Many of the colleges in the Hudson Valley share their commencement weekend with Vassar. This means demand for local hotel accommodations and restaurant reservations will be high. You are advised to make reservations as early as possible.
The Dutchess County L Bus picks up at the train station and drops off on Collegeview Avenue, which is directly next to campus—the L bus’s schedule and route.
Air
For travelers flying into a New York City airport, the easiest way to get to Vassar is by Metro-North Train to Poughkeepsie from Grand Central Station. To get to Grand Central Station from the metro area airports, take the Newark Airport Express (Newark).
Other nearby airportsinclude: Westchester County Airport in White Plains, Albany International Airport in Albany, or the three major airports in the New York City metro area (LaGuardia, JFK, Newark Liberty).
Walkway Over the Hudson
The longest elevated pedestrian bridge in the world (212 feet tall, 1.28 miles long).
61 Parker Avenue, Poughkeepsie, NY (845) 454-9649
Powerhouse Theater
New plays, musical workshops, and readings of works-in-progress on the Vassar campus each summer.
124 Raymond Avenue, Poughkeepsie, NY (845) 437-5907
Bardavon 1869 Opera House
The oldest continuously operating theater in the state, the Bardavon is home to the Hudson Valley Philharmonic and the primary venue for touring artists and musicians.
35 Market Street, Poughkeepsie, NY (845) 473-2072
Upstate Films
Foreign, independent, documentary, and animated films as well as lectures by guest filmmakers, scholars, and critics.
6415 Montgomery Street, Rhinebeck, NY (845) 876-2515
Trevor Zoo
At the Milbrook School, the zoo was founded by Frank Trevor, the school’s first biology teacher, and today houses 80 different species including nine endangered species.
131 Millbrook School Road, Millbrook, NY (845) 677-3704
Mid-Hudson Children’s Museum
A destination for families with young children with exhibits that focus on early literacy, art, and early STEM education.
75 N. Water Street, Poughkeepsie, NY (845) 471-0589
Poughkeepsie Galleria
Premier shopping destination with department stores, specialty shops, restaurants, and a multiplex theater.
2001 South Road (Route 9), Poughkeepsie, NY (845) 297-7600
Automobile access to Main campus is prohibited from 9:00 p.m. Saturday through Commencement Day at 3:00 p.m. All guests must park at the Farm. Limited parking will be available at the South Lot. Shuttle buses will run continuously Sunday morning from the Farm and South Lot to the commencement site beginning at 7:30 a.m.
Accessibility
Guests with mobility concerns are permitted to park on Main campus by reserving a parking pass and may reserve Accessible seating by contacting the Campus Activities Office, (845) 437-5370 or campusactivities@vassar.edu.
Security officers will direct guests to the appropriate parking spaces.
The campus will re-open to vehicular traffic at approximately 3:00 p.m.