Ever wonder where you can walk in the footsteps of a U.S. president without leaving Upstate New York? Two historic sites honoring America’s commanders in chief have been named among the nation’s best presidential attractions.
Newsweek published its list of top presidential attractions as voted on by readers. Coming in at No. 2 is Grant Cottage State Historic Site in Wilton, just outside Saratoga Springs, and at No. 9, the Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site in Hyde Park.
Both Grant Cottage and FDR’s Hyde Park estate offer more than a glimpse at presidential history, they provide a personal window into the lives of two of America’s most iconic leaders.
A photo of Ulysses S. Grant and his family on display at his cottage in Upstate N.Y. where he passed in 1885. Sunny Hernandez | ahernandez@nyup.comSunny Hernandez | ahernandez@nyup.com
In the summer of 1885, former President Ulysses S. Grant retreated to the quiet woods of Wilton, just north of Saratoga Springs.
Urged by his doctors to escape the stifling Manhattan heat while battling terminal cancer, Grant spent his final weeks at the small, Victorian-style cottage atop Mount McGregor, racing to complete his memoirs so his family would be financially secure. He finished the work just days before his death on July 23, 1885.
A stone marks the spot where General Ulysses S. Grant last took in the view from his mountaintop cottage in Upstate New York before his death in 1885. Sunny Hernandez | ahernandez@nyup.comSunny Hernandez | ahernandez@nyup.com
Today, the Ulysses S. Grant Cottage State Historic Site preserves that moment in time. Visitors can tour the room where Grant died, see the clock stopped at the moment of his passing, and view the preserved floral tributes sent by mourners across the country.
The Ulysses S. Grant Cottage Historical Landmark, where the decorated war veteran and 18th President of the United States spent his last remaining years is located north of Saratoga Springs. Sunny Hernandez | ahernandez@nyup.comSunny Hernandez | ahernandez@nyup.com
Outside, a short walk leads to the Eastern Overlook—known as “Grant’s Last View”—where the former president spent his final days taking in sweeping views of the Adirondacks, Green Mountains, and Albany skyline. Open from Memorial Day through Labor Day, the site gives visitors an intimate look at the closing chapter of one of America’s most storied figures.
Springwood estate, the birthplace and residence of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, FDR, located in Hyde Park, N.Y. John Greim | LightRocket via Getty ImagesJohn Greim | LightRocket via Getty Images
On the banks of the Hudson River in Hyde Park, the Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site offers a glimpse into the personal world of America’s only four-term president. Born at this mansion on January 30, 1882, FDR would later be buried here alongside First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt in the family’s rose garden.
Filled with artifacts from four generations of the Roosevelt family, the estate served as a place of rest and reflection for FDR during some of the nation’s darkest times, including the Great Depression and World War II.
Franklin and Eleanor sculpture, FDR Presidential Library and Museum at the Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site in Hyde Park, N.Y. John Greim | LightRocket via Getty ImagesJohn Greim | LightRocket via Getty Images
Visitors can explore the stately Hudson Valley mansion, where rooms are lined with towering bookshelves, family heirlooms, and several of FDR’s wheelchairs — the entire property is accessible. The estate also includes his private study, known as the “Little White House,” where he held meetings with world leaders, and expansive gardens overlooking the Hudson River that invite quiet reflection.
From the quiet mountaintop where Grant spent his final days to the sprawling Hudson River estate where FDR sought respite and inspiration, these Upstate New York destinations allow visitors to step into the private worlds of men who shaped the nation.
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