5 Best Sights in Hudson Valley, New York

A winding tree-lined road leads to this small college of liberal arts and sciences. The beautiful 540-acre campus encompasses two Hudson River estates, parklike grounds and gardens, and wooded areas.

Founded by David Rockefeller in honor of his late wife, Peggy, Stone Barns is a groundbreaking nonprofit educational center that aims to promote sustainable, community-based agriculture. The 80-acre working farm encompasses Norman-style barn buildings, a restaurant and café, a greenhouse, and livestock, including sheep and swine. Garden tours, greenhouse workshops, and introductions to local environmentalists, winemakers, and organic farmers are among the programs. Self-guided tours are free; guided tours are $15. The dinner-only restaurant, Blue Hill at Stone Barns, is an outpost of Manhattan's famed Blue Hill. The Blue Hill Café serves light fare and sandwiches until 4:30.

The East Coast branch of the country's most respected cooking school is on the grounds of a former Jesuit seminary overlooking the Hudson River. Tours are available Monday to Thursday when school's in session. Five student-staffed restaurants are open to the public. The Craig Claiborne Bookstore stocks more than 1,300 cookbooks in addition to culinary equipment and specialty foods. One- and two-day workshops and lectures are offered on weekends.

The college, which long has attracted arts students, presents the community with a host of cultural offerings on its 216-acre campus.

Founded as a women's college in 1865, Vassar went coed in 1969, the first well-known single sex school to do so. Today about 2,400 students attend this highly-respected liberal arts school. The 1,000-acre campus, with its lakes, gardens, and 200-plus tree varieties, is a lovely place for a walk. Other Vassar highlights include the Tiffany windows in the chapel.