New York has its iconic bridges (I’ve hopped over the Brooklyn Bridge, skipped over the Manhattan Bridge and taken my sweet ass time looking at art on the Williamsburg Bridge) but they were mere (meer?) preparation for this guy:

This is ‘Walkway Over The Hudson’ – the longest elevated footbridge in the world. And it’s right here in New York state.

The bridge, also known as the Poughkeepsie Bridge, is 1.28 miles long (6,767 feet) and stretches over the Hudson River between Poughkeepsie and Highland (which is about 90 miles north of the city).

The walkway has similarities with our beloved High Line here in NYC, I thought. The bridge, which was completed in 1889, was once a train track that eventually went out of service (in 1974) and fell into disrepair. But in 1998, it was deeded to a non-profit organization and in 2010, it finally opened as a public park, which is now appreciated by people from all over the world.

Like us! (and Georgia trying to sneak into the picture)

The bridge is huge and really allows you to feel the sheer space enjoyed by towns north of the city. We visited as the leaves were changing colors – but I bet it’s equally a sight to behold during the summer or as snow covers the ground.

Plus it leads you right up to Poughkeepsie. Doesn’t it look like a toy town?

The Walkway over the Hudson gives you a great, lengthy stroll and some beautiful views – and allowed us all to breathe in plenty of that fresh upstate air before we headed back to the city.

For more information on how to get there and on-site amenities etc, check out the website here. You can cross the bridge from either the Highland or the Poughkeepsie side – there’s parking at both, but you don’t pay on the Highland side!