A mere 25 miles north of central New York City, leafy TARRYTOWN was the original setting for Washington Irving's tales of Rip Van Winkle and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow . In 1835 the author rebuilt a farm cottage just south of town on West Sunnyside Lane (off US-9), which he named Sunnyside : "a little old-fashioned stone mansion, all made up of gable ends, and as full of angles and corners as an old cocked hat." Tours squeeze through its cozy rooms, enjoyable even if you've never read a word of Irving (March-Dec, daily except Tues 10am-4pm; $8; tel 914/591-8763). It's also worth looking around the neighboring village of LYNDHURST , where the spikily crenellated Lyndhurst Castle is as dapper a piece of nineteenth-century Gothic revivalism as you're likely to find (April-Oct Tues-Sun 10am-5pm; Nov-March Sat & Sun 10am-4pm; $10; tel 914/631-4481). Also of interest here is Kykuit (pronounced "Kigh-cut"), the old Rockefeller Estate; the mansion is filled with modern artwork (particularly sculpture) and the collection in the gardens and grounds is just as impressive, with works by Picasso, Calder, Henry Moore and many others (May-Nov; tours only; tel 914/631-9491).

About ten miles north of Tarrytown along US-9, the town of OSSINING holds two impressive mid-Victorian creations: one is a huge bridge carrying the Old Croton Aqueduct , New York City's first water supply; the other, just south of town, is Sing Sing Prison , which for over 150 years has been the place where New York City criminals get sent "up the river."

Lower Hudson Valley

• Lower Hudson Valley

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