Boscobel Restoration

Went for a Shakespeare Festival today. The grounds are beauty and he views of the Hudson River and West Point are breathtaking.
Only 1 ½ hour drive from NYC worth the trip.

While the grounds might be pleasant, the woman who manages this property is far from. Attended a wedding here during a thunderstorm that brought with it incredibly heavy rain. Not only did the tent she provided flood, she seemed less than interested in helping alleviate the issue, and to add insult to injury, she had an awful attitude. Leaving the guest’s to scramble together in an attempt to help move the tables and gifts which were now soaked from all the water that came in. She made a lot of promises to the bride and groom that she later denied them only days before the event. Not to mention the fact that she had the nerve to steal food towards the end of the reception that was packed up and intended for the guests!

Yay if this is your kind of thing (Hudson valley old timey houses that is) then this is a nice treat. You drive off into small towns and the country, and you find a mansion built in the early 19^th century with great views of the Hudson River. What I most like about houses like this are ones that focus both on a) this origin of the house and the family who lived there and b) how it came to be a historic landmark. Both parts are pretty interesting, especially how the house was restored and moved from its original location.
The visitor’s center presents some facts on the timeline of the house, and then you can pay for a house tour and/​or garden visit. Our guide was very informative and the house looks really great and authentic. They also had a contemporary furniture show in the basement, a farmer’s market on the premises, and a cute little gift shop. There is actually a lot to do/​see for a small fee and a nice way to spend an afternoon in nice weather.
And the guy who built it was named States Dyckman, and if you are familiar with the Dyckman family from NYC, it’s cool to see a branch of it’s history, and how cool is the name States? I should name my kid States.

The Sparkle was ok, much more could have been done to make it more special. It is ok for children around ages 4 – 7. It is not geared at all for adults. The house tour was ok but kind of rushed and the one docent who did the dining room and pantry started to speak before all were assembled and also spoke in a very low voice — a low talker. Not what one wants for a guide. The other docents were very good. We would not go back to the Sparkle unless they step it up.

I had a great time this past Saturday at Boscobel Gardens, enjoying the Farmer’s Market, picnicking with goods from the Museum Shop (sourced from Hudson Hil’s in Cold Spring) and frolicking along the grounds — until we met the most condescending woman ever who ran the ticket center. Likely to be the same rude blonde woman referenced a few reviews below.
To preface — me and my group of girls arrived around 1pm, to peruse the Farmer’s Market. It was my understanding that Boscobel admission prior to 1:30pm was complimentary. We then did the above activities until about 3:00pm before heading back to catch the Trolley in front of the museum shop/​ticket center.
We decided to purchase some bottled water from the shop before our journey home and was met with the nastiest «Can I help you?» tone from the aforementioned woman. I told her we were simply purchasing some water, and she cut me off by asking «Were you on the grounds?» Not realizing the context of her question, I said «I’m sorry, I don’t understand» to which she replied, «I don’t see any of you wearing any stickers so I need to make sure you weren’t on the grounds.» I barely had enough time to tell her we had arrived during the Farmers Market complimentary admission before she grumpily rushed off. Dang, you is rude.
First of all — she was not even working the ticket center (actually, nobody was. It was empty!) when we arrived earlier to purchase our goods. We would have gladly paid admission if needed (BUT IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE FREE). Nobody stopped us during our two hour stay to ask us to pay — including the cashier at the museum shop where we purchased lunch. Had the extremely rude lady asked us to cough up $ 11 admission each AFTER we were done with our visit I would have gladly laughed in her face and left. This is precisely how you do NOT treat customers who just spent over $ 100 in your store for food and water. Will not be returning and future visitors beware of this hawk-​eyed employee who knows nothing of customer service.

An amazing reconstruction, immaculately curated with décor and furnishings on an incredible piece of land beautifully landscaped with elevated views of the Hudson River. The gardens and grounds are open for free but the house tour is definitely worth taking and the docent we had was excellent.

Wound up here unexpectedly on a weekend at 1pm. It was easy enough to find and there was just enough parking available. We were told that due to a wedding, the next tour would be at 2:30 so she told us to go check out the farmer’s market (on the grounds) in the meantime and then come back. The farmer’s market was small but great! All of the sweets were made with unbleached flour and fresh, organic ingredients and everything was awesome.
Came back to reception and the woman told us that if we were willing to wait she would give us the senior rate. Cool! Our tickets went from $ 17 to $ 14. She said that before she confirmed it, she would call down to see if they could indeed do 2:30. Unfortunately, they wanted to push it back to 3pm just in case anything went over for the wedding. Again, the woman told us that if we were willing to wait, she’d do the tour on the house. HELL YES. Now our $ 14 tickets were $ 0!
It’s 1:30 and we decide to do the mile train around the grounds at a very slow pace, which takes about 30 minutes and offers some refreshing greenery and a preview of the views you can expect from Boscobel. We come back to the car around 2:20 and finish our goods from the market and are ready for the tour by 3.
The tour was awesome; the woman who gave it must’ve been in her 90s but was quite sprightly and we soon found ourselves to be too slow for her pace. Her tour of the mansion was in-​depth but not boring and we really enjoyed every bit. She knew a great deal about not only the history of the house, but a lot of the history of the various wares and textiles within. The tour ended with lemonade and cookies at the front of the house. I would definitely recommend this tour to anyone and I would probably do it again myself!

