Many may not be aware, but the Catskills is a truly amazing place. It’s home to at least 2 record breaking items. The longest and highest zip line in North America can be found at Hunter Mountain. It’s almost 600 feet up and more than 5 miles long and the world’s largest kaleidoscope, measuring 37 feet tall, is located in Ulster County at Catskill Corners.
Many may not even know about the Catskill Mountains, where they are or what they’re known for, but if you’ve ever seen the movie “Dirty Dancing”, you’ve seen the beautiful Catskills. The movie was filmed at a resort in the area. The whole Catskill Mountains range is roughly the size of the state of Connecticut and features over 100 mountains that are over 3000 feet high and 35 over 3,500 feet. There’s even a club, The 35 Club, for those that have verifiably climbed to the top of all of them. The tallest mountain in the area, Slide Mountain, being the tallest at 4,180 feet.
It’s obvious that the Catskill Mountains are all about relaxing and getting away from the hustle and bustle of the big city. Located just about a hundred miles north of New York City you can find many beautiful mountains, clean rivers, and gorgeous forests. Besides being a wonderful nature retreat there are still many other things to do in the Catskills that aren’t all about the natural beauty and outdoor adventures.
Here are 5 other activities in the Catskill Mountains, besides connecting with nature.
1.) Check out the local art scene and museums:
The Stray Cat Gallery in Bethel, NY is a unique one. Featuring works from many artists and authors including Jason Laure, Jerry Cohen and Elliott Landy. You can see great paintings, photographs, sculptures, and books here. When you’re done perusing you can head over to the Dancing Cat Saloon for a bite to eat or take a tour of the Catskill Distilling Company where you can find whisky, gin and the infamous “Peace Vodka”.
If you’re looking for something a bit more refined, check out the Windham Art and Photography gallery. This features amazing photos of different styles, like landscapes, dolls, celebrities and more. You could also check out the Empire State Railway Museum, in Phoenicia. It’s an old train station that has been converted into a museum and gallery full of information, artifacts and photos of the old railroad.
2.) Go shopping:
We don’t mean find the nearest mall and splurge, but spend a day or two looking through the many antique shops in the area. You can find some really unique, and even downright weird, items. Homer and Langley’s Mystery Spot in Phoenicia is a good place to start. They have a whole section dedicated to creepy dolls and a bunch of classic records you’d be hard pressed to find anywhere else.
3.) Check out local events:
If you’re lucky enough to visit during a scheduled event you can hang out at the Bethel Woods Center. That’s where Woodstock, from 1969, was held. They offer lots of events throughout the year, including food festivals, farmers markets, outdoor movie screenings, and even big-name concerts. Definitely check out their calendar of events while you’re visiting and see what kind of fun you can have there.
If you want to go dancing or enjoy some nightclub atmosphere, maybe consider vising The Falcon. This place used to be an old button factory, but now it’s a venue that specializes in blues, jazz, and contemporary chamber music. They even have a cool beer garden to enjoy, too.
4.) See a play or musical:
There are many venues that offer live shows some even similar to Broadway shows. Forestburgh Playhouse is one that offers various kids events during the day and dinner cabaret shows for adults at night throughout the year. They tend to hire one bunch of actors, around 50 people, per year and change their lineup occasionally, but they don’t perform every day or night, so you will need to check their schedule before visiting. Shadowland Theater is another great option for musicals and contemporary plays.
5.) Have a fancy dinner and some dessert:
If you live in a big city it may be difficult to find a good farm-to-table meal experience. Well, you’re in luck in the Catskills. They have the Peekamoose Restaurant in Big Indian, NY, which specializes in just that. It’s an elegant dining experience with an ever-changing menu including dishes such as pan-roasted snapper with fresh asparagus, wood-grilled octopus and chorizo, and caramelized scallops, just to name a few. They also have a plethora of regional craft brews on tap to enjoy by the comforting nightly bonfire.
If you want to indulge your sweet tooth a bit, head on over to Krause’s Chocolates in Saugerties. They have over 50 types of chocolate delicacies to choose from, and all are guaranteed to be fresh and creamy. You don’t have to take our word for it; they’ve won the Hudson Valley’s Best Candy Store award for their quality chocolates for the past 13 years and counting.
As you can see…
There are many things you can do in the Catskill Mountains that are outside of the scope of what your usual Catskills travel guide has to offer. Of course, we do recommend that you spend at least a little time enjoying the peace and tranquility Mother Nature has to offer, maybe take a nice hike or maybe charter a boat from the Tivoli Sailing Company and spend a day out on the water. Or, if you’re traveling with the kids, check out Windham Mountain. They have a bunch of fun activities for the whole family. Enjoy some golf, go mountain biking, ride some rides at the adventure park, take on the slopes, and at the end grab a bite to eat at one of their three restaurants. The Catskill Mountains can really turn out to be a family favorite destination.
The event offerings here are always changing, so one thing you will definitely want to make sure to do before heading to the Catskills is check out their current events calendar. You will want to find out what will be going on during the time you’re visiting so you can plan your trip accordingly.