View more places in New York
Yonkers, the fourth-largest city in New York State, stretches along the eastern bank of the Hudson River just north of the Bronx. Incorporated as a village in 1854 and later as a city in 1872, Yonkers has evolved from a Dutch colonial settlement into a diverse urban center of approximately 211,000 residents. Its prime location along the Hudson River, combined with dramatic hills and historic neighborhoods, creates a distinctive landscape where urban energy meets scenic beauty.
The city derives its name from Adriaen van der Donck, a Dutch lawyer and landowner known as the “Jonkheer” or “young gentleman,” who established a patroonship in the area in 1646. This colonial heritage still resonates throughout Yonkers today, evident in historic districts such as Philipse Manor Hall and the preserved streetscapes of Getty Square, the city’s historic downtown core. Yonkers has become known worldwide as the setting of such films as “The Wizard of Oz” actor Ray Bolger’s home city and more recently as the filming location for major motion pictures and television series.
The history of Yonkers begins with the Lenape people, who inhabited the Hudson River valley for thousands of years before European contact. Their village of Nappeckamack was located near present-day downtown Yonkers, where the Nepperhan River meets the Hudson. The Lenape utilized the abundant fisheries of the Hudson and the fertile hunting grounds along its tributaries.
In 1646, Adriaen van der Donck received a land grant from the Dutch West India Company for a vast tract stretching from Spuyten Duyvil Creek to the Croton River. His estate, known as Colen Donck, functioned as a patroonship with manor rights and a thriving farming community. Van der Donck’s advocacy for Dutch colonial self-governance and his detailed writings about New Netherland made him one of the most significant figures in early colonial New York.
After the English takeover of New Netherland in 1664, the van der Donck lands passed to his widow and eventually to Frederick Philipse, a wealthy merchant who constructed Philipse Manor Hall in 1682. The Philipse family controlled vast swaths of the lower Hudson Valley and operated one of the largest slave trading enterprises in colonial America. Their manor remained operational until the American Revolution, when it was confiscated because the Philipse family sided with the British Crown.
The American Revolution brought significant military activity to Yonkers. Continental Army troops under General Washington frequently marched through the area, and several skirmishes occurred between Patriot forces and British regulars stationed in New York City. After the war, former loyalist lands were sold to new settlers, accelerating the region’s agricultural and mill-based economic development.
The 19th century transformed Yonkers through industrialization and immigration. The arrival of the Hudson River Railroad in 1849 connected Yonkers directly to New York City, spurring population growth and factory development. Industries such as carpet manufacturing, hat production, and sugar refining flourished along the waterfront. The Alexander Smith Carpet Mills became the largest carpet manufacturing facility in the world during the late 19th century, employing thousands of workers and establishing Yonkers as a global textile center.
Yonkers offers visitors a remarkable collection of historic landmarks, cultural institutions, and scenic viewpoints that reflect its Dutch colonial origins and industrial legacy. The city’s dramatic topography provides numerous stunning vistas along the Hudson River waterfront.
Philipse Manor Hall State Historic Site, located near Getty Square, stands as one of the oldest surviving structures in Westchester County. This Georgian-style manor house, completed in 1682, served as the seat of the Philipse family’s 52,000-acre estate. The manor’s interior features an elaborate Rococo plaster ceiling in the parlor, one of the finest examples of 18th-century decorative plasterwork in the northeastern United States. Today the site operates as a museum interpreting colonial life and the history of the Philipse family and their enslaved workers.
The Hudson River Museum, situated in Trevor Park, combines an art museum, a historic home, and a planetarium into one dynamic institution. The museum’s collection of 19th-century Hudson River School paintings captures the dramatic landscapes that inspired America’s first homegrown art movement. The adjoining Glenview Mansion, an 1877 Victorian residence, offers guided tours showcasing period furnishings and decorative arts from the Gilded Age. The museum’s Andrus Planetarium presents public shows exploring astronomy and space science.
Untermyer Gardens, a spectacular 43-acre historic estate overlooking the Hudson River, features Persian-style walled gardens inspired by the legendary gardens of Indo-Persian paradise design. Created by lawyer and philanthropist Samuel Untermyer between 1916 and 1940, the gardens include a Walled Garden with intricate mosaic tilework, a Vista staircase descending toward the river, and the Temple of Love overlooking a reflecting pool and waterfall. The gardens have been undergoing extensive restoration since 2012 and are open to the public free of charge from spring through autumn.
Hillview Reservoir, a 27-acre water storage facility constructed between 1909 and 1915, occupies a dramatic hilltop setting with panoramic views of the Hudson Valley. While the reservoir itself supplies New York City’s drinking water system, the surrounding Hillview Park provides walking paths and open green spaces where visitors can enjoy the elevated vistas. The distinctive stone perimeter wall and gatehouse reflect early 20th-century public works architecture.
For automotive enthusiasts, the Yonkers Auto Mall and the city’s historic raceway legacy reflect the area’s long association with automobile culture dating back to the early 20th century. Yonkers was once home to a thriving automobile manufacturing industry, including the production of the short-lived Sanford-Herbert motor truck in the early 1900s.
Yonkers provides abundant opportunities for outdoor activities and natural exploration along the Hudson River and throughout its varied park system. The city’s waterfront redevelopment and hillside parks create a green network accessible to residents and visitors alike.
