Mirbeau Inn & Spa Rhinebeck

Local Attractions
Rhinebeck, NY  |  “The Jewel of the Hudson”

The bucolic riverfront communities of the Village and Town of Rhinebeck are the cultural center of the Hudson Valley’s Dutchess County. Founded by Dutch settlers in 1686, Rhinebeck abounds in historic landmarks, specialty boutiques, galleries, wine shops, and dining- a mecca for visitors drawn to its flourishing food scene, vibrant arts culture, and storied heritage.

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Farm (and Vine) to Table

With the acclaimed Culinary Institute of America just a short drive away in Hyde Park, and surrounded by acres of fertile farmland, Rhinebeck comes by its thriving foodie culture naturally. What’s more, the Hudson Valley is the nation’s oldest wine-producing region, and visitors will find the Dutchess Wine Trail to be the perfect complement to the abundance of farm-to-table gastronomy. Milea Vineyards and Millbrook Winery are two local wineries producing top-notch wines and are well-worth a visit! 

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Living Culture
Rhinebeck is the cultural center of Dutchess County—home to the annual Dutchess County Fair, the nationally renowned Rhinebeck Arts Show and Sheep & Wool Festival, and a wealth of seasonal and year-round venues for performing and visual arts. Visitors can take in plays and musicals year-round at The Center for Performing Arts at Rhinebeck; live music and dance performances with internationally acclaimed guest artists at Northern Dutchess Symphony Orchestra; indie, classic, and foreign films at the nonprofit Upstate Films Rhinebeck; and browse works by Hudson Valley artists at The Gallery at Rhinebeck, a non-profit gallery and performance space. 

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Historic Sites

Three generations of the Suckley family occupied the magnificent Queen Anne-style estate at Wilderstein Historic Site on the Rhinebeck riverfront. The last was Daisy Suckley, a cousin and frequent companion of Franklin Delano Roosevelt. A visit to the mansion is a worthwhile addition to tours of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum in nearby Hyde Park and his private hideaway retreat, Top Cottage. Hyde Park is also home to the magnificent Vanderbilt Mansion—a remarkable example of Gilded Age architecture. The stunning Olana State Historic Site was the home of the revered Hudson River School painter Frederic Church. Tours of the home and grounds are given throughout the year. 

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Transportation Heritage

Rhinebeck is home to the first flying museum of vintage aircraft and replicas in the U.S. The Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome displays more than 60 antique planes and offers barnstorming demonstrations plus a chance for visitors to experience a thrilling ride in an open-cockpit biplane. Meanwhile, just a few miles away on the historic Rondout waterfront in the charming town of Kingston, the Hudson River Maritime Museum hosts ships and yachts from around the world, showcases artifacts related to the river’s rich maritime heritage, and leads tours of the Rondout Lighthouse, one of only seven remaining on the Hudson.

Outdoor Adventures

Visitors to Rhinebeck have access to some of the Hudson Valley’s most beautiful parkland. Poet’s Walk is a lovely, meandering path in nearby Red Hook, or visit Ferncliff Forest Preserve and Fire Tower, with opportunities to hike, bike, ski, and fish. A climb up the fire tower is rewarded with sweeping vistas of the Catskills and Hudson Valley. For another spectacular view, a half-mile trail through open meadows leads to a 550-foot hilltop at Drayton Grant Park at Burger Hill. Active travelers can hike through the 105-acre Winnakee Nature Preserve in Hyde Park, or drive across the river to visit Minnewaska State Park, which astounds with its lakes, waterfalls, and cliff-edge views. Spanning the Hudson River between Poughkeepsie and Highland, the Walkway Over the Hudson is the world’s longest elevated pedestrian bridge. The Shawangunk Ridge region is a rock climber’s dream, and in winter, visitors will find five ski areas all within an hour of Rhinebeck. 

Boating enthusiasts can set sail on the Hudson River with Tivoli Sailing Company to explore the mid-Hudson River valley between Kingston, Rhinecliff, and Saugerties. The traditions of field and hunt are kept alive at Orvis Sandanona Shooting Grounds, home to one of the nation’s finest sporting-clays shooting grounds, along with fly-fishing and wing-shooting schools.

Golfers can enjoy views of the Hudson River and Catskills Mountains as they play an 18-hole round at the third-oldest course in the U.S.—Dinsmore Golf Course in nearby Staatsburg.

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Institutes of Higher Learning

Rhinebeck is within a short drive of several academic institutions that feed the region’s cultural and creative energy. Among them: Marist College and Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, Bard College in Annandale-on-Hudson, SUNY New Paltz, and SUNY Dutchess Community College in Fairview.

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Bicycling
Take in the sights and explore the charming Village of Rhinebeck on a bicycle! Two bicycles are available for complimentary use for overnight guests from spring through fall. Reservations are available for three-hour time slots and are first-come, first-served. Please call or stop by the Front Desk for more information.