Jordan said our winter vacations keep getting more and more remote, and he is very right! This one was our most remote yet, where we made a little home in a place without a TV (yup!), and no access to a gym. It felt even more remote by the fact that it was the middle of winter and not full of tourists hiking and exploring. But it was beautiful, and quaint, and a perfect little BabyMoon location for us!
Activities
The Catskills leaves you with a range of options. We stayed at The Arnold on Shandalee and treated ourselves to the suites by the spa, giving us lots of space! Another great hotel in Livingston Manor would be The DeBruce. Two things to keep in mind: The Arnold is right by the road, so pack earplugs for sleeping if that bothers you, and it’s not accessible via elevator, so stairs are required (even to get from the front door of the suite, into the suite, there is a flight of stairs). Now, what to do…
- Cozy up with a book by the fire in the Sun Room at The Arnold
- Book in at the Spa (at the Arnold)
- Check out all the things your accommodations have to offer. The Arnold offers Trivia Night, yoga classes, and various other activities
- Go on a hike: Balsam Lake Mountain – depending on time of year, you may be able to go to the Fire Tower. Moderate (to Difficult) hike – if you want to keep it more moderate, follow the blue tags, rather than the red. In winter, depending on the amount of snow, ice cleats or snow shoes would be beneficial
- Walk the Main Street
- Head to Narrowsburg for lunch and walk their main street
- Drive to Bethel and see where the first Woodstock Festival 1969 was held; they also have a museum opened part of the year
- See the Sonoma Falls
Other activities that I didn’t get a chance to do, but were recommended and/or researched:
- Drive along the Delaware River
- Go to the Catskill Art Society
- Take a gong meditation class with Marc at River Family Wellness in Callicoon
Now to the Food…
Restaurants
- Main Street Farm Market Cafe – soup & sandwich, and homemade baking kind of place! Plus, has a range of groceries available
- The Kaatskeller – wood-fired pizza!
- The Heron – American diner-ish for breakfast and lunch in Narrowsburg
- The DeBruce – our best meal, by far! Book ahead of time if you want to do the tasting menu
- The Tavern – stick to just the pub-type food, but if you go on a Thursday night, it will be packed with locals doing trivia
Other Restaurants that I didn’t get a chance to try, but were recommended and/or researched:
- The Laundrette – pizza in Narrowsburg
- Tusten Cup – cafe in Narrowsburg
- Cochecton Fire Station – lunch or dinner in Cochecton
Don’t forget to pack your board games, books, and all other things to enjoy the quiet, relaxing journey that awaits you!