Day Trip to Sleepy Hallow and Tarrytown, NY With A Dog

It’s time for a fall adventure to Sleepy Hallow and Tarrytown in the Hudson Valley. 

Sleepy Hallow was the inspiration behind Washington Irving’s The Legend of Sleepy Hallow. It is a ghost story of a restless ghost soldier who was decapitated by a cannonball in a battle during the Revolutionary War. This Headless Horseman rides nightly through Tarrytown searching for his head.

Best time to visit: October, Halloween

How to get there from NYC: I recommend driving, it is a quick 30-mile/40-minute drive north and makes getting around and visiting many of the attractions efficient

Alternative option: Metro-North Railroad – Hudson Line, Philipse Manor station stop, approximately 1 hour. If you decide on this option, bring walking shoes or take a taxi to get around to all the attractions

Below are a few highlights and must-see spots from our adventure.

The Old Dutch Church and Burial Ground and Sleepy Hallow Cemetery.

  • This cemetery is the final resting place of Washington Irving, the Vanderbilts, William Rockefeller, and Van Tassels

 

Headless Horseman Bridge.

  • This is one of the most popular sites to see. The bridge is over the river on the cemetery grounds

  • In The Legend of Sleepy Hallow, the Headless Horseman chases Ichabod Crane toward a wooden bridge

Headless Horseman Sculpture

  • The giant metal sculpture of Irving’s Headless Horseman chasing Ichabod Crane is located outside the cemetery

Go into town, Main Street has clothing boutiques, vintage stores, and restaurants

Honorable mentions:

  • The Philipsburg Manor was the inspiration behind the Van Tassel Manor in Washington Irving’s The Legend of Sleepy Hallow. Today it is a history museum where visitors can explore the manor house

  • The Great Jack O’ Lantern Blaze hosted at the Van Cortlandt Manor showcasing a stunning 7,000 hand-carved pumpkins

Other fun ideas from our adventure:

  • Tray some locally brewed beers, I grab, the Tarrytown Dubbel Duncan’s Abbey a Belgain-style dubbel ale

  • On our way back to NYC, we stopped by Hudson Farmer & Fish for outdoor dinner at sunset on the Hudson River

What other spots do you recommend on a day trip with a dog to Sleepy Hallow? Comment below.

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