Weekender's Guide to: CATSKILLS NY (winter)

There is nothing better than having an open weekend in a new place. The modus operandi of the weekend was wake up, go out for a hike, come back and jump in the shower, and then spend the rest of the day exploring some of these quaint New York towns. It's the perfect way to spend a winter weekend, really. If you only have a few days, you can easily hike up one of New York's tallest waterfalls, visit abandoned hotel ruins, stop by a lighthouse, walk the streets of an artsy quaint little town and have some amazing meals with a view. Grab some extra layers and head to New York - it's the winter getaway you never knew you needed. 

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Perched on the Hudson River at the Saugerties Lighthouse

Visiting in winter generally means you get to move at a slower pace. The days are shorter and you can't plan to "do it all". My perfect day starts with a hike, and then taking it slow, enjoying the simple act of walking down a different sidewalk hand in hand, reading menus until you find a good spot for lunch.  After lunch, grab a coffee and some chocolates at one of the local stores and maybe do a little bit more walking.  Wrap up the evening with some kind of cool local/iconic tourist stop before finding a good local bar or brewery.  Picture perfect weekend, right?  It's how I like to wander - a mix of a nice hike, cute town, and gooood food. 

Hiking Recap Video 

Before we get too far into my "you need to eat here" rant, let's clear up some confusion. You are visiting the Catskill Mountains (known as the Catskills), Catskill itself is a town, and when I say "The Catskills " I am generally referring to this area (see map above). The Catskill Mountains, also known as the Catskills, are a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian Mountains, located in southeastern New York. Catskill Park in the Catskill Mountains covers 700,000 acres. So let's go through some of these famous towns in the Catskills, where I stopped, what I ate, and what you can do if you find yourself in the Catskills of New York.

We drove through Catskill on our way to the Tiny House Resort on Friday evening.  We stopped at Creekside for dinner (sort of old-school american) and were impressed with the food at this quaint unassuming restaurant right on the creek.  I had the crabcakes and a salad (fried goat cheese - important detail) and Adam had the steak.  My previous visits to the backwoods of New York taught me that good food can be hard to come by but this meal was a good one and had us impressed as we left Catskill behind to head to the Tiny House Resort. There doesn't seem to be much to do in the Town of Catskill, but we had a great meal on the creek before launching off to a few of the iconic towns in the area. For lunch (and breakfast one day) we stopped at Two Mama's deli and mart in Catskill to pick up deli sandwiches and a few last minute supplies before hitting the trails - delicious and thoughtfully made and perfect for a breakfast on the go or lunch on the trails.

Main Street Hudson, New York

I was surprised how much I adored this quaint little town.  SO what I am saying is you need to make the time to cross the Hudson and spend some time in this trendy little town. We just walked up and down the mile-long main drag (Warren Street), popping in and out of adorable shops and stopping to read the menus of some amazing restaurants.  It's been called "Brooklyn North" and I can totally see why.  You know I love a good bar/bookshop and the cutest stores which allow for ample window shopping. Stop and eat at some highly rated restaurants.  We did a lot of menu reading and were pretty bummed when we didn't make a reservation on a Saturday night (busy, even in March!).   

Antique or art lover?  There are plenty of galleries to stop in and there is the famous Olana State Historic Site the one-time home and studio space of Frederic Edwin Church (19th-century Hudson River School of American landscape painter).  Traveling with kids?  Check out the FASNY Museum of Firefighting (complete with firehouse poles to slide down and ladders to climb).

View from the Kaaterskill Falls overlook

As you make your way from the towns on the Hudson and head into the woods, you find towns like Hunter and hamlets like Haine's Falls. The drive up Route 23A to Kaaterskills Falls and Hunter Mountain is a stunning winding road up the mountains along Kaaterskill Creek.  You have to remind yourself you are still in the Northeast and just a few hours from the Connecticut border. 

