When You’re Tired of the City, Escape to the Catskills in Food52

By Rebecca Firkser

In the past few years, the sleepier areas of upstate New York have become home to some of the most exciting artists, musicians, chefs, and makers. Drive two hours northwest of Manhattan and you’ll find yourself in the Catskills, a cluster of quaint towns in Greene, Delaware, Ulster, and Sullivan counties. With dozens of clothing and home goods shops, antique stores out the wazoo, restaurants, galleries, and performance venues galore, not to mention numerous hiking and biking trails, there’s enough going on in the Catskills to cover a longer vacation or jam into a fully-packed weekend. Rent a house or book a stay at one of the many boutique hotels for artistic workshops, cooking classes, and farm tours as well as charming accommodations and killer food.

About an hour’s drive (relatively short in these parts) west will bring you to Andes, a charming town with little shops and galleries. Start your morning at Two Old Tarts, then browse around town and pop in at a few shops, like Paisley’s for home goods and textiles and great vintage finds at Clementine Vintage Clothing. Grab a snack and a tall glass of cider at on your way out at Wayside Cider Taproom. Drive 30 minutes south and you’ll arrive at Little Pond Campground, where you can take a dip in the water (or rent a canoe) and spread out a blanket for a picnic on the small beach. Better yet, stop at a grocery store on the way for burgers and veggies to throw on one of the outdoor grills.

Is it Saturday? You’ve got to make a stop at Halcottsville’s Round Barn for the Pakatakan Farmers Market. Hikers should head to Delhi for the 4-mile Bramley Mountain Trail or the easier Catskills Scenic Trail in Hobart.

Read more about Catskill escapes here.