Once a semi-secret refuge about two hours north of Manhattan, the Catskills provides an easy escape for city dwellers seeking a quieter alternative to more crowded—and costly—New York getaways like the Hamptons. The area has become less of a secret—but one that frequent visitors and those who live there keep near and dear to their hearts. Out-of-town guests are, of course, welcome (the Catskill Mountains and surrounding area was a summer haven filled with cabin rentals and overnight camps since the 1950s). But there’s still a gentle balance between preserving the area’s authentic charm and declaring it a hot spot vacation destination.
This allure has only grown in recent years, with an influx of people making the Catskills home; there has also been a cultural renaissance of sorts with a new flock of chic and tranquil (but not all too precious) hotels, award-winning farm-to-table restaurants, and artfully curated boutiques, homewares shops, and markets stocked with fresh, locally sourced produce.
