clermont

Clermont is a beautiful park on the Hudson River. One may tour the former home of Robert Livingston or stroll through the gardens. The rolling lawns among the tall trees are the perfect place to enjoy the rive views or have a picnic.

This was a great evening. The tour starts with a walk down a garden path lined with carved and lit jack-o-lanterns. You are met at the door to the Clermont mansion by the family’s maid. Various ghosts appear as you walk through the mansion - each from a different era of the home’s history. The tour ends at a wood fire where you roast marshmallows. There is hot-spiced apple cider and penny candy in the museum gift shop. We had a fantastic time. This is something historical/educational, fun and different to do - no Jason, Freddy or zombies jumping out at you. Kudos to all the actors/volunteers who put this event together.

This is one of the oldest and most historically significant of the old Hudson River estates that is open to the public. The house itself is of some architectural interest, and the grounds also feature an interesting little museum, which provides info on the history of the Livingston family and their role in American history. If you're in the mood for a low-key history lesson in a very pretty spot, then this, or several of the other nearby estates, represents a good choice. For a little taste of the tail end of the Gilded Age, be sure to watch the video interview with the elderly Honoriah Livingston in the visitors' center. If you're into this sort of thing, I'd also strongly recommend the Roosevelt estate a half hour to the South.

Didn't have time to do interior of mansion this trip but grounds were beautiful, info interesting, lots of Hudson Valley history.

We met up with our family at Clermont (including grandchildren) for a picnic one summer afternoon in August. The day was perfect, and that made the setting and experience quite nice. There is not a lot of shelter, were one to encounter less than lovely weather. We were there on a weekday, so no fees and no crowds at all. We could watch boats moving on the river, and enjoy the sloping lawn and shady trees. The rest rooms were clean, though not anything above "good". A party was setting up for a wedding, and we could tell that this would be a terriffic venue for their celebration. This will become one of our spots to have family gatherings.

Great year 'round place for walking or just pulling up with your car still in the lot and gazing at the fabulous view of the Hudson. Bathrooms are heated toasty warm in winter! Great place for a picnic. So very scenic the way the hills are terraced as they parallel the Hudson and are dotted with shade trees.

Though we didn't tour the inside of the 'house', the grounds were very enjoyable. There were several nice gardens, one surprisingly still in bloom in mid-Oct. Lots of rolling lawns surrounding the home with nice views of the Hudson and Catskills beyond. Great way to spend a sunny Fall afternoon.