It’s the most wonderful time of the year, when New York State’s beautiful Gilded Age mansions and historic estates deck their halls with brightly lit trees, elegant wreaths, glittering ornaments, and festive garland. Savor cookies and cider on a tour of one of Long Island’s most famous Gold Coast estates, bask in the candlelit warmth of a Jane Austen-inspired Christmas at Boscobel House, and experience the holidays as a president would at Franklin D. Roosevelt’s home. Across New York, history is beautifully dressed for the holidays—come experience the magic.
📍Where: Old Westbury Gardens, Old Westbury (Long Island)
🗓️When: December 6-7, December 13-14, December 20-21
Old Westbury Gardens invites you to experience the magic and wonder of a Gold Coast Christmas as poinsettias, wreaths, trees, glittering ornaments, and other festive touches are sprinkled throughout the elegant 23-room English manor. Cookies, cider, visits from Santa, and special events like caroling and a flute choir concert make this beloved holiday tradition even sweeter. Once the home of John S. Phipps and his wife, Westbury House and its sprawling gardens are a stunning example of Gilded Age living that earned it a cameo in HBO’s Gilded Age.
Cost:$18; Ages 62 and older, $15; Full-time students with valid ID, $15; Children, ages 7 to 17, $8; Children, ages 6 and under, Free; Old Westbury Gardens members, Free.
📍Where: Lyndhurst, Tarrytown (Hudson Valley)
🗓️When: Various dates through December 28
Enter a world of holiday splendor on a seasonal tour of this sprawling Gothic Revival mansion overlooking the Hudson River. You’ll learn about the estate’s history, architecture, and art on a one-hour tour of the home’s two main floors that glow with the spirit of the season. Named one of the nation’s best historic holiday tours, you’ll be dazzled by dozens of Christmas trees among period furnishings and get a chance to view rarely-seen items that are only brought out from the archives during the holiday season.
Cost: $10-$29 +service fees.
📍Where: Armour-Stiner Octagon House, Irvington (Hudson Valley)
🗓️When: Various dates November 20-December 22
Step into Victorian splendor at the Armour-Stiner Octagon House this holiday season. This visually unique home is the only known residence constructed in the eight-sided, domed shape of a classic Roman temple. See the decorative interiors of painted and stenciled ceilings with gold, silver, and bronze leaf trim further transformed with wreaths, garlands, and three grand Christmas trees. Discover stunning antique decor and learn how the late 19th-century shaped modern American holiday traditions as you explore the home’s colorful history.
Cost: $34 per person.
📍Where: Hudson River Museum, Yonkers (Hudson Valley)
🗓️When: November 28-January 2
Get ready for a Gilded Age Christmas at Glenview. Turn back the clock as you embark on a 45-minute guided look at this magnificent 1877 home, designed by Charles W. Clinton and featured in HBO’s Gilded Age and Apple TV”s Severance. Explore six fully restored period rooms featuring beautiful Christmas trees, antique ornaments and toys, and festive tablescape. You’ll learn about Gilded Age holiday traditions while admiring the fine woodwork, furnishings, art, and architecture of a bygone era. As an extra treat, the Ebony Library will showcase historic greeting cards, including examples from Louis Prang, who produced the first commercial Christmas cards in America.
Cost: $23 adults, $14 youth ages 3 to 18, $16 seniors 65+, $16 student with valid ID, $16 veterans.
📍Where: Wilderstein Historic Site, Rhinebeck (Hudson Valley)
🗓️When: Fridays-Sunday November 28-December 28
Once the home of Margaret Suckley, cousin and confidante of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, this Queen Ann-style mansion with 1888 interiors designed by JB Tiffany and grounds designed by Calvert Vaux comes to life with history and the holiday spirit in December. Enjoy a guided tour of its 40 beautiful acres, decadent exterior, and first and second floors all decked out in yuletide splendor. Don’t miss Holiday Storytime on December 13 featuring a reading of “A Christmas Carol,” hot cocoa and seasonal refreshments.
Cost: $20.
📍Where: Staatsburgh State Historic Site, Staatsburg (Hudson Valley)
🗓️When: November 28-December 30
The Staatsburgh State Historic Site is making spirits bright with its annual Gilded Age Christmas celebration. You’ll marvel at the 79-room Beaux-Arts style mansion, once the country home of Ogden Mills and Ruth Livingston Mills, all decked out for the season with elegant trees, wreaths, and table settings amid original furnishings, art and décor. Little ones can enjoy a mouse house scavenger hunt for a small prize and docents will be on hand to answer any questions as you tour the home. Don’t forget to pop into the gift shop for unique holiday keepsakes!
Cost: Adults: $10, Seniors: $8, Students (w/id): $8, Children 12 & under are Free. No advance ticket purchases required, but reservations for timed entry strongly suggested.
📍Where: Locust Grove Estate, Poughkeepsie (Hudson Valley)
🗓️When: Through December 30
Make your holidays sing at this stunning 40-room Italianate mansion, spectacularly decorated with Christmas trees themed to classic holiday songs, like “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” and “O Holy Night.” Tours of the home are offered Friday-Monday, last about an hour, and are recommended for ages 10+. On your visit, you can also explore the 180-acre estate’s historic gardens and five miles of carriage road trails that wind through the forests and meadows along the Hudson River.
Cost: $20/Person, $18/Seniors and Military, $14/Youth ages 6 – 18.
