Even if you haven’t yet visited the Rivertowns, you may already find them familiar. Due to its proximity to Manhattan and variety of locations, the area has served as locations for some of the most popular films and television shows, including Divorce, Bull, The Irishman, Girl on a Train, The Leftovers, Unfaithful, Falling in Love, It’s Complicated, Quantico, and Madam Secretary, just to name a few.
Ardsley
Slightly to the east of Dobbs Ferry is the village of Ardsley. Home to approximately 4500 residents, Ardsley is the smallest of the Rivertowns, but has more than enough to offer.
A consistently highly ranked school system is a major draw, as is its convenient location. With a wide-ranging selection of homes, Ardsley offers something for everyone. Its downtown area features many well-known national stores, as well many that are locally owned. From Italian to sushi to pizza, there is no lack of choices.
A staple for decades in Sazan with both traditional Japanese dishes and sushi.
The Ardsley Diner offers reliable standards as well as unique dishes, all using fresh ingredients.
L’Inizio is a Michelin Plate restaurant with award-winning chefs who serve up Italian-inspired meals with locally sourced ingredients.
V.E. Macy Park is active year-round offering ball fields and areas for picnicking and barbecuing, including a covered section.
While it’s small in size, Ardsley has plenty of things to take advantage of and enjoy.
Dobbs Ferry
Dobbs Ferry is a 3.17 square-mile village. Home to just over 11,000 people, this friendly community features parks, restaurants, and nightlife opportunities. Highly rated schools (which includes the International Baccalaureate Program) and outdoor recreation are among the highlights of this village, attracting families, singles and nature enthusiasts.
Spending time outdoors is a typical pastime in Dobbs Ferry. Juhring Nature Preserve is the largest park in Dobbs Ferry, offering 76 acres of stunning open-air space fit for picnicking, biking, walking, and relaxation.
The Dobbs Ferry Waterfront Park boasts a fishing pier, covered stage, playground, exercise equipment, picnic area, and washrooms. During the summer months it hosts outdoor musical concerts and events.
Memorial Park and Gould Park also offer various activities for athletic locals. Memorial Park has a playground, wading pool, bocce ball court and basketball court. Gould Park has athletic fields, as well as a community swimming pool.
Dobbs Ferry is also home to the Ardsley Country Club, founded in the 1800s. Among its amenities are a golf course, pool and tennis courts.
Most dining and nightlife opportunities are found on Cedar Street and Main Street. Half Moon restaurant sits next to the Dobbs Ferry Waterfront Park and provides scenic and expansive views of the Hudson River and Palisades.
Sam’s Italian Restaurant is a local icon that has been in business for almost 70 years. They serve authentic Italian food, as well as a seemingly endless selection of pizza.
Sushi Mike’s is consistently listed among the best sushi restaurants in Westchester and also features a robust menu of Japanese dishes.
One of Dobbs Ferry’s most recent entries is Climbing Wolf, which offers a specialty coffee and craft beer bar (tea too!)
You will always find a crowd at Doubledays, where people gather for a relaxing drink, lunch or dinner, or to enjoy whatever game is airing at the moment. When the weather’s nice, you can enjoy their outside beer garden.
And don’t forget dessert. Check out Go Greenly for frozen yogurt, or Frankie’s Homemade Ice Cream located within The Brick Oven Pizza Shop (another good place to stop in for a slice).
All of this and more can be found in Dobbs Ferry, so you’re sure to live a leisurely lifestyle filled with good eats and outdoor recreation.
Dobbs Ferry Village Information
Hastings-On-Hudson
With a vibrant and artistic feel, Hastings-On-Hudson, is a mere 20 miles north of midtown Manhattan. It is a two-square-mile village with an easygoing vibe, so if you prefer to lead a laidback lifestyle with the option to travel a short distance to all of NYC’s amenities, Hastings-on-Hudson is an excellent destination. With everything from highly rated schools to numerous parks, quaint shops, and a variety of restaurants, it has something for everyone.
Hastings has been home to six Nobel Prize Winners – more per capita than anywhere else in the country. It was also the home to Jasper Cropsey, a member of the famed Hudson River School of Painters and his home remains in its original condition with the addition of a museum now housing many of his works.
