Millbrook

For many, this Dutchess County village midway between the Hudson River and Connecticut is just the right blend of town and country. Historic downtown streets lined with shops and restaurants sit amid rolling farms, country estates, and dense woodlands all laced with hiking and equestrian trails. The area, settled in the 1700s, is largely agricultural. Locals take pride in preserving this environment and go to great lengths to protect working farms, open green space, and rural practices. Where you don't see cows you're likely to see horses; meadows of them are around almost every bend outside the village, and a horsey theme threads through the village, too.