Visiting Rhinebeck, NY: The Perfect Hudson Valley Base
Rhinebeck is a great place to serve as a base for your Hudson Valley visit.
The village itself is small. You can walk the whole downtown in twenty minutes. But it is packed with good restaurants and high end little shops, and it sits right where you want to be.
Route 9 runs straight through the middle of town. Head south on it and you reach FDR's Presidential Library, the Culinary Institute of America, and the Vanderbilt Mansion. Cross the bridge and you are in Kingston. Everything is a short drive.
So you get a pretty village to come home to, and a whole region within reach.
Here is what we did and where we ate.
Downtown Rhinebeck stores at dusk. All photos by John O’Boyle / The Empty Nest Explorers
Why Rhinebeck Works as a Base
The village is compact and easy. That is the appeal.
You park once and walk. Shops, restaurants, and the old inn all sit within a few blocks of each other.
Then Route 9 does the rest. Hyde Park and the Roosevelt sites are just down the road. Kingston is across the bridge. The Aerodrome is a few minutes north.
We stayed across the river at the Residence Inn in Kingston, because we had a hotel credit to use. That worked fine. The drive over the bridge takes about twenty minutes.
If you would rather stay in the village itself, you have good options. More on that below.
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| Where It Is | Dutchess County, NY, on the east bank of the Hudson. About 2 hours north of New York City. |
| Getting There | Driving is the way to go. Amtrak stops at Rhinecliff, about 3 miles from the village. |
| Do You Need a Car? | Yes. Amtrak and Metro-North serve the valley, but the attractions are spread out. |
| Time Needed | A full day for the village. Two or three days to use it as a base. |
| Best For | Couples, foodies, history lovers, anyone who likes a walkable village. |
| Nearby | FDR Library, Vanderbilt Mansion, Culinary Institute of America, Kingston, Val-Kill. |
| Our Tip | Rhinebeck is pricey. Somehow that is part of the charm. Budget a little extra for dinner. |
The Beekman Arms and the FDR Connection
The front of the Beekman Arms.
The Beekman Arms sits right at the center of the village.
The inn claims to be the oldest continuously operating inn in America. The original tavern on this crossroads goes back to 1704. The Beekman Arms itself was added in 1766.
Franklin Roosevelt lived just down the road in Hyde Park. He was a regular here. He closed every single campaign for governor and for president by speaking from the inn's front porch.
Stand on the sidewalk and look at that porch for a second. Four presidential campaigns ended right there.
Walking the Village
Late afternoon sunlight in downtown Rhinebeck.
Rhinebeck's downtown is small and dense. That is what makes it fun.
The shops are high end and independent. You will not find much in the way of chains.
There are high end clothing stores. Cabin Fever Outfitters is small but has a lot of Hudson Valley items. Oblong Books is huge, far bigger than we expected for a village this size.
Our main problem was being in downtown while many of the stores were open. We tended to stop downtown for breakfast and dinner but were out sightseeing during the day.
Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome
The Aerodrome is technically in neighboring Red Hook, a few minutes north of the village. It is a living museum of very old airplanes, and they still fly them.
There are four hangars.
The first is a wide assortment of aircraft with heavy emphasis on Lindbergh memorabilia. There are old cars in there too, and period clothing.
The second covers the early days of flying and the Wright brothers era.
The third is World War I.
The fourth is what they call the Golden Age, roughly 1919 to 1940. There is an impressive variety of planes from different countries.
What Makes It Special
They play 1920s music in the hangars. It sets the mood completely.
You really feel like you are stepping back in time.
This is not a modern, slick presentation. It is a bit of a shoestring operation. And honestly, that adds to the whole experience.
There is more than just airplanes to see on exhibit.
The Air Shows
Air shows run on weekends from late June through mid October, weather permitting. Gates open at 10am and the flying starts in the early afternoon.
Saturday and Sunday are different shows. Saturday covers the history of flight. Sunday is their World War I dog fight show, complete with a villain called the Black Baron of Rhinebeck.
We visited on a weekday so we missed the air shows but they sound like a lot of fun.
Debbie took a “free” ride but she didn’t get far 😂.
Biplane Rides
You can go up in a vintage open cockpit biplane.
The 15 minute Hudson River flight runs about $150 per person. There is also a 30 minute lighthouse tour at about $300 per person, currently offered on weekdays only.
| Ticket | Adult | Senior 65+ | Youth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Show Weekend | $35 | $26 | $16 (ages 6–17) |
| Weekday Museum Only | $15 | $10 | $10 |
| Biplane Ride (15 min) | About $150 per person. Views of the Hudson. | ||
| Biplane Ride (30 min) | About $300 per person. Lighthouse tour, weekdays only. | ||
Wilderstein
There is no charge to walk the grounds of Wilderstein.
