In and around the Southern Catskills
City/town information
Wurtsboro is the nearest town, and has good basic amenities and some special places as well. Gmart is the full grocery store and the best place for a full supplies run. Stewarts gas station has good New York state dairy products, especially ice cream. Try Canaltowne Emporium and the Crystal Connection for gifts and local curiosities. For families, we love our local Mamakating Library, and the Mamakating town park has a playground, swimming pool and nature trail in summer, and great sledding hill in winter.
15 locals recommend
Wurtsboro
Wurtsboro is the nearest town, and has good basic amenities and some special places as well. Gmart is the full grocery store and the best place for a full supplies run. Stewarts gas station has good New York state dairy products, especially ice cream. Try Canaltowne Emporium and the Crystal Connection for gifts and local curiosities. For families, we love our local Mamakating Library, and the Mamakating town park has a playground, swimming pool and nature trail in summer, and great sledding hill in winter.
Cute small main street about 20 minutes away. Several good restaurants, vintage/clothing stores, and a nice regular festival on second Saturdays during warmer months with vendors, artists, etc. Try The Dale and High Voltage for lunch or dinner, or Forage and Gather for upscale groceries, liquor/wine, and coffee.
18 locals recommend
Mountain Dale
Cute small main street about 20 minutes away. Several good restaurants, vintage/clothing stores, and a nice regular festival on second Saturdays during warmer months with vendors, artists, etc. Try The Dale and High Voltage for lunch or dinner, or Forage and Gather for upscale groceries, liquor/wine, and coffee.
Ellenville has a nice, cute main street with multiple shops and restaurants, even a small producing theatre! There is a Shop Rite grocery store, multiple pharmacy chains, hardware store, hospital, etc. The nearest town with full services. Highly recommend Gaby's for mexican food.
23 locals recommend
Ellenville
Ellenville has a nice, cute main street with multiple shops and restaurants, even a small producing theatre! There is a Shop Rite grocery store, multiple pharmacy chains, hardware store, hospital, etc. The nearest town with full services. Highly recommend Gaby's for mexican food.
This is the local 'metropolis,' where you'll find all the big box stores, the mall and movie theatre, two major regional hospitals, and the nearest train to NYC, which runs via NJ Transit from Hoboken/Secaucus. There are multiple breweries if that's your thing. Highly recommend Holy Dog for creative hot dogs and The Taco Factory. Hannaford in Middletown is the best grocery store nearby - about 20 minutes from the cabin.
19 locals recommend
Middletown
This is the local 'metropolis,' where you'll find all the big box stores, the mall and movie theatre, two major regional hospitals, and the nearest train to NYC, which runs via NJ Transit from Hoboken/Secaucus. There are multiple breweries if that's your thing. Highly recommend Holy Dog for creative hot dogs and The Taco Factory. Hannaford in Middletown is the best grocery store nearby - about 20 minutes from the cabin.
Food scene
Custer's Last Stand
176 Kingston Avelocal ice cream stand with good variety of treats!
This place has creative, mostly indian-inspired all vegetarian dishes. We love the mulligatawney and tofu curry. Don't be afraid to try the specials. Take out can take a while, so order well in advance!
26 locals recommend
The Red Dot Vegetarian Kitchen
106 Sullivan StThis place has creative, mostly indian-inspired all vegetarian dishes. We love the mulligatawney and tofu curry. Don't be afraid to try the specials. Take out can take a while, so order well in advance!
Nice small local farmers market - every Saturday morning late spring through the fall.
20 locals recommend
Rock Hill Farmers' Market
223 Rock Hill DrNice small local farmers market - every Saturday morning late spring through the fall.
The local town hall hosts a nice farmers market Friday afternoons/evenings in season. Lots of good vendors plus usually some kind of musical entertainment and a grill station for hot dogs and burgers.