Holiday Open House at the Franklin D. Roosevelt Historic Home
📍Where: Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site, Hyde Park (Hudson Valley)
🗓️When: December 13, 9am-5pm
Mark your calendar for a full day of free holiday events at the Hyde Park home of the 32nd, and longest-serving, president of the United States. Explore FDR’s historic Springwood home and Presidential Library, both beautifully decorated for the holidays, as they were during the Roosevelt presidency. Snap a photo with Santa, revel in holiday music, meet Dickens (a black Scottish Terrier who loves to impersonate Roosevelt’s famous dog, Fala), and make cards for sailors on the USS Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt. You can also meet authors at the Holiday Book Fair and enjoy refreshments in the visitor center. It’s a wonderful way to experience history and celebrate the season where a U.S. President once lived.
Cost: The home and library will be open to visitors free of charge. Stop by the front desk in the Visitor Center to receive your free ticket.
📍Where: Planting Fields Arboretum State Historic Park, Oyster Bay (Long Island)
🗓️When: December 8-December 28
Experience the season at its most enchanting at Planting Fields. Step inside Coe Hall for dazzling guided and self-guided tours of the magnificent 65-room Tudor Revival mansion, all decked out in natural materials sourced right from the 409-acre grounds. You’ll see invasive plants transformed into elegant garlands and table settings that honor each member of the Coe family, who lived in the home from 1913 to 1955. Add a little extra sparkle to the season at the free Annual Holiday Tree Lighting on December 12 and ticketed Home for the Holidays event with cocoa, crafts, and Santa on December 13 and December 14.
Cost: Guided tours $25, Children under 3, free; Self-guided tours $20, Children under 3, free.
📍Where: Phelps Mansion Museum, Binghamton (Central New York)
🗓️When: Various Dates December 4-December 27
Step back in time at the Phelps Mansion Museum for its Candlelight Christmas Tours, running Friday and Saturday nights throughout December. Explore the historic 1870 Second Empire-style mansion, once home to banker and Binghamton mayor Sherman D. Phelps. You’ll be enlightened as you learn about 19th-century Christmas traditions and the fascinating history behind the holiday amid Victorian furnishings, Italian marble floors, and grand 14-foot ceilings in the last remaining structure of what was once known as Binghamton’s Mansion Row. Tours are limited to just 14 guests.
Cost: $15 Adults, Seniors (60+) and Students (13+) $12, kids 12 and under FREE.
📍Where: Clermont State Historic Site, Germantown (Hudson Valley)
🗓️When: December 20, 11am-4pm
Step into the country estate of the prominent Livingston family—a home famously rebuilt after being burned to the ground by British soldiers in 1777. You can explore the beautifully decorated mansion at your own pace, encountering guides in period costume, all while enjoying live traditional music by Tamarack. Learn about the Livingstons (including Chancellor Robert R. Livingston, who drafted the Declaration of Independence), look for “Festive Folklore” characters painted by local artists, and enjoy warm cider while viewing exhibits in the Visitor Center.
Cost: Free, but advanced registration is appreciated.
📍Where: Frank Lloyd Wright’s Martin House, Buffalo (Greater Niagara)
🗓️When: Select evenings November 28-December 27
Get ready to witness Frank Lloyd Wright’s architectural genius in a whole new light on special behind-the-scenes evening tours in Buffalo. Your knowledgeable docent will guide you through the dimly lit halls as rooms are bathed in the warm glow of candlelight, emphasizing the beauty, mystery, and drama of this architectural masterpiece. Festive decorations themed to beloved Christmas carols will surely put you in the holiday mood.
Cost: $39 non-members, $34 members.
📍Where: Lorenzo State Historic Site, Cazenovia (Finger Lakes)
🗓️When: December 10-December 14
See your favorite holiday stories come to life in the most magical way at Lorenzo State Historic Site. The 1807 manor, overlooking Cazenovia Lake, is transformed into a vision of beloved tales with festive decor based on The Nutcracker, A Christmas Carol, and more adorning the halls. Live music, wassail and sweet treats, horse-drawn sleigh and wagon rides, ornament making, and an appearance by Santa will have you feeling holly and jolly.
Cost: Adults $6, Children 12 and under $2.
📍Where: Gracie Mansion, Manhattan (New York City)
🗓️When: December 15, December 17, and December 20
New York City goes all out for the holidays—from the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree to holiday markets in Bryant Park and Union Square, to ice skating in Central Park, to the beloved holiday train show at the New York Botanic Garden. Even Gracie Mansion, the official residence of the mayor of New York City, gets into the holiday spirit. Built in 1799, this iconic Manhattan landmark is beautifully decorated for exclusive Holiday Tours that let you stroll through the People’s House, soaking up its seasonal splendor and rich history. Spaces are limited, so act fast to secure your spot.
Cost: $40 per person.
📍Where: Boscobel House and Gardens, Garrison (Hudson Valley)
🗓️When: Fridays and Saturdays through December 13
Boscobel House, a Federal-style mansion overlooking the Hudson River and West Point, is putting a Jane Austen twist on its holiday celebration. You’ll be transported to the 19th century as you wander candlelit rooms adorned with decor inspired by scenes from Emma and Pride and Prejudice in honor of Austen’s 250th birthday. Expert guides will be on hand to share tales of Yuletide traditions and Boscobel’s remarkable restoration, and children can join the fun by searching for hidden gingerbread kids tucked among the decorations. Your enchanting evening ends with a festive reception in the Visitor Center Gallery.
Cost: $17-29.
📍Where: Hyde Hall, Cooperstown (Central New York)
🗓️When: December 12-13
Experience the magic of the season as it was celebrated 200 years ago at Hyde Hall. Overlooking James Fenimore Cooper’s fabled “Glimmerglass” lake, lush greenery and flickering candles will fill the 50-room country house as you wander its historic halls learning about the holiday customs of the Victorian era. There will even be a Hot Toddy Bar to fill your spirits!
Cost: $28.52, children 10 and under free.
Share New York State adventures with us on TikTok, Instagram and X with #ILoveNY and #iSpyNY, and tag us on Facebook!
