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County in New York, United States
Photo: formulanone from Huntsville, United States, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Westchester County is a county of New York State in the New York metro area. It lies to the immediate north of the New York City borough of the Bronx. A number of its villages and towns serve as bedroom communities for commuters to New York City, but Westchester itself is also open for business. Pepsico, IBM, MasterCard, Reader's Digest and other prominent corporations have their headquarters here. But it's not all work and no play. There's plenty to see and do in the county.
From the travel guide. Select a place for details, a map and what is nearby.
Go hiking or biking on the trailway that tops the original (now defunct) water supply to New York City. The trail runs on the western side of the county, passing through Yonkers, Hastings-on-Hudson, Dobbs Ferry, Irvington, Tarrytown, Sleepy Hollow, Briarcliff Manor, Ossining, and Croton-on-Hudson.
Fans of Washington Irving's Legend of Sleepy Hollow can follow the route of Ichabod Crane from the center of Tarrytown north into Sleepy Hollow. But don't expect to find the "Western Woods" or anything else from the 1999 movie Sleepy Hollow. Tim Burton's production is only loosely based on Irving's story, and was filmed largely in Hertfordshire, England.
Take afternoon tea and tour or attend one of their evening concerts. Mediterranean villa set on an 80 acre estate. Museum, gardens, concerts.
Nonprofit venue regularly hosts jazz concerts, classic movies, and cultural events. Show dates are posted outside the music hall's main entrance and on its web site.
Every Sunday in the summers, the Bronx River Parkway is closed for several hours to provide bicyclists, walkers, and joggers with a 13.1 mi loop from Bronxville and Yonkers to White Plains.
Multi-use paved trail runs from Eastview in the town of Greenburgh to Somers. The former railroad bridge over the New Croton Reservoir is especially scenic.
Multi-use paved trail runs from Eastview in the town of Greenburgh to just over the Yonkers border. Enjoy a rest stop at one of the benches around Woodland Lake.
By train
By car
The main Interstate highways leading to Westchester are:
By car
It's possible to plan getting around by bus or train, but to make the most of your visit, a car is recommended.
Choose an airport to see hotels, stations, taxi ranks and car rental desks around it.
White Plains · Regional · HPN
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a village shared by two towns. Home to many wealthy families, Trump National Golf Course, Sleepy Hollow Country Club, and a number of historic buildings and districts. Historic sites include All Saints' Episcopal Church, Juniper Ledge, and the Scarborough Historic District.
a pretty and well-to-do town, home of Bill and Hillary Clinton
township in the northwest corner of the county, borders the Hudson River and Putnam County. The Old Croton Dam is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
location of popular Croton Point Park, which juts nearly a mile into the river. Also home to Teatown Lake Reservation.
the location of Sing Sing maximum-security prison where New York City mobsters were sent "up the river". Outside the prison walls, Ossining is ranked the #2 best community to live in by Westchester Magazine
northernmost city in Westchester with scenic views of the Hudson Highlands.
no, we didn't make this up; longtime address of Reader's Digest
this hamlet is reputedly named by a devoted fan of Wagner for the heavenly abode in Norse mythology. Today, Valhalla is home to several large cemeteries which are final resting places of many rich and famous people.
home to the IBM Thomas J. Watson Research Center and the Guiding Eyes for the Blind headquarters. The town hosts a yearly Greasestock festival, a showcase of alternative fuel vehicles.
yes, Martha Stewart still lives here. The Bedford Village Historic District, Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts, Palmer-Lewis Estate, and The Woodpile are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
in 1897 over 50 buildings of the original town were moved a mile or so south to make way for one of New York City's reservoirs. The Katonah Village Historic District, Stepping Stones, and St. Luke's Episcopal Church are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The John Jay Homestead is listed as a National Historic Landmark.
though lacking a downtown business district, Lewisboro is rich in natural areas with two Westchester County parks, six town parks and several community preserves.
ostensibly named after local Native American chief Kisco. Now a commercial hub of northern Westchester for shopping and dining with both small businesses and large chain stores like Target, Gap, and Staples.
this wealthy town has been the home of many celebrities including Christopher Reeve (Superman).
"cradle of the American circus" where Hachaliah Bailey bought an African elephant to use for farm work but it drew such crowds that Bailey took "Old Bet" on the road as a traveling circus. Bailey built the Elephant Hotel in Old Bet's honor and the elephant remains a symbol of the town to this day.
quaint Hudson River village. The Estherwood and Carriage House, Hyatt-Livingston House, South Presbyterian Church, and United States Post Office are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Hudson River village has stunning views of the cliffs of the Palisades. Former home to Billie Burke, the "Good Witch" in the Wizard of Oz. Historical sites include the Jasper F. Cropsey House and Studio, the Hastings Prototype House and the John William Draper House.
Named for Washington Irving, who lived nearby at Sunnyside.
the very one from The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. Many places in the story can still be visited today like the Old Dutch Church and Cemetery.
this Hudson River village is home to several significant historic sites as well as a quaint business district featuring restaurants and antique shops.
3rd most populous city in New York state and undergoing major development along the Hudson River. Getty Square, its traditional center only a few blocks east of the river, is down-scale.
affluent square-mile community on Long Island Sound. Before the automobile, Larchmont was a resort community serving wealthy New York City residents; many of the Victorian "cottages" and a few of the grand hotels remain to this day.
name of both a town and a village on Long Island Sound. The exclusive Winged Foot Golf Club has hosted the PGA Championship and several US Opens. Home to Walter's Hot Dog Stand, a Westchester County landmark.
home of Iona College and the former College of New Rochelle.
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