FDR Presidential Library & Vanderbilt Estate in Hyde Park

Fisher Family Vacation 2015... We began our vacation by road tripping through New York State on our way to New Hampshire! Jarrett had a conference at Dartmouth, so the family decided to tag along and so some sight-seeing along the way! We made it to Hyde Park within 2.5 hrs from leaving our house in NJ, and that included a stop at Dunkin' Donuts for breakfast. First stop was the Vanderbilt Estate in Hyde Park on the Hudson River.

Jarrett and the girls in front of one of the Vanderbilt's more modest homes...LOL.

During the tour we discovered we had already visited 2 of the Vanderbilt's other homes.. Biltmore Estate in NC (2012) and Marblehead in RI (2010?). We missed touring it with our fellow architecture aficionados, Auntie Sarah & Uncle Peter ;)   

The interiors were beautiful, and I was surprised how much the girls enjoyed seeing the artwork, statues and tapestries in this Gilded Age treasure. The girls each picked out the room they want to live in (haha!).

Overlooking the Hudson with the little ladies.

Literally right down the street is the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Mansion, which my presidential-obsessed husband was all in for! We recently watched a PBS special on the Roosevelt's and it was awesome to get a glimpse into the life one of the most fascinating and important US presidents. 

Jarrett in front of FDR's home

One of the coolest things we discovered inside FDR's home was his elevator. It was a pulley system, and he would pull himself in his wheel chair with a rope upstairs every day/night. He feared if his elevator was electric he might get stuck inside and couldn't escape a fire. Talk about upper body strength!!

The girls had fun running through FDR's mother's rose garden and smelling flowers...

Lindsay 5.5 yrs, Madison 3.5 yrs

We toured the Library rather quickly (girls were getting hungry) but there was SO MUCH to see. Jarrett's favorite was an exact replica of FDR's desk in the White House, just as he left it. There was a ton of stuff on it, which made since because he was such a collector of things. LOL.

More fun times ahead on our vacation part deux...