Some of history’s greatest influencers have Hyde Park connections, and it is little surprise. Home to the Culinary Institute of America and Franklin D. Roosevelt, America’s longest-serving commander–in chief, this community’s scenic location and agricultural prosperity made it a natural spot for the burghers and barons of yore to build their manses-on-Hudson — you can still visit some today, belonging to the Vanderbilt, Roosevelt, and Livingston-Mills families. The town’s postwar suburbanization brushed lightly on its rural roots, allowing much of its vintage charm to persevere. There’s a drive-in theater, food truck festivals, and one of the best farmers markets for miles. Outside Hyde Park proper, there are three other hamlets here: Haviland, East Park, and Staatsburg, not to mention a plethora of farms, parks, and nature trails to explore. With a convenient location squarely in the Poughkeepsie metro, it’s a place where truly everything falls within reach.