Cider: Go North to the Hudson Valley in New York 

The formal production of hard cider dates back to Roman times, when Julius Caesar discovered Celts fermenting crabapples. In Europe, cider culture evolved over the ensuing centuries, and soon after landing at Plymouth, colonists began planting apple trees. Weak fermented cider became the drink of choice for most Americans (even children) because water was unsafe.

Cider eventually fell out of favor, and during Prohibition, farmers in regions like the Hudson Valley in New York (where the remaining U.S. cider production was based) yanked out their cider trees and replaced them with dessert apple trees and other crops. It wasn’t until the early 21st century that people like Susan Manning and Dough Doetsch decided to revive the traditional cider culture that helped define the region for so many centuries.

Their work was inspired by the past and the future, hoping to honor agricultural history while also contributing to the revitalization of their pocket of the Hudson Valley. Doetsch’s grandparents and great-grandparents were subsistence farmers in Callicoon who lived off the land and made cider. Now, Seminary Hill is the world’s first energy-efficient Passive House-certified cidery, with 12 acres of organic orchards, where 60 varieties of apples and pears thrive. Their ciders run the gamut from easy-drinking sweet (the Cackling Hen) to bone dry (Delaware Dry).

“When we started Seminary Hill, we were total neophytes,” Manning says. “What’s been so fun is joining other new entrepreneurs in revitalizing the Sullivan Catskills. Back in the day, this was the Borscht Belt, but that business had declined by the 1970s. Over the last 20 years, young creatives from Brooklyn have rediscovered the area, and there has been a boom in new businesses that offer an experience that’s proudly local, intensely sustainable and authentically evokes Catskills heritage.”

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We're excited to share some great media coverage as we gear up for the winter season.  The DeBruce and Chatwal Lodge were featured in a PureWow article about the "Coziest Winter Weekend Getaways from NYC."
Sure, there’s something fabulous about hopping on a plane to the nearest tropical destination (or anyplace warm) as soon as temperatures drop. But there's also magic in embracing our surroundings—and the Northeast has plenty of local gems that offer winter wonderland escapes replete with the coziest of hygge vibes. These 34 charming winter weekend getaways from NYC are just that, and they are all within a few hours’ drive of the city.

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It is not often that a beloved century-old hotel launches a completely new type of lodging — and even rarer that the dwelling is as charming as a grove of tiny A-frame homes in a 23-acre forest.

But Callicoon Hills, which opened to travelers in the 1940s, is one such spot. The property has long been a destination for city dwellers searching for a nature-filled escape, offering a resort-style stay in the picturesque foothills of the Catskill Mountains in New York. (Callicoon Hills is just over two hours from New York City by car.)

Guests can stay in the original 1905 boarding house outfitted with upgrades that include air conditioning and large picture windows with views over the grounds. There's also a pet-friendly pool house and ridge rooms. The standalone cottage, which is set near the creek, is a great private option.

But for the traveler who truly wants to be immersed in nature, nothing compares to the new A-frame cabins, which are set away from the other lodging on the backside of the property. Each standalone cabin has floor-to-ceiling windows so you won’t miss passing wildlife and luxuries like a queen-size bed, WiFi, and electricity. Simply put, they are rustic but comfortable.

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There’s never a bad time for a restorative getaway. Honestly, a temporary escape should be a basic right for every city dweller and it’s not impossible to make that a reality especially when you can get to so many great escapes via public transit. As such, we scoured New York State and the surrounding region for the dreamist destinations for touching some grass, putting your phone on Do Not Disturb, and leaving New York City behind for a little while.

From a bomber jacket factory converted into inspiring artistic lodgings right outside of NYC to riverside vintage campers in the Catskills, these 10 retreats have something for everyone—plus, no driver’s license required.

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A new clutch of hotels with modern treehouses, day spas and award-winning restaurants make the classic New York getaway more appealing than ever.

Ah, upstate. That sylvan stretch of land two hours north of Manhattan, where New Yorkers traditionally go to learn how to light a fire, roast marshmallows, leaf peep, go for walks we call 'hikes,' suddenly decide flannel is fashion, and pretend we know how to relax.

