Slow Things Down in the Western Catskills
/A lot of new, hip businesses and motels are popping up in the Western Catskills. Livingston Manor has even been described as the Catskills’ newest hot spot. But don’t go there or really anywhere in the Western Catskills expecting a ton of action and excitement.
The Western Catskills are where you go if you’re looking to unwind. The living is slow, quiet and outdoorsy in Sullivan County. The downtown areas over here range from small and sleepy to non-existent, especially if you compare them to actual Upstate NY hot spots like Hudson or Beacon.
Come to the Western Catskills to hike, to fly fish or to simply relax in a hammock next to a scenic lake or stream, breathing in the cool Catskill Mountains air.
Where to Stay
Summer 2020, in the thick of the COVID pandemic, our home base for our first time in the Western Catskills was Antrim Streamside, a collection of six separate cabins and cottages on acres of gated property about five minutes from the businesses of Livingston Manor.
It being COVID, the separateness of our cabin and the fact that check-in was contactless made us feel incredibly at ease. Each cabin at Antrim has a kitchen or kitchenette, as well as cute perks like an outdoor shower, a hammock or swing and a coffee maker and fruits in your refrigerator. Our “Pond View” cabin was so well appointed and the entire hotel property felt so relaxed and serene.
There is no restaurant or other services at Antrim, but we enjoyed relaxing around the property. In the evenings, sitting outside our cabin with a glass of wine, feeling the cool mountain air breezes, listening for wildlife and watching the stream flow by, all beautifully lit by evening lights, was absolutely magical.
On our return visit to the region during Summer of 2021, we checked out then brand new, Callicoon Hills. The immediate area surrounding this resort is quite remote, and it’ll take you about 15 minutes to get to Livingston Manor or the equally sleepy but hip downtown area of Callicoon.
Callicoon Hills is a full service, nicely appointed resort. There is a cozy coffee and lunch spot (Rise and Shine) and chic cocktail and dinner service restaurant (Conover Club) on site. There’s also a nice sized pool and each evening, the resort offers complimentary smores by twin fire pits. Callicoon Hills is perfectly decorated to be hip but informal and undeniably Catskills. It’s a super relaxing getaway and break from the normal stresses of life. We also saw plenty of other kids and many doggies staying there.
Do note, though, that this still is a bit of a bare bones motel - rooms are small and basic (in fact, some surprising room details were forgotten - our room’s bathroom sliding door only had a handle on the outside, so getting out of our bathroom each time was an adventure!) and service at the motel is mostly via friendly but clueless young kids. I worry that when the property is no longer sparkling and new, the operation could start to fall apart.
We haven’t stayed at The Arnold House, but we have enjoyed dining and relaxing there on two of our Western Catskills weekends. Part of a mini-chain of small Western Catskill boutique hotels, the Arnold House is hip, hipster and stunning. No pool here but you are close to Livingston Manor. Read more on the hotel’s eats below.
This past visit for Summer 2023, we stayed at our friends’ beautiful farmhouse cabin near Livingston Manor. (Thanks, guys!)
Where to Eat
While the dining scene will feel small and limited if you’re coming from the NYC area, there are still quite a few solid spots around the Western Catskills to make for a lovely long weekend of dining.
In Cochecton
Cochecton Fire Station is a community bar and restaurant in Cochecton Center. It’s a really nice space for drinking and dining and orders are placed with the lovely bartender and then delivered to your table. The small, eclectic menu here is exciting and delicious and their cocktails and house made sodas are equally appealing.
In Roscoe
The Junction is a walk-in only dinner spot that comes strong on Catskills chic ambiance. The burger here was quite tasty and we had a nice smoked trout dip to start our meal.
In Callicoon
Start your mornings in Sullivan County at Grizzly Bagels, a small batch NY style handmade bagel shop located in the Callicoon Market (an adorable market to walk around after your bagel and coffee).
Ba & Me is a tasty little Vietnamese take out operation with a small counter in Callicoon (as well as a location in PA). A third location also opened in Livingston Manor since we first visited the area.
If it’s a Sunday in Callicoon, you MUST visit the beautiful Callicoon Farmers’ Market, the largest year-round market in the County. In the warm weather, the market meets right by the serene Callicoon Creek, a lovely sight to see.
Just a few minutes drive away from the center of Callicoon and past a stretch of farmland and cows lies Seminary Hill Orchard and Cidery. This jaw droppingly beautiful cidery and restaurant should not be missed. Seminary has a full food menu, craft beer, craft cider, craft cocktails and a whole lot of VIBES. The views from their outdoor patio are stunning.
And the dining room at the Callicoon Hills motel (about 15 minutes from the town of Callicoon), Conover Club, is really nicely appointed, particularly if the weather allows you to eat on its beautiful outdoor deck. I enjoyed my meal here and they have a set menu for kiddies.
In Livingston Manor
Livingston Manor is surely the most “built up” part of the Western Catskills. It’s home to my personal favorite eatery and drinkery in the area, Sunshine Colony. This is an elite natural wine and craft beer bar with a great menu of small plates and some really fun pop ups offered from time to time in their pretty backyard. On our visit this past weekend, The High Meadow Project was there making killer wood fired pizza pies.
Another popular Livingston Manor venue is the BBQ restaurant, The Smoke Joint. Originally in Fort Green, Brooklyn for 12 years (!!), The Smoke Joint reopened in the Catskills and has a fairly large outdoor patio and counter where guests can place their order for BBQ goodies.
The Tavern at Arnold House, an adorable wood paneled tavern of yore outfitted for the modern day, is another solid dining option that’s not far from Livingston Manor’s downtown. Despite the hip vibes at the Arnold House, the Tavern loves little ones and has a kids menu. And if your children can’t handle sitting down, the Tavern also offers up its gorgeous open air farmhouse as a place where you can enjoy the entire Tavern menu to go.
In Jeffersonville
On our Summer 2021 trip, we really enjoyed Jeffersonville Bake Shop. It’s a huge bakery with some nice outdoor space. My scone from here was delicious.
What to Do
I’ll mention again here that the living is VERY slow and easy in the Western Catskills. This is not a trip where you’ll have an itinerary a mile long. The absolute best thing to do in this part of New York is to relax, unwind and either get near or in a lake or stream.
You’ll notice pretty quickly that this area of the Catskills is trout fishing central. If your kids are older, consider a fly fishing lesson with the Livingston Manor Fly Fishing Club. If you are more about the open road than the stream, there are plenty of hiking paths around. Or if relaxation and fresh mountain air is what you need, find a hammock and a good book and don’t move all day.
If you have young kids in your group, consider the adorable alpaca tour at Buck Brook Alpaca Farm in Roscoe. Our guide was wonderful and the many alpacas (plus a few super fuzzy angora bunnies) we met and fed were so pleasant and sweet that I immediately googled, “Do Alpacas Make Good Pets?” after leaving. Private or public one hour tours tours can be booked on the farm’s website in advance.
Summer 2021 we did the Saturday 10am Kids Farm Tour at Apple Pond Farm in Callicoon Center. This is a small working farm and very uncommercial. I couldn’t believe how truly hands on our tour was - our group got to feed chickens, hold a baby chick, milk a goat, shovel hay for more goats and play fetch with the farm’s precious Border Collie. Our little one had so much fun. It was hard to get her to leave. Unfortunately, Apple Pond Farm is closed this season as it recovers from tornado damage.
As for shopping, this is not Rodeo Drive or even Williamsburg BK. But definitely spend some time during your visit to the Western Catskills wandering the small but sweet and fairly hip downtowns of Livingston Manor and Callicoon, as well as the equally small but more upscale downtown of Narrowsburg.
In Livingston Manor, the lovely Catskill Art Space offers free entry, stunning contemporary art and a wonderful respite from the heat.
None of the towns mentioned in this post are more than 30 minutes from one another but keep in mind that most such drives are on empty small roads with little to no commerce or even humans!
This post updates an original post from July 25, 2021
