Washington Irvings Sunnyside

Absolutely beautiful in early November. Very organized social distancing. Helpful and friendly staff. You cant go inside the house, but you are encouraged to look in through the windows, which was such a fun and unique experience (and tons of fun Halloween surprises inside!) You can also walk on the original entrance to the property that goes over a creek, adjacent to a sweet pond surrounded by trees. A garden you can explore is also on the property. I cant wait to come back!

The Sleepy Hallow Experience is great. Folk Lore, Music and many Tall Tales of love. This family friendly event requires good hiking shoes, you will follow along pathways to different scenes. The songs are very funny and keeps you interested. The Performance is great, good singing, costumes and The Headless Horseman looks wicked! A fun night out.

I had to see this amazing place, built by the USA’s first writer,based on his travels in Europe. Mentored by Sir Walter Scott and ambassador to Spain! Excellent views of the Hudson! The man and legend built a beautiful home! Must see sight. The wisteria he planted still flourishing and lush!

Excellent experience. We came here for the Legends tour event. Learn history of Washington Irving and his estate with a little bit of Halloween flair.

Who doesnt like Washington Irvings stories. to see his gave and house is only the tip of the iceberg. terry town and sleepy hollow have a farmer market from may to novemeber but the best time to visit is during the fall. you can plan a whole weekend to shopping the market, do some early x-mas shopping, enjoy a lunch or buy homemade ice cream in the local shops. not to mention all the sites like Washington Irving’s cottage, his grave, the old dutch church and much much more. you can even buy a package deal that allows you to see these site through out the year and all their Halloween events. sleepy hollow does and awesome job that has tons of family and kid friendly events. do your homework and youll be amazed what does on in this little town. visiting here during the fall is like an event all by itself and i could imagine sitting on the back porch drink lemonade and playing cards.

Sunnyside:The Washington Irving Estate is a gorgeous historical attraction to sightsee and visit in Irvington, New York.It is definitely a top destination to check out when traveling through the Hudson River Valley.At Sunnyside, you not only learn about the life of Washington Irving as well as his beautiful estate, but the tour guides also provide great in depth information on the history of New York, and the development of fictional based literature in the early days of the American republic.

Today was a quick stop. Only did outside walk. Ladies in gift shop were lovely. Would like to do again when kids are not so tired.

Loved this visit. Saw the outdoor, interactive play, The Sleepy Hollow Experience and really enjoyed it. Great acting and effects. Sometimes view was challenging due to terrain and tall folks in the front, but overall very enjoyable!

Amazing view and so calming area. Wear comfortable hiking shoes.

One of my family’s favorite places to visit while visiting Tarry town. Grounds are beautiful and the tour guides make the experience so much better.

It was a beautiful view and awesome sign to see such a building still standing. The man who lived in it all those years ago had quite the history to. Would enjoy visiting again to see inside the house.

Nice place to visit. Would have liked to catch a show they put on at the site. Especially at night.

Wonderful little house with very informative guides. Each room offered some nice bits of the life of Washington Irving.

They used to have the tour of the home free to members but that seems to have gone for 2019. But the Sleepy Hollow Experience (new for 2019) was amazing and totally with the cost. If youre lucky, on the house your, youll get to go upstairs.

It was absolutely incredible! The tour was entertaining and academic at the same time, making the visit doubly wonderfull!

Great guides perfect way to have a fun educational day with the family.

I went to Sunnyside as a kid but barely remembered anything. We went on our last day in NY and were the only people on the tour.I wish I could remember our guides name. She was so funny and impressive with her knowledge of Washington Irving and the estate. She really got into character. My husband didnt really know much about sleepy hollow or Washington Irving before this and it made it very interesting to him. I cant recommend Sunnyside enough.

Wonderful place. We learned a lot. Priceless piece of American history

Worth a stop if you are driving through the area. The tour itself is about 60 minutes and I would recommend buying your ticket on the website before arrival as the tour groups are not big. The house is kept just as Washington Irving kept it. The tour guides are very knowledgeable about the house, area, and Irvings life. Its a beautiful area, especially in the Fall.

Were not able to go inside the house and if not for the story teller would not have spent more than an hour here.

The grounds are beautiful, our guide was able to keep our teenager & pre-teen engaged during the tour.

Beautiful estate lived in by Americas first great writer. From September to November there is a re-enactment of the Legend of Sleepy Hollow thats awesome

Fun place to visit. Large property. You can see deers running on the grounds. There was a storyteller who recited The headless Horseman was very good and animated. Enjoyable experience. The house tour was very nice and well organized. Lots of parking. Worth a visit. You get to see the whole place (as long as it is not closed for a private party).

Such a lovely historical trip back in time. Our guide was a lovely lady who said she was originally from Sweden. She had such a joy, knowledge and passion about this home. She really brought the history to life for our group! A very worthwhile place to visit! Plus, there are lovely grounds you can walk around, great views of the Hudson as well as an area with picnic tables if you wanted to bring your lunch and sit outside.

We went on a Thursday as per their normal operating hours, but they werent running. However they did just open this week! It was a little tricky to get there via Google maps, if you get to the fork, go right, the gate says dont enter but thats the entrance to the parking lot.