Mamakating Town Hall
2948 U.S. 209The local town hall hosts a nice farmers market Friday afternoons/evenings in season. Lots of good vendors plus usually some kind of musical entertainment and a grill station for hot dogs and burgers.
small locally owned liquor and wine store. a highly curated, limited selection (it's tiny!), but some good choices and lovely owners who have lived in the area for many years.
Seven Trails Wine & Spirits
177 Sullivan Streetsmall locally owned liquor and wine store. a highly curated, limited selection (it's tiny!), but some good choices and lovely owners who have lived in the area for many years.
The best farm stand around with a huge selection ranging from local meats, cheeses, eggs, and other dairy products to all the local and seasonal vegetables you could want. Open Saturdays only Spring through late fall. Try the housemade sausages.
If you're not here on a saturday, you can still shop a smaller selection at their self-serve farmstand, which is on Shoddy Hollow Road in Otisville.
Highly Recommended!
Farmer's Daughter
1717 NY-211The best farm stand around with a huge selection ranging from local meats, cheeses, eggs, and other dairy products to all the local and seasonal vegetables you could want. Open Saturdays only Spring through late fall. Try the housemade sausages.
If you're not here on a saturday, you can still shop a smaller selection at their self-serve farmstand, which is on Shoddy Hollow Road in Otisville.
Highly Recommended!
Our local Mexican restaurant is family owned and super friendly - eat in or take out.
8 locals recommend
Las Mañanitas Mexican
158 Sullivan StOur local Mexican restaurant is family owned and super friendly - eat in or take out.
Sightseeing
This is our favorite local hike in Wurtsboro. Amazing 360 views from the fire tower at the top of the Shawangunk Ridge. There are two parking areas, one at the end of the paved road, the other up the gravel/rocky road near the communications tower. Only attempt the latter in good weather and with the proper vehicle. The trail starts at the second parking area, and continues past the fire tower in both directions following the ridge line with more amazing views at every turn. Easy hike once you're past the first steep section to get to the tower.
6 locals recommend
state park fire tower
This is our favorite local hike in Wurtsboro. Amazing 360 views from the fire tower at the top of the Shawangunk Ridge. There are two parking areas, one at the end of the paved road, the other up the gravel/rocky road near the communications tower. Only attempt the latter in good weather and with the proper vehicle. The trail starts at the second parking area, and continues past the fire tower in both directions following the ridge line with more amazing views at every turn. Easy hike once you're past the first steep section to get to the tower.
This is a bit of Wurtboro history and a really nice nature hike, especially with kids or other incapable of steep or rocky terrain. You can follow the D&H Canal tow path from multiple points in Mamakating. The section in Phillipsport has an interpretive center and an extant lock used to lower the canal boats on their journey to the Hudson River from coal mines in Pennsylvania.
D&H Linear Park
This is a bit of Wurtboro history and a really nice nature hike, especially with kids or other incapable of steep or rocky terrain. You can follow the D&H Canal tow path from multiple points in Mamakating. The section in Phillipsport has an interpretive center and an extant lock used to lower the canal boats on their journey to the Hudson River from coal mines in Pennsylvania.
This is an amazing state park, with multiple world class hiking and rock climbing destinations. It sits mostly atop the Shawangunk ridge, with several sky lakes, waterfalls, and amazing views on both sides towards the Hudson and further into the Catskills. Sam's Point is well known and can get very crowded so get there early. The visitor's center has many hikes to choose from including Awosting Falls and the Minnewaska lake loop. But our favorite is Stony Kill Falls, which is on a separate entrance with no entrance fee. In the summer, you can scale the cliff next to the waterfall using installed stone stairs and the occasional ladder. It can be treacherous, so go carefully, but at the top is an oasis of swimming holes and natural pools carved into the rock bed leading to the precipice at the top of the waterfall.
