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About
Dutchess County strives to be a welcoming and accommodating vacation destination for visitors of all abilities and is committed to ensuring that everyone has a fun and memorable experience during their stay here in the heart of New York’s Hudson Valley.
With that in mind, Dutchess Tourism joined forces in 2023 with Wheel the World, a travel solution for people with disabilities that allows its users to book hotels and tours that meet their specific accessibility needs.
More than 50 hotels, restaurants and attractions have been assessed by Wheel the World in this ongoing effort so that everyone can enjoy the inspiring beauty, fascinating history and endless array of flavors that make a trip to Dutchess County so special.
Click here to find all sorts of important information from each of the Wheel the World verified sites in Dutchess. Be sure to build your profile on the website so you can plan an itinerary that’s right for you. And booking your hotel room through Wheel the World is easy-peasy!
Wheel the World also provided grants to eight Dutchess locations in 2023 to enhance their accessibility features. Read on to learn more about each of these places. When you visit, make sure to keep that camera handy. Feel free to share your photos here and tag @DutchessTourism on social media.
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Constructed in 1869 by James Collingwood, the Bardavon is the oldest continuously operating theater in New York State and has hosted such prominent figures as Mark Twain, Andrew Carnegie and Franklin D. Roosevelt. And yet, even with all its antique charm and historical significance, the 944-seat theater stands out as a very inclusive facility with modern amenities and updated technology, along with a staff that has adopted a forward-thinking approach to the theater-going experience. That has opened the door to many people who otherwise may not have been able to enjoy a thrilling night at the theater. The bathroom was recently renovated to improve accessibility. The Audio Loop allows audience members with hearing loss to experience performances — including the Hudson Valley Philharmonic and Met Live in HD — to their fullest. For those without telecoil-equipped hearing aids or cochlear implant devices, portable hearing loop receivers with ear buds are available to rent from the Bardavon box office. The Bardavon also stages sensory-sensitive performances of select shows so families with children on the autism spectrum or those with special needs have a chance to enjoy a theater experience without the noise and sometimes over-stimulating effects of certain productions. Accessible seating is situated on the theater’s lower level. There are accessible parking spaces in the surrounding City of Poughkeepsie municipal lots; if you need assistance, Bardavon event staff will be available at the theater’s marquee entranceway on Market Street.
This garden, with its lush perennial borders, fieldstone walls and hemlock hedges, is on the grounds of the Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site. The garden was created in 1912 by Beatrix Farrand, a renowned landscape architect whose work defined America's taste in gardens throughout the first half of the 20th century. The Beatrix Farrand Garden Association purchased an outdoor table that can be easily used by individuals in wheelchairs. The garden is open to visitors, free of charge and with no reservations necessary, any time the Home of FDR Historic Site is open. The Garden Association hosts events throughout the year, including workshops, concerts and landscape seminars.
You’ll find all the charm of a European inn on the grounds of Curry Estate, which is owned and operated by the six Curry sisters. At this elegant 1863 Georgian Colonial Estate, you can enjoy a delicious meal in the four-star restaurant, relax and have a signature cocktail at the SS Beverly Bar or sip on a glass of wine with a good book on the veranda. The spectacular grand ballroom and 10 breathtaking acres of property make Curry Estate the perfect location for an exquisite wedding or celebration. Renovations were recently completed on one of Curry Estate’s accessible suites to better serve overnight guests. These updates included lowering the mattress with an adjustable bed frame, raising the refrigerator, switching which way the door opens, installing a handheld shower head and grab bar, adding non-slip tile treatment, and installing emergency cord and call system in the bathroom, and installing lever door handles on the doors.
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Designed by renowned architect Frank O. Gehry in collaboration with acoustician Yasuhisa Toyota, this iconic venue is a dynamic environment for innovative performing arts. Two theaters offer provocative programs in music, opera, theater and dance, as well as the annual Bard SummerScape performing arts festival and the Bard Music Festival. The Fisher Center’s assisted listening devices, which are used during performances, were updated to augment the other accessible features already in place. Bard’s Accessibility Working Group aims to identify and remove barriers to access for all who visit the Fisher Center and participate in its programs, including staff, students, audiences, visiting artists, and others. Among this group’s innovations has been the implementation of an accessibility-focused survey during ticket checkout so guests may easily communicate any accessibility needs before they arrive.
Owned by the Morgenthau family for more than 100 years, Fishkill Farms offers beautiful vistas, delicious fruits and vegetables, a farm store, harvest festivals and special events. Head out into the fields and pick your own vegetables, berries, apples and pumpkins! Fishkill Farms is also home to Treasury Cider, which is made exclusively from apples grown at the farm and is named after the farm’s founder, Henry Morgenthau Jr., who served as the Secretary of the Treasury during FDR’s presidency. Fishkill Farms recently replaced their outdoor sink with an accessible sink and installed pavers surrounding it to improve wheelchair access to it.
Up, up, and away! The Aerodrome hosts high-flying antique air shows every Saturday and Sunday from June 15 through Oct. 20! The Saturday "History of Flight" program highlights the Pioneer Era before World War I and the Golden Age of Aviation in the 1920s and 30s. The Sunday air show is the World War I dog-fight spectacular, complete with a hero or heroine, the villainous Black Baron of Rhinebeck, scenery, pyrotechnics and a World War I tank, along with many antique automobiles. Of course, the stars of the shows are the historic airplanes; there are usually between 15 and 20 flyable aircraft for each show. Open-cockpit biplane rides are available before and after the air shows, and the Aerodrome's museum is open May 1–Oct. 31. The Aerodrome recently purchased new benches to provide additional seating opportunities for visitors with limited mobility.
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The Trevor Zoo at the Millbrook School was established in 1936 by biology teacher Frank Trevor and is the only zoo in the United States located on a high school campus. This AZA-accredited zoo is home to 80 exotic and indigenous species, including nine endangered species, in exhibits across six acres. The zoo recently purchased a wheelchair that is available to any visitors to borrow during their visit.
A refurbished railroad bridge built in 1888, the Walkway spans 1.26 miles and stretches 212 feet above the majestic Hudson River. It's the longest elevated pedestrian bridge in the world and provides a magnificent birds' eye view of the river and surrounding highlands. The Fourth of July Fireworks and Pride in the Sky are among the more popular events on the Walkway, which is an ideal spot for viewing the beautiful fall foliage up and down the Hudson Valley. Ride a glass elevator from Upper Landing Park on the Poughkeepsie waterfront up to the deck of the Walkway (The elevator is closed January to April; call ahead to check if the elevator is open). The Walkway's all-electric, 12-passenger, wheelchair-accessible tram allows visitors of all abilities, including seniors, veterans, individuals with mobility challenges, and those with a fear of heights, to experience the Walkway. The tram is free to all visitors, no reservations required. (The tram operates from early April through late November; in the event of inclement weather during normal operating times, tram service may be suspended for the day). A new accessible picnic table with a place for wheelchair users to comfortably use it was recently purchased and installed.
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