare and goodies, Main Street Grocery, Home Spun Foods, Key Food grocery store, Pinoy Outlet which is an Asian-Fillipino grocery store, several gas stations, bicycle shops and sports equipment stores, hardware stores, auto supply stores and a check cashing place.

Notable Beacon culinary destinations include Beacon Falls Café, Texas Lunch, Craftsman Serious Soul Food, Crumb, the Vintage Café, B.J.’s Restaurant, Brother’s Trattoria, Café Amarcord, Cascadas, Cup and Saucer Restaurant and Tea Room, Gate’s Fish and Fries, Isamu, La Tasca, Max’s on Main, River Terrace, The Round House, Tito Santana Taqueria, Virgo’s Sip n Sour Café, Quinn’s Luncheonette, Yankee Clipper Diner, Bank Square Coffeehouse and a whole bunch of pizzerias, deli’s, gourmet gift shops and take-out favorites.

There are also a couple of good bars in the area such as Chill Wine Bar and Joe’s Irish Pub,

The Madam Brett Homestead is the oldest known building in the county and it is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Beacon has a flourishing art scene. Dia Beacon is a wonderful contemporary art museum and the Riggio Galleries inside host a collection of some of the finest works from the 1960's on. The Howland Cultural Center, located in a gorgeous Norwegian-style building, has a terrific children’s program, a coffeehouse concert series, a gospel café, a chamber music circle, a spoken word poetry series and the wonderful monthly “Movies at the Howland.” Beacon itself is absolutely laden with art, jewlery and sculpture galleries and studios.

Every year the city holds a fun and festive event called "Beacon Barks" which celebrates animal shelters with a dog parade, awards, live music and food.

Hudson Highlands State Park is a huge park that includes Mount Beacon. Mount Beacon itself has a terrific trailhead called Fishkill Ridge. Memorial Park in the city center and Riverfront Park at the water’s edge are both very popular and host many wonderful community events. The Beacon River Pool, a partially submerged pool in the Hudson River, is a wildly popular summer destination located in Riverfront Park. Madame Brett Park is a stunning 12-acre park with a waterfall. Forrestral Park has a nicely sized playground and a basketball court.

Beacon does have its own train station on the Metro-North Hudson Line and commute time to NYC is one hour and seventeen minutes to one hour and a half. There is also a ferry that runs from Beacon City Harbor to the Newburgh City Waterfront. There are also two nearby airports: Dutchess County Airport in Wappingers Falls and Stewart International Airport in Newburgh.

Beacon students are a part of the Beacon City School District. .

The median household income is roughly $45,236. The median home value is around $161,430 and the median rental rate is roughly $1,000.

Beacon is definitely more ethnically diverse than many of its Dutchess County compatriots with a substantial Hispanic and African-American population of almost 40%.

Beacon is a city of about 15,000 folks with a growing arts culture, a charming downtown shopping district, tons of restaurants, great parks, wonderful community spirit and some really interesting history. In fact, the city was actually named after the fires once set ablaze atop nearby Beacon Mountain which served as a signal to the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War. Another little known factoid: Beacon was once the hat-making capital of the U.S.!

Beacon is filled with gorgeous whimsically colored Victorian homes with wraparound porches, modest to mid size single family houses, condos, town homes and some apartments.

The historic Main Street Shopping District is a lovely Italianate old-school red brick shopping district with an eclectic mix of shops including the likes of Dickinsons, an old-fashioned clock shop, Hudson Valley Auctioneers, Blackbird Attic, Echo Boutique with ladies’ fashions, Jaqueline, a hat and handbag boutique, Lauren and Riley, Modern Vintage, The Dance Bag, Batt’s Florists & Sweets, Beacon D'Lites, a soy candle shop, Lady Gray Bridal, Hudson Beach Glass, Beacon Bath and Bubble and Dream in Plastic, to name but a chosen few of the funky places with the beautiful Beacon mountaintop as a backdrop.

For more standard shopping, the area is also home to a Rite Aid, a Vogel Pharmacy, wine shoppes, bakeries, a year-round farmer’s market on Sundays, the Beacon Natural Market with its organic fare and goodies, Main Street Grocery, Home Spun Foods, Key Food grocery store, Pinoy Outlet which is an Asian-Fillipino grocery store, several gas stations, bicycle shops and sports equipment stores, hardware stores, auto supply stores and a check cashing place.

Notable Beacon culinary destinations include Beacon Falls Café, Texas Lunch, Craftsman Serious Soul Food, Crumb, the Vintage Café, B.J.’s Restaurant, Brother’s Trattoria, Café Amarcord, Cascadas, Cup and Saucer Restaurant and Tea Room, Gate’s Fish and Fries, Isamu, La Tasca, Max’s on Main, River Terrace, The Round House, Tito Santana Taqueria, Virgo’s Sip n Sour Café, Quinn’s Luncheonette, Yankee Clipper Diner, Bank Square Coffeehouse and a whole bunch of pizzerias, deli’s, gourmet gift shops and take-out favorites.

There are also a couple of good bars in the area such as Chill Wine Bar and Joe’s Irish Pub,

The Madam Brett Homestead is the oldest known building in the county and it is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Beacon has a flourishing art scene. Dia Beacon is a wonderful contemporary art museum and the Riggio Galleries inside host a collection of some of the finest works from the 1960's on. The Howland Cultural Center, located in a gorgeous Norwegian-style building, has a terrific children’s program, a coffeehouse concert series, a gospel café, a chamber music circle, a spoken word poetry series and the wonderful monthly “Movies at the Howland.” Beacon itself is absolutely laden with art, jewlery and sculpture galleries and studios.

