Overview
Kinderhook is a village and a township in Columbia County in the state of New York, about 20 mi south of Albany. The village of Kinderhook is a pretty town in a very rural area of New York State. Its center is small and well worth looking at, and some very nice private houses extend for some way to the south on Route 9, blending without a break into the village of Stuyvesant. One of its principle claims to fame is being the hometown of Martin Van Buren, the 8th President of the United States.
2 sights · 1 places to eat
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Best things about Kinderhook
Martin Van Buren National Historic Site
Lindenwald is the retirement home of the 8th president. Van Buren was the first US president born after the nation's independence and to date the only Dutch-speaking president. House is open for guided tours daily from M…
Columbia County Museum
Columbia County Historical Society holds and displays collections from the surrounding area, and it also has an extensive research library.
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: May–Oct. Summer highs reach about 84°F; winter lows dip to about 16°F. Cold months (Jan, Feb, Dec) can bring snow and ice; check road conditions. Wettest: Jul and Jun. (climate data from nearby Albany)
Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).
Getting there
- From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
- ALB Albany International Airport, Albany — 24 mi away (major hub). Directions
- BDL Bradley International Airport, Hartford — 61 mi away (major hub). Directions
US Route 9 traverses the village and — although mostly one lane each way — is the major north-south road in the area.
Full “Get in” guide ↓Budget & where to stay
No prices are listed for this place yet. See the Sleep guide ↓ for options.
Sample 1-day itinerary
Day 1
- Morning Martin Van Buren National Historic Site
- Lunch Pass the Thyme Cafe
- Afternoon Columbia County Museum
Stops are grouped by area so each day needs little backtracking. Check opening hours before you go.
Food for you
Cuisine (tap to filter)
What to ask about, for your diet
Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder
Photos
Map
Every listing with a location. Tap a pin for its Google Maps link.
Understand
The village of Kinderhook lies within the township of the same name.
Get in
By plane
- Albany International Airport, 737 Albany-Shaker Rd, Albany. Close, but not very international. The nearest TRULY international airports are JFK in New York and Logan in Boston.
- Stewart International Airport, 1180 First St, New Windsor, +1 845 564-2100. An alternative to Albany. Allegiant Air, American Eagle, and JetBlue operate flights from Florida and Philadelphia (Mar 2021).
By car
US Route 9 traverses the village and — although mostly one lane each way — is the major north-south road in the area.
See
See Martin Van Buren National Historic Site
Lindenwald is the retirement home of the 8th president. Van Buren was the first US president born after the nation's independence and to date the only Dutch-speaking president. House is open for guided tours daily from Memorial Day weekend through the end of October; Saturday and Sunday, November through the first week of December. Grounds open year round dawn to dusk. Visitor center open 9AM to 4:30PM on dates the mansion is open.
Eat
Eat Pass the Thyme Cafe
Solid informal deli/cafe. Good sandwiches, soup, tea and desserts. Service is very friendly, and the place has a real small-town feel; your server will take the time to talk to you and get to know you a little, and it's not unlikely that a friend of the cafe will come in just to say hi and share the news of the day without ordering a thing. Not worth a long detour, but if you are in the area, you are likely to enjoy the experience.
Go next
- South: Hudson, about 20 minutes' drive to the south-southwest (but mostly on Route 9 South), has a beautiful, historical downtown area to walk through, centered on Warren St.
- North: Troy is a bit more than a half hour's drive north. Its center of town is generally regarded as the best-preserved 19th-century town center in the United States. The lovely city of Saratoga Springs is about a half hour's drive further north.
- East/Southeast: Berkshires. The border with Massachusetts is less than an hour's drive to the east. The Litchfield Hills are about the same distance to the southeast.
- West/Southwest: Catskills. Catskill State Park is about 1½ hours' drive.
Nearby
Hudson
City / town · 17 listings · 12 mi away
New Lebanon
City / town · 21 listings · 15 mi away
Rensselaer
City / town · 9 listings · 16 mi away
Albany
City / town · 103 listings · 17 mi away
Cairo
City / town · 2 listings · 18 mi away
Hancock
City / town · 25 listings · 20 mi away
Stockbridge
City / town · 5 listings · 20 mi away
Lenox
City / town · 53 listings · 21 mi away
My experience
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