Enjoy a Family-Friendly Staycation in the Catskills Without Breaking the Bank

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With increasing gas prices and persistent public health concerns, many have put travel plans on pause. We still, though, have the itch to go somewhere, anywhere, and get away for a bit. Here’s an opportunity to explore your own backyard, whether it’s a day trip to a part of Catskill Country you haven’t explored before or a short trip to a new event or restaurant, staycations are big!

Here are our top tips for enjoying a family staycation in Catskill County without spending a lot:

Stay Mid-Week

Getting away for a night or a few nights can do wonders for your well-being and perspective. But with the great popularity of the Catskills with visitors, our area lodging places are often full for weekend stays, so why not use a few days of vacation time and sneak away mid-week for a night or two? You may even find that some inns and resorts offer discounted rates for weekday stays. On top of a great deal, you’ll likely see fewer guests during the week, which means you could feel like you have the whole pool, hot tub, or other amenities to yourselves!

Day Trips Are In

If getting away for the night isn’t in the cards for you, plan a day trip to the next town over or to a drivable destination you’ve been wanting to check out for a while. From Main Streets to mountain trails, just getting out on your own town can be invigorating.

Hike, Bike, or Paddle That Place on Your Bucket List

Somehow, our busy lives keep us from doing the very things that make Catskill Country so popular with visitors: fishing, hiking, biking, and paddling. Nothing is more restorative than a day spent outdoors doing something you love. So cast a line for the first time in a while, go for a hike on uncrowded trails, or dip your paddle in familiar waters and begin your discovery in Catskill Country.

Look at Catskill Country through the eyes of
your (grand)kids

We live in a place filled with natural marvels. While we can all enjoy a spectacular view or a dramatic waterfall, it often takes a child to see the beauty and wonderment of watching a newt scurry across your path on a woodland walk or the imaginative play of riding an antique trolley or train. Exploring the region with children allows us a new (and refreshing) perspective on the places and experiences that we sometimes take for granted.

Here are a few ideas to release your imagination in Catskill Country:

Hanford Mills Museum

East Meredith

607.278.5744

HanfordMills.org

Guided tours of the Mill are offered May 15 through Oct. 15, Wednesdays through Sundays. Come experience 175 years of Catskills ingenuity at our historic water-powered sawmill, gristmill and woodworking shop.  

Trolley Museum

Kingston

845.331.3399

tmny.org

Trolley rides on original tracks along the historic Kingston waterfront to Kingston Point Park on the Hudson River.

NYS Power Authority 

Visitor Center

Blenheim-Gilboa

800.724.0309

nypa.gov/communities/visitors-centers/blenheim-gilboa-visitors-center

Features interactive, hands-on exhibits that demonstrate how our power is made and how pumped storage is important to reliable electricity in New York.

Mountain Top Arboretum

Tannersville

518.589.3903

mtarboretum.org

Its mountain top elevation of 2,400 feet allows for pure enjoyment of the spectacular and historic Catskills landscape. Arboretum trails and boardwalks connect 178 acres of plant collections, natural meadows, wetlands and forest.

Catskill Fly Fishing Center 

and Museum

Livingston Manor

845.439.4810

www.cffcm.com

The 53-acre grounds encompass the museum, the Wulff Gallery & Heritage Craft Center, gift shop, a covered pavilion, a casting field, pond, trail system and river access.