MacEachron Waterfront Park is a 1.3-acre park with playground equipment, picnic areas, and scenic views of the Hudson River, making for a tranquil place for you to relax with a separate playground for kids to romp around.
Hillside Park is an expansive 52-acre wooded park with numerous hiking trails, Sugar Pond for fishing in the summer and ice skating in the winter, four tennis courts, and a pool complex.
Hillside Woods adjoins the park with another 48 acres of nature trails.
Local shops and markets are easily accessible for all your daily necessities. From May to November, you can get your weekly grocery shopping underway at the Hastings Farmer’s Market. Held every Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., there are dozens of vendors selling the freshest, seasonal produce, snacks, baked goods, meats, artisanal products, and more.
The many locally run businesses – hardware to stationery stores to a vinyl record store to an independent book store – will meet all of your needs.
And then there are the restaurants. People come from miles around to eat at Harvest on Hudson, which sits just north of MacEachron Park has not only views of the Hudson, but a large outdoor patio, surrounded by gardens where the restaurant grows herbs and vegetables that they use in their dishes.
Boro 6 Wine Bar is a Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant right in the heart of downtown Hastings. With everything from a vast wine selection to unique menu selections – including a brunch menu - it’s always the right time of day to pop in.
Bread and Brine features a comprehensive seafood menu and also offers has a seafood market from which people can pick up fresh seafood to cook at home.
The Hastings Center Restaurant (known to locals as “the Center”) is a quintessential New York diner. Generations have enjoyed a weekend brunch, quick lunch or just a cup of coffee.
If you are seeking a vibrant community with unique local shops, restaurants and plenty of outdoor space, in close proximity to all of NYC’s amenities, head to Hastings-On-Hudson.
Hastings on Hudson Village Information
Irvington
Irvington, named for writer Washington Irving, the creator of “The Headless Horseman” and other stories, is a small and tight-knit community. The village embraces its historic past and is dedicated to preserving the estimated 200 buildings on Main Street built between 1850 and 1930.
Walk along Main Street to find a broad selection of restaurants, shops, and services. Whether you need a hardware store, barbershop, computer store, auto repair shop, pet groomer, or something else, you’re sure to find everything to fulfill your daily needs here.
On Sunday’s meet up with your neighbors and enjoy the offerings of dozens of vendors at the Irvington Farmer’s Market, located on Main Street in the parking lot of the Irvington Middle School, adjacent to the Old Croton Aqueduct Trail.
Once your errands are handled, enjoy the various parks available to you including Scenic Hudson Park located right on the banks of the Hudson River, is a great spot for all types of outings, featuring two playgrounds, two ball fields, one mile of trails weaving throughout the park, plenty of lush grass fit for picnicking and passive recreation, and a senior citizen’s center.
Matthiessen Park also offers spectacular view of the Hudson River and Mario Cuomo Bridge.
The village is home to the Armour-Stiner Octagon House. Built in the 1800s, it is a replica of Donato Bramante’s 1502 Tempietto in Rome. It is the only known fully domed octagonal residence and can be seen right off the Old Croton Aqueduct Trail.
Hungry? MP Taverna brings diners from far and wide to experience the creations of renowned celebrity chef, Michael Psilakis.
Red Hat on the River has a spectacular location right on the banks of the Hudson, with an outdoor patio where you can watch the sun set over the Palisades.
Located right on the corner of Broadway and Main Street, Irvington Delight is an unassuming building with knockout, homemade Middle Eastern food. Irvington Delight was included as one of Esquire Magazine’s, “100 Restaurants that America Can’t Afford to Lose.”
Like all of the Rivertowns, Irvington offers a tranquil existence with a wide selection of amenities and pastimes.
Irvington Village Information
Sleepy Hollow
Known best for being the setting of Washington Irving’s short story "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,” this village offers a host of amenities and several historical landmarks that attract thousands of tourists annually. Only 25 miles from New York City, it is an excellent destination for people of all ages.
The rich history of Sleepy Hollow makes visiting these sites a beloved pastime of inhabitants. The Old Dutch Church, founded in 1685, is worth a visit as it makes an appearance in Irving’s short story. Learn more about the story and seasonal activities that follow at this site. Visit the Sculpture of the Headless Horseman from Irving’s tale at 362 Broadway before beholding the external beauty of the Kykuit Rockefeller Estate, which, is a significant point of interest, giving visitors a glimpse into the affluent home and history of the Rockefeller empire.
