A Long Weekend in Ulster County (Visit Woodstock and Kingston)
/The day after Christmas this year, we left for a two night trip to the Catskills, NY. Woodstock was our home base, but during our stay, we bopped around a few of the neighboring towns, including a great second visit to Kingston - which is fast becoming one of my favorite Hudson Valley towns. Read on for some trip highlights. The whole thing is less than 2 hours from home - an easy weekend trip.
What Is Woodstock?
Woodstock, NY is not the location of the famed concerts of 1969 - that happened in nearby Bethel, NY. But Woodstock is an artsy, hippy town in Northern Ulster County which still today, pays homage to that very famous music festival, both literally (many shops sell goods like peace sign candles and Woodstock concert t-shirts) and ideologically (those same shops feature signs like “Refugees Welcome” and “Hate Has No Place Here”).
I think the two biggest reasons to visit Woodstock are for its live music scene and nearby hiking trails. Alas, traveling with two young kids in winter, we participated in neither activity.
We did enjoy strolling around Woodstock, though. The small but vibrant shopping scene in Woodstock is located along Tinker Street. It being just after Christmas, we weren’t really in the mood to shop too much, but browsing here and there at all the mom and pop shops was nice (Candlestock and Tinker Toys Too were two favorite Woodstock stores).
Saugerties, about twenty minutes west of Woodstock, has an even sleepier downtown. Both towns feel relatively untouched in terms of gentrification.
Relaxing in Woodstock
If nothing else, we relaxed very well in Woodstock. Our stay at the twelve room Woodstock Way Hotel was ideal. This roughly one year old boutique hotel is just steps from Tinker Street, but tucked down a small path and behind a beautiful waterfall, allowing guests to feel secluded and serene. The rooms are rustic, yet hip and modern (each room has a turntable with a curated record selection), and the Tannery, which serves as the hotel’s lobby, shop and coffee bar, was a great start to our mornings. We spent quite a bit of time just enjoying our room and the beautiful grounds of Woodstock Way.
The food and drink spots we hit along Tinker Street also added to our relaxation. For breakfast, Woodstock offers two stellar “grab and go spots.” Bread Alone, a Kingston based bread bakery with a strong presence at NYC farmers markets, has an adorable bake shop right in the heart of Woodstock. And Friday through Monday mornings, The Mud Club is making some of the best wood fired bagels this family has ever had. The shop is tiny but packs a huge punch. It’s a legit spot and not to be missed when in town.
We had a great sit down lunch one afternoon at the tiny and popular locavore cafe Shindig on Tinker Street. It was worth the 55 minute wait for a table. This spot is also in the heart of Woodstock, so it was pretty easy to kill that wait time in the nearby shops. For dinner, Cucina, a rustic, upscale but family friendly, Italian spot in an old farmhouse, was another Woodstock winner.
To wet your whistle, right across the street from Cucina, stop at R&R Taproom for a craft beer, glass of wine and some pre-dinner snacks. I’m bummed we didn’t get to hit Early Terrible, a really cool looking wine and cocktail bar from the same folks as the Mud Club (there’s only so many bars you can drag two kids to), but we did have a great time at Station Bar and Curio one early afternoon. We had the entire back room to ourselves on our visit - the big kid and dad played Battleship, while the little one and I played each other in Connect Four.
We Drove Past Woodstock To Eat, Too
Because we love food and follow billions of food accounts on Instagram, we knew that our trip would include a visit to the Insta-famous Phoenicia Diner, about 20 minutes northeast of Woodstock. This breakfast and lunch spot is known for its great takes on diner food and its hipster rustic atmosphere. It’s worth a visit when in the area. The same team just opened a counter service dinner spot in Woodstock proper called Dixon Roadside.
On our last night in Woodstock, I convinced the husband to drive us 32 minutes for dinner at Peekamoose Restaurant and Tap Room in Big Indian, NY, and I’m so glad we did. The food at Peekamoose is decent but the atmosphere is EXACTLY what you’re looking for when you visit the Catskills - stuffed game on the walls, plaid attire on the wait staff, wood furniture and fireplaces everywhere. It’s this cozy, chic spot that also somehow happens to be really kid friendly. There’s a children’s playroom (yes, you heard me right) near the front of the restaurant!! And after your meal, everyone - big or small - is invited to roast complimentary marshmallows at the restaurant’s outdoor fire pit!!
And Definitely Visit Kingston While You’re Up There
About twenty minutes from Woodstock heading back toward Westchester/Fairfield is the city of Kingston. More gentrified than Woodstock, but not as built up as Hudson, Kingston is a must visit. The town of Kingston is very large and rural, but the urban city is quickly becoming an artisan hub. There are three different commercial areas of Kingston - Uptown, Midtown and the Rondout (also known as Downtown) - so having access to a car on your visit is ideal.
Last summer, the husband and I crammed a trip to and from Kingston into one day (it’s about 1.5 hours from home), and this past weekend, we spent just a long afternoon there. I hope our next Kingston visit is longer, and preferably involves a stay at the brand new Hotel Kinsley.
This past visit, we spent the majority of our afternoon Uptown. There is a great stretch of independent shops and restaurants here - record stores (Rhino Records), an old-fashioned candy and ice cream parlor (Kingston Candy Bar), a really tasty vegetarian restaurant slash antique shop (Outdated Cafe) and one of my most favorite stores on earth…..
Rough Draft offers a perfectly curated selection of books, craft beer, craft coffee and on Saturdays, craft bread from the Kingston Bread Lab. I love it there so much and would visit at least weekly if I were a local.
If your kids need bribing, take them to Uptown’s Forsyth Nature Center, a free and year-round outdoor nature center. Or just have them hold out for what I describe in the last paragraph of this blog post.
On our visit to Kingston last summer, we started our day in Midtown, where we relaxed over a great coffee and breakfast at newcomer, Village Coffee and Goods. Midtown is also where you find much of the street art and architectural beauty of Kingston. And if I ever visit without kids, dinner at Lis Bar in Midtown is high on my to do list.
And our visit last summer, our time in Kingston ended - and frankly the whole darn visit revolved around - the Rondout. This area of shops and eateries is situated on the water, so it is great for strolling in warmer temperatures. The commercial area here isn’t as big as Uptown, but you can also spend some time visiting the Hudson River Maritime Museum. And while in the Rondout, you most certainly should visit Brunette, the most perfect wine bar you’ll ever see.
And finally, moms and dads, if you’re passing through or near Kingston with kids, I urge you to visit the Den of Marbletown, a beautifully kept Steiff brand teddy bear museum. Owner Steve lovingly took us through the history of Steiff and his family’s impressive collection of the luxurious German made stuffed animals. There are also rooms filled with collectible dolls, wooden toys and even vintage Barbies.
Downstairs at the Den of Marbletown is a small cafe and upstairs there are two ADORABLE children’s play areas - my younger daughter could have spent the next calendar year up there. Even my husband and I were blown away by the amount of care and thought that went into this unique and special place. A really perfect family stop while in the area. Highly recommend.
***
Another great visit to the Hudson Valley. I can’t wait to continue exploring. I think Rhinebeck, NY is next on my radar.
