Wildlife, design, food & drink, travel, real estate, country characters, adventures, waterfalls.
All in Catskills for Kids
If you’re looking for something to do with teens or tweens in the Catskills, Howe Caverns is hard to beat. We brought our kids for the first time when they were 3 and 6 years old, and it was a lot easier and more enjoyable when they were 10 and 13. Even if you’ve been before, I recommend revisiting these magical underground wonders.
Planting wildflowers in the Catskills? Here's everything you need to know about choosing the best seeds, picking a good spot, timing your planting, and how to prep the soil. I planted my first flower patch in some very poor soil near the side of the road, and I was shocked by the simplicity of the task and the ultra-satisfying results.
At Casa Latina, a homey Mexican spot tucked into a alleyway in the Village of Catskill, margaritas are served in cactus-stemmed glasses, chili pepper lights twinkle behind the bar, and a self-serve fridge is stocked with a wide array of Jarritos flavors. Located in Brandow Alley, its patio has been transformed into a miniature tropical escape, a potted plant paradise complete with dinner-plate dahlias and spiky dracaenas.
The egg sandwich at See and Be goes above and beyond the basic BEC. Made-to-order with the freshest possible ingredients, this spectacular, fully customizable Catskills breakfast sandwich is worth a drive to Cairo, but it really should come with a warning: It may forever ruin the bacon-egg-and-cheese from your go-to corner bodega. (Side note: It can even be vegan-ized!)
What’s the best way to spend a Saturday in Saugerties? In celebration of Laura Stevenson’s upcoming show at Opus 40, we asked the Saugerties-based singer-songwriter to talk us through a perfect weekend day in this quaint Hudson River town. Laura has a 3-year-old daughter, and all her recommendations are very kid-friendly.
Inquiring Minds Bookstore and Coffee House sells new books alongside used books, has a super kids section as well as a giant grown-up selection, and pours notably delicious coffee, tea, and lemonade. When it’s too cold or too hot or too rainy to enjoy the outdoors, this Saugerties book shop can really save the day.
A treasure trove of Greene County History, the Vedder Research Library is your one-stop shop for questions about local land, ancestry, and more. Historian and archivist Jonathan Palmer, a Greene County native with a passion for the area, brings local history to life with the effervescent positivity (and corny jokes and mustache) of a young, real-life Ted Lasso.
Need a rainy day activity in the Catskills? Mountain Top Library in Tannersville should be on every book-lover’s bucket list. With vaulted ceilings, giant windows, cozy seating nooks, and an excellent kids’ section, there is a lot to love about this public library nestled in the Catskill Mountains.
Pratt Rock Trail, leading up to the Mount Rushmore of the Catskills, was really tough for my city kids, who’ve already hiked plenty of beginner trails in the Catskill Mountains. I disagree with the tourism site that calls it “perfect for beginners.” For us, it was way too big a jump into harder hikes. There are some great views, but hikers need to avoid a giant wasp nest near the stone carvings.
Tanners Boat House, a New England seafood shack in Tannersville, has lobster rolls, lakeside views, a little beach with canoe, kayak, paddle board, and tube rentals, a giant playground next door, beer, wine, booze, and a trolley to take you back to town. This is their first summer of operation and it’s 2022’s best new full-service family-friendly destination in the Catskills.
Did you know that Sfoglini makes all of their pasta in the quaint Hudson Valley town of Coxsackie? Sfoglini makes fun, colorful pasta shapes, combining American ingredients with Italian techniques. The result is a rustic, rough-textured pasta that clings to sauce far better than its slippery, mass-produced supermarket counterparts.
Red Star Cafe has opened as Cairo’s first coffee house. It’s literally a house, complete with a breezy porch, a wide and welcoming indoor seating area, and a back-corner study nook. Plus, it’s the only spot in town with an espresso machine and free WiFi, and in these parts, that’s a pretty big deal.
With a counter-service menu of baked goods (flaky croissants, brownies with fun toppings, muffins) and simple grab-and-go fare (salads, yogurt parfaits, hummus cups), Red Star hits the spot, whether you’re wrangling a couple of kids or just toting a laptop.
A new Catskills ice cream shop is taking milkshakes to the next level. At Cutie’s Sweets & Treats in Cairo, the rims of old-fashioned milkshake glasses are rolled in cake frosting, which works as a sugary glue to blanket with candy, sprinkles, popcorn, or graham cracker crumbs. Then, the glasses are filled with creamy shakes and piled high with treats.
Travel back to 1663 at the oldest house in the Hudson Valley. At the Bronck House and Museum, run by the Greene County Historical Society in Coxsackie, history buffs can see first-hand how a single-room stone house grew into a Dutch Colonial home with a standalone kitchen and learn about how much life has changed in 350 years.