Beautiful afternoon overlooking the Hudson River watching a Shakespearean play. The experience here is surreal. Where else can you drink wine, enjoy a picnic in an amazingly beautiful spot, and then sit under a moonlit tent to watch a play? Even if the play was a bit hard to follow, the experience is well worth the confusion!

Perched on an amazing spot over looking the Hudson River and beautiful gardens surrounding it, this 100+ year old house is a great place to unwind and slow things down.
The view of the Hudson River is spectacular, the different gardens are interesting, and outdoor sculptures and artwork change periodically. The house itself is pristine, and the thought that this house was relocated here in pieces just amazes me.
The cost of $ 11 just to wander the gardens might be a little steep considering there isn’t much involved with a person just walking around, but in reality, the price is in line with a number of preservation themed sites in the area.
One Unilocaler’s completely negative review was all about the price and admission, but I don’t know what would make her feel entitled enough to expect free admission, even if it was just «to take a few pictures.» All she could say about what drew her to the Boscobel in the first place was «it might be pretty».
If you appreciate the preservationist movement happening all around the area, majestic views of the Hudson River, and various types of gardens in a serene setting, then $ 11 is worth it.

I cannot speak for the museum since we came here for the HVSF performance. The setting for our picnic before the performance was amazing and the views are killer! What a perfect setting for the performance. I would definitely take advantage of the grounds if you’re coming here to see a performance. Also — what is up with with the complaints about the tent? the heat? the bugs? You are outdoors in the summer, no? They provide free bug spray for the bugs and ice cream for the heat.

Went here today for the first time with my friend and my boyfriend to take a few pictures of me and my boyfriend because he’s leaving later this month. A older blond woman watched us since the moment we got out of the car. So much so, that before we started taking any pictures we all commented on her.
At first we took pictures on the benches near the main building, and she just stood there looking at us. Then I guess we [barely] passed a sign that would lead you to the flower garden and she followed us and told us not to go passed the sign and we would need tickets to go any further. So we inquired politely inside about ticket costs, and it was $ 33, and we decided that was too much for just a walk. I’m having foot problems anyway, so we decided to just take a few more pictures not past the sign and then leave. We walked towards the pond, where there was no signs saying not to go there or anything (we double checked). And all the sudden the same lady comes running over to us literally screaming at us and flailing her arms that we weren’t allowed over there without tickets and she had given us more then enough time or something. There were people around with their kids, so it was also kind of embarrassing. Boscobel might be pretty, but we wouldn’t know because the staff is so ugly.
I will also be posting this on the other boscobel name on Unilocal.Terrible people service. All we were doing was taking a few pictures.

What an incredible view! We saw HVSF here last week. Boscobel was a wonderful set for the play.

We saw a show here for July 4^th under their outdoor tent. OMG, it was hot under the tent. And to make matters worse, the afternoon sun was streaming diagonally right into our eyes. I honestly had to shield my eyes with my hand for the first half of the live performance. I was also getting a bit sunburned, and wish I’d brought at least a hat. The show was well done, but being in physical discomfort (even the seats hurt) totally distracted me.
The grounds are lovely and there’s a nice view of the river, but the mansion itself was actually disappointing. It’s rather small and not really grand. It’s about the least impressive of all the estates that the public can visit in Westchester County.

Please do yourself a favor when in the area, visit. May want to time visit during fall for some apples grown right there. Trolley can take you from Cold Spring. Be sure you know when the trolley can take you back though so you dont miss the MNRR if that is how you got up there.

Nice place. Came just for grounds which were nice but not enough blooming as it is mid April. Quiet. Docents seem knowledgable. Love the gift shop!!!

This is a review for a grounds only visit.
The house was beautiful, the grounds were vast and green. Neither of which justified the steep entry price, at $ 10. National Trust properties in the UK are grander and a fraction of the price. I wasn’t surprised that we were the only people there.