Check out Hunter Mountain (ski resort) and snow tubing park. It's a smaller mountain but the perfect spot to do some skiing or tubing with the kids. If you want to lace up your hiking boots (as you should, you are in the Catskills!) this is the perfect spot.  In this area of the Catskills, you can Hike Kaaterskill Falls (winter guide) (and here is the summer guide to this gorgeous iconic 260' tiered waterfall) or Hike North-South Lake (a pretty lake with a campground and hikes offering sweeping views of the mountains from the escarpment).

Viewpoint on our North South Lake hike

Walk out to Saugerties Lighthouse

A horse show town for a few weeks in the summer, a Main Street with cute shops and restaurants, and a quick quiet hike to the lighthouse. Add in views of the Hudson, shopping and antiquing, and you have Saugerties. We started our stay in Saugerties with a quick walk out to the Lighthouse (1/2 mile walk each way, dog-friendly). After our walk, we had a delicious lunch at Rock Dah Casbah off Main Street (very cool interior, New American style food - great vegetarian/vegan options). We had awesome salads and split a fantastic mushroom appetizer. There is a nice little main drag to walk and we popped in and out of stores, coffee houses and chocolate shops. For dinner, we ate at the Red Onion and again were impressed with the quality of restaurants in this area. We started off with grilled Spanish Octopus; Adam had the risotto and I had the squid ink pasta with grilled squid. We ate, we walked around, we saw the lighthouse, and left quite content.  Need more Saugerties travel inspiration - check out this Weekend Escape Plan.

1869 Saugerties Lighthouse signage

Boots to borrow on your hike out to the Lighthouse

Rock Dah Casbah - Saugerties

I am sure you have heard of the famous Woodstock, New York.  You are probably thinking of a lot of peace and love, tie-dye and hippies. That whole music festival? Yeah, it wasn't actually here, it was in Bethel, which is about 1.5 hours southwest. BUT, you can still get that vibe that Woodstock was famous for, walk along Main Street, do some shopping, grab a coffee, and enjoy a good meal.  You can also go on a pretty epic hike to Overlook Mountain (I did it in the summer but I'm sure you can hike it in the winter too) where you can see abandoned hotel ruins and climb one of the Catskills fire towers.  Views, history, hotel ruins, and a fire tower wrapped up into one great hike. 

Overlook Mountain Ruins, Woodstock

These towns are relatively close to each other, easy to get to, and all have their own unique identity and charm.  In just about every town you are guaranteed to find some great hiking and good food.  This trip was an excellent reminder that adventures do not always require a plane ticket or a drive to a famous national park.  Sometimes the weekend you need and the adventure you crave is just a 2-hour drive away.  If you want some more information and more towns to visit, check out this guide.

Happy Wandering, 

Loon Ski Resort- New Hampshire

Loon is one of those "ski mountains with a view".  The mountain resort is located outside Lincoln, New Hampshire in the beautiful Whites at the bottom of the "Kanc", looming over the East Branch Pemigewasset River.  Anything nestled in the Whites is bound to be beautiful and Loon Mountain does not disappoint.  You glide off the lift, turn around, and BAM the view in front of you nearly knocks you off your skis.  On a clear day, it is mountain peaks for miles, those rolling Whites laid out in front of you tempting you to climb each and every peak.  

Turning 31 - Snowmobiling Weekend in New York

I have been lucky to spend some birthdays in some beautiful places around the world and in good company.

I turned 25 on the slopes of Killington, where Thatcher and I tried to navigate a "new to us" mountain.  26 was spent on a plane to Salt Lake City, where I spent a week running, skiing, sightseeing and falling in love with Salt Lake City and Park City.  By 27, I was living in Utah and spent the evening at one of my favorite restaurants in Salt Lake City, eating beef stroganoff from Copper Onion and devouring chocolate cake from Gourmandise.  I celebrated 28 on the beaches of Puerto Rico, scuba diving with turtles, swimming and sliding down natural waterslides, hiking through rain forests, and celebrating a friends wedding.  I spent 29 deep in the woods of Vermont, convincing 5 of my friends to spend the night in a yurt in northern Vermont (in February) and hiking Camels Hump - getting a little lost while trudging through waist deep snow.  I spent 30 in Banff, Canada - skiing, snowshoeing and dog sledding into a new decade of my life.  And here we are at 31, a birthday spent in the lower Adirondacks, snowmobiling and snowshoeing in the woods of New York.

