The home used to be the summer home for the wealthy Cornelius "Commodore" Vanderbilt when he ferried between Hyde Park , Staten Island and Manhattan . The interior of the Vanderbilt Mansion is preserved till today and you can witness the archetypes of American Renaissance where a huge range of European antiques and fine crafts from the period can be seen. In all of Hyde Park , the Vanderbilt Mansion is the first residential home to have electricity which was supplied from a hydroelectric power plant along the Crum Elbow Creek.

Frederick and Louise Vanderbilt started building the Vanderbilt Mansion around 1896 at the estimated cost of $660,000 in 26 months. However, upon completion, the cost of the Vanderbilt Mansion reached $2.3 million! It's an expensive mansion, even by today's standard. The architects brought in craftsmen from all over the world - from marble tiles to exquisite furniture to the walls and ceilings, they were handcrafted using exotic materials.

If you take a tour around the Vanderbilt Mansion , you'll experience the way of life during that era that has completely wilted away today. This monument is among the few that stands tall. You will learn about the lifestyle of the rich and famous, the philosophy of the American country house, how the domestic staff of the place once lived, the community and the relationships between them. Taking a stroll around the Vanderbilt Mansion , you'll be stunned with the pure vastness of the home, the amazing view of Hudson River and Catskill Mountains while enjoying the complete awe of being in one of the best Italian Gardens in the country.

Upon Louise Vanderbilt's demise, Frederick Vanderbilt returned to his Hyde Park estate to live out the rest of his 12 years' life and since they had no children together, Frederick Vanderbilt left the Vanderbilt Mansion to his wife's niece, Margaret Louise Van Allen. Failing to sell the estate off, the already-wealthy Mrs. Van Alleen, heeded her Hyde Park neighbor's advice, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, to donate the Vanderbilt Mansion to the National Park service to be maintained as a monument to the couple and also the Gilded Age.with that the Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site opened to public in 1940.

Although it's winter now and outdoor activities around the Vanderbilt home is restricted (sledding, tobogganing and ice skating), you can still cross country ski or snowshoe throughout the property and it doesn't hurt to plan a family trip to the Vanderbilt Mansion during the summer (between May and August every year) where there are Summer Concert Series to enjoy while taking a tour around the Hyde Park Mansion.

There are many other historically significant sites to visit located around the Vanderbilt Mansion and to name a few, you can move on to Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site, Martin Van Buren National Historic Site and the Culinary Institute of America. For a guided 45-minute tour around the Vanderbilt Mansion, the fee is $8 per person whereby those who are under-15 can get in completely free for a special guided tour around the first, second floor and the basement.

For something as significant as this, we suggest booking a charter bus if your group is more than 10.furthermore, if your group is larger than 10, you'll need to get in touch with them and make reservations by calling 1-800-967-2283.