If you and your important other ca n’t remember the last time you contract away from it all , it ’s metre to put the Catskills on the top of your to - do inclination . Do n’t have the time ( or fall vacation daylight ) for a long vacay ? No worries , you ’ll contact these spots in less than three hours – whether via your own bike or the Adirondack - boundTrailwaysbus . And less travel time means few opportunity to argue about whose folk you ’re go to spend Thanksgiving with .
1. Phoenicia
2. Saugerties
Saugerties sit around right between the mountains and the Hudson , so expect spare spectacular scenery . ( The Dominicus setting over the Catskills , as well as the river views , are sure to rush some bathetic feeling , so consider yourself admonish . ) The village business dominion is a National Historic Landmark thanks to its preserved 19th - C storefronts , so you may find like you ’ve been transported to another era as you saunter past the bookshop , coffee shops , and boutique in the business district ’s eight - block stretch . How to get there : The Trailways Bus will drop you off at the Route 32 Park and Ride . From there , you could call Kingston Kabs for a $ 10 ride back into Ithiel Town . Alternatively , the private road is just over two hour up I-87.Where to stay : The Bluestone Bed and Basecampwas the Catskills ' first microhotel – meaning it ’s small and you ’ll in all probability get the owner around , not that it ’s a hotel for midget citizenry . It sit down on a bluff , with panoramic views of the mountains , and has its own vineyard and woodlet . What to selfie : Your hotel is cool and all , but the upgrade to the top of the historicSaugerties Lighthouse , where you could take in 360 - point views of the Hudson River , is all but compulsory . Next , pile a picnic and head toOpus 40 , a 6.5 - Accho sculpture garden made from the ruins of an sometime rock prey .
3. Roxbury
Do n’t be surprised if , upon arrival , you feel like you just got out of the Doctor ’s Tardis . This crossroads is all about its historic tooth root , which is why you ’ll catch baseball players in 1900s - era uniforms ( complete with foetid , sometime - shoal collars ) out on theKirkside Parkfield on Saturdays , as well as historic homes and , on the township ’s fringe , working farm . Time feels like it stands still there , so slow down accordingly . How to get there : The Trailways bus does n’t intercept in Roxbury , but it does hit several outlying towns like Fleischmanns , Arkville , and Margaretville . So your safe bet is probably your own wheels . Again , you ’re hitting I-87 north for about three minute . Where to appease : The Roxbury Motelis one of the most blab out - about hotels in the Catskills , and for honest reason . It takes nonconcentric to a whole new level by offering themed room , likeThe Wizard of Oz ’s Emerald City , and … Coconut Cream Pie . Really . Do n’t lick any walls . What to selfie : shoulder strap on a helmet and manoeuver toPlattekill Mountain , a ski repair that has been offering pot biking in the summertime for more than two decades . If you would rather take chances on foot , though , Roxbury is also near to theCatskill Scenic Trail , a 23 - international nautical mile categoric wage increase along the old railroad through the Catskills ’ mountain thought and farmlands . Afterward , clean up for a fancy dinner atPeekamoose Restaurant .
4. Hunter
Hunter Mountainis a prime wintertime destination for everyone who enjoys flying down a mountain at gamy speeds , but you do n’t need skis to visit ; there ’s biking , hiking , zip lining , and tons more warm weather stuff to do . gamble aside , Hunter is drop - numb gorgeous ; its falls and scene breathe in the Hudson River School painters for good reason . How to get there : The Trailways jitney will take you lineal to Hunter , while driving time is about 2 hours and 45 minute via I-87 north . Where to stay : Scribner ’s Catskill Lodgehas been around since 1966 , but was recently made over by newfangled owners into a present-day hotel with private decks and fireplaces . The pond has almost 360 - degree mountain views , and you’re able to watch the sunset from the prevention . What to selfie : TheMountain Top Arboretum ’s 23 acres of curated tree , flowers , and shrubbery make it the closest you ’ll get to an enchanted forest outside of a fairy tale . And just because it ’s summer does n’t mean you ca n’t love a scenicrideon the Hunter Mountain ski lift . ( Getting to the top of the raft is normally the sound part of skiing , anyway . )
5. Fleischmanns
Fleischmanns is midget ( like 350 masses tiny ) . While that ’s probably more intimate than your high schooltime graduating family , cognise that the population swells to about 25 times that in the summertime , so they most definitely do like strangers around these parts . New Yorkers have been come here since the other 1900s , so it ’s kind of the Katz ’s Deli of vacation spot . How to get there : The Pine Hill Trailways bus takes about three hours , and will shake off you off right on in front of your B&B if you ask the driver nicely . The driveway is just a little under three hour , and besides the trek north up I-87 , you ’ll also drop some metre on Route 28 , aka the Catskill Mountain Scenic Byway . Listen to a whole audio recording tour of duty of the areahere . Where to stay : River Run Bed and Breakfastis locate flop on Main Street , but its backyard jut up against a placid flow , and it ’s instant from hiking lead through the Catskill Forest Preserve . What to selfie : pass the day atBelleayre Beachfor swim , kayaking , stand - up paddleboarding , and spreading sunscreen on each other ’s hard - to - reach spots . afterwards , take a scenic two - hour , highly ‘ grammabletrain ridethrough the Catskills .
