Westchester, New York In Bloom: 6 Captivating Spring Visits

24.03.2024 - 06:27 / forbes.com / Hudson River

Spring awakens in Westchester County, New York, with vibrant blooms and outdoor adventures. It’s a perfect time of year to escape the city bustle for a refreshing day trip and explore parks, gardens, and scenic landscapes.

As the weather gets warmer, the days get longer, and flowering trees and plants burst with color, here is just a sampling of places to enjoy the beauty of nature and the outdoors in Westchester County this spring.

Lyndhurst is a historic mansion set on 67 expansive acres beside the Hudson River, just south of the Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge. Also known as the Jay Gould Estate (the railroad tycoon), it was designed in 1838, opened as a museum in 1965, and was featured in The Gilded Age TV series.

For the annual flower show,Lyndhurst In Bloom (Saturday, April 20th and Sunday, April 21st, 2024), designers set up stunning floral displays in the Gothic Revival-style mansion set against the opulent interiors of the mansion.

Rockefeller State Park Preserve offers 45 miles of scenic carriage roads originally built by John D. Rockefeller, Sr., a mecca for walkers, runners, and nature lovers. Not surprisingly, the park also attracts artists, photographers, and painters.

Between the end of April and the beginning of June (the exact dates determined by nature), hundreds of tree peonies burst out with huge blossoms in shades of pink, fuchsia, lavender, red, and white, greeting visitors at the park's gatehouse entrance.

The precious shrubs were a gift from the Shimane Prefecture of Japan to express their solidarity with the U.S. after the catastrophic events of 9/11. Friends of the Rockefeller State Park Preserve holds a Peony Celebration each year, scheduled this year for May 9, 2024, between 6 and 9 pm. The fundraiser includes a floral show and a silent auction.

Kykuit, a spectacular house museum and garden, is the former home of John D. Rockefeller, Sr., and subsequent generations of the Rockefeller family. After the death of Nelson Rockefeller (a four-term governor of New York State and Vice-President under Gerald Ford), the family turned the estate over to the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

The park-like setting offers views of the Hudson River and more than 90 outdoor sculptures strategically placed to catch the light. Rockefeller initially hired landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted (famous for co-designing Central Park) but completed the project himself. The Beaux-Arts gardens, designed by William Welles Bosworth between 1906 and 1913, are considered one of his best works. They include the Rose Garden, Italian Garden, and Brook Garden.

Visitors can only enter the estate during guided tours offered by the non-profit Historic Hudson Valley. Tours begin each year in May and