Things to Do in the Catskills: A Local’s Guide
Bellfire in the Catskills / Lower Meeker Hollow, Roxbury, NY
Exploring the Catskills?
Where to stay in the Catskills
Stay at Bellfire!
Four artist-built camps tucked into ten acres of wildflower meadow and maple forest in the Western Catskills.
We’ve called the Catskills home for more than a decade, and if there’s one thing we’ve learned, it’s that the best way to experience these mountains is not to try to see everything.
The Catskills stretch across four counties, with mountains, forests, rivers, reservoirs, farmland and tiny towns to explore. There are famous destinations worth seeing, of course, but some of our favorite days are much simpler: a morning on the trail, lunch in a little mountain town and a farm stand on the way home.
So rather than another enormous list of attractions, this is our guide to experiencing the Catskills a little more like a local: what to do, where to wander and how to make the most of a few days in the mountains.
1. Take a Hike
You don’t have to climb one of the Catskills’ highest peaks to experience the mountains.
There are challenging summit hikes here, but there are also gentle rail trails, waterfall walks, forest loops and trails that lead to beautiful overlooks without requiring an entire day. Some of the best-known hikes are in the eastern Catskills, including the trails around Kaaterskill Falls. Head west and things tend to get a little quieter.
Around our corner of the Western Catskills, we love the open mountain views from Palmer Hill and Shavertown Trail, the deep woods of Kelly Hollow and the easygoing Catskill Scenic Trail, which follows a former railroad corridor through the Delaware River valley.
Looking for trails near Bellfire? Read our Local’s Guide to Roxbury & the Western Catskills →
Shavertown Trail Photo by Colin Young
2. Wander a Small Catskills Town
One of the pleasures of the Catskills is that there isn’t really one Catskills town.
Woodstock is probably the best known, with its long arts and music history, galleries, shops and famously eclectic village center. It’s worth experiencing at least once—though the 1969 festival that made the name famous actually took place about 60 miles away in Bethel.
Phoenicia sits tucked beneath the mountains, while Livingston Manor has become known for food, independent shops and fly-fishing culture. Head farther west and Andes has a tiny Main Street filled with independent shops and galleries, Margaretville feels like a classic mountain village, and Roxbury is quieter, historic and just a little unexpected.
Pick a town, park the car and wander. Have coffee, browse a shop, stop for lunch and see where the afternoon takes you.
3. Get on the Water
The Catskills may be known for mountains, but water is everywhere. Rivers wind through the valleys, waterfalls tumble down the mountainsides and reservoirs stretch for miles between forested ridges. Summer brings swimming, kayaking, canoeing and tubing.
And a little local advice about swimming holes: Catskills people are notoriously reluctant to give up their favorites. We’re not going to either.
Part of the fun is discovering a quiet stretch of water on your own. Look for public lands and designated access points, and always respect posted private property. On NYC watershed land, look for Public Access Area signs or check the NYC DEP recreation map before heading in—access and permitted activities vary by parcel.
In the Western Catskills, the Pepacton Reservoir is one of our favorite landscapes. Drive Route 30 along its edge and you’ll understand why. Nearby Lake Wawaka is an easy place to rent a kayak or paddleboard and spend a quiet afternoon on the water.
Pack a picnic, bring a swimsuit and leave yourself an afternoon.
Mine Kill Falls Blenheim, NY
4. Eat Your Way Through the Mountains
Some of the best meals in the Catskills happen in places you might not expect.
In Bovina, Brushland Eating House serves thoughtful, seasonal food in a tiny town surrounded by farmland. In Andes, Wayside Cider pairs local cider with a casual menu and a big outdoor lawn. Peekamoose in Big Indian is a longtime favorite for dinner after a day exploring the mountains.
Get coffee somewhere local, stop at a bakery, have lunch in the town you’re exploring, and make dinner over the fire one night.
One thing to know: restaurants in the Catskills often have limited hours, especially midweek. Check ahead and make reservations when possible.
Staying in the Western Catskills? See our favorite places to eat & drink around Roxbury →
5. Go to a Farmers Market
Agriculture is still an important part of life in the Western Catskills, and farmers markets are one of the best ways to experience it.
The Pakatakan Farmers Market in Halcottsville is a favorite, held Saturdays from May through October in a historic round barn. You’ll find local produce, cheese, bread, maple syrup, flowers, crafts and plenty of things you didn’t know you needed until you saw them.
You’ll also find smaller farm stands tucked along back roads throughout the region. If you see one, stop—that’s part of the fun.
Pakatakan Farmer’s Market Halcottville, NY
6. Explore the Catskills Arts Scene
The Catskills have long attracted artists, musicians, writers and people looking for space to make things.
You’ll find galleries and studios scattered throughout the region, often in unexpected places. The scale is small, but the work isn’t—you might find ambitious contemporary art behind the door of a tiny storefront on a Main Street with barely a traffic light.
Check local calendars while you’re here. Gallery openings, studio tours, concerts and pop-up exhibitions happen throughout the year, especially during summer and fall.
7. Learn Something From a Local
One of the best ways to experience the Catskills is to spend a few hours with someone who knows these mountains particularly well.
Go mushroom hunting with Catskill Fungi, where a walk through the forest becomes a lesson in edible and medicinal mushrooms, forest ecology and foraging. Join The Outside Institute for a guided naturalist walk and learn to notice the plants, fungi and tiny ecosystems you might otherwise walk right past.
Or try your hand at one of the Catskills’ oldest traditions with a guided fly-fishing trip on one of the region’s legendary trout streams.
Local organizations like the Catskill Forest Association and Catskill Center also offer seasonal walks, workshops and outdoor programs.
Offerings change throughout the year, so check their calendars before your trip.
Photo Catskill Fungi
8. Take the Scenic Route
Take the long way.
Some of the best drives in the Catskills follow winding roads through mountain passes, farmland and tiny hamlets. Route 30 along the Pepacton Reservoir is especially beautiful, as are the back roads connecting Roxbury, Andes and Bovina.
If you see a road that looks interesting, take it. Stop at the overlook, pull over at the farm stand, follow the hand-painted sign. Sometimes the drive is the destination.
Lower Meeker Hollow, Roxbury, NY
9. Hunt for Vintage & Antiques
Antique shops, vintage stores and roadside treasure hunting are part of the Catskills experience.
You’ll find beautifully curated vintage clothing, old furniture, handmade ceramics and plenty of odd objects with stories attached. Andes, Margaretville, Roxbury and Stamford all have places worth poking around. Leave a little room in the car!
10. Experience the Catskills in Every Season
Spring brings rushing waterfalls, cool hiking weather and the first wildflowers.
Summer is for swimming, farmers markets, long evenings outside and campfires under the stars.
Fall gets most of the attention: brilliant foliage, crisp mornings, harvest stands, apple picking and cider donuts.
Winter is quieter. Snow settles into the mountains, ski areas open and many towns slow down for the season.
Bellfire is open from May through October, so we get to watch the landscape change from spring green to peak fall color every year.
One last piece of advice: don’t overschedule it.
Leave some room in your Catskills weekend for the unplanned parts: a slow morning, a roadside farm stand, a swim, or simply doing nothing for a while. Some of the best parts of being here aren’t on an itinerary.