Legend has it that Catskill is the resting place of the folklore character Rip Van Winkle, but this bustling river town is anything but sleepy. Since Dutch settlers established a port at Catskill Creek in the 1600s, the Greene County village has served as a hub for commerce, inspiration for famous painters, and now, a destination for travelers and transplants alike.
The greater Town of Catskill was formally established in 1788, with the village incorporated in 1806. Not long after, British artist Thomas Cole became enthralled with the natural splendor of the Catskills and began committing the landscapes of the region to canvas—an act that, with the support of other painters, such as Frederic Church and Asher B. Durand, would launch the Hudson River School art movement. Cole’s home and studio on Spring Street is now a National Historic Site; the artsy vibe is still felt throughout Catskill today.
Family Life
Children living in the village and the surrounding area attend the Catskill Central School District. During the 2023-24 school year, the district had a total K-12 enrollment of 1,226 students across one elementary, one middle, and one high school.
Every summer, you’ll encounter wildly colorful cat statues around the village as part of the Cat’n Around Catskill exhibition. The program, entering its 19th year, provides local artists with fiberglass cats sponsored by area businesses to decorate and design. The statues, which in past years have been plastered with mosaic tiles or painted with motifs reminiscent of Van Gogh, are then mounted on the streets of Catskill—after Labor Day, the pieces are auctioned off, with some of the proceeds benefitting local events and scholarship funds.
On the Town
Many of Catskill’s businesses are located on Main and Bridge streets in the downtown area. The dining scene includes Café Joust, a juice bar serving plant-based meals; New York Restaurant, a hub for Polish and American fare; Wasana’s Thai; Angel’s Latin Restaurant; the seafood-forward Frank Guido’s Port of Call; The Avalon Lounge, which features Korean-inspired eats and live music; and Willa’s, a quaint bakery with breakfast and lunch specials. Looking for a nice place to have a drink? Between Subversive Malting + Brewing, Left Bank Ciders, Return Brewing Outpost, Chemistry Wine Bar, and Hemlock, Catskill has plenty to choose from.
While shopping, you’ll find an array of stores that sell handmade goods from local creators. Unique pottery can be purchased at L&M Studio or Fisheye Ceramics. Kaaterskill Market carries an array of homewares made by artists from the Hudson Valley and beyond. Catskill Chocolate Co. crafts candy and pastries from ethically sourced cacao. If you want to create something yourself, stop into The Little Art Shop for supplies. And, we’d be remiss if we didn’t mention other local favorites like Citiot, a coffee and gift store; Magpie Bookshop; Spike’s Record Rack; High Rock Home; and Toko Provisions pantry shop.
Get out There
As depicted in many paintings of the Hudson River School, Catskill’s environs are picturesque. On nice days, traverse the Hudson River Skywalk, a six-mile out-and-back walkway that connects Thomas Cole’s home to Olana via the Rip Van Winkle Bridge. Other spots to hike, bird, and enjoy nature include the 436-acre RamsHorn-Livingston Audubon Sanctuary, Dutchman’s Landing Park (which has a boat launch on the Hudson), and the Mawignack Preserve.
The village has not always been buzzing with business, but with the efforts of both local and out-of-town investors, it’s become a hotspot for visitors. In 2021, former NYC resident and artist Stef Halmos opened Foreland, an 85,000-square-foot visual arts campus housed inside three 19th-century brick buildings that overlook the Catskill Creek. Despite recent increases in development, Catskill is still, at its heart, a small town with a tight-knit community.
Neighborhood Stats
Area: 23 sq. mi.
Population: 3,745
Median home listing price: $419,500
To find a real estate agent in Catskill or any Hudson Valley town check out near-me.hvmag.com/realtors.
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