Winter Weekend in Stowe

The Grandview Barn on Stowe Hollow Road

Mountains or Oceans.... the oh-so-important question asked of many outdoor enthusiasts and single folk swiping on dating profiles.  For a long time, I was a die-hard no questions asked ocean person.   But as time goes by, I can't deny that there's this magnetic pull to the mountains.  And this attraction?  It's pulling me a little harder into the woods than into the water these days.   

The more time I spent on mountains, the more I started to crave the way my calves burned on a hike, the bittersweet feeling of setting up your tent in the dark, and the absolute quiet that comes with being alone on a far away trail.  

These days, I want to be on a peak with my dog, I want to steal sweaty kisses from someone on a summit,  I want to sit on a rock and eat my smooshed sandwich and warming craft beer - items that taste so much better at elevation.   I want to see the view above the treeline and find the nearest brewery once the bags and the dog have been loaded back into the car.  

The more time I spend in the mountains, the more these scales start to shift.  Jagged peaks and densely wooded trails have become just as important to my happiness as a rugged coastline.  

Stowe Gondola, Stowe Mountain Resort

To be fair, I don't need the Rocky Mountains or 14,000 footers to find my footing -  our mountains here in New England are always beautiful, can certainly be challenging, and are often underrated.   Let me camp in the Berkshires, wander in the Whites or hike in the Greens - that always does the trick.

New Year, New York - The Adirondacks You Didn't Know About

There is this quote I think of often when I am in my "9 to 5" mode.  It's a famous saying by John Muir and when I'm stressed out at the office or packing my bag for a much-needed weekend away in the woods, it pops into my head.

“Thousands of tired, nerve-shaken, over-civilized people are beginning to find out that going to the mountains is going home; that wildness is a necessity; and that mountain parks and reservations are useful not only as fountains of timber and irrigating rivers, but as fountains of life.  Awakening from the stupefying effects of the vice of over-industry and the deadly apathy of luxury, they are trying as best they can to mix and enrich their own little ongoings with those of Nature, and to get rid of rust and disease.” -John Muir

Moose River Lodge

After the chaos of the holidays and the madness of those last few months of 2018 (she was a doozy) this is exactly how I was feeling.  Tired, nerve-shaken and much too over-civilized.  Cabin fever was setting in and I needed to escape my house on the shoreline for a cabin in the woods.  I get that itch, that itch to be anywhere but home, to explore somewhere new.  I need to go find those mountains, lakes, and streams.  So at the end of December, I packed my bag and the dog and headed north to spend 5 days in the Adirondacks of New York. 

Guide to Banff in the winter - itinerary, tips, video, and cost

Turning 30 in Banff National Park

The last post of a series is always the best and saddest.  It's the best because I have already spent weeks recapping an amazing trip, detail by detail from what I did to what I ate.  I also get to share a fun video so you can see for yourself just how amazing these places are.  Sad because I can no longer talk about this beautiful destination and the amazing outdoor activities in the area.  But with one return flight home comes another trip planned somewhere else and this month was no different.  After landing back in the U.S. A I was on a plane next week for the American Southwest.  But before we get into saguaros and sunshine, let's talk about snowy Banff National Park one last time.