Wilderstein is a Queen Anne mansion just south of the village, sitting above the Hudson.
The house belonged to Daisy Suckley. She was FDR's cousin and one of his closest confidantes. She is the one who gave him his dog Fala.
We got there late in the afternoon and missed the tours. But the view of the Hudson from the lawn is fantastic, and the grounds are free to walk.
If you want the house tour, go earlier. Tours run Thursday through Sunday from May through October, at noon, 1pm, 2pm, and 3pm. Admission is $20 per person, and you buy tickets when you arrive.
The grounds are open year round, daily, and cost nothing.
Where We Ate in Rhinebeck
Rhinebeck punches well above its weight on food. The Culinary Institute of America being nearby probably has something to do with it.
Everything is a little pricey. Somehow that is part of the attraction.
Aroi Thai (Dinner)
The wonderful garden at Aroi Thai.
Very good food, and the outdoor setting is fantastic. It is in an old house, with seating on the porch and the patio. A really nice place to sit on a warm evening.
We started with the corn fritters, which were excellent. Debbie had the pad see ew. I had the pineapple fried rice with shrimp.
The Rhinecellar (After Dinner)
We enjoyed the drinks and the music at The Rhinecellar.
We stopped in for a drink after dinner and there was live music that night. No cover charge.
Dark brick and wood, low lighting, good vibe. Worth a stop.
Bread Alone (Breakfast)
A great cafe. We had a raisin pastry and a chocolate croissant
There is a lot of seating in the back, plus tables outside. Plenty of people were parked there with laptops, so nobody rushes you.
Aba's Falafel (Lunch)
Seriously good falafel. You would have a hard time finding better.
There is indoor seating, though we ate at their outdoor tables.
Where to Stay
We stayed across the river at the Residence Inn in Kingston, because we had a hotel credit to burn. It was an easy drive over the bridge.
If you want to stay in the village, you have three good choices.
The Beekman Armsis the historic pick. You are sleeping in the middle of all that history.
The Delamater Inn is run by the same people, just up the street, in a Gothic style house.
Mirbeau Inn and Spa is the newer, more upscale option, tucked right behind the Beekman.
Getting Around the Kingston area
Here is our honest advice.
Amtrak and Metro-North both serve the Hudson Valley. The Rhinecliff station sits about three miles from the village.
But the attractions here are spread out. The Aerodrome, the Roosevelt sites, Wilderstein, and the estates all sit miles apart.
You really need a car to do this area properly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Rhinebeck worth visiting?
Yes, especially as a base.
The village on its own is a half day. It is small, pretty, and full of good food and shops.
What makes it worth the trip is everything around it. The Roosevelt sites, the Aerodrome, the estates, and Kingston are all close.
Rhinebeck or Kingston, which should I visit?
They are different towns, and they are twenty minutes apart. So the honest answer is do both.
Rhinebeck is the genteel one. Fine dining, high end shops, an old coaching inn, Gilded Age estates.
Kingston is the maritime one. A working waterfront, a historic Stockade District, boat cruises on the Hudson.
We based ourselves in Kingston and drove over to Rhinebeck. That worked well. Pick whichever fits your budget and drive to the other.
How far is Rhinebeck from New York City?
Around two hours by car, depending on traffic.
Amtrak runs to Rhinecliff, about three miles outside the village. You will still want a car once you are here.
How long do you need in Rhinebeck?
Half a day for the village itself.
Give it two or three days if you want to use it as a base and see the Roosevelt sites, the Aerodrome, and the estates.
What is the best time to visit?
Late spring through fall gives you the most.
The Aerodrome museum is open May through October, and the air shows only run on weekends from late June to mid October. Wilderstein tours run May through October too.
Fall foliage is beautiful here, and it is also the busiest stretch.
About the Authors
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John and Debbie O'Boyle are the team behind The Empty Nest Explorers. John is a professional photographer whose work has been published by The New York Times, NBC News, and Getty Images. He is a member of the American Society of Media Photographers, has been part of a Pulitzer Prize-winning team, and has received two New York Emmy nominations. Debbie is a writer with 30+ years of professional photography experience, formerly with The Star-Ledger and NJ.com. Together, they create in-depth travel guides for couples and empty-nest travelers who want to make the most of every destination. |
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Rhinebeck is a perfect base for your Hudson Valley visit.
The village is small enough to walk in twenty minutes. But Route 9 runs right through it, so the FDR sites, the Vanderbilt Mansion, and Kingston are all a short drive away.