The stunning Rockefeller State Park Preserve boasts almost 2000 acres of woods, rolling hills, pastoral fields and hundreds of miles of carriage trails for walking and hiking. On any given day, you may come across the goats, sheep, cows and chickens that call the preserve their home.
Douglas Park is the destination for Sleepy Hollow’s annual Spring Egg Hunt, the Haunted Hayride, and is used daily for its nature trail, two gazebos, and playground.
For more activities, head to Devries Park and Field, offering playground equipment, Little League baseball and softball fields, and platform tennis courts. You can rent the pavilion for your next private event or child’s birthday party or rent the field for softball/baseball league play.
Looking to relax and grab a bite? Bridge View Tavern has comfort food of every type, along with a rotating selection of craft beers. An outdoor seating area with views of the Hudson and Mario Cuomo Bridge make this a great place to meet for lunch, or to end your day.
Another local fixture is J.P. Doyle’s, a “restaurant and public house” where neighbors have gathered for decades to enjoy the food and drink, including in its beer garden.
There is so much history and beauty to behold in Sleepy Hollow, and with its proximity to NYC, it makes for an enchanting place to call home.
Sleepy Hollow Village Information
Tarrytown
Nestled between Sleepy Hollow and Irvington, Tarrytown has a mixed urban/suburban feel. For decades it was home to a General Motors plant, but has been re-invented as a hip destination for restaurants and shops of all kinds with everything from historic mansions to luxury condominiums with stunning views of the Hudson River.
Among the remaining historic mansions open to the public is the majestic Lyndhurst Mansion. Best-known as the home of railroad magnate Jay Gould, it was built in the early 1800s and is one of the last remaining neo-Gothic structures in the area. Tours of the home are available and the grounds play host to dozens of events throughout the year from artist fairs to dog shows. It is a lush and expansive property, which is open to the public and accessible on foot from the Old Croton Aqueduct Trail.
There are several parks for both recreation and relaxation. Pierson Park is an excellent spot for catching a scenic view of the Hudson and enjoying the tennis courts, basketball, playground, and pavilion. Basher Field boasts two ballfields, while Losee Park is a great spot to watch your children giggle and explore the playground while you lounge in the picnic area. Senior citizens are provided various enrichment activities throughout the year, including book clubs, computer classes, exercise classes, and more. These multiple offerings lend to Tarrytown’s exceptional attention and care it grants its residents.
The five-acre Scenic Hudson Riverwalk winds it way along the banks of the Hudson, with plenty of space to stop and enjoy the views or have a picnic.
Inhabitants gather on Saturdays from 8:30 am to 1:30 pm at Patriots Park for the TaSH Farmer’s Market to buy various seasonal produce, prepared foods, and artisan goods sold by local vendors.
If you’d rather let someone else cook, there are endless possibilities.
On the corner of Broadway and Main Street, Lefteris Gyro makes gyros and a variety of other Greek foods.
Horsefeathers is an old stand-by with a large menu offering something for everyone’s palate.
For fine dining, Bistro 12 serves Mediterranean and Portuguese fare in a comfortable environment.
Little B’s is a gastro pub with dozens of burger combination options in burgers, as well as craft beers.
With so many recreational opportunities and daily necessities close by, Tarrytown is a fantastic destination for folks of all ages.
Tarrytown Village Information
Additional Places of Note
The Old Croton Aqueduct Trail - Known as “The Aqueduct” to locals, it provides an easy and beautiful conduit connecting the Rivertowns. In fact, it runs from Northern Manhattan all the way to Croton. The trail sits above what used to be an actual aqueduct, carrying water from the Croton Reservoir to the city. Now it is a popular way for people to travel between the villages on foot or by bike, go for hikes, walk dogs, or just enjoy the peace and beautiful scenery. The trail has multiple vantage points offering views of the Hudson River.
South County Trailway – is a section of a four-part trail system on what was the former Putnam Railroad Line and which operated between the city and upstate. It is 14.4 miles in length and connects in Elmsford to the North County Trailway. It offers a great option for biking and running.
All of this plus art galleries, sports leagues, community gardens, local historical societies, and countless other community pastimes, make the Rivertowns a place you want to be.
For even more information:
Rivertowns Chamber of Commerce