Famous authors residence. has historic tours

Lovely historic property. Our tour guide painted a very detailed picture of Washington Irvings life. Very small house. Difficult for someone with mobility issues.

Sunnyside is very nice, and is lovely to walk around. It costs more to go inside the house, and we were unable to due to tours being sold out. The grounds are cool, and seeing the train pass through is fun.

My sons and I had a wonderful tour of the beautiful home and property. 14 year-old loved it. 11 year-old was less excited, but still glad we went.

Amazing place...

Great historic location, guided tour is interesting and informative. Good view on the Hudson, plenty to see.

Beautiful place! The staff is very knowledgeable & friendly (I only wish I could remember the young ladys name that gave us the tour). The house & grounds are well kept & after the tour you can explore more on your own. The view of the Hudson River & the Palisades is wonderful as well. This is a great place to take the family & Im sure even more so around Halloween...if youre lucky you might see the Headless Horseman

Excellent docents who are clear spoken and interesting.If you have mobility issues, be aware that Sunnyside is down a small incline. Wheelchairs may need help returning to the parking lot.

Historic home, very eclectic architecture. Interesting for those into writers homes. Nice grounds; very well informed guides, beautiful grounds.

Its like walking around in a fairy tale.

Great and good to learn,fun i will tell people to go there

This was so amazing!!! If you love Halloween. You must go and see for yourself how much fun and exciting everything is. Going back next year!!

This is a really nice tour, the staff is real informative and know the history really good about the place. The house is in perfect condition for how old it is and a lot of nice architectural design. Plus it has a nice little gift shop. A must see

This was a fun tour. The groups were small. The fee was small. The guide was great, informed and easy to talk to. The cottage itself was really quaint and a welcome change from of the grandiosity of the rest of the Hudson Valley historic homes. It was a lot of fun!

Love this little historical gem. Staff was fantastic.

Ok house tour. A bit too crowded and shorter duration than expected.

The tour guides LOVE what they do, they make it clear. Altogether they make it a fun and welcoming experience, and they make it easy to imagine what Washington Irvings life was and who he was. Didnt realize how cool he was until I made the visit!

You should definitely take the tour. Knowledgeable staff. I just wish they had an online gift shop.

Great tour of an interesting home. Our tour guide was great. Lots of interesting information on the life and home of a great American author. Definitely worth a visit.

A beautiful house charmingly presented. I wish I could live here.

Beautiful place in history and excellent guided tour.

Rushed through house tour. Cheesy Halloween decorations. Also if you are part of the first tour, they may not have the gate to the parking lot open and you have to go in the exit. Pretty views of the river

Great tour of the tiny house. Knowledgeable guides. The story teller was wonderful.

A wonderful small home well preserved beside the Hudson River. The tour was very good through many rooms filled with authentic history.

Great and interesting tour. A must see if you stop in Sleepy Hollow. Irvings actual bed is still there.

Great little piece of history with great tours. Good for all ages.

Charming house, lots of unique items. Hal the tour guide is exceptionally entertaining and knowledgable regarding the house, history of Washington Irving...his significance to American literature and culture.

We attended The Sleepy Hollow Experience play which took place well wandering on the grounds outside.We enjoyed every moment, very entertaining and well worth the time, the actors were amazing, great show.

Family fun. Beautiful grounds and great day trip

Love this place, been there many times. Excellent and dedicated guides.

Nice tour, takes about 1 & 1/2

This is one of my all time favorite photos. Titled Light in the Window I only wish they allowed photography within the building. Grounds were interesting to explore.

Historical site is maintained in pristine condition. Staff is always friendly and polite this is a must see. Highly recommend

Really beautiful grounds with lots of activities for children. Great gift shop too.

Go deeply with history and enjoy Hudson River view

Perfect setting for the retelling of Irvings own Legend of Sleepy Hollow.

Very nice facility. Great views of trains. Lots of walking, so be prepared. Also, the food is terrible.

It was interesting to tour Irvings home and learn more about his life

Went to the show tonight had a fantastic time it was funny and well acted.

Family friendly & beautiful scenery.

The Hudson River valley inspired the legend of Sleepy Hollow and Sunnyside was the home of the author. Millions of minds have been spooked by his tales and actors and stories trive in this hamlet of NY. Check it out but buy tickets well in advance!

I knew Irvings tale, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, but I didnt realize how the authors life fit in with New York and U.S. history. Touring his home on the Hudson River was the highlight of our visit to the Tarrytown area of NY. Theres a nice gift shop with plenty of Irving books to take home, and other family activities on the grounds.

The tour was absolutely wonderful and led by a highly knowledgeable lady. It was an amazing and leisurely experience and well worth the time. The price of the tour was quite affordable, too!

Very cool little tour to take. The estate is on a very quaint property by the river and the tour gives you the opportunity to see almost the entirety of the house. We visited in Novemeber and the wind coming off the water made it nearly unbearable to be outside so I would recommend visiting in a warmer season to really enjoy all of the property.

Interesting place.