504 locals recommend
Minnewaska State Park Preserve
5281 Route 44-55This is an amazing state park, with multiple world class hiking and rock climbing destinations. It sits mostly atop the Shawangunk ridge, with several sky lakes, waterfalls, and amazing views on both sides towards the Hudson and further into the Catskills. Sam's Point is well known and can get very crowded so get there early. The visitor's center has many hikes to choose from including Awosting Falls and the Minnewaska lake loop. But our favorite is Stony Kill Falls, which is on a separate entrance with no entrance fee. In the summer, you can scale the cliff next to the waterfall using installed stone stairs and the occasional ladder. It can be treacherous, so go carefully, but at the top is an oasis of swimming holes and natural pools carved into the rock bed leading to the precipice at the top of the waterfall.
The Neversink area has multiple great trails, good river tubing in the summer (bring your own tube, watch for waterfalls!), and lots of areas where you can cool off in pristine water that feeds NYC drinking water reservoirs. Mullet Brook Falls loop is a fantastic waterfall hike - about 2 hours round trip.
21 locals recommend
Neversink River Unique Area
Eden RoadThe Neversink area has multiple great trails, good river tubing in the summer (bring your own tube, watch for waterfalls!), and lots of areas where you can cool off in pristine water that feeds NYC drinking water reservoirs. Mullet Brook Falls loop is a fantastic waterfall hike - about 2 hours round trip.
One of the best local features, this is a large wetland with several good, easy hikes. In the winter and spring, you can see several nesting pairs of bald eagles and their offspring, with dedicated platforms and blinds with direct views of common nesting areas. If you have kayaks of canoes you can launch at several areas, and a central channel lets you paddle directly to the nest areas with beautiful flowers and lilly pads all around. This is also a great spot to come to spot fall foliage. Enjoy the Bashakill Vineyards for a bite and beverage after a nice hike or paddle.
27 locals recommend
Bashakill Wildlife Management Area
One of the best local features, this is a large wetland with several good, easy hikes. In the winter and spring, you can see several nesting pairs of bald eagles and their offspring, with dedicated platforms and blinds with direct views of common nesting areas. If you have kayaks of canoes you can launch at several areas, and a central channel lets you paddle directly to the nest areas with beautiful flowers and lilly pads all around. This is also a great spot to come to spot fall foliage. Enjoy the Bashakill Vineyards for a bite and beverage after a nice hike or paddle.
Rainy Day Indoor Acivities
The outdoors is the place to be near our cabin, but if you need some indoors fun there are options!
Now called “Memory Lanes”this is a great, affordable, locally owned bowling alley in Port Jervis, about 30min away. Combine with a trip to Fox and Hare Brewing Co!
9 locals recommend
Port Jervis Bowl
17 W Main StNow called “Memory Lanes”this is a great, affordable, locally owned bowling alley in Port Jervis, about 30min away. Combine with a trip to Fox and Hare Brewing Co!
Bethel Woods - the site of the 1969 Woodstock Music Festival - has large scale outdoor concerts in the summer, drive through holiday lights near Christmastime, and a great family-friendly museum about the concert year-round.
495 locals recommend
Bethel Woods Center for the Arts
200 Hurd RdBethel Woods - the site of the 1969 Woodstock Music Festival - has large scale outdoor concerts in the summer, drive through holiday lights near Christmastime, and a great family-friendly museum about the concert year-round.
The Kartrite resort sells day passes to their indoor waterpark and other attractions.
120 locals recommend
The Kartrite Resort & Indoor Waterpark
555 Resorts World DrThe Kartrite resort sells day passes to their indoor waterpark and other attractions.
Winter activities
Local ski mountain and tubing hill. Also a funpark in summer.
140 locals recommend
Holiday Mountain Ski & Fun
99 Holiday Mountain RdLocal ski mountain and tubing hill. Also a funpark in summer.
Next closest skiing to Holiday. A bit larger, more lifts and terrain.
118 locals recommend
Mount Peter Ski Area
51 Old Mt Peter RdNext closest skiing to Holiday. A bit larger, more lifts and terrain.
A long trek, but the best skiing in the area. 90 minutes each way.
604 locals recommend
Belleayre Mountain Ski Center
181 Galli Curci RdA long trek, but the best skiing in the area. 90 minutes each way.