Catskill Mountains

If you need to get away from the city life for either a weekend or a week-long vacation, the Catskill Mountains are only a few hours away to the north. Awaiting for you upon your arrival is a wide variety of activities that can be found there along with interesting places to stay. For some outdoor fun, you can go skiing, hiking, fishing, hunting, horseback riding, or during the summertime, you can spend the day at an outdoor water park. After activities, you can sit back and enjoy a cider at one of the region’s numerous cider distilleries.

Plattekill Ski Mountain

Plattekill is the last of the family-owned ski mountains in the area. Beginners and the more experienced skiers in the family will find slopes from there. You will not get bored here because Plattekill Ski Mountain has over 35 trails to choose from and an 1100’ vertical drop. If skiing isn’t your thing or perhaps you’re traveling with younger kids, there is also lift-serviced snow tubing, which is a guaranteed family favorite.

Belleayre Mountain

Belleayre will surely please the experienced skiers and snowboarders as well as provide a fun environment for those enjoying a slower pace. They offer 50 trails, 5 glades, 1 terrain Park, 1 progression park, and 1 X-Course. Belleayre resort also has a gondola, the only one in the Catskill Mountains. The gondola is not only for the skiing season but is equally fun during the warmer seasons since the beautiful Catskill Forest Preserve can be enjoyed throughout the year from high above. This is a great way to view the breathtaking fall foliage. After the gondola ride up to the top of the mountain, you can enjoy the views and the nature, maybe have a picnic. If you are looking for more activity, you can complete your day by hiking down the mountain, if not, you can always take the gondola down for an easy ride.

Black Dome Horseback Riding

Black Dome Rough Rider’s Ranch is located in East Jewett, NY. Only half an hour from Katterskill Falls, near both Windham and Hunter Mountains, Black Dome has many options for outdoor activities. As the name implied, there is horseback riding, but there is also so much more, such as ski lessons, camping, hunting, and fishing. If interested in these activities it is worth noting that the owner is a Marine Corps veteran who is a certified hunting guide, who can help teach you the skills needed to be a successful hunter. If hunting is not your thing, he also teaches skiing lessons, gives guided horseback riding trips and trail rides, and he has camping sites right at the ranch.

Zoom Flume Water Park

While on your weekend getaway, if you spend one day at Black Dome Rough Rider’s Ranch, the next day certainly calls for a day of fun activities at Zoom Flume Water Park. Zoom Flume Water Park is an outdoor park with slides for thrill-seekers, shallow play areas for younger children, and a lazy river for relaxing. There is no better way to enjoy a hot summer day, than by floating around a river, doing nothing but soaking up the sun.

The kids will love a day in this outdoor park, which is located in East Durham on Shady Glen Road. To name a few of the rides there is a lazy river for relaxing, Grand Prix Splashway for racing your friends, Typhoon Twister for the thrill-seekers, a 500’ Wild River, the Lagoon Activity Park for the younger kids, and a lot more. If you’re hungry, there’s no reason to bring lunch from home as they have a snack bar with sandwiches, pizza, burgers, drinks so you don’t have to leave the water park for lunch. But in case you prefer your own food, there’s also a picnic area in a scenic spot adjacent to the parking lot if you want to bring your lunch.

Hull-O-Farms

Hull-O-Farms offers farm visits and farm-stay vacations. This bed and breakfast offers unforgettable memories, as you can wake up to farm sounds and start your day by feeding farm animals. It’s a great experience for the whole family and your kids will surely get excited when waking up to a rooster. While there, you will get to participate in day-to-day activities and observe the cycles of a real working farm. If you just want to visit for a day, they offer farm tours with hands-on activities, such as milking a cow and collecting fresh eggs. Hull-O-Farm is over 200 years old family farm with sheep, pigs, cows, calves, goats, bunnies, kittens, chickens, ducks, and deer.

The Roxbury’s hotel experience

If you are looking for a hotel stay that is fun and truly unique, check out The Roxbury. All of their rooms, suites, and cottages are themed and full of interesting details. Maybe you’ve always dreamed of staying in a faerie forest or in a room inspired by a blacksmith’s shop, with a clawfoot bathtub in front of a fireplace, either way, this is the place to be. Book early so you can choose the theme that you like, they fill up fast. They have two locations nearby each other and visitors can use the amenities of both locations, which include an outdoor swimming pool, spa, hot tub, sauna, and trails around 50’ waterfall.

To sum up

The Catskill Mountains have so many things to do, for all ages and interests. You can leave the city for a refreshing weekend getaway or stay for a week-long vacation, as it is easy to find activities and entertainment. The beauty of the Catskill Mountains region is enough of a reason to visit. Come with friends or family, but you won’t want to miss this destination.