Things to do / Travel Guide
The country's first vacation and resort area, the area with one of the country's largest concentrations of estates from the Gilded Age - are revitalized today in the Catskills and the Hudson Valley region. This region was traditionally the outdoors outlet for New York City's populace, but people from all over the East and the country are revealing and revel in its secrets; it finds itself at the finishing touches of a new beginning. It's an outdoors powerhouse, a place for tired city folk in need of a break to reconnect with nature and a simpler life. What this region has done is perfect just that: a simpler life, where everything from the organic fruits and vegetables on up are there for the picking.
The action in this region centers around the Hudson River, a wide and exciting waterway which flows from the Adirondack Mountains out to New York Bay. The river along the Hudson Valley and the Catskills is overflowing with fantastic views, wish-you-were-there history, and exciting water activities, all for the benefit of the visitor. The river that played such a great part in the history of the nation, from before the Revolutionary War into the Industrial Age, now basks as one of the greatest East Coast kayaking destinations. There are many boating excursions on these waters as well, showcasing the environment's beauty along with the region's history.
In the Hudson Valley, in Tarrytown, Sleepy Hollow, and farther north along the river, the gilded mansions and meticulously-manicured gardens from the late-19th century awe visitors, revealing to them the extravagance of another era. The estates were bequeathed names such as Kykuit, Sunnyside, Olana, built by such financial and artistic giants as Rockefeller, Washington Irving, and Frederick Church, and designed by such luminaries as Chester Holmes Aldrich and Alexander Jackson Davis. Franklin Delano Roosevelt was brought up and lived most of his adult life in the Hudson Valley, at his ancestral home, Springwood.
The Hudson Valley is filled with lush parks with manifold recreation opportunities; two of the best, and the largest, of these are Harriman State Park and Bear Mountain State Park, both known for lakes, bike trails, and stupendous views of the Hudson River. North of Bear Mountain are the Hudson Highlands and West Point, which is rich in American history. A huge attraction in this area is Storm King State Park, a 400-acre wonder blending verdant and rolling nature with modern art - the work of some of the best sculptors of the past 60 years.
The verdant farms and forests on either side of the Hudson River greet city-folk with a breath of fresh air, and there's room for everyone. The produce of these farms is the best around, and farmers markets are everywhere selling plump tomatoes or savory onions, homemade jams or cheeses. The part of the valley to the west of the river is also especially known as a haven for extreme sports enthusiasts. The birthplace of soaring is here, as is the northeast capital of hang gliding. In the autumn, foliage is king, with a cascade of hues draping the nearby mountains.
The Shawangunk mountain range, geologically separate from the Catskill range, rises up abruptly as a long ridge due west of the charming and historic city of New Paltz. Rock-climbing and mountain biking are king on these rocks. The myth-laden and myth-making Catskills loom west of Kingston, along the Hudson River.
But this isn't your grandma's Catskills. That was probably farther south, along the “Quickway.” Among these majestic peaks, mostly within Catskill Park, visitors find themselves surrounded by hilly and scenic bike and hiking trails - some of the best in the East, and a multitude of streams in which to go trout fishing. On the trout-swollen streams down these slopes and along these valleys, such as the Neversink, it's said that fly-fishing got its start here. Aside from trout fishing, the lakes and streams of the region, on both sides of the Hudson, are well-stocked with bass, chain pickerel, panfish, yellow perch, bullheads, and crappie, among others.
Many of the settlements of the Catskills are historic art towns, starting with Woodstock and Saugerties; Tannersville, Hunter, and Jewett are up-and-coming art towns. The café and live music scenes thrive, and there are a number of high-quality craft boutiques; the towns also serve as departure points for various summer activities like fishing, hiking, and mountain biking, and winter activities like cross-country and downhill skiing.
Two famous attractions the region has to offer are Howe Caverns and the Baseball Hall of Fame, both on the northern periphery of the Catskills. Howe Caverns is considered the best scenic cave in the northeast, and one of the best in the country, and boasts among other things a fantastic underground lake. The Baseball Hall of Fame, in Cooperstown, has been beloved for generations of sports fans. Feel the buzz, and the stories emanate from the town's fields where legend says baseball was invented.
The Catskills and the Hudson Valley region begs attention, as it's the perfect place for extended trips focusing on culture and the outdoors, but also for nice weekend excursions from New York City. For accommodations you can choose among an ever-expanding crop of bed and breakfasts; some of these are in grand old Victorian houses, while others have taken hold in converted farm houses. The small resorts in the Catskills are perfect as launching points for outdoors activities, and boast amenities like pools and arcades. Of the majestic and old larger resorts, only one has weathered the storm: the Mohonk Mountain House, in the Shawangunks. The vast grounds and complex bring you back to an earlier time, and envelop you in things to do and see.
With plenty of activities for both kids and adults, the Catskills and the Hudson Valley region awaits. Prepare yourself for a choice selection of some of the country's best fresh fruits and vegetables, fantastic and whimsical architecture, all kinds of outdoor and extreme sports galore, one of the best live music scenes in the northeast - and much, much, more. It's is a laid-back region, just a 90-minute drive from New York City, the most bustling city in the US.
Time Zone
The Catskills and the Hudson Valley region is on Eastern Time, three hours ahead of Pacific Time.
If you're coming to the region for the outdoors opportunities from New York City (New York City), or any large city, don't expect a Central Park-like walk in the woods. In reality its real hiking that requires preparation and appropriate equipment. Also expect traffic on the major highways in an out of New York City on weekends.
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