With only 1:45 hr drive from NY (see train info below), Hyde Park is known for the home of FDR and the CIA.  No we are not talking about the Central Intelligence Agency.  The CIA here stands for The Culinary Institute of America, one of the prestigious culinary schools in the world.  For a day trip, you can easily visit the FDR Home, Vanderbilt Mansion, and lunch at the CIA! But if you have the whole weekend (or a long weekend), spend a night or two at Hyde Park (or at the nearby town Poughkeepsie) and do some hiking around Garrison or visit other attractions such as Storm King Art Center, George Washington's headquarter, or Bannerman Castle before you head back home.

Day Trip

• Early arrival in Hyde Park
• Visit Franklin D. Roosevelt Home & Museum ($20 for Home & Museum or $10 each)
  • Home: Guided Tour only @ 9:30, 11:30, 1:30 and 4:00 pm (duration 1hr)
  • Museum & Library (open 9-6pm; suggested duration 2hr) 
  • Rose Garden
• Lunch @ CIA (book via Opentable, see tips below)
• Visit Vanderbilt Mansion (Guided tour @ 9:15 and on the hour from 10am- 4pm; $10; duration 1 hr) & Enjoy the gardens at your own leisure (suggested duration 0.5-1hr)

Weekend Trip

Day 1

• Arrive in Hyde Park
• Visit Franklin D. Roosevelt Home & Museum (see info above)
• Lunch @ Hyde Park Brewing or Lady K’s Southern Comfort
• Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site (Val-Kill) (Guided tour @ 1 or 3pm; $10; duration 1 hr)
• Dinner @ CIA (book via Opentable, see tips below)
• Check-in @ Courtyard by Marriott Poughkeepsie or Journey Inn Bed & Breakfast

Day 2

• Visit Vanderbilt Mansion (Guided tour @ 9:15 and on the hour from 10am- 4pm; $10; duration 1 hr)
• Top Cottage - FDR's retreat home (tours depart from the Wallace Center at 11:10, 1:10 and 3:10; $10)
• Lunch @ Lola's Cafe
• Walkway Over the Hudson State Historic Park

Tips

• If you opt to take MetroNorth, you can easily get around between the historical sites via the Roosevelt Ride (free).
• There are 3 restaurants at the CIA: 
  • American Bounty (American cuisine, closes on Sunday; ask to tour the kitchen
  • The Bocuse (French, closes on Sunday)
  • Ristorante Caterina de’ Medici (Italian, closes on weekends except for Pasta Saturday Dinner from Feb to July, read my experience here)