What a wonderful escape. This was my second visit and well worth it. Sam was our tour guide– what a captivating place and location with the sweeping views of the Hudson valley.
Originally built in 1808– relocated and restored in the 1950’s. The mansion is of the Federal style– complete with expansive windows, brilliant warm colors, traditional molding and Duncan Phyfe furniture. I have been here in the fall and late spring… Any time of year is a good time to go. If you go in early– mid June– you won’t miss the rose blooms. During Christmas time, the house is beautifully decorated. I’m ready to go back!
I added some photos…

Sunday expectations: spend a quiet early afternoon touring a historical mansion museum
Sunday afternoon turnout: I spent the first 15 minutes walking through the rose and herb gardens only to be chased by a dozen fruit flies. not fun
After being to Vizcaya house in Miami, I had my expectations high. I was hoping for a mansion with at least 10 rooms.
The Boscobel turned out to be a little steep to charge 16 dollars admissions for a ground tour of the house with only 4 – 5 rooms. I did, however, get to learn a whole lot about American history. Thanks to our guide Minette who did a great job of storytelling or I don’t know how we can survive the 45 minutes examining every detail of this house.
The views of the Hudson river, however, are absolutely stunning. I will come just to lay here for a picnic… but please don’t be surprised if you find yourself trying to fight off a gazillion bugs.
DO: Bring lots of bug spray
Food for a picnic

This place is absolutely gorgeous. The view of the Hudson Valley is just unbelievable here. The house also is wonderful — I would definitely recommend getting a tour just so you can appreciate the history/​architecture. They also hold events here — I did the chocolate and wine tasting with Oliver Kita which was just incredible. A must see!

Drive from L.K.‘s house to Boscobel: Approximately 5 minutes
Admission fee: $ 12
View from the front lawn of the estate: Priceless
Now that I’ve just finished sounding like a MasterCard commercial, I do want to add that this gorgeous 19^th century house and its sprawling gardens are worth the trip even if you don’t happen to live within a short driving distance as I do. The honey-​colored house with its white front porch gives way to an expansive front lawn that sports jaw-​dropping views of the Hudson River; Constitution Island; and West Point. If the day is a clear one, you can even see the Bear Mountain Bridge shimmering silver in the distance.
The Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival is in residence at Boscobel during the summer, and once you enter the estate and drive past the charming gatehouse — so charming I want to live there — and see the long drive with its line of huge trees on either side, you’ll immediately understand why they’ve chosen this spot to bring the best of the Bard to local residents (apparently this drive is known as Maple Lane). Park your car and head on over to the visitors’ center to pay the $ 12 admission fee (there are also student, senior and group rates). You can’t walk the grounds of Boscobel, visit the house or see any of the art exhibits unless you pay the admission fee and get the appropriate sticker, although this place is so huge, I’m not quite sure how the staff manages to keep track. Maybe they’re just relying on the honor system or something.
There’s a small gift shop on premises, and while the stuff they sell is charming in a colonial-​era knick-​knack sort of way, you’re not there to spend your time in the gift shop. Get a map, get the hell out of the visitors’ center, and wander your way through the apple orchard or the herb garden; check out the orangery; and you must, oh you must, visit the rose garden. It’s beautiful, it’s serene, and it even has a fountain. While this summer hasn’t been so hot in terms of weather and the roses have taken a bit of a beating, it’s still a beautiful place. The staff maintains it, as well as the other gardens, very well. They’ve also got some outdoor sculptures on display at various points throughout the property, and there are wooded trails for walking for those who are so inclined. They’ve also got a pond and picnic areas down by the gatehouse, but compared to the rest of the property they’re not too exciting. What IS exciting? The ability to do yoga on the West Meadow from June through mid-​September. How cool is that?
Boscobel offers tours every day except Tuesday, when they are closed, and also does an art exhibit every year. The exhibit changes each year but they tend to do something that is in keeping with the theme of the place. This year they’re doing an exhibition on Hudson River School painters; it opened in June and runs through Labor Day. I haven’t seen it yet, but I plan to hotfoot it over there while I still have the time.
Boscobel and its property is open from April through December, and apparently they do a candlelight house tour for three days around Christmas. They also host weddings and receptions on the premises. Their website says that you can rent the property for such functions from May through October, but only when the Shakespeare Festival isn’t in residence. Since the Festival is in residence from mid-​June through Labor Day, that pretty much limits people to the months of May, early June, September and October. But who cares, really? It’s Boscobel and it’s gorgeous.
I noted on Unilocal that Boscobel isn’t good for kids, not because it’s so anti-​child — there’s certainly plenty of room to run around — but because I think kids would honestly be bored by it. Do you think the average kid really wants to spend time in a rose garden or an orangery? But maybe I’m wrong. The Boscobel staff do school and educational tours, so it must work for the kids on some level.
I’m sure there are people who wonder why I still live in this area, and even I must admit that there are days when I think I should pack up and move to NYC or something. But then I spend some time at Boscobel and I know why I still live here: because this area is gorgeous, it’s peaceful and it’s a part of me. Boscobel and its view are my moment of zen.