Warming Up to the Catskills

I have been traveling to the Catskills in southeastern New York with my husband John since the time I met him a few decades ago. Admittedly, at first, I was not too excited about visiting the region. In my mind, it was very rural and there wasn’t a lot to do unless you enjoyed hunting or fishing. But since those early days, my thinking has matured, and I have grown a great deal fonder of the region and have started to do a few more day trips to explore the area and what I have found is worth checking out.

This beautiful mountainous region west of the Hudson Valley has been a popular getaway since the 19th century. In popular culture, most people have heard of the area when it is mentioned as a location for the famous Woodstock music festival, a seminal event which took place in the late 1960s in Bethel, NY, which is actually over 30 miles away from Woodstock, closer to the Hudson River.

It is also the area where many Jewish families traveled from New York from the 1920s through the 1970s to go to what was called the “Borscht Belt” or the so called “Jewish Alps.” It was a wonderful place where New Yorkers who were hungry for fresh mountain air could relax and enjoy summer camps, small hotels, and bungalow colonies. Some of the famous resorts included Grossingers and Kutsher’s to name a few. The entertainment was first-rate with musicians like Louis Armstrong and Dean Martin (my grandmother’s childhood friend and fellow Italian immigrant from Steubenville, Ohio) and comedians like Rodney Dangerfield, Woody Allen, and Jerry Seinfeld toured the resorts. You may recall seeing the films “Dirty Dancing” and “A Walk on the Moon,” dramatizing this period and showcasing the lives of some of the people who came to the resorts.

John’s family came to the region for the same reason, to escape the heat of New York City, where his father lived in Manhattan. They gravitated towards the areas closer to the Hudson at first with towns including Leeds and East Durham, which were the adopted homes of hundreds of families who emigrated to New York from Ireland in the early 1900s. In fact, East Durham has the largest Irish import store in the country, Guaranteed Irish, which one of these days I hope to visit. I did have the pleasure of visiting Leeds a few years back when we stayed at my friends Vasuki and Justin’s place in Catskill, which is a town not far from Hudson.

But later, as John’s dad and his friends explored the area, they went a bit further out to Delaware County, which is less populated and were able to go in on a plot of land where they built a hunting cabin that they still enjoy visiting today. My introduction to the area was to see the cabin and since that time, we have visited the entire region going to places including Livingston Manor, Woodstock, Margaretville, Roxbury (home to financier Jay Gould), and Saugerties.

I am fascinated as a non-New Yorker, by the stamp that New York City has placed on the region. There are the aforementioned resorts, but there are also the seven reservoirs that feed the city’s water supply with some of the freshest, cleanest water in the world. It is the secret of the amazing bagels and pizza produced in our nation’s largest city. We drove around Pepacton Reservoir on our most recent trip, and it is beautiful, providing nearly 25% of the total water supply. I also enjoyed talking with several people on the trip who were charmed by our dog, Murphy, who hailed from the city and told us they had second homes in the region. It is a more affordable getaway than the Hampton’s and the gourmet agricultural products, native honey, cheese, and farm fresh eggs are reminders that this is the true source of what many people are seeking in terms of a getaway that isn’t too far and brings you to a place where you can truly unwind.

Here are some of my recommendations and tips for the area if you should decide to visit:

Visit Woodstock

The actual town of Woodstock, located about 34 miles from Bethel, where the music festival took place, is a town with an emphasis on the arts including music and theater to fine arts studios. If you are truly interested in paying a visit to Bethel, you can go to the Museum at Bethel Woods, which offers a diverse mix of performances, exhibits, festivals, and art programs. If you haven’t seen the Woodstock documentary from 1970, I highly recommend it. Up to 500,000 people descended on the little field near the museum with performances featuring Jimi Hendrix and Santana to Janis Joplin and The Who. It’s fantastic and well worth watching.

Go Fly Fishing

If you are interested in trying fly fishing, you have come to the right place. Roscoe is known as Trout Town USA and is considered the birthplace of modern fly fishing in the U.S. There are numerous places where you can find opportunities for trout fishing for anglers of all skill levels, but one fun way to try it is by visiting the Catskill Fly Fishing Center and Museum in Livingston Manor, just a few miles away from Roscoe. Here you can wade into a small river with a guide and learn how to do it yourself. There is also a small museum attached where you can learn about the history of the sport and see features on luminaries. I can attest to the fact that there are trout in the rivers as I looked down and saw one swimming right nearby!

Check Out Farm to Table Restaurants

The Catskills are currently experiencing a culinary revolution following the pandemic when many chefs decided to get closer to the bounty offered by local farmers and purveyors. Whether you come during autumn when you will experience a kaleidoscope of beautiful colors of leaves or you decide to ski and sit by the fire or take on an upriver excursion, you will want to stop and give some of New York State’s most scenic spots a try. Here are some I have visited over the past few years:

Bread Alone (Woodstock) – I would be seriously remiss if I did not include a mention of this fantastic bakery with additional locations in Rhinebeck, Kingston, and Boiceville. It is a full service bakery providing bread for establishments all across the Catskills and the Hudson Valley. Walking into the shop is akin to being in a large scale bakery that could literally be in a large metropolitan area. The number of loaves of bread that are available is awe inspiring. I can recommend the country loaf, pain aux raisin, and croissant, which we tried. I have also had sandwiches on their sourdough bread at other spots in the region. A true gem!

New York Restaurant (Catskill) – We visited this café fairly late in the evening as we had just driven up after work to go to pick up our son Ryan from camp in the Berkshires and were staying at our friend’s place nearby. Not surprisingly, the vibe is very New York City with a full list of cocktails, great live music, and good food. Surprisingly, the focus is on Polish American classics like pierogi and kielbasa. There are a number of healthy options including cauliflower steaks for those who are so inclined.

Kaatskeller (Livingston Manor) – I had wanted to try this place on my first visit to Livingston, but we didn’t make it there. When you enter the town you can smell the scent of wood fire immediately drawing you to the restaurant. There, you will find individual pizzas (more than enough for two people) with ingredients like Harissa spiked San Marzano tomatoes, wild boar pepperoni and smoked mozzarella. There is another with littleneck clams, arugula, and lemon and portobello mushrooms and ground duck with bacon. This is gourmet pizza with cocktails and salads in a beautiful outdoor courtyard setting.

The Smoke Joint (Livingston Manor) – This is a fun spot to grab some truly great barbeque while enjoying the great outdoors and sitting outside. They make a great brisket, barbequed chicken, and barbequed pork. The best way to enjoy everything is by ordering a combination platter where you can try a little of everything with some sides such as coleslaw or baked beans. The prices are not too high, and the atmosphere is laid back, which is just how it should be in the Catskills.

Neon Croissant (Livingston Manor) – We happened on this lovely bakery when we were visiting Livingston for the second time after getting a very good recommendation from someone with a house in the area who highly recommended it. I enjoyed everything we tried including a delicious salty and sweet chocolate chip cookie, a crusty French baguette, and a buttery croissant, which to me, is the mark of whether a bakery knows its stuff! We had heard about the famous biscuits which they make for their restaurant, the Walk In, but they do not sell them sadly in the bakery. Either way, this is a gem truly worth checking out.

Hamden Inn (Hamden) – The hot spot in this very small town, the Inn serves delicious and affordable cocktails such as the Octagon Dragon, which is a gin-based drink with pomegranate. I was very happy with my sandwich, which was one of the specials. It was made up of summer tomatoes, pesto, and mozzarella cheese (at least this is what I recall since I gobbled it up since it was so good!) on top of sourdough bread from my favorite bakery in Woodstock, Bread Alone. They also have some really good burgers and fried chicken sandwiches and salads with vegan twists. The chicken parm rivals any we have had in the Bronx on Arthur Avenue – high praise indeed! There is a small inn on site that is reasonable and great as a base for exploring the region.

Hollow (Delhi) – I was surprised to find this very hip coffee shop with homemade baked goods and sandwiches on our most recent trip to town. The coffee was delicious, and it was quite a scene drawing a number of people to the café in the morning. It shouldn’t have been a surprise. Delhi is home to a SUNY university with nearly 3,000 students, many of whom are from New York City or Long Island. They have high expectations for food, and this is a spot that delivers.

Café Marguerite (Margaretville) – This is a cute small café in Margaretville that offers coffee, pastries, desserts, and chocolate. It’s a nice town for a quiet stroll along the river and fun to sit outside and watch the world go by. While here, we met a few people who were visiting from the city and enjoying the weekend. Like us, they were happy to be in the fresh air and experience the fine summer weather!

Bluestone (Delhi) – This restaurant is a partnership between the SUNY Delhi Hospitality Management Dept. and the College Association at Delhi. It offers beautiful views of the surrounding mountains and provides a learning experience for students who work at the restaurant which is next to a golf course. The food is simple but good and includes schnitzels, steak, eggplant rollatini, and meatloaf. It’s fun to play a round of golf and have a nice meal afterwards served by some of the students at the nearby university.

Catskill Brewery (Livingston Manor) – On my first trip to Livingston, my friend Kelly and I met a man who gave tours of the region while enjoying a tasty variety of beers with a beautiful mountain backdrop outside. The Devil’s Path IPA is famous in the region and goes great with the trout!

The Dutch (Saugerties) – A great pub to enjoy a local microbrew and a burger or fish and chips while you wander this small and engaging town. Good old school atmosphere and a fun place to hang out for an evening.

Scope Out Where to Stay at a Hotel or AirBNB

Delaware County is the most remote area of the Catskills region and is home to places like Franklin, where I learned recently that Yoko Ono has moved to for her permanent residence after years of living in Manhattan at the Dakota on the Upper West Side. Franklin boasts one of the region’s best art scenes, which comes on full display during the summer months. The Franklin Stage Company hosts a packed performance schedule from July into September, and admission is granted on a donation basis. Over in Ulster County, Saugerties, which is fairly close to Woodstock, is an intriguing town occupying a picturesque setting on the Hudson that can be easily navigated on foot, with many restaurants, shops, and bars to explore. This town has some of the fancier options for hotels with the Diamond Mills Hotel and the Villa at Saugerties, which looks beautiful. One place that I was curious about was a town called Fleischmann’s which is located in Delaware County and is named for Charles Louis Fleischmann, founder of the Fleischmann Company famous for its yeast and whiskey. My mom was a baker, and the yeast packets were ubiquitous in our house when I was growing up. One of the most popular spots in town is Fleischmanns Park, where families come to enjoy activities such as tennis, soccer, and baseball. The park also has a playground where young travelers can have a great time. It is also close to Belleayre Ski Resort, which attracts a number of people seasonally for skiing and winter sports.

Recommendations

1. Bring Good Walking Shoes You Don’t Mind Getting Dirty – On the trails we have explored, you will at times be walking in the mud, in high grasses and in places that are wetlands. Definitely make sure you bring along a pair of shoes, you are okay with getting dirty. It is not a place for your pretty pair of sandals or what you might wear to a work conference!

2. Bring Fido – If you have a furry friend and want to bring him, you would be welcome to do so, particularly in the warmer months of the year. Virtually, every patio of the restaurants we visited welcomed dogs, and some places were okay with bringing them inside. We met many people while walking our dog and saw several people enjoying the area with their furry friends.

3. Use the Catskills as a Jumping Off Spot to Explore Interesting Places – I had never been to Cooperstown before but was delighted to take my boys to check it out. It was cool seeing displays honoring Cal Ripken, Jr and Babe Ruth, two of Baltimore’s absolute greats forever enshrined. Plus, the town is very charming as it is set on a beautiful Lake and it’s famous for hosting the Little League World Series each year. We also visited Oneonta, another college town with a SUNY university and had really great New York style pizza at Sal’s. When you start to read about some of the towns in the area it’s interesting to drive around and explore a few and get a feel for what you like. Each town has something unique to offer from the arts and music to culture.

4. Relax and Enjoy Nature – A trip to the Catskills presents the perfect opportunity to relax, recharge and enjoy life’s simple entertainments from playing cards or reading a book to creating a recipe or getting close to nature. When we speak of nature, I should mention that there are bears, coyotes and mountain lions in the area, so you might see something on your adventures. We did not, but it’s possible! John has seen owls, deer, and wild turkeys on his travels. One of my favorite sightings last year was of a number of hummingbirds who were enamored with a bush and kept flocking around it to taste the sweet nectar of the flowers!

5. Go Hiking on the Best Trails NY State Has to Offer - With thousands of miles of scenic hiking trails to explore, the Catskills are known as one of the best places in the country to take a hike. In this region you can climb up mountain summits, discover remote waterfalls or take a leisurely walk through the woods and simply enjoy being in nature. This is the reason that so many people return – and I promise you, you will be back too!