In the mid-20th century, this was the Borscht Belt, a popular vacation spot for Jewish families from New York City, evoked in the television series, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. When that golden era ended, the region reverted to moonshine mountains with bare-bones lodging. There were no new age spas, no pressed flower pottery, no mocktology classes, no guided goat hikes, and absolutely no one wrote home about the food... But in the past two years, a few ambitious hoteliers have managed to recast old, overgrown rustics in a shiny new patina with ‘luxury wellness retreat’ price points.

Here’s where to stay this fall:

The Chatwal Lodge | New treehouses, outdoor adventures, all-inclusive

The Chatwal Lodge is an all-inclusive hotel built on the banks of the Toronto Reservoir on a 100-acre site. It opened in 2022 with 11 suites and cottages, and recently added three new modern treehouses, which sleep four  

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Nothing tops a stellar mountain town for adventure seekers. Our lofty favorites feature the best hiking, biking, climbing, skiing, paddling, and local microbrew found at any altitude.

Best Quick Urban Escape: Roscoe and Callicoon, NY

The Sullivan Catskills may be close to New York City, but you’ll feel like you’re on another planet in Roscoe—just 123 miles north of Gotham. Kittatinny Campgrounds is the place to go for an active day, either via whitewater raft or 3,000 feet of dual racing zip lines. Fly fishing enthusiasts will also enjoy the many offerings of nearby Trout Town (Beaverkill is top notch), which houses an entire museum devoted to the sport.

Cap off your getaway by riding the singletrack at Pearson Park on Walnut Mountain to whet an appetite for round two of tastings at Roscoe Beer Co. or Tuthilltown Distillery, the maker of buzzy Hudson Whiskey. When comfort carbs are calling, there’s always Grizzly Bagels, for scratch-made bagels and various schmears.

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There are many misconceptions about the 1969 Woodstock festival, but for something as safely installed into popular culture myth as this, a little fallacy and legend is sometimes a good thing. After all, if you can remember the Sixties, you weren’t really there, man. Then there are the misunderstandings that need to be set straight. First of all, the Woodstock festival was not in Woodstock. Secondly, the festival was not the end of the hippy dream – we’ll leave that to The Rolling Stones (with a little help from the Hells Angels) at Altamont Speedway some months later. Thirdly, it wasn’t an absolute catastrophe of organisation… well, not at first, anyway. Organisers told local authorities to expect about 50,000 people. Privately, they expected 100,000. One and a half million tried to get in; 450,000 succeeded. The toilets stopped working on the first day, and the relief trucks were unable to access the site. OK, so maybe the third “misunderstanding” was true. Myths mostly busted, 55 years later, I touched down at New York’s JFK with the intention of driving upstate to see if any residue of hippiedom still resides. Does “peace, love, and music” still echo among the rolling hills of the Catskills?

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It is not often that a beloved century-old hotel launches a completely new type of lodging — and even rarer that the dwelling is as charming as a grove of tiny A-frame homes in a 23-acre forest.

But Callicoon Hills, which opened to travelers in the 1940s, is one such spot. The property has long been a destination for city dwellers searching for a nature-filled escape, offering a resort-style stay in the picturesque foothills of the Catskill Mountains in New York. (Callicoon Hills is just over two hours from New York City by car.)

Guests can stay in the original 1905 boarding house outfitted with upgrades that include air conditioning and large picture windows with views over the grounds. There's also a pet-friendly pool house and ridge rooms. The standalone cottage, which is set near the creek, is a great private option.

But for the traveler who truly wants to be immersed in nature, nothing compares to the new A-frame cabins, which are set away from the other lodging on the backside of the property. Each standalone cabin has floor-to-ceiling windows so you won’t miss passing wildlife and luxuries like a queen-size bed, WiFi, and electricity. Simply put, they are rustic but comfortable.

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Livingston, NY Boheme Retreats is a Black-owned company started by Keva Niver and her husband Rudel Felicien. The two adventurers offer a way to camp without “roughing it.” From May through October, guests can stay in one of their vintage campers in Livingston Manor, NY. Here, you can do all the natural things—fishing, hiking, and seeing beautiful waterfalls. Plus, check for some of their events, like a Waterfall Picnic Experience. But the icing on the cake may be their retro inspired campers. The campers all have signature names paying homage to Black female legends from Rosa to Fannie, Shirley to Leona, and Zora to Maya. Take your pick. We love the Fannie, a 1964 Franklin, which is pet-friendly and can accommodate a family of 4 plus 1 child. The cost starts at $450 per 2-night stay. bohemeretreats.com  

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