It's cheap, it's clean, it's kid-friendly, and it's so much better than a fast food chain. Plus, it's the only place you can buy their incredible Secret Sauce to slather onto grilled chicken, burgers, and dogs all summer long.
Wildlife, design, food & drink, travel, real estate, country characters, adventures, waterfalls.
All in Catskills for Kids
It's cheap, it's clean, it's kid-friendly, and it's so much better than a fast food chain. Plus, it's the only place you can buy their incredible Secret Sauce to slather onto grilled chicken, burgers, and dogs all summer long.
Zoom Flume is a water park tucked away in the Catskill Mountains. Ever felt trapped or overwhelmed at Kalahari or Great Wolf Lodge? The open-air, colorful, and clean Zoom Flume might be the place for you.
The Martin Van Buren National Historic Site in Kinderhook, NY offers year-round nature trails and free tours of the 8th President's mansion in the spring, summer, and fall.
Are these deer tracks in the snow? Bear tracks? Coyote tracks? Lynx tracks?! What types of animals walk around in the snow in the Catskills?
Howe Caverns, part natural wonder and part tourist attraction, has been one of my favorite spots in the Catskills since I was a little kid. Going back as a grown-up, the dark, chilly, yet very family-friendly cave tour was just as fascinating and delightfully cheesy as I remembered.
The Jolly Cow Ice Cream makes the perfect rest stop when you're heading to the Catskills from NYC. It's 5 minutes off the Thruway, and kiddy cups/cones cost a mere $1.40, probably cheaper than whatever junk food you'd grab at gas station's convenience store.
Tannersville's Mountain Top Arboretum plunges you into the enchantment of nature. This beautiful public garden is a must-visit if you're planning a side-trip from Kaaterskill Falls or staying at the nearby Deer Mountain Inn.
The Windham Path is a strikingly beautiful, family-friendly spot for novice hikers in the Catskills. Its 4-season, 1.5-mile loop can be traveled by foot, bicycle, cross-country ski, or snowshoe -- and it's even stroller-friendly.
Hiking Kaaterskill Falls with kids just got easier, but the new overlook platform filled me with a mix of joy and terror. Here's everything you need to know about taking your kids on the trail.
The stick insect, also known as a walking stick or Phasmatodea, is the most bizarre creature we've ever seen up close. Tottering on thin, stem-like legs, its movements seemed mechanical, more like a robotic stick than a real animal.
Brooklyn's 61 Local opened a second location, Windham Local, near Windham Ski Mountain in the Catskills.
WARNING: The Coxsackie Farmers Market will ruin you for city greenmarkets forever.
CATSKILLS BARGAIN ALERT: Pick the freshest flowers on a the most beautiful farm and take home a gorgeous bouquet for only $8!
The Yellow Deli in Oak Hill is the most unique cafe in the Catskills. The giant, dimly-lit, wood-paneled space, complete with an enormous avian mural and tinkling new age music, feels like a secret tree-house.
Need a natural remedy for a poison ivy rash that actually works? Or maybe you just need a thoughtful hostess gift for a friend's country house? Check out Auntie Ivy's Poison Ivy Soap, made by hand at Honey Hollow Farm Stay in Earton, NY.
With a giant teepee for kids to play in, live music, picnic tables, a fire pit, a volleyball court, a giant sand box, and family-friendly food the Chicken Run is hosting the best backyard party in town.
You want to experience the fun parts of farm life (Adirondack chairs around a campfire), not the gross parts (shoveling livestock poo). You want to leave NYC after lunch and be stepping into a leafy wilderness before dinner. Time to book at room at Honey Hollow Farm Stay.
On second Sundays this summer from noon to 2pm at Heather Ridge Farm, you'll find a circle of musicians playing gentle, lilting Irish reels between the lavender picnic tables -- and you may spot Chef Rob Handel popping out the kitchen window to join in with his tin flute.
At Hop Barn Brewing, Tom Vance is likely to strike up a conversation as you sip a beer in his tiny taproom, built off the side of his home. His daughter may pour your pint, you get introduced to his neighbor's cow, and there's a slim chance you could end up booking an aromatherapy massage with his wife, Irene, before the night is through.
Nachos, enchiladas, and some Guinness for dessert: We try the Mexican specialties served at this unassuming roadside diner in the heart of East Durham, the Emerald Isle of the Catskills.