These are the best places to travel this summer

Just west of the bucolic Hudson Valley in New York State, the Catskill Mountains have always been a place of retreat, relaxation and inspiration.

In the 19th century, the region’s natural beauty moved artists to push the boundaries of landscape painting. In the 20th century, its resorts and camps offered a taste of the countryside to city families, especially Jewish ones, escaping sweltering apartments. And in the 21st century, a mix of traditional artisans and farmers, outdoors enthusiasts, back-to-the-land urban transplants and creatives have made the Catskills genuinely cool.

Have we piqued your interest yet? If you’re intrigued enough to be thinking about your first trip to the Catskills, here’s all you need to know.
A chair lift is pictured ascending a snow-covered ski slope on a cloudy winter day.
A ski run at Hunter Mountain, the Catskills. Michael Nixt/Shutterstock

When should I go the Catskills?

Whenever you can. The Catskills are truly a year-round destination, and the natural beauty that defines the region looks a little different each month of the year. When the weather doesn’t cooperate with outdoor pursuits, stylish boutiques and fabulous restaurants in cute small towns provide plenty of indoor fun.

Still, the summer and fall months are legendary in the Catskills for good reason. Warm summer days promise swims in idyllic lakes and hikes on shady paths through green woods – while cool nights mean you can stay up around the bonfire telling ghost stories. The maple, oak and birch trees that abound on the mountains here burst with extraordinary foliage come late September, turning every hillside into a naturally painted masterpiece.

Winter is ski season – so expect peak crowds (and prices) at Hunter, Windham and Belleayre Mountains, especially on weekends. As the snow begins to melt in late March, mud season sets in – turning many hikes into sloppy slogs. Still, the region’s many waterfalls are positively aroar during this time.

Painted building facades surround a square in a historic town.
Save time for restaurants and cultural attractions in Catskills towns like Kingston. Brian Logan Photography/Shutterstock

How much time should I spend in the Catskills?

Some 150 miles from New York City, the Catskills are a popular weekend-getaway destination for New Yorkers for good reason, and you can get a lot out of a three-day, two-night trip. Base yourself in the riverside towns of Catskill or Kingston (in the latter, stay at the sensational Hutton Brickyards, an attraction in itself), then explore inland for morning hikes, afternoon antiquing and stops for food throughout the day. If you’re into skiing, numerous lodging options lie just a short distance from Hunter and Windham (a top spot to splurge, Scribner’s Catskill Lodge is near the former). 

If you can spare two additional nights, consider checking into a place deeper in the woods to enjoy even more access to all that nature. (I love the Shandeken Inn – though it’s so stylish, you may not want to leave its 12-acre confines.) If you’re so smitten you want to extend your stay to a week or more, keep heading west into Delaware County, where the Great Western Catskills promise even wilder outdoors experiences (and next to no weekenders).

An aerial view of a winding road in a mountain range, with slopes covered in trees with green leaves and some with fall foliage.
A winding road in the Catskills. Wirestock Creators/Shutterstock

Is it easy to get in and around the Catskills?

With a car, yes. The New York State Thruway offers a straight shot up the Hudson from New York City. From there, country roads head west, threading through valleys and connecting Catskills towns large and small. Indeed, motoring through this scenic part of the world – especially at the peak of fall foliage – is reason alone to head here.

Several companies – including Trailways, Coach USA, Excellent Bus Service, Megabus and Greyhound –operate coach services between NYC and certain towns in the region, including Catskill, Kingston and Monticello – but you’ll need a ride onward from there. Ditto for Amtrak trains to Rhinecliff and Hudson (both across the river from the Catskills).

True budget travelers might consider hopping on the Ulster County public transit’s line Z, which connects Kingston with Belleayre (if infrequently).

Top things to do in the Catskills

A woman in hiking boots sits in a rock at the top of a cliff. A view of a green valley with a lake opens up in front of her.
In the Catskills, the payoffs for rigorous hikes are top-notch views. Dan Hanscom/Shutterstock

Hike through 700,000 acres of protected forest

The heart of the Catskills has been protected since 1885 – in no less definitive a document than the New York State Constitution – as Catskill Park. In this 700,000-acre reserve of publicly and privately owned land, development is limited and an ethos of “forever wild” obtains. Accordingly, it has some of the best hiking trails in northeastern USA.

