Millennials mean business: they’re the largest generation, have the fastest-rising spending power, and have no problem recommending things to their friends. One of their favorite methods of communication is Instagram, where they make up over 50% of the total users and spend over 10 minutes a day posting and scrolling through photos.
Poughkeepsie social media is no exception: there were over 34,000 Instagram pictures geotagged within city/town limits in the last 12 months. We analyzed them to find out what its most Instagrammed locations are.
If a location is on this list, it means that millennials (and the other 50% of Instagram users):
- Personally identify with the business or place
- Want others to go there too
- Are customers, supporters or fans
- Find the location visually appealing or exciting
Note: Posts have to be geo-tagged within the last 12 months and self-posts by the businesses/institutions themselves were excluded.
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Booking.com has close to a dozen places you can stay in Poughkeepsie that aren’t Airbnbs.
1. Marist College
With over 6,000 students taking undergraduate courses on a campus that is adjacent to the Hudson River and has lots of green space, it’s no wonder that Marist is the Instagram capital of Poughkeepsie. Some people even tag individual buildings in their posts; the McCann Center is the most popular, followed by the Boat House, the James A. Cannavino Library, a bunch of other places… the Marist Poll is last with just one geotagged post. All of this added up to nearly 3,000 photos in the last 12 months. (Full disclosure: Alex is class of ‘06!)
2. Vassar College
Vassar has roughly half the students of Marist College, but was able to punch above its weight class with the second-most Instagrammed photos in town. Some items of interest include two National Historic Landmark buildings, the Vassar Chapel, and the Vassar Farm and Ecological Preserve, which is host to the Poughkeepsie Farm Project. They had over 2,100 photos in the last 12 months.
3. Walkway Over the Hudson
The Walkway is the longest pedestrian footbridge in the world and connects the Hudson Valley Rail Trail in Highland to the Dutchess Rail Trail in Poughkeepsie across the Hudson River. It was a railroad bridge since 1889, but a 1974 fire took it out of commission for over 30 years, until an almost $40M funding effort led by the Dyson Foundation made it into a community asset once again. They recently received an additional $5.5M to construct new visitors centers on the East and West approaches. This attraction garnered nearly 1,500 photos in the last 12 months alone.
4. The Chance Theater
As BSP Kingston proved in our Kingston post, Instagram and music venues are like peas and carrots. There’s a lot of promotion that needs to be done to get people to come, and once they get there, people love taking pictures at shows and concerts.
5. Mid-Hudson Civic Center
The Mid Hudson Civic Center is a non-profit venue built in the 1970s as part of the revitalization of Poughkeepsie, and includes a large event space and McCann Ice Arena in the middle of town. Some of their big recent events included a WWE/NXT pro wrestling event, a Donald Trump rally, and shows by bands like Breaking Benjamin and Godsmack.
6. Mill House Brewing Company
This restaurant and beer-brewing operation started up in 2013 and quickly became a source of pride for people who love locally-made beer. They have great bar food and eight beers with names like “Kold One,” “Kilt Spinner” and “Sexual Chocolate.”
7. Shadows on the Hudson
Shadows is a restaurant, special event space and nightclub that is right on the Hudson River and near Poughkeepsie’s major transportation hubs. They even offer a water taxi service that can get you to the Newburgh waterfront in just 20 minutes.
8. James J. McCann Center
Marist’s athletic center has a field house, dance studio, racquetball courts, a gym, auxiliary courts, and houses Marist’s Athletic Department administrative and coaching offices. In addition to hosting all of Marist’s athletic events, it also was the site of Bernie Sanders’ Poughkeepsie rally with over 4,000 attendees this year.
9. Dutchess County Community College
SUNY Dutchess is built on the site of a former tuberculosis hospital in the Town of Poughkeepsie, and has a total enrollment over over 10,000 students. They boast the lowest tuition cost of any college in the state, and 1/3 of Dutchess County’s public high school graduates go on to attend the school. Since 2012, they’ve also housed over 450 students in an on-campus dormitory.
(Full disclosure… Gabby is class of ‘10!)
10.Poughkeepsie Grand Hotel
This hotel is part of the same nexus in the middle of Poughkeepsie’s transportation hub, and is host to countless weddings, functions and networking events. It’s owned by the Bonura Hospitality Group, which also owns Shadows on the Hudson and Poughkeepsie’s Grandview event venue.
11. Mid-Hudson Bridge
The bridge into the city from the West side of the Hudson River is a favorite target for photographers. It features an LED lighting system that dynamically changes for different holidays and occasions.
12. Locust Grove
This historic estate covers almost 200 acres on the southern edge of Poughkeepsie. It features miles of trails, historic houses, gardens, educational programs and also serves as a wedding and event venue.
13. Mahoney’s Irish Pub & Steakhouse
This Irish joint has been around in 2004, sharing a parking lot with Poughkeepsie’s train station near the waterfront. In addition to being a favorite weekend night spot for millenials, they also have outdoor seating and events like karaoke, open mics, and comedy nights.
14. Metro-North Poughkeepsie Station
Poughkeepsie’s Metro-North/Amtrak station is located in the heart of the city, making it easy for people to depart and access attractions like the Walkway Over the Hudson and the city’s restaurants and event venues. The station is approaching its 100th anniversary, and was originally designed to feel like a sophisticated, miniature version of Grand Central Station.
15. Schatzi’s
Schatzi’s joins Mill House Brewery as another destination for millennials who want a homegrown, craft beer experience. They have an indoor space on Main Street that extends back into a beer garden, and they’ve recently expanded across the river to a New Paltz location, as well. They had me at deviled eggs topped with smoked salmon.
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