Stand at the corner of Warburton Avenue and Dock Street and the Hudson opens up in front of you, the Palisades on the far bank and the river running flat and wide to the south. A few steps inland, Getty Square is the civic and retail centre of downtown, and the Saw Mill River runs through the middle of it all.
Yonkers suits travellers who are already in New York City and want a day or two on the northern edge of the metropolitan area without leaving it — the city sits immediately north of the Bronx, and the Hudson Line of Metro North runs parallel to the river, so the Old Croton Aqueduct Trail and the waterfront are reachable by public transport. It also suits anyone interested in colonial history, garden design or a riverfront walk.
This guide covers the sights and activities the sources describe in Yonkers itself: the museum and manor house on Warburton Avenue, the gardens at North Broadway, the trails and parks, and the entertainment venues along Central Park Avenue and Yonkers Avenue.
Top things to do in Yonkers
1. Hudson River Museum
At 511 Warburton Ave, this is the largest museum in Westchester County, with exhibitions on regional history and Hudson Valley art, and the only public planetarium in the county. Admission is $13 for adults, $8 for youth and $9 for concessions.
Pair it with the Old Croton Aqueduct Trail, which passes the museum in the Glenwood area, so you can walk in and out along the aqueduct. Call ahead on +1 914-963-4550 if you want to plan around planetarium showtimes.
2. Untermyer Park
At 945 North Broadway, the park holds Greek gardens, canals, reflecting pools and other created "ruins" — the remains of the old Untermyer estate. The Untermyer Performing Arts Council produces live performances in the park; they are admission free and run throughout the summer, with special concerts through the year announced on their website.
If you are arriving on foot, the Old Croton Aqueduct Trail passes the lion gates at the lower end of the old Untermyer estate, which makes a natural approach. Check the performance schedule before you go if live music is part of your plan.
3. Philipse Manor Hall
At 29 Warburton Ave, this is a colonial-era manor house that today serves as a museum and archive, offering glimpses into life before the American Revolution. The original structure was built around 1682 for Frederick Philipse and his wife, Margaret Hardenbroeck de Vries.
The Sailors and Soldiers Memorial, dedicated in 1891, stands on the grounds, and the site is a tour stop on the African American Heritage Trail of Westchester County. Reach it on +1 914-965-4027, and combine it with the Hudson River Museum further up the same avenue.
4. Old Croton Aqueduct Trail
Work on the Croton Aqueduct began in 1837 to tap the waters of the Croton watershed for New York City. The trail runs north–south, parallel to the Hudson Line of Metro North, so it is readily accessible from New York City by public transport. In Yonkers the hiker passes the lion gates at the lower end of the old Untermyer estate, now Untermyer Park, and passes by the Hudson River Museum at Glenwood, where urban conditions are encountered. The trail ends at Lamartine Avenue in Yonkers.
Because it follows the rail line, you can walk a section and return by train rather than retracing your steps. Expect built-up surroundings through the Glenwood stretch.
5. Tibbetts Brook Park
At 355 Midland Ave, off exit 3 of the Cross County Parkway, this is a multi-use park with some pockets of good habitat and good birding — except during summer, when it is overrun with people. The park hosts ethnic celebrations, fairs and festivals during the summer months, and the South County Trail Way provides easy access afoot or by bicycle. Access requires Westchester residency; parking is $5 with a Park Pass and $10 without, and pool admission is $4.
Go early in the day for the birding, and check the residency and parking requirements before setting out.
6. Yonkers Raceway & Empire City Casino
At 810 Yonkers Ave, Yonkers Raceway is a one-half-mile standardbred harness racing dirt track, founded in 1899 as the Empire City Race Track. The casino, with video slot machines, video blackjack and electronic table games, opened in 2006 and is now operated by MGM Resorts. There are several dining venues onsite, and the gambling age is 18.
It is open daily from 10AM to 6AM, so it works as an evening stop. Contact guestexperience@empirecitycasino.com or call +1 914-968-4200 for details.
7. Saint Joseph's Seminary (Dunwoodie)
At 201 Seminary Ave, this is the major seminary of the Archdiocese of New York, educating men destined to serve as priests within the Archdiocese and elsewhere in the United States and abroad. It has hosted Pope John Paul II in 1995 and Pope Benedict XVI in 2008; each led an afternoon prayer service and visited with the seminarians.
Call +1 914-704-1896 before you go, since this is a working seminary rather than a conventional visitor attraction.
8. Sprain Ridge Park
At 149 Jackson Ave, this is 278 acres of wooded terrain at the southern end of the county, with trails for beginners as well as advanced riders. It is open 8AM to dusk, a helmet is required for mountain biking, and a trail map is available online. A county park pass is required for admission, and pool admission is $4.
Bring your own bike or plan around the trail map, and note the county park pass requirement before you travel. Reach the park on +1 914-231-3450.