Beautiful. The Sleepy Hollow experience was amazing. And Washington Irving was HOT!

Love learning more about Irving and his life and the period he lived in.

Great place to visit to find out about one of the greatest writers in American history.

Fabulous place. I felt I was transported back to the 19th century!

Went there for The Sleep Hollow Experience. Stunning views and would not hesitate to recommend this treasure of the Hudson Valley.

Great place to spend an afternoon during the halloween season to learn about Washington Irving

Absolutely lovely grounds and the tour is a must!

Awesome place! I first went here as a high school student many years ago and have been several times. What a timeless place with so much beauty! Washington Irving was the first successful American author who was famous while still living. Great for kids!

Had a tour with Ann, absolutely amazing!! She was so knowledgeable and conversational, really made me feel like i was stepping back into time! Sunnyside itself is absolutely beautiful and i was so glad to experience it on such a lovely spring day. All the gift shop attendants were also very friendly and helpful, especially one named Ryanne. Cant wait to return for another visit to Washington Irvings Sunnyside :)

Our family enjoyed the tour of this house museum. The guide was very good about sharing family information about this famous author and his life. The grounds are beautiful and the guide encouraged us to sit and enjoy them. It isnt an overly ornate or impressive house, but the house provides good insight into the author and his personal life. It was definitely worth a visit.

It is getting harder for 45 buses to get in and out without damage because of tree limbs and narrow entrance and exits.

Loved it!!

Excellent place to visit for all ages. The house and grounds are absolute breath taking. Its truly a beafuil place.

Beautiful place and excellent tour

Seeing Washington Irvings house and learning about his life was an incredible experience! One of the best house tours Ive ever been on

The place itself is nice, but the people that work there are unprofessional and unfriendly. Zev in particular, was especially bad. He illegally kicked us and our service animal out of the corner of a gift shop where we were standing and was unapologetic about it. The ladies working the gift shop were not helpful and unfriendly. I am not one to ever write bad reviews, but I wanted to warn other people with service animals that they will not be allowed in. I do not recommend this place other than to see a historical landmark.

They have done a great job with preserving Washington Irvings cottage, the staff that works there are very knowledgeable and enthusiastic. Parents need to do a better job of keeping their kids in line when visiting this place.

Amazing view over Hudson

So fun in the fall!

Beautiful spot, knowledgeable staff. Very accessable. Tour is not long, very informative.

I went here a few months ago, and had an excellent experience. The house and grounds are kept very nicely, and its difficult to describe how charming Sunnyside is. A must-see if in town, and the tour was both informative and entertaining!

Wonderful historical site.

Nice place to visit, may be not on the hottest day. Otherwise, great vista and a lovely house.

Went to Sunnyside as a quick get something to do. Its about 40 minutes from where we live and thought it would be interesting to visit and then get lunch in the area.I only knew about his two most famous stories (legend of sleepy hollow and rip van winkle), but through the tour we found out that he was a pretty cool, well rounded guy. Part architect, part farmer, part naturalist, US Diplomat, and prolific writer....very interesting.The tour was done by a very nice and knowledgeable woman dressed in period clothes that walked you from the gift shop to the the house down by the Hudson River, and then a tour of the house and a couple of out buildings. Very well done, and worth a visit if youre in the area. It cost $12 per person on line, and if it wasnt so oppressively hot on the day we went we would have wandered around the 22 acres a little more and gotten more of our moneys worth.

It was OK. If you are in the area, you can visit, if you are planning to come from far away, re consider it. There are many places that for my personal opinion worth a visit before this one. I love History, but they could do better...

Modest historical home, best paired with Kykuit or another attraction to round out a days worth of activities. Still it has a quaint charm that perfectly befits its rustic character. The home, a mix of old world (think English country meets spanish-arabian) styles, actually works perfectly with the character of the landscape and, though clearly the home of an accomplished man, still has that air of humility that was so prevalent in the days of the early republic.Situated at the edge of the water it overlooks the Hudson, the palisades and much to the chagrin of Irving, the railroad. You are given free reign to wander the grounds, though they are not as extensive as other historical homes, they have their own bucolic charm, and though at times you can see the neighbors homes nearby, one can still forget oneself and pretend to be in the country.Tours in the house are guided by someone dressed in historical garb, always a nice touch. This was a working house, humble, so expect no sweeping hallways, more likely youll be ducking your heads at some points and squeezing by narrow hallways.Is this a must see, no, but it has a lot of charm, and if you come expecting a modest country home and not an estate youll be more than satisfied.I highly recomend bringing a picnic, theres no food but its perfectly suited for such.

Lovely little area, historians would enjoy the visit for sure. Wear bug spray in the summer, the mosquitoes will murder you in cold blood lol

Professional and personable tour guide very knowledgeable about the house, topic and period of time of the history. Recommended to all. Wonderful staff at the gift shop.

Asian cousins but av little bit fat

Makes for a great Sunday checking out one of Westchesters historic houses while enjoying the restaurants in tarrytown, irvington and sleepy hollow. The volunteers at the house we all very knowledgable and informative abt the history during our tour.