You’ll find trails for all fitness levels. Beginners and families can get a sense of the landscapes here by following parts of the Ashokan Rail Trail of the Catskill Scenic Trail, both former rail rights-of-way. Popular for a reason, the moderate, 4.6-mile Overlook Mountain Trail offers perhaps the best effort-to-payoff ratio in the Catskills, with a fabulous tableau of rolling mountains at its eponymous end. Advanced walkers should consider the varied terrain along the challenging, 12.2 mile Wittenberg, Cornell and Slide Mountain Trail, which promises much steep scrambling – and sensational views along the way.

Hit the slopes at Hunter, Windham, Belleayre or Plattekill

The ski resorts of Greene and Ulster Counties in the Catskills are some of the closest to New York City – and what they lack in scale and natural powder they make up for in convenience for urban skiers in need of a fix.

The largest in the region, Hunter’s 67 trails (34 miles/55km total) cater to skiers of all levels, with especially thrilling black-diamond and double-black-diamond runs. Smaller (and rather pricey) Windham has its fans, with much terrain that appeals to beginners and families.

Belleayre stands out for its natural beauty (which you can admire before your run from the region’s only gondola), and glade skiing is a real pleasure here, especially after fresh snowfall. Plattekill, meanwhile, is an insider’s favorite – though its small size and steep drops mean it’s for experienced skiers only.

Home goods and animal pelts for sale are displayed on tables in a rustic wooden building.
Goods for sale in the old cider mill in Callicoon, the Catskills, New York State. Jaclyn Vernace/Shutterstock

Go antiquing in town…

The Catskills have a disproportionate concentration of wooded slopes, dairy farms, waterfalls and…vintage shops. Indeed, city folk in search of that perfect piece for their small apartment – or those just not that interested in scrambling up a hiking trail or careering down a black-diamond run – have made antiquing a major pastime in the region.

On Tannersville’s adorable main drag, Tannersville Antiques & Artisan Center hosts 20 dealers whose wares range from iron light fixtures and mi-mo furniture to vintage jewelry. (The retail displays present fully realized decorative worlds, and are so charming you might want to move in.) In remote Stamford, Tandem Antiques & Design has an ever changing, always perfectly curated array of furniture, furnishings and art.

If you’re looking for the kind of home fixtures and hardware they don’t make anymore, you’ll find something to love at the 40,000-sq-ft Zaborski Emporium in Kingston. And at the straightforwardly named Market Place in East Durham, shelves heave with vintage goods and hidden treasures from over 100 vendors selling in a vast warehouse-like space.

…then discover fine cuisine in the woods

Farms truly don’t lie far from tables in the Catskills – and the combination of country bounty and the area’s understated sophistication makes for memorable meals indeed. A roadside joint zhuzhed up in straight-from-Brooklyn style, the Phoenicia Diner is peak Catskills – and an essential stop for breakfast. Drool-worthy options here range from fruit-covered, maple-syrup-drizzled French toast to the Arnold Bennett skillet, scrambled eggs served up made with locally smoked trout, Parmesan and crème fraîche. 

You might not want to leave after a meal at Deer Mountain Inn (luckily, there are 10 guest rooms on site). In a dining room with wooden beams, white tablecloths, atmospheric lighting and taxidermy accents, diners enjoy a menu of ever-changing dishes that emphasize seasonal vegetables, meat and game from local producers, and New York State cheeses.

What looks like a large barn by the side of the road is one of the Catskills’ most delicious and liveliest restaurants. The menu at Peekamoose is long on farm-to-table fare (do we see a trend here?) like rainbow trout with asparagus, pork loin with smoked tomatillos and house-made gnudi – all of which somehow tastes better under the antler chandeliers in the main dining room. Finish off with a night cap at the rowdy tap room just next door.

A wide view of a waterfall pouring into a pool cut into a mountainside. Swimmers are seen in the pool below.
Kaaterskill Falls, the Catskills, New York State. Cory Seamer/Shutterstock

My favorite thing to do in the Catskills

For me, nothing better represents the Catskills’ combination of natural drama and accessibility than Kaaterskill Falls. Plunging 260ft – that’s 100ft higher than Niagara Falls – the two-stage waterfall is a wonder, whether you’re looking up from the swimming hole below, or (especially) looking down from the viewing platform above the cascade. (Hudson River School artists certainly thought so.)

Vigorous hikers can take on the many hundreds of steps that descend to the foot of the falls, perhaps feeling a bit of mist along the way. (Bring a swimsuit for a mid-hike treat.) But the falls are no less spectacular from that viewing platform, which is reached by a short, accessible trail from the parking area. Even though the falls weren’t more than a trickle the last time I visited, I got a thrill peering down at the chasm below with my 10-month-old daughter strapped to my back.

How much money do I need for the Catskills?