A scenic two-hour drive from Manhattan, the Catskills region has been a popular four-season New York vacation locale for more than two centuries. Once the inspiration for the mid-19th century Hudson River School painters, today the Catskills offer a chance to get close to nature, relive history and marvel at its bohemian charm. From wineries to waterfalls, the Catskill Mountains have limitless opportunities for New York vacation activities.
Getting to the Catskills
The Catskills are located in southern New York in Delaware, Sullivan, Greene and Ulster Counties, a prime region for New York vacation getaways. Approximately 100 miles north of New York City and 70 miles south of Albany, the New York State Thruway (I-87) passes directly through the Catskills. I-88 connects the region with points east and west. Amtrak's Adirondack train stop at local stations between New York City and Albany once daily, while the Albany, Kingston-Ulster, Stewart and Sullivan County International airports serve the area.
Natural Landmarks of the Catskills
With topography encompassing soaring mountains, deciduous forests, alpine lakes and cascading waterfalls, the Catskills have enough scenic attractions to occupy any New York vacationer. Discover Kaaterskill Falls, a 260-foot bilevel waterfall deep in the Catskills woods near Haines Point, NY, that inspired paintings by Hudson River School founder Thomas Cole. For the best access, camp at the state's North-South Lake Campground and hike a couple of miles to the falls. Those planning an active New York vacation climb or hike the Shawangunk Ridge in the Catskills' Minnewaska State Park Preserve, a series of vertical cliffs formed by prehistoric sedimentary rock with diverse vegetation. The highest peak in the Catskills, Slide Mountain near the town of Shandaken in Ulster County, rises to 4,180 feet.
Art History in the Catskills
The Catskills are justifiably famous as the inspiration for the Hudson River School of early 19th century painters, and the homes and studios of two are open to visitors. The Thomas Cole National Historic Site in Catskill preserves the Hudson River School founder's 1820s home as a museum with formal gardens. Frederic Church's unusual Moorish-style mansion Olana in Hudson, with his art collection, furniture and gardens as he designed them in the 1890s, is a National Historic Landmark. The Catskills art colonies like Byrdcliffe in Woodstock (the oldest continually-operating arts community in the US) and quirky towns like Saugerties and New Paltz encourage a cultural New York vacation with vibrant gallery scenes and local artisans.
A New York Vacation Packed with Unusual Museums
One-of-a-kind museums focusing on local folklife and New York's industries dot the Catskills. Explore Dutch colonial life, unique to New York, at the Bronck Museum in Coxsackie, Historic Huguenot Street in New Paltz and the Stockade District in Kingston. New York's industrial past is on view at the Hudson River Maritime Museum in Kingston and the Empire State Railway Museum in Phoenicia. Tune in and turn on at the Woodstock Museum in Saugerties or the Museum at Bethel Woods in Bethel, two institutions celebrating the 1969 Woodstock festival.
Food and Wine, Essentials of any New York Vacation
Experience fine food and drink on a Catskills winery tour. The Shawangunk Wine Trail connects 11 family-owned vineyards in the Catskills, all welcoming visitors for wine tastings, cellar tours and gorgeous Hudson River School scenery. Local farmer's markets, pick-your-own orchards and working farms introduce visitors to the rural economy and fresh, organic foods (many of the farmers sell their produce at New York City greenmarkets on the weekends). Annual events like the Blueberry and Huckleberry Festival in Ellenville, Oktoberfest in Hunter and tapping for maple syrup celebrate the foods of the Catskills.
