The Catskills

We’ve compiled the best of the best in The Catskills - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.

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  • 1. Kaaterskill Falls

    As you watch the waters cascade 260 feet down the gray rock of this two-tiered waterfall, you'll see why this spot was so popular with Thomas Cole and other Hudson River School painters. To access the trail that leads to the bottom of the falls, park in the public lot on Route 23A, 3 miles east of Tannersville. To get to the trailhead, walk about ¼ mile east along the narrow shoulder of Route 23A. (This is a very busy road with hairpin turns, so you may find yourself hugging rocks as cars pass you.) Signs point the way to the path, which leads you past the delicate Bastion Falls. Although largely level, the moderately difficult trail does have a few steep sections. Altogether the hike is less than 1 mile long and shouldn't take a full hour. You may be tempted to climb to the top of the falls, but this is really risky: missteps on the slippery rocks here have resulted in many accidents—some fatal.

    Rte. 23A, Haines Falls, New York, 12485, USA
    201-512–9348-New York-New Jersey Trail Conference
  • 2. Woodstock Artists Association & Museum

    Promoting the work of local artists since 1916, this cultural center has several different gallery spaces that host concurrent exhibits. The Main Gallery has monthly group exhibits, while the Phoebe and Belmont Towbin Wing is devoted to art from the permanent collection. There's also a gallery devoted to works by young artists. You can't miss the charming building, with its entrance set off by tall red shutters.

    28 Tinker St., Woodstock, New York, 12487, USA
    845-679–2940

    Sight Details

    Rate Includes: Free, Closed Mon. and Tues.
  • 3. Bailiwick Ranch and Discovery Zoo

    Bailiwick Ranch and Discovery Zoo has three attractions that will entertain children: horseback rides along scenic trails, a zoological park with exotic and farm animals (including a petting zoo and feeding area), and paintball. Educational programs and special events also take place throughout the year. The ranch is open year-round (weather permitting), but the zoo is closed November through March. Members of the military receive free admission.

    118 Castle Rd., Catskill, New York, USA
    518-678–5665

    Sight Details

    Rate Includes: $12, Call ahead for hrs.
  • 4. Blenheim–Gilboa Power Project Visitors Center

    Housed in a 1905 barn, the visitor center sits above the Blenheim-Gilboa pumped-storage project, which generates power by recycling water between two reservoirs. Hands-on exhibits explain the science of energy production; an enclosed porch overlooking the lower reservoir has exhibits of local fauna. Picnic tables are scattered between the historic outbuildings. Hiking trails lead to Mine Kill State Park.

    North Blenheim, New York, USA
    518-827–6121

    Sight Details

    Rate Includes: Free, Daily 10–5
  • 5. Brovetto Dairy and Cheese House

    Cheese maker Ronald Brovetto, his wife Corinne, and son Russell have been making quality farmstead cheeses on their farm for over eight years. They make Harpersfield cheese, an aged, semihard, washed-rind, Tilsit-style cheese, cave-aged on the property, as well as flavored cheeses. All are made from milk from the resident herd of Holstein cows.The farm is about 8 mi north of Stamford, about a 40-minute drive from Roxbury.

    1677 County Rte. 29, Jefferson, New York, USA
    607-278–6622

    Sight Details

    Rate Includes: Daily 11–4.
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  • 6. Byrdcliffe

    Ralph Radcliffe Whitehead, a wealthy Englishman under the sway of William Morris and John Ruskin, decided to create a utopian arts colony. His friend and conspirator Bolton Brown, an artist, suggested Woodstock. After a visit in 1902, Whitehead agreed. Here is the result: 250 acres holding the only intact arts and crafts colony in the U.S. Whitehead's efforts laid the groundwork for Woodstock's transformation into a colony of the arts. Artists, writers, composers, and dance and theater companies still call it home when they participate in its residency programs. There are plenty of events, from concerts to lectures to opportunities to visit artists at work in their studios. Guided tours are offered in the summer.

    34 Tinker St., Woodstock, New York, 12498, USA
    845-679–2079

    Sight Details

    Rate Includes: Free
  • 7. Catskill Arts Society

    In a handsome brick building that once served as the area's only movie theater, the Catskill Arts Society has a couple of huge galleries that show the works of local and national artists. There's also another slender gallery in the foyer, a small gift shop with lots of original pieces, and classes ranging from watercolors to pottery to creative writing.