Every year the city holds a fun and festive event called "Beacon Barks" which celebrates animal shelters with a dog parade, awards, live music and food.

Hudson Highlands State Park is a huge park that includes Mount Beacon. Mount Beacon itself has a terrific trailhead called Fishkill Ridge. Memorial Park in the city center and Riverfront Park at the water’s edge are both very popular and host many wonderful community events. The Beacon River Pool, a partially submerged pool in the Hudson River, is a wildly popular summer destination located in Riverfront Park. Madame Brett Park is a stunning 12-acre park with a waterfall. Forrestral Park has a nicely sized playground and a basketball court.

Beacon does have its own train station on the Metro-North Hudson Line and commute time to NYC is one hour and seventeen minutes to one hour and a half. There is also a ferry that runs from Beacon City Harbor to the Newburgh City Waterfront. There are also two nearby airports: Dutchess County Airport in Wappingers Falls and Stewart International Airport in Newburgh.

Beacon students are a part of the Beacon City School District. .

The median household income is roughly $45,236. The median home value is around $161,430 and the median rental rate is roughly $1,000.

Beacon is definitely more ethnically diverse than many of its Dutchess County compatriots with a substantial Hispanic and African-American population of almost 40%.

Beacon is a city of about 15,000 folks with a growing arts culture, a charming downtown shopping district, tons of restaurants, great parks, wonderful community spirit and some really interesting history. In fact, the city was actually named after the fires once set ablaze atop nearby Beacon Mountain which served as a signal to the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War. Another little known factoid: Beacon was once the hat-making capital of the U.S.!

Beacon is filled with gorgeous whimsically colored Victorian homes with wraparound porches, modest to mid size single family houses, condos, town homes and some apartments.

The historic Main Street Shopping District is a lovely Italianate old-school red brick shopping district with an eclectic mix of shops including the likes of Dickinsons, an old-fashioned clock shop, Hudson Valley Auctioneers, Blackbird Attic, Echo Boutique with ladies’ fashions, Jaqueline, a hat and handbag boutique, Lauren and Riley, Modern Vintage, The Dance Bag, Batt’s Florists & Sweets, Beacon D'Lites, a soy candle shop, Lady Gray Bridal, Hudson Beach Glass, Beacon Bath and Bubble and Dream in Plastic, to name but a chosen few of the funky places with the beautiful Beacon mountaintop as a backdrop.

For more standard shopping, the area is also home to a Rite Aid, a Vogel Pharmacy, wine shoppes, bakeries, a year-round farmer’s market on Sundays, the Beacon Natural Market with its organic fare and goodies, Main Street Grocery, Home Spun Foods, Key Food grocery store, Pinoy Outlet which is an Asian-Fillipino grocery store, several gas stations, bicycle shops and sports equipment stores, hardware stores, auto supply stores and a check cashing place.

Notable Beacon culinary destinations include Beacon Falls Café, Texas Lunch, Craftsman Serious Soul Food, Crumb, the Vintage Café, B.J.’s Restaurant, Brother’s Trattoria, Café Amarcord, Cascadas, Cup and Saucer Restaurant and Tea Room, Gate’s Fish and Fries, Isamu, La Tasca, Max’s on Main, River Terrace, The Round House, Tito Santana Taqueria, Virgo’s Sip n Sour Café, Quinn’s Luncheonette, Yankee Clipper Diner, Bank Square Coffeehouse and a whole bunch of pizzerias, deli’s, gourmet gift shops and take-out favorites.

There are also a couple of good bars in the area such as Chill Wine Bar and Joe’s Irish Pub,

The Madam Brett Homestead is the oldest known building in the county and it is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Beacon has a flourishing art scene. Dia Beacon is a wonderful contemporary art museum and the Riggio Galleries inside host a collection of some of the finest works from the 1960's on. The Howland Cultural Center, located in a gorgeous Norwegian-style building, has a terrific children’s program, a coffeehouse concert series, a gospel café, a chamber music circle, a spoken word poetry series and the wonderful monthly “Movies at the Howland.” Beacon itself is absolutely laden with art, jewlery and sculpture galleries and studios.

Every year the city holds a fun and festive event called "Beacon Barks" which celebrates animal shelters with a dog parade, awards, live music and food.

Hudson Highlands State Park is a huge park that includes Mount Beacon. Mount Beacon itself has a terrific trailhead called Fishkill Ridge. Memorial Park in the city center and Riverfront Park at the water’s edge are both very popular and host many wonderful community events. The Beacon River Pool, a partially submerged pool in the Hudson River, is a wildly popular summer destination located in Riverfront Park. Madame Brett Park is a stunning 12-acre park with a waterfall. Forrestral Park has a nicely sized playground and a basketball court.

Beacon does have its own train station on the Metro-North Hudson Line and commute time to NYC is one hour and seventeen minutes to one hour and a half. There is also a ferry that runs from Beacon City Harbor to the Newburgh City Waterfront. There are also two nearby airports: Dutchess County Airport in Wappingers Falls and Stewart International Airport in Newburgh.

Beacon students are a part of the Beacon City School District. .

The median household income is roughly $45,236. The median home value is around $161,430 and the median rental rate is roughly $1,000.

Beacon is definitely more ethnically diverse than many of its Dutchess County compatriots with a substantial Hispanic and African-American population of almost 40%.