9. Alamo Drafthouse Cinema
At 2548 Central Park Ave, this cinema delivers food and drink to your seat while you watch a movie. Tickets are $15, or $18.50 for 3D, after 2PM; $12, or $15.50 for 3D, before 2PM except holidays and all day for children aged 6 to 11, seniors 60 and over, college students with current ID, and guests with disabilities; and $6 for seniors 60 and over all day Wednesday and before 2PM on weekdays.
If you qualify for one of the discounted categories, an early showing is the cheapest way in. Call +1 914-226-3082 to check the schedule.
10. Murray's Skating Center
Also known as the E.J. Murray Memorial Skating Center, at 348 Tuckahoe Rd, this rink offers public skating, figure, ice and roller skating lessons, ice hockey programs and leagues, and speed, figure and ice hockey clinics and camps. Most sessions are offered to groups of all ages or in separate sessions for adults and youth, and the centre can be used for birthday parties. Skates can be rented, and there is a snack bar and pro-shop. General admission is $11, skate rental $4, and senior citizen admission $3.
Reach it from the Tuckahoe Road exit of the NYS Thruway (I-87) or the Sprain Brook Parkway, or on Bee-Line Bus route 8. Call +1 914-377-6469 to check session times.
11. Homefield Bowl
At 938 Saw Mill River Rd, this bowling centre is very close to all major highways. It offers party packages and a bowling camp, plus a snack bar, lounge and pro-shop, along with leagues, tournaments and monthly, weekly and daily specials.
It is open Sunday to Thursday 9AM to midnight and Friday and Saturday 9AM to 1AM. Email manager@homefieldbowl.com or call +1 914-969-5592 if you want to check on a league night before turning up.
12. Legoland Discovery Center Westchester
This attraction sits in the Ridge Hill shopping center, downstairs from both Showcase Cinema De Lux and Dick's Sporting Goods, which makes it easy to combine with shopping or a film.
It is a straightforward choice if you are travelling with children and want an indoor stop. Call toll-free on +1-866-243-0770 for current details.
13. Sherwood House
Sherwood House is the home of one of Frederick Philipse's tenant farmers, and it is a museum operated by the Yonkers Historical Society.
It pairs naturally with Philipse Manor Hall, since both tell the story of the Philipse estate and the people who lived and worked on it.
14. Enslaved Africans' Raingarden
On the Yonkers waterfront, the Raingarden preserves the memory of victims of the slave trade in Yonkers and Westchester County. Like Philipse Manor Hall, it is a tour stop on the African American Heritage Trail of Westchester County.
Visit it as part of a waterfront walk, and treat it as a place for reflection rather than a conventional sightseeing stop.
15. Water Music
Water Music is a public artwork in the city and one of the named places in Yonkers.
It is an easy thing to seek out while you are already walking the waterfront or downtown, rather than a destination in itself.
If you only have one day
Morning: Start at Philipse Manor Hall on Warburton Avenue, where the museum and archive cover life before the American Revolution and the Sailors and Soldiers Memorial stands on the grounds. Walk up the same avenue to the Hudson River Museum, taking in the regional history and Hudson Valley art exhibitions and, if the timing works, the planetarium.
Afternoon: Follow the Old Croton Aqueduct Trail north, passing the lion gates at the lower end of the old Untermyer estate, and spend the middle of the day at Untermyer Park among the Greek gardens, canals and reflecting pools. If you are visiting in summer, check whether the Untermyer Performing Arts Council has a free performance scheduled.
Evening: Head to Yonkers Raceway & Empire City Casino on Yonkers Avenue for harness racing or the casino floor, and eat at one of the dining venues onsite. If you would rather stay closer to Central Park Avenue, take in a film at Alamo Drafthouse Cinema with food and drink delivered to your seat.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a car to see Yonkers?
Not for everything. The Old Croton Aqueduct Trail runs north–south parallel to the Hudson Line of Metro North, so it is readily accessible from New York City by public transport, and the trail passes both Untermyer Park and the Hudson River Museum. Other sites, including Tibbetts Brook Park and Sprain Ridge Park, are easier by car or bus.
Which places charge admission?
The Hudson River Museum charges $13 for adults, $8 for youth and $9 for concessions. Tibbetts Brook Park requires Westchester residency for access, with parking at $5 with a Park Pass and $10 without, and pool admission at $4. Sprain Ridge Park requires a county park pass for admission. Untermyer Park performances are admission free.
Where can I go in the evening?
Yonkers Raceway & Empire City Casino is open daily from 10AM to 6AM and has several dining venues onsite; the gambling age is 18. Alamo Drafthouse Cinema serves food and drink to your seat during the film. Homefield Bowl is open until midnight Sunday to Thursday and until 1AM on Friday and Saturday.
Is there anything worth seeing on the waterfront?
Yes. The Enslaved Africans' Raingarden on the Yonkers waterfront preserves the memory of victims of the slave trade in Yonkers and Westchester County, and it is a tour stop on the African American Heritage Trail of Westchester County, as is Philipse Manor Hall. Water Music is also in the city.
Pick the Warburton Avenue museums and the Untermyer gardens as your anchors, check the performance and session times before you go, and start planning your days around the river.