Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome

The Hudson Valley around Rhinebeck lies within the homeland of the Munsee-speaking Lenape and their neighbors, whose peoples traveled and lived along the great river long before European settlement and whose descendants continue their communities today. The valley later became a landscape of farms and grand river estates.

In the 1950s Cole Palen, an aviation buff, acquired a group of original antique aircraft and set about restoring them and getting them flying again on a grass field near Rhinebeck. He opened the shows to the public, and the aerodrome grew into a beloved institution that has kept his passion for early flight aloft for generations.

The collection spans the pioneer era of the earliest flimsy flying machines, the fighting aircraft of World War I, and the barnstorming biplanes of the 1920s and 1930s golden age. Many are original or faithful reproductions, kept airworthy by dedicated volunteers and mechanics.

What sets the aerodrome apart is that these aircraft actually fly. On show weekends, pilots start the temperamental engines and take the old planes up over the field, staging mock dogfights and demonstrations that let visitors see and hear machines from the very birth of aviation in their element.

The air shows lean into old-time theater, with costumed pilots, a villain and a hero, and comic aerial duels that recall the barnstorming days when flyers toured the country thrilling crowds. It is history brought to life with humor and daring.

On show days, visitors can also take an open-cockpit biplane ride, feeling the wind and the roar much as passengers did a century ago. Between flights, the hangars and the field are open to explore, with the aircraft and their stories close at hand.

The flying season runs through the warmer months, when the weekend air shows take place and the aerodrome is at its liveliest. Summer weekends are the classic time, with the field busy and the old planes filling the sky over the valley.

Spring and fall shows offer cooler air and often clearer skies, with the Hudson Valley at its greenest or in autumn color. The flying pauses for winter, when the field and hangars fall quiet under the snow, and the region turns to its river towns and holiday charm.

The closest Boutel™ stays, so you can turn this stop into an overnight. Each is a place we chose through independent editorial review, never a paid placement.

It is a living-history aviation museum in the Hudson Valley with a remarkable collection of antique and replica aircraft, famous for its weekend airshows in which genuine early-1900s and World War I-era planes actually take to the sky. Part flying museum, part theatrical spectacle, it lets visitors step back to the dawn of aviation, watching pioneering aircraft perform and exploring hangars full of vintage planes on the ground.

Weekend flying programs run roughly from mid-June through mid-October, with shows on Saturdays and Sundays when weather permits and flying typically in the afternoon. Saturdays feature a History of Flight presentation, while Sundays focus on a theatrical World War I airshow with storyline performances. Stars include a 1909 Bleriot, one of the oldest regularly flying planes in the hemisphere, a Fokker Triplane, and a Spirit of St. Louis replica.

Yes, and it is a highlight. Visitors can ride in a vintage open-cockpit biplane for a short barnstormer hop or a longer scenic tour, weather and weight permitting. On airshow weekends, rides are offered before and after the show on a first-come, first-served basis, while weekday flights are available by reservation. Soaring in an antique plane over the Hudson Valley is a genuinely unforgettable, step-back-in-time experience.

The viewing stands and much of the experience are outdoors, so choose a day with good weather, and check the schedule since shows depend on conditions. Arrive when the aerodrome opens to explore the hangars and barns full of turn-of-the-century aircraft before the afternoon flying begins. Bring sun protection, and consider a lawn chair or blanket for comfort during the show.

Very much so. Aviation fans and children alike are thrilled to see real vintage planes fly and to explore the museum's hangars up close, and the theatrical WWI show adds drama and fun. A biplane ride makes an extraordinary memory for those who want it. It is an engaging, only-in-the-Hudson-Valley outing that combines history, spectacle, and hands-on wonder for a wide range of ages.