Van der Donck Park, a successful 4-acre urban park constructed atop a portion of the Saw Mill River, transformed what was once a buried waterway into a vibrant downtown gathering space. The park features terraced seating areas, walking paths, and native plantings that evoke the original landscape before industrialization. Interpretive signage throughout the park tells the story of the Saw Mill River’s ecological restoration and the site’s historical significance to the Lenape and Dutch colonists.
The Yonkers Esplanade offers a paved waterfront promenade stretching along the Hudson River, providing cyclists, joggers, and walkers with unobstructed views of the Palisades cliffs and the George Washington Bridge far in the distance. Fishing piers, boat launches, and rest areas punctuate the route, making it a popular destination for active recreation throughout the year.
Tibbetts Brook Park, straddling the Yonkers-Bronx border, encompasses 161 acres of woodlands, sports fields, and a popular swimming complex. The park’s freshwater lake attracts migratory waterfowl during spring and fall seasons, while a network of trails connects to the larger Westchester County trail system. The park also houses the Cross County Shopping Center, an adjacent retail destination.
Sherwood Park and Sprain Ridge County Park provide additional hiking and mountain biking terrain on Yonkers’ eastern ridges. Sprain Ridge features a seasonal outdoor pool complex and miles of singletrack trails through mature oak and hickory forests. During autumn, the park’s ridgeline overlooks offer spectacular displays of fall foliage stretching across the Hudson Valley and the Ramapo Mountains to the west.
Yonkers hosts several distinctive attractions and entertainment destinations that draw visitors from across the metropolitan region. From horse racing to architectural landmarks, the city offers experiences found nowhere else in the Hudson Valley.
Yonkers Raceway and Empire City Casino, known officially as Empire City Casino, occupies an 87-acre site just north of the Bronx border. Operating since 1899, it remains one of the oldest harness racing tracks in the United States still in continuous operation. The facility offers live harness racing throughout much of the year and houses a casino with thousands of video gaming machines and electronic table games. The historic grandstand, with its Art Deco influences, dates from a major renovation completed in the 1930s.
The Science Barge, a floating urban farm docked on the Yonkers waterfront, serves as an innovative environmental education center operated by Groundwork Hudson Valley. This solar-powered, hydroponic greenhouse grows fresh produce year-round using renewable energy systems and zero-emissions technology. The barge demonstrates sustainable agriculture practices and offers educational programs for school groups and community visitors interested in urban farming and environmental conservation.
Greystone Manor, a massive Richardsonian Romanesque mansion completed in 1891, was designed by architect Frederick Law Olmsted’s firm for the railroad financier John James DeForest. The estate later became part of the Greystone Psychiatric Hospital campus and now awaits adaptive reuse. Its dramatic position on the Hudson River bluffs creates one of the most impressive architectural silhouettes visible from the Palisades opposite.
The Downtown Yonkers Waterfront District, also known as the Yonkers Public Art Walk, showcases several permanent sculpture installations and rotating murals along the restored Saw Mill River and the Hudson River esplanade. Local artists and international contributors have transformed the district into a living gallery that celebrates Yonkers’ creative community and industrial past.
Yonkers experiences a humid subtropical climate with four distinct seasons, moderated by the Hudson River’s influence. Each season brings unique opportunities for visitors, with spring and fall generally offering the most comfortable conditions for outdoor exploration.
Spring arrives gradually in April and May, with temperatures climbing from the 50s into the 70s Fahrenheit. This is an optimal time to explore Untermyer Gardens, which bursts into bloom with tulips, azaleas, cherry blossoms, and the Persian garden’s first seasonal color displays. Spring weekends bring lower crowds than summer months, and the Yonkers Esplanade becomes active with cyclists and walkers emerging from winter hibernation.
Summer stretches from June through August with temperatures frequently reaching the mid-to-upper 80s. Humidity can be significant, though river breezes along the Hudson offer natural cooling. Summer is peak season for the Yonkers Raceway harness racing schedule, the Science Barge educational programs on the waterfront, and outdoor concerts and events at Van der Donck Park and Untermyer Gardens. Evening temperatures remain pleasant for waterfront dining and sunset watching along the esplanade.
Fall transforms Yonkers into a canvas of autumn colors, with October offering the most spectacular foliage displays. Temperatures cool to the 50s and 60s, creating perfect conditions for hiking at Sprain Ridge County Park and exploring the Hudson River Museum grounds. Seasonal apple orchards and pumpkin patches in the surrounding Westchester County countryside offer additional autumn activities within a short drive. The historic architecture of Philipse Manor Hall and Greystone Manor takes on a special character set against vivid fall backdrops.
Winter brings colder temperatures frequently dipping below freezing, with occasional snowfall blanketing the city’s historic neighborhoods and parks. Indoor attractions like the Hudson River Museum, the Philipse Manor Hall historic site, and Empire City Casino become primary destinations during winter months. Holiday decorations illuminate Untermyer Gardens during seasonal evening events, and the city’s diverse restaurants provide warm refuge after riverside winter walks. Lower hotel rates and reduced crowds at attractions make winter a practical and budget-friendly season for visiting.
Here are some of our favorite things to do near Yonkers. Pick your favorite!
The Old Croton Aqueduct Trail follows the historic route of the first great water supply system constructed in the United States, stretching approximately 26 miles from the Croton Dam in Westchester County to the New York Public Library in Manhattan…