    Livingston Manor, New York, 12758, USA
    845-436-4227

    Sight Details

    Rate Includes: Free, Closed Tues. and Wed., Thurs.--Sat. and Mon. 11--6, Sun. 11--3
  • 8. Catskill Brewery

    In a newly built facility on the edge of the hamlet, this brewery's brilliant red building isn't just eye-catching, it's also eco-friendly, getting much of its power from solar panels. The zinc-topped bar is a great place to sample a little of each of the ales and lagers on tap, or to fill a growler to take home. The names of the brews couldn't be more evocative: some of our favorites include Floodwatch, Ball Lightning, and Devil's Path---named for the toughest trail through nearby Catskills State Park. Weekend events often include live music and high spirits.

    672 Old Rte. 17, Livingston Manor, New York, 12756, USA
    845-439-1232

    Sight Details

    Rate Includes: Free, Closed Mon. and Tues.
  • 9. Catskill Distilling Company

    In a modern building that follows the lines of the old-fashioned architecture of the surrounding area, the Catskill Distilling Company makes vodka, gin, bourbon, and other spirits right on the premises using water from local reservoirs and grains purchased from a nearby mill. The copper stills are visible through a glass wall from the tasting room, where you can sample the goods. (You can also try them at the Dancing Cat Saloon, an eatery owned by the same folks.) The Art Deco-style bar was made for the 1939 World's Fair in New York City. The shaded deck is a great place to kick back after a day of sightseeing.

    2037 Rte. 17B, Bethel, New York, 12720, USA
    845-583–3141

    Sight Details

    Rate Includes: Free, Daily noon–5
  • 10. Catskill Fly Fishing Center and Museum

    Reached via a footbridge over the famed Willowemoc Creek, this nonprofit center outside of Livingston Manor is devoted to the preservation of the sport of fly-fishing and to the delicate ecological environment that makes the sport possible. The center maintains a vast collection of fishing reels, antique flies, and fishing-related artwork. It also conducts educational programs throughout the year, with workshops on making your own rods or tying a lure. In October the center celebrates the latest legends at the Fly Fishing Hall of Fame.

    1031 Old Rte. 17, Livingston Manor, New York, USA
    845-439–4810

    Sight Details

    Rate Includes: $3, Closed Sun.–Mon. Nov.–Mar., Apr.–Oct., weekdays 9:30-4:30, weekends 10-4:30; Nov.–Mar., Tues.–Fri. 10–1, Sat. 10–4
  • 11. Center for Photography at Woodstock

    You're entering hallowed ground, because this building was once the Espresso Café, where Bob Dylan, Janis Joplin, Joan Baez, and others entertained countercultural dreamers. Now a gallery space for photography, the center aims to provoke serious consideration of the medium, offering a dynamic series of exhibits, lectures, and workshops.

    59 Tinker St., Woodstock, New York, 12498, USA
    845-679–9957

    Sight Details

    Rate Includes: Free, Wed.–Sun. noon–5
  • 12. Delaware County Historical Association Museum

    The centerpiece of this museum property is the 1797 Federal-style farm of Gideon Frisbee, an original settler of Delhi. The complex includes six other historic buildings as well as an extensive genealogical library. One exhibit gallery holds a permanent collection of 19th-century farm implements; the other rotates displays of local historical interest. Special events re-create the daily life of the period. A nature trail leads to a covered bridge; when in bloom, more than 80 lilac bushes perfume the grounds.

    46549 Rte. 10, Delhi, New York, USA
    607-746–3849

    Sight Details

    Rate Includes: $4, Memorial Day–mid-Oct., Tues.–Sun. 11–4; mid-Oct.–Memorial Day, weekdays 10–4.
  • 13. Delaware Highlands Conservancy

    This nonprofit institute runs guided habitat tours in January and February, when nearly hundreds of pairs of bald eagles return to the area to breed. The group brings you to prime viewing spots on a heated bus. Reserve in advance, as the $20 tickets sell out fast.

    Barryville, New York, USA
    845-583–1010
  • 14. Delaware Valley Arts Alliance

    The Delaware Valley Arts Alliance is a haven for the artists who flock to the hills and dales of Sullivan County. Housed in the historic Arlington Hotel, it boasts two galleries, a recital hall, and a gift shop. Around the corner is the Tusten Theater, a restored 160-seat space with performances year-round.