Visiting Banff National Park

I bet you now by know my trip to Banff National Park in the wintry month of February was purposely planned to celebrate my 30th birthday.  I wanted a unique destination, affordable pricing, and to see somewhere as beautiful (and popular) as Banff in one of its quieter seasons.  If you still need some convincing as to why you should head to Canada in one of her coldest months, then here are six reasons why.   If you are sold and want to see the beauty of Banff under a thick layer of snow, keep reading as I share fun facts on the park and area, information on getting to Banff, need to know details, and what I spent for 6 days, 7 nights in Alberta. 

6 Reasons to visit Banff (in the Winter!)

When I planned my 30th birthday in Banff and started to tell my friends, about my upcoming travels, I kept getting the same response over and over.  It went something like "That is awesome, I have always wanted to go to Banff... but in the summer".  Sure, Banff is insanely alluring in the summer with its sunny skies, turquoise lakes, and comfortable temperatures.  But in the winter, Banff is an quiet winter wonderland that should jump to the top of your bucket list.  And maybe, right before "visit Banff in summer". 

There are so many reasons you should visit Banff in the winter, ranging from scenic snowy peaks to budget-friendly options but for the sake of time and typing, I am going to focus on the Big 5. 

1.  The Scenery 

Banff is famous for its turquoise lakes and wildflowers. But Banff needs to be see with its white peaks and snow covered roads.  When I visited in January, it felt like every day a light dusting of snow coated the landscape. You start to feel like you are living in a snow globe featuring the most picturesque mountain town.  There is something about a blue bird day and crisp white mountains and trails that makes a winter day so darn beautiful.   Winter in Banff reminds you just how beautiful those cold months between November and April can be. 

2.  Inexpensive Lodging 

Banff is a town within a National Park.  Because of that, growth is regulated and currently, the town isn't getting any bigger.  What that means is while this place gets more and more popular, the lodging gets more selective and more expensive.  But in the winter?  Not the case.  There are more options for lodging and they are much more affordable.  A room in this resort was $100 a night in the winter, and $255 a night in July.  Its also already mostly booked up for the summer.  If you are on a budget - Banff in the winter is your best option to see this National Park.  

3.  (almost) Empty Streets 

Want to photograph beautiful Banff without all the people?  Winter is your friend.  The streets are quiet and you can walk through downtown without the masses or 54 tourists in the background.  This also means you can easily find a parking space and wont have to worry about traffic backing up on this road through town. 

4.  Bear - free

Terrified of grizzlies... or maybe just hyper aware (as you should be)!  Want to hike without worrying about these types of interactions with mother nature?  Go while the bears are hibernating of course!  This may seem silly but it is peace of mind to be in the woods of Canada and know the wildlife threats are greatly reduced.  If you are lucky, you may see some tracks in the snow in the morning.  But you wont have to worry about crossing grizzlies on the trail. 

5.  Popular sites are much quieter

In the winter, you can see some of Banff's most popular sites without all the crowds.  You can hike some of the most popular trails without seeing a single person.  You can make a reservation at the best restaurant in town without calling two months in advance.   I know I keep hammering the "less is more" in terms of crowds but for me, less people always means a better experience. Experiencing some of the most popular sites in Banff without all the crowds is one of the biggest perks to visiting this town in the winter.  

6.  Sled and Ski! 

My last point is the most obvious but is so important.  Visiting Banff in the winter allows you to experience world class skiing at three different resorts.  You get to experience this beautiful National Park, and get some runs in -  does this really need any more explaining?  And then theres dogsledding.  You only have a short snowy window to experience just how magical it can be to spend a quiet morning behind a dog sled making your way through the National Park.  

If you are looking for a reason to visit Banff in the winter, there are many.  World class skiing, budget friendly options, solitude, and of course famous snow.  The skiing, affordable price and the solitude was the reason I visited Banff in January instead of in its more popular seasons.  As much as I would love to see Banff in the summer, I have this lovely idea of a quiet ski town in my brain that just may stay like that forever.  Lake Moraine, you can keep your gorgeous color, I just might keep visiting Banff in the winter, so I can have the park to myself. 

