Experience West Point. Prospective cadets can get a taste of life at West Point virtually or in-person. Learn what it's like to attend the world's preeminent leader development institution.

From prospective cadet candidates visiting the United States Military Academy to guided tours of historic West Point to top-notch shows and sporting events, there are numerous reasons to visit West Point.

Reopened in December 2017 with a sweeping view of the Hudson River, the newly renovated Visitors Center is a gift-in-kind to the United States Military Academy West Point from West Point Association of Graduates, and is named after Frederic V. Malek, West Point Class of 1959.

As the nation’s first military academy, West Point prepares young men and women to become officers in the U.S. Army. Cadets attend the academy for four years, graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree and a commission as a second lieutenant.

Driving time from Peekskill to West Point is approximately 20 minutes. Bus. Short Line Bus offers daily bus service from the New York City Port Authority, near Times Square in midtown Manhattan, to the West Point Visitors Center; a one-way trip takes 1 hour 40 minutes and costs approximately $15.

West Point is located approximately 50 miles north of New York City in the picturesque Hudson Valley. We encourage all prospective cadets to visit West Point to experience the historic campus and get a feel for cadet life. Sign up for a daily or overnight visit, or take our virtual tour. Learn more about campus tours at West Point.

Situated in West Point, New York, the Academy was initially founded by President Thomas Jefferson to train officers for the rapidly expanding army. Throughout its history, West Point has evolved, adapting to the changing needs of the nation's defense.

Academic departments at the United States Military Academy (USMA) at West Point provide the intellectual capital required to execute ground-breaking and relevant research across numerous disciplines and domains.

Colonel Gail E. S. Yoshitani is the professor and head of the Department of History at the United States Military Academy. After earning her Ph.D. in military history from Duke University in 2008, she became a permanent member of the West Point faculty.

The United States Military Academy was established in 1802, but West Point had a major role in our nation’s history during the American Revolution. Both the American patriots and the British realized the strategic importance of the prominent plateau on the west bank of the Hudson River.