Katie Wanders : Weekender's Guide: Catskills, NY (Summer!)

The Catskills have become one of my favorite places and I never saw it coming. Meeting Adam who lived in Fairfield County (the insanely busy part of Connecticut that touches New York basically) sort of changed things, putting the Catskills that much closer.

In my Rhode Island Weekender's Guide, I talked about how Jamestown was like Newport in miniature. Well, the Catskills are that for the Adirondacks. The Catskills are a smaller less populated version and while you don't have the Adirondack High Peaks and famous lakes, you have some amazing hiking, stunning vistas and the scenic Esopus Creek. It's also a much easier drive as the Catskills are about 3.5 hours closer than the Adirondacks for us in coastal Connecticut, only 3ish hours from home. Adirondacks are beautiful but pretty far for just a weekend but the Catskills? You can leave on a Saturday morning if you wanted to avoid the traffic. The Catskills are a popular spot for city dwellers as it's also a 2 hour drive from New York City, making this the perfect weekend getaway for New Englanders and New Yorkers alike.

Esopus Creek

It's just too easy to plan a weekend away in the Catskills as the area is typically less crowded and so much easier to get to. This spot on the map went from somewhere I had never been until I reached my 30's, to my go-to quick weekend getaway when I need more trees and less people and the chance to recharge. We've created so many weekend memories in this four-season town. We escape to the Catskills for brewery tours, winter hikes, camping weekends, and to spend a hot day cooling down in the gorgeous Esopus Creek. It's also where I saw my first Black Bear (from my car on the side of the road oddly enough).

There is so much to see in the Catskills and I am banking on making this my quick weekend getaway when life gets a little too tame.

Drive through the Catskills

**This guide focuses on the eastern portion of the Catskills surrounding the towns of Phoenicia, Hunter, and Kingstown area.

F r i d a y : Head to the Catskills

Head to the Catskills! If you are somewhere where traffic isn't an issue, head up earlier and do something fun in the afternoon (see my Do/See list below). We have to take I-95 through the worst part of Connecticut (sorry not sorry Fairfield County) and deal with a lot of traffic so for us, it's best to head out after dinner or head up very early Saturday morning.

Esopus Creek

S a t u r d a y : Hike/Swim/Dinner and Drinks

I wanted an easier hike with time to explore more of the area. I stumbled across Giant Ledges, a name I had seen in my many google searches before and we headed out to see it for ourselves. I can confidently say this top rated hike in the Catskills (#1 on some sites) is worth the hype and after a short hike (3.2 miles), you have beautiful views of the Catskill Mountains from five ledges. If one ledge is busy, just head out to another - we were able to enjoy these gorgeous views all to ourselves. Overlook Mountain is another great relatively easy hike that takes you to an abandoned hotel and fire tower with sweeping views. These are two GREAT options but depending on how much of a challenge you want, you can pick a different hike from my "hike list" below.

If you started early enough, you have time for a swim before dinner. The Catskills are famous for its natural swimming areas so you should start early and make time for a swim. One famous swimming hole, Peekamoose Blue Hole has been crowned the best swimming hole in the area BUT it does come with crowds and a permit/prior planning is required. If you rather have an option that includes less people and planning, there are other low key swimming areas all included in the "Swim" category below. We loved finding a random pullout on the road along Esopus Creek that allowed us to dip into the water in a secluded spot without the crowds.

Okay so we've been talking about water and now you are sold - Do you just want to spend the day in the water? You can skip the hike all together and spend the morning on one of the local rafting/tubing trips or maybe even try your hand at fly fishing.

After a swim/fish/float, it's time for dinner and drinks. The Catskills have a ton of options when it comes to food and this list will point you in the right direction. If you decide to go to Hudson, where a lot of Brooklyn-ers flock on the weekenders, I highly recommend making a reservation in advance as these award winning restaurants book up fast. There are also some great breweries in the area which is probably the best want to end an adventure packed day in the Catskills.

Overlook Mountain Hike

S u n d a y : Hike/Sky Ride/Lunch

Saturday was a busy day so I am letting you enjoy a (slightly) slower Sunday morning after an action packed Saturday. I said slightly because if you should start the morning early with a short hike to Kaaterskill Falls. I highly suggest getting there early to beat the crowds and let's be honest, this is a great place to bring coffee and breakfast with you on the go. We had hiked this in the winter (March) on our first time to the Catskills, and I was so excited to see it in the summer. It's a bit more crowded but just as lovely and it's the perfect short/kid friendly hike with options to swim here as well.

After Kaaterskill, I recommend heading to one of the local ski mountains for some summer fun. You have Hunter Mountain and Windham Mountain which offer skiing/tubing in the winter and hiking, off roading, and zip-lining in the summer. You can keep the vibe relaxed with a chairlift ride or be more active with a ziplining tour or another hike. We headed into the town of Hunter to see Hunter Mountain and took the chairlift up to the summit. You could easily hike to the fire tower (enjoy the head start up the chairlift) or just enjoy the views with a picnic. We made it a quick trip to the top for the view and back down we went. It was peaceful, quiet, and a great way to take in a slower Sunday as we sat on the chairlift enjoying the views of the Catskills.

After Hunter Mountain, grab a late lunch before heading home and assuming you have a DD, maybe add another brewery on the agenda before you go. We did manage to make a stop along the way at a quaint farm brewery in Poughkeepsie, New York. We saw the animals and I enjoyed some tasty treats, Adam so sweetly honoring my tradition of new hikes, new towns, and new breweries before heading home.

Hunter Mountain SkyRide

The Catskills have something for everyone - you can camp in the woods or spend the night at a luxury tiny house resort. You can hike, swim, drink, eat, golf, fish, off-road or zip line your way through a weekend. It's the Adirondacks in miniature which means less crowds and easier to get to for most. It's an outdoor playground for anyone in New York City or New Englander's who want a getaway without the long drive.

Mix and match your perfect weekend from the categories below. My favorite weekends include a nice hike, a place to swim and a brewery/good food to end it all.

Hikes

Overlook Mountain Hike (4.8 miles, 1,400' gained)

Whittenberg Mountain Hike (7.8 miles, 2,500' gained)

Giant Ledge - Catskills #1 Hike (3.2 miles, 1,000' gained)

Kaaterskill Falls (Summer) (3 miles, 1,000' gained)

Newman's Ledge/North South Lake Hike (5.4 miles, 550' gained)

Do/See

Hunter Mountain Scenic Skyride ($)

Windham Mountain Skyride, Golf, Mountain Bike ($$)

Tube Esopus Creek (closed 2021 year due to COVID) ($)

Trout Fishing ($) (western Catskills)

Raft/Kayak/Canoe/Tube Skinners Falls with Landers River Trips ($$) (western Catskills)