    7 Main St., Narrowsburg, New York, 12764, USA
    845-252–7576
  • 15. Elena Zang Gallery

    Meander through the terraced sculpture garden, past the babbling brook, several inspired birdhouses, and other delightful art objects to the studio of Elena Zang and Alan Hoffman, creators of minimalist functional pottery. Down the hill is the gallery space, where blond-wood floors and an infusion of light set off the contemporary art on the walls.

    3671 Rte. 212, Shady, New York, USA
    845-679–5432

    Sight Details

    Rate Includes: Free, Daily 11–5
  • 16. Emerson Kaleidoscope

    One of the most unexpected attractions in the Catskills, this darkened 56-foot grain silo houses an enormous walk-in kaleidoscope (certified the world's largest by the Guinness Book of World Records) designed by award-winning kaleidoscope artist Charles Karadimos with the imagery-based video designed by psychedelic artist Isaac Abrams and his son Raphael. After you take in the visual and sound experience at the silo, wander through the gift shop where you can purchase a kaleidoscope of your own, and then out to the cobblestone courtyard of this retail complex, where upscale boutiques sell clothing, furniture, and antiques.

    146 Mount Pleasant Rd., Mount Tremper, New York, 12457, USA
    845-688–5800

    Sight Details

    Rate Includes: $5, Daily 10–5
  • 17. Fort Delaware Museum

    This replica of a 1755 fort depicts the lives of European settlers who made their home in the Upper Delaware Valley. The settlement, called Cushetunk, was mostly farmers who had moved to the region in search of land. They formed the Delaware Company and purchased 10 miles of land along both sides of the river and built a fort for protection. This authentic reproduction of the wooden structure includes blockhouses, log cabins, an armory, herb gardens, and costumed guides who demonstrate what life was like here in the 18th century. Open weekends from Memorial Day through Labor Day.

    Narrowsburg, New York, USA
    845-252—6660

    Sight Details

    Rate Includes: $7, Closed Tues.–Thurs., Memorial Day–late June, Sat.,10–5, Sun. noon–5; late June—Labor Day, Fri., Sat., and Mon. 10–5, Sun. noon–5.
  • 18. Greenbriar Farm

    A single-story board-and-batten farm building constructed with logs from the property contains a sap house and cider mill. You can buy tangy apple cider, cider doughnuts, homemade pies, and maple syrup. If you bring your own apples, the Powell-Wagner family will happily custom press them for you. You can tour the premises by calling ahead.

    146 Berg Rd., South Gilboa, New York, USA
    607-652–7898

    Sight Details

    Rate Includes: Free, Early Sept.–Thanksgiving, weekends 11–5
  • 19. Hanford Mills Museum

    An 1846 red barn overlooking a millpond was purchased in 1860 by David Josiah Hanford, who developed it into a working sawmill and gristmill. By 1898 the mill was supplying East Meredith with electricity, and it remained in operation until 1967, when it became a museum. The still-functional mill, powered by a waterwheel, is open for daily tours. The grounds include nature trails, a gallery space, and a picnic area. You can try your hand at ice harvesting during the annual Winter Ice Harvest, when period tools are used to cut ice from the frozen pond. The ice is then loaded onto a bobsled and stored until July 4, when it's used to make ice cream.

    Rtes. 10 and 12, East Meredith, New York, USA
    607-278–5744

    Sight Details

    Rate Includes: $6, May–Oct., daily 10–5
  • 20. Jay Gould Memorial Reformed Church

    When two of Roxbury's churches were destroyed—one in a windstorm, the other by fire—Jay Gould offered to foot the bill to rebuild. The result was this church, built in 1893 at the edge of Kirkside Park under the direction of Henry Hardenburgh, architect of New York City's Dakota apartment building. Constructed of St. Lawrence limestone, the church has had only minor restoration work over the years. It has two stained-glass windows by Tiffany and two others by the Maitland Armstrong Co.

    53738 Main St., Roxbury, New York, USA
    607-326–7101

    Sight Details

    Rate Includes: Free, Early June–Labor Day, Sun. 10–11; rest of yr., Sun. 10:30–11:30

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