6. Lexington
Comprised of six rural mint residential district with only 800 mass between them , Lexington is all about get in that much - postulate alone time . Check out the very pretty Schoharie Creek , which fly the coop through townspeople , and Catskill Park . Before guess into the latter , verify one of you possess and know how to operate a compass – these are n’t just forests , these arewildforests . That means patchy cell speech sound service of process , and the prospect to hang out and spill the beans like the Internet has n’t even been invented yet . How to get there : Like you probably pretend by now , you ’ll be taking a Trailways jitney from NYC to Phoenicia . To get from there to Lexington , shoot the boniface an email ( beforehand , remember , unless you want to pass time of day seek to get a signal ) for help ordinate your bus comer . If you ’re driving , you ’re await at a three - hour cruise through I-87 and the Catskill Mountain Scenic Byway . Where to remain : The Spruceton Innis a bottom and bar . For real . seize a trade beer or glass of wine-coloured at Conan ’s Corner , the in - house streak , then cool down out in the meadow on the property . Snooze in a knoll , or check out what the night sky is supposed to await like , minus light pollution . Aww . What to selfie : This is farm country , so fire up at theLexington Farmer ’s Marketin the morning , where you’re able to ask a psychic how your family relationship fits into the universe , or ( if things are n’t that serious ) perhaps just get a caricature . The market is open every other Saturday through October . After that , there ’s prime hike around the Spruceton Inn , like theDiamond Notch Trail ’s waterfalls , streams , and wildflowers . That nighttime , hitTable on Tenfor topically source , brick - oven pizzas .
7. Meredith
You ’ll know you ’ve remove Meredith when you go insure barns , Harlan F. Stone bulwark dividers for sheep herding , and lots of bucolic charm . This rural town was once New York ’s primary spot for dairy farm production , and while there are n’t as many farms around today , you ’ll still feel far , far away from honking railcar and the function . There are good deal of nearby tramp trails if you ’re serious about that bracing air thing . How to get there : Trailways will take you from NYC to Delhi , from where you’re able to coordinate pickup arm and drop off with the folk at Harmony Hill ( below ) . If you are n’t staying there , there are several cab options from Delhi to Meredith . You ’re looking at a two - 60 minutes and 45 - mo road misstep . Where to stick : For those couples who want to be fully immersed in nature but … with a king - sized seam at the end of the daytime , Harmony Hill ’s treehouse yurt are an amazing via media . They are way fancy than they vocalize – you get your own deck of cards , full - sized kitchen , and work bathroom ( which is belike in unspoiled shape than your apartment’s).What to selfie : TourStone and Thistle Farm , then endeavor to put all those lambs , chickens , and goats you just met out of your head when you sit down down at their on - premises restaurantFable . The next day , capture a folks rock performance or take an arts shop together atWest Kortright Center , a nonprofit arts facility in an 1850s church building that look , suitably , like it belong to in a painting .
8. Barryville
Barryville is one of the most scenic blockage in the Catskills , which is pronounce a lot . You do n’t have to go out of your way , or even get out of the motorcar , to see breathtaking views of the waterfall and sway formations , and it ’s right on the Upper Delaware Scenic River . Get on the water with a paddle , where you may compare upper body strength , or just skip rowing altogether and take some funny pictures of each other in life preserver . How to get there : Getting to this part of the Catskills necessitate a elevator car , but the drive will take you on the Upper Delaware Scenic Byway ( AKA Route 97 ) for about two and a half hours . Where to outride : The Hillside Schoolhouseis an abandoned one - way school day turned into a boutique , two - room hotel , hidden away in the forests . What to selfie : Canoeon the Delaware for the best prospect of the Catskills , and like we said , of your SO in a bathing courtship . Later , grab a homemade dessert at theBethel Market Cafe(canoeing iswork ) .
9. Narrowsburg
Narrowsburg ’s Main Street dominate the Delaware River at the Big Eddy , so everywhere you calculate , you ’re bound to see something pretty . That holds true for the several local artistry gallery that have sprung up in late class , as well as the pocket-sized , but jump , business district . Expect a preponderance of peace signs painted on the barns and building on your path into town ; it ’s close to Bethel , location of Woodstock , the ’ 69 edition . How to get there : It ’s easiest to turn over Narrowsburg with your own wheels . Driving time is 2 hours 10 second , and for part of it you ’ll take winding , waterfall - studded Route 23A.Where to appease : Camp like royalty at theBlue Hill Farms Tent and Breakfast . You get a giant bottom , Brobdingnagian two - individual jetted shower bath , full electricity in your tent , and breakfast served to you in a logarithm cabin . What to selfie : Split a sundae atNora ’s Lovin’ Spoonful , spell theDelaware Valley Arts Alliance veranda , or take a restful float toSkinner ’s Falls . For dinner , check into outHenning ’s Local , a gem so hidden it ’s above a accelerator pedal station .
Travel Close . attain More . Visit the Catskills .
VisitTheCatskills.com / Julie Bidwell Photography
VisitTheCatskills.com / Julie Bidwell Photography
VisitTheCatskills.com / Julie Bidwell Photography
VisitTheCatskills.com / Julie Bidwell Photography