The Great Northern Catskills are just a hop, skip, and a jump away. Check out some of the cool new adventures. A drive-in movie theater with a beer garden? Nighttime ziplining? It’s totally legal, and the wildest ride you’ll ever take.
Here are the top six ways to enjoy summer in the Great Northern Catskills .
1) Greenville Drive-In & Beer Garden
When was the last time you took your sweetheart to a drive-in movie? Hop in your hot rod and head to the Greenville Drive-In this summer to experience one of life’s simplest pleasures—drinking local brews outdoors while watching cinematic magic unfold. While classic movie fare is available to popcorn traditionalists, a new menu of locally sourced treats includes ice cream sandwiches from 2 Twisted Ladies, and gluten-free and GMO-free options.
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2) Night Ziplining at Hunter Mountain
Drive up to Hunter Mountain during the next full moon for this can’t-miss nighttime zipline adventure. The tour includes six ziplines, four rope bridges, and a 65-foot rappel. Enjoy stargazing and some nocturnal wildlife viewing and listen for the sound of owls on the prowl. The tour can take up to three hours. Cost: $69 per person. Reservations required. Feel like you’re part of the night as you fly from illuminated tree platform to platform.
3) Hiking the Hudson River School of Art Trail
Hike in the Catskill Mountains and walk the paths that have inspired painters for centuries. Start at North-South Lake State Campground, where you can pitch a tent, or continue straight to the trailhead markers for Alligator Rock, Kaaterskill Falls, and the former site of the Catskill Mountain House, a grand hotel that once perched precariously close to a rocky ledge offering views of the Hudson Valley and winding river of the same name.
4) Craft Beer Tour: The Hoppy Heart of Greene County
Catskills’ microbreweries are one of Upstate New York’s best kept secrets. Crossroads Brewing Company in Athens won two silver medals at this year’s TAP NY Craft Beer and Food Festival at Hunter Mountain, and Cave Mountain Brewing Company in Windham has taken home “Best Brewery” from TAP. Now there are five microbreweries on the map, including: Honey Hollow Brewing Co. in Earlton, a farm brewery offering hand-crafted ales; Rip Van Winkle Brewing Company in Catskill, home of Angela’s Pizza, a match made in heaven; and Hammo’s Brew Pub & Lodge in Hensonville, offering a hearty, perfectly paired menu.
5) Learn a Skill at the Catskill Mountain Foundation
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From Chinese Brush painting, to ceramics, to an evening at