Ways to Enjoy Fall in the Great Western Catskills

Fall is one the best seasons to get out and experience all that the Great Western Catskills has to offer.  From taking scenic drives to view the beautiful fall foliage, visiting you-pick pumpkin farms, enjoying craft beverage producer taprooms, or attending one of our fall festivals.  you’ll discover that the Great Western Catskills has everything you need to help you celebrate the fall season!

-Leaf Peeping-

The Great Western Catskills is the perfect location to observe the stunning color changes of the fall foliage. A great way to figure out the best time to explore our scenic byways this fall, is to check the I Love NY Fall Foliage Report Website. This website documents and forecasts all the fall foliage color changes that occur throughout New York State, so you can be up to date when planning your fall vacation to the Great Western Catskills.

The Catskill Scenic Route 30

The Catskill Scenic Route 30 stretches from Hancock to Grand Gorge, NY, and in totality, passes through 5 towns and many villages and hamlets that rest along the way. This stretch of road also passes through forever wild forest preserves hugs close to the famous fishing waters of East Branch of the Delaware River, as well as the shorelines of the Pepacton Reservoir.

The Upper Delaware Scenic Byway

New York State Route 97, is consistently lauded as one of the most breathtaking drives in regional and national publications. It traverses the western borders of Orange, Sullivan and Delaware Counties along a 70 mile stretch of the Delaware River with rock cut landscapes and long valley vistas along the way.

The Catskill Mountain Scenic Byway

Carved deeply through the highest peeks of the Catskill Mountains rests the stunningly beautiful Catskill Mountain Scenic Byway. This  52-mile road passes through the heart of the Catskill Park’s highest peaks, from the Ulster County town of Olive to the Delaware County town of Andes, NY. You’ll pass through many of our wonderful villages that are home to renowned restaurants, cideries, art galleries and so much more.

-Enjoy the Craft Beverages of Delaware County-
Another “must do” while visiting the Great Western Catskills this Fall, is to tour one of our wonderful craft beverage producers located right here in Delaware County.
Muddy River Farm Brewery
Muddy River Farm Brewery, located on a beautiful hop farm next to the Susquehanna River is open on weekends.  The Muddy River Farm Brewery uses their own locally grown hops to make a variety of fantastic beers right on site. One of the more eye catching features of the bar are the 8 taps that the crew has affixed to a piece of of Susquehanna River drift wood.  The taproom is open weekends on Friday from 4:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m. , Saturday 1:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m. , and Sunday 12:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m.
Awestruck Ciders
Awestruck Ciders, located in village of Sidney, NY, has been making their handcrafted and custom hard ciders since their founding in 2013. The cidery features a taproom with ample table and bar seating and even a lounge set up in a vintage bus! Patrons have will have no shortage of options to choose from when selecting a cider flight, or pint from the bars 17 taps! Awestruck also has a full bar food featuring a variety of sandwiches and cider infused deserts.  The cidery taproom is open Thursday through Saturday all year round, from 3:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m.
Union Grove Distillery
Union Grove Distillery has been with us since their grand opening in February of 2016 in Arkville, NY. The distillery produces vodka distilled from New York State apples and wheat, a Catskill Mountain Maple spirit as well as bourbon and rye whiskey.  They have a beautiful tasting room with a copper top bar where one can come and taste their spirits and enjoy a delicious cocktail. The distillery also has a kids room where the little ones can play while you enjoy a tasting, tour, and cocktail.  Guided tours of the production room are given regularly. Visit their Facebook page to read the latest news about their products and keep up to date on the special events that they hold there.

Wayside Cider

 

Alex Wilson & Irene Hussey started Wayside Cider in 2014 after meeting at the Catskill Amateur Cider Making Contest at Table on Ten. Irene won the competition. Alex came second, but maintains to this day he “was robbed.” Forged in a shared love of the wild and abandoned homestead apple trees, the pair made 3,500 bottles of “methode champenoise,” unfiltered mountain cider in their first year or production.  Wayside has since built an absolutely beautiful taproom that features their handcrafted ciders, local spirits and a delicious menu that focuses on sourcing ingredients from local producers.  Visit their website for more information.

 

-Hit the Fall Festivals & Enjoy Local Products-

The Great Western Catskills is home to several fall-themed festivals that feature the bounty of goods and products that are made here. Vendors include farmers, value-added food producers, restaurants and farm-to-fork business owners who showcase the tremendously valuable resources we are so lucky to have here in the Great Western Catskills.

-Get a Jump on Holiday Shopping now-

You’ll be pleasantly surprised by the unique shopping in the hamlets, towns and villages of the Great Western Catskills. Main Streets and off-the-beaten-path locations offer great finds to check off your holiday shopping list: antique shops, sporting goods specialty stores, beautifully curated gift shops, handmade local products, artisan goods, old-fashioned general stores, and so much more.

Axtell Antiques and the Rookery Bookery

In 1968 the House of Axtell Antiques, also known as The Rookery, was born. This lovingly restored inn now houses some of the best examples of early Americana with emphasis on scarcity, unusual form, and superlative, untouched condition of museum-quality offerings: baskets, stoneware, treenware, redware, folk art, iron hearth accessories, country furniture, textiles, art work, glassware, and early lighting devices.

 

Barbara Alyn Artwear Luxury & Mercantile

Barbara Alyn’s colorful fantasy art is available as artwear (wearable art), on canvas, or in a slew of whimsical jewelry, pocketbooks, household essentials and non-essentials must haves. Fabulous fabric, textiles, beads, all odds and ends remade into original one-of-a-kind pieces that stand out in a crowd. Learn more about her wonderful store by visiting her Facebook page!

 

A full list of businesses and shops that are located in the Great Western Catskills can be found here.