Happy Traveling,

Dogsledding in Banff with Kingmik

We all have that bucket list sitting somewhere in the back of our brains, or on that scrap of paper tucked into their desk. Mine is sort of a mixture of these, stored on a drafted blog post, written down on that piece of paper tucked into my desk drawer, and always growing in the back of my brain. On that list you'll see experiences like - dive the barrier reef- go on a hot air balloon ride - and - dogsled. I rang in my 30th birthday knocking one of those items off my list, dogsledding through a snowy white tundra. And if you are going to dogsled anywhere, you might as well do it in Canada, through Banff National Park. And heck, why not the day you turn 30. 

Once I had my heart set on sledding into 30, I didn't want to just go anywhere or with any company.   I wanted amazing scenery, history, and a company known for their reputation and care of their dogs.  I did a lot of research which led me to three main companies in the Banff area: Snowy Owl, Howling Dog, and Kingmik. 

Johnston Canyon Winter Hike - Banff, Canada

Hiking in winter takes a little more prep and planning - but with the right gear and the right attitude, it is worth the extra layers and (in this case) sub zero temperatures.  Not only is this canyon worth the scenic drive, but you get to enjoy one of Banff's most famous hikes without the crowds of summer.  More gear, less people, and a whole different perspective of Canada - a winter hike to Johnston Canyon is a must do when visiting Banff. 

Johnston Canyon takes winter travelers down a snowy trail with iced canyon walls and frozen waterfalls.  A 20-minute walk (1/2 mile) will take you to the lower falls and if you have the time, another 25 minutes  (for a 45 minute total with a one way trek of 1.5 miles from the start) to the upper falls (elevation gain of 120 meters) one way.   The trail is well maintained and marked, and follows a steel catwalk and raised trail through the canyon.  There are several lookout areas, benches, and various signage along the trail with information about the canyon and this unique environment.  You will follow Johnston Canyon Creek which runs its course through the canyon, mostly frozen, and exposed in certain spots.  

Winter on Canada's Icefields Parkway - Snowshoe Bow Summit & Peyto Lake

Day 3 in Banff was all about famous scenic drives and snowshoes.  After two days straight on my skis, I was looking forward to some different footwear and a change of pace.  My third full day in Canada was all about the XM radio Billy Joel Station, the heat on full blast, cozy layers, lunch packed in the car, and a car full of the gear needed to explore a different spot of Alberta - the famous Icefields Parkway

Map from Parks Canada

Winter Hike to Camel's Hump, Vermont

For my 29th birthday, I rented a yurt in the woods of northern Vermont for the weekend. It was a great way to camp in the winter, spend some time in the woods and experience something new. The yurt was also close to some great hiking in Vermont's Green Mountains. Specifically, the yurt was only 7.5 miles to the trailhead to hike up to famous Camel's Hump. Camel's Hump is Vermont's 3rd highest mountain at 4,083' and is a registered 4,000' summit. The distinct topography of the mountain (resembling a camel's hump) makes it one of the State's most recognizable mountains.

Olive and I taking a break on the trail

Camel's Hump can also be hiked all year round, making it a very popular winter hike. Even in the middle of February, you can still find 20+ cars at the end of Camels Hump Road at the Burrows Trailhead. The Burrows Trail is the popular route in the winter and because of it's popularity, it is well packed down, easy to navigate and the only route I can safely suggest for you to tackle in a winter with heavy snowfall.

Vermont Yurt Rentals - Maple Wind Farm

Birthdays look different for everyone.  It can be a tropical vacation, a nice dinner out or a week long celebration.  My birthdays have always been fun and different from trips abroad to fancy dinners and themed parties with friends.  This year (my last birthday in my 20's) looked a lot different than most.  While a nice dinner out was scheduled for the following week, my actual birthday took place up north in the woods of Vermont. 

 In a yurt.  

Maple Yurt- Maple Wind Farms