Westchester County is located in southern New York State just north of New York City and Long Island Sound. Connecticut is directly to the east, where, in the winter time, there are awesome ski resorts so make sure to bring your ski jackets. The county has a diverse population of almost 1 million residents living in 45 towns and cities. Westchester has several notable attractions worthy of visiting that include natural wonders, historic sites, cultural centers, museums, shopping, beaches, and live entertainment. Although Westchester County is primarily known as a suburban area, it is also a destination all its own.
Here are the top 5 attractions not to be missed in Westchester County, New York:
1. Newberger Museum of Art
735 Anderson Hill Rd, Purchase, NY 10577
Phone: 914-251-6100
The Newberger Museum of Art is one of the first museums to open in Westchester County. It houses the only permanent collection of native African art in the United States. Their other permanent exhibit features American modern art. Collections and exhibits rotate to the museum on an ongoing basis, so there is always something new.
The museum was established in 1974 and now features over 6000 works in the permanent collections. These works span various art forms: paintings, sculptures, prints, photographs. Recently acquired works include those by Archipenko, Goldsworthy, Lazarus, the Starns, and Wegman.
Hours are Tuesday to Sunday 12 pm to 5 pm. Tours are available.
2. Battle Park and Chatterton Hill
Battle Avenue & Route 119, White Plains 10606
Battle Park and Chatterton Hill is the site of the Battle of White Plains, a Revolutionary War battle that took place on October 28, 1776. It is known as the farthest north that British soldiers were able to reach before the winter of 1776. Colonial troops at this time had not yet had any official military training, but were able to obtain the high ground of Chatterton Hill before being driven out by British forces and their allied mercenaries.
3. The Performing Arts Center
735 Anderson Hill Road, Purchase, NY 10577
Phone: 914-251-6200
The Performing Arts Center has hosted over 70 performances each year for the past 30 years. The center is located at Purchase College and consists of four separate theaters. Each theater was designed and constructed for different types of performances. It is the premiere venue for professional, non-profit presentations in the southeastern New York/southwestern Connecticut area. Performances at the center are educational as well as entertaining and include music, dance, and plays of many different genres. All presentations are professionally produced and show a deep commitment to the arts.
4. Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts
149 Girdle Ridge Road, Katonah, NY 10536
Phone: 914-232-1352
The Caramoor Center is located on the Caramoor Estate built by Walter and Lucie Rosen. The couple travelled extensively and filled the estate with collected treasures from around the world. Soon, they had the idea to create a place on the estate where they could entertain friends with evenings of music. These evenings eventually spawned the annual International Music Festival, one of the largest music festivals in the country. In 1945, the Rosens dedicated the estate as a permanent center for music and art. Walter died in 1951, but Rosie continued to expand the festival. In 1958 a theater was opened at the center, and in 1970 it was joined by a museum.
5. Lyndhurst
635 South Broadway, Tarrytown, NY 10591
Phone: 914-631-4481
Lyndhurst is a Gothic Revival mansion built in 1838. It is considered the finest piece of Gothic Revival architecture in the United States. It was designed by Alexander Jackson Davis. Over the years, the mansion was the residence of three families, one of those the family of Jay Gould. Today, the mansion and the 67-acre grounds are open for visitors who can tour inside, walk the gardens, or bicycle along the Hudson River Walk Trails.