SPOTLIGHT on WESTCHESTER

starred Hailee Steinfeld as poet Emily Dickinson, filmed some of its third season at Jay Heritage Center in Rye. Playing off the show’s Civil War-era setting, the center hosted an exhibit called “Unknown Soldiers: The Making of ‘Dickinson’ at the Jay Estate and the Real-Life History Behind It,” which featured props and costumes from the show.

Looking back even farther, Revolutionary Westchester 250 organizes and supports events relating stories of the Revolutionary War period and the founding of the United States, including reenactments and festivals.

“These events are drawing visitors and engaging local residents,” comments Caputo.

Golf is another popular outdoor activity in Westchester—and for good reason. St. Andrew’s Golf Club in Hastings-on-Hudson was the site of the first round of golf played in America. Winged Foot Golf Club in Mamaroneck has hosted a PGA Championship and six U.S. Opens.

In September, the U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship will take place at Sleepy Hollow Country Club and Fenway Golf Club in Scarsdale. Recently announced, Winged Foot in Mamaroneck will host its seventh U.S. Open in 2028.

While most of the area’s golf courses are open to members only, there are six impressive County-owned courses, with great history, which welcome everyone out to play in Westchester.

Among them are Dunwoodie Golf Course in Yonkers, which opened in 1903, and Mohansic Golf Course in Yorktown Heights, Maple Moor in White Plains and Sprain Lake in Yonkers, all of which will celebrate their centennials in this decade. The clubs are far from worn or weary. In the last ten years, the county has poured more than $28 million in capital improvement projects to its six courses. “Westchester County Parks are always looking to improve their public courses and we try to make them appealing to everyone,” said Caputo.

Another course, Pound Ridge Golf Club in Pound Ridge, is the only Pete Dye-designed course in New York and one of the toughest courses on the East Coast.

Economic issues are impacting leisure spending and price-sensitive travelers are looking to invest in experiences wisely. Westchester County in the Hudson Valley is a smart destination choice for those looking to go beyond without going far.