Gavin's: An Irish Catskills Inn with a Hidden Waterfall
As you take Route 145 through East Durham, you'll pass a string of motels and Irish pubs that had their heyday in the 1960s. Many of them were still going strong when I was a kid in the '80s, especially during the weekend of the Irish Festival. But nowadays, many are past their prime and left drooping along the side of the road, relics of good times gone by.
One inn that's kept its Irish countryside charm is Gavin's in Cornwallville, family-owned since 1961. A short drive off 145, it's an all-inclusive resort that offers guests 3 meals a day, bingo nights, a heated pool and live Irish music. If you want to dip into the retro goodness of the Irish Catskills, this is the perfect spot. It's not a boutique hotel with a retro spin; it's a very well-preserved 1960's resort with modern conveniences, like free wifi.
But the best part? The waterfall.
Behind the resort, there's a bright green "IN" sign marking the trail into the forest.
The trail leads downhill to Catskill Creek.
We checked it out last summer, when Archer was still pretty easy to carry around.
It was one of our happiest days.