Who doesn't love horses? Beautiful and majestic, they invoke a sense of freedom and adventure that many of us dream about. In the Catskills and Hudson Valley - just a couple of hours from New York City - many people are living that dream. They are waking up to misty mountain views from their windows, acres of pastures with horses or cows, maybe taking their dog for walk through a forest path at the start of each day. If a life on the ranch is your idea of living the dream, achieving it is a very real possibility here. Our listings frequently include properties, both big and small, fit to house large animals such as horses with necessities like fencing, shelter, and room space for grazing and running all in place. Whether you need the right farm for just one horse or a stable full of equines, the Catskills have an abundance of properties of...
In the heydey of the Silver (1900-1945) and Golden (1945-1965) Ages of the Catskills, when the region was one of the most famous vacation destinations in the country, there were as many as 20 hotels and boarding houses located in the Willowemoc Valley. Now there is but one, the DeBruce, in the picturesque hamlet of Livingston Manor, NY, to welcome a new boom of Catskills travelers. Built in the 1880s, the DeBruce has gone through many names and transformations throughout the years. Today, this 14-guestroom lodge has become a culinary destination and an elegant retreat with access to hundreds of acres of pristine Catskills Mountains land. The food and the land are closely entwined in the experience the hotel creates for its guests: not only are the guests encouraged to freely explore the surrounding mountains, rivers and trails, but some of the ingredients for the food served at the hotel's restaurant are freshly foraged from the land each morning, inspiring imaginative creations in th...
In Delaware County, the Delaware & Ulster Railroad (top photo) takes you on a leisurely 2-hour round-trip excursion between Arkville, NY and Roxbury, NY, promising some of the country's most magnificent scenery along the way. Sit comfortably in a vintage coach or enjoy the breeze on an open car. Some rides come with scheduled special events: light-hearted train robberies, twilight rides, and dining for groups. Trains depart on Saturdays and Sundays, and pricing varies between $12 and $20 per passenger.
In Ulster County, the Catskill Mountain Railroad Co. (photo below) serves the historic Hudson Valley with exciting recreational rides. Trains depart from Kingston, NY, and run up to Harley Mountain and back with gorgeous views from beginning to end. Vintage passenger trains offer comfort and ease. Special excursions include Foll Foliage Trains (October 7-15), Pumpkin Patch Trains (October 21-29 with a visit to the pumpkin patch where kids can pick their own pumpkin to bring home), and The Polar Express around Christmas (November 17 to December 28). Prices between $12 and $18.
The Roscoe Beer Company was founded in 2012 to honor Roscoe's designation as The Ultimate Fishing Town USA by the World Fishing Network. For owners Phil and Donna Vallone, the resulting line of Trout Town beers, created by the company's brewmaster Josh Hughes, is an expression of love for their hometown and craft brewing. The beer list currently includes ten beers from light to dark with names like Two Headed Stout (according to a local legend about a trout who couldn't decide which creek to follow) and Darwin's Theory. In a matter of years, the Roscoe Beer Co. has clearly found its place in the community. The beer itself is by all accounts outstanding, having already won honors such as the Bethel Woods Craft Beer Festival People's Choice Award for three years in a row, and a tied first place out of 170 New York breweries who competed in Governor Cuomo's Taste NY Craft B...
Along a slightly windy road in what feels like someone's own home lives the a new restaurant, bar and event space called the Catskill Pines. Once home to Tiso's Trattoria, a much beloved Mount Tremper eatery, The Pines has emerged as a meeting space for those who love amazing food, delicious coffee and great music. Created by Jeremy Bernstein, a Woodstock-born musician who performs as Burnell Pines, the space is beautifully decorated with an eclectic selection of vintage and contemporary items including a stunning organ that takes up an entire wall of the main space, the location where instruments are set up for the variety of local talents that have graced the place with music since the early days of its opening. The hallway and bathrooms are uniquely decorated by local artist Will Lytle, also known as Thorneater Comics, who has created a masterpiece of cultural and personal references represented by stunning illustrations all done by hand directly on the wall. The Pines has recen...