What to Expect
🏡 Val-Kill
Discover Val-Kill, the place Eleanor Roosevelt considered her own and an important setting during her remarkable public and private life.
🌿 Quiet Historic Setting
The property feels much smaller and quieter than nearby presidential sites, creating a particularly peaceful place to explore.
🚶 Easy to Explore
With relatively compact grounds, Val-Kill is easy to incorporate alongside other historic attractions during a day in Hyde Park.
📖 Eleanor Roosevelt's Story
Learn more about Eleanor Roosevelt's life, activism, independence, and enormous influence beyond her role as First Lady.
🌳 Peaceful Grounds
Take some time to enjoy the small, wooded property and the wonderfully calm atmosphere surrounding Val-Kill.
🇺🇸 National Historic Site
Add another National Park Service site to your Hudson Valley travels while discovering a more personal side of Eleanor Roosevelt's story.
Our Experience - Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site
Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site offers a much quieter and more intimate experience than some of the larger historic estates nearby. Centered around Val-Kill, the property provides insight into Eleanor Roosevelt's life and the place where she could pursue her own interests, entertain guests, and eventually make her permanent home.
The grounds aren't nearly as expansive as those at the nearby Roosevelt or Vanderbilt properties, but that's actually part of what we enjoyed about visiting. Val-Kill feels peaceful and secluded, surrounded by greenery and removed from the busier atmosphere you may encounter elsewhere in Hyde Park.
It's also a wonderful complement to the Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site. Visiting both allows you to explore FDR and Eleanor's stories individually rather than seeing Eleanor only through the lens of her husband's presidency. For us, the smaller scale and quiet setting made Val-Kill a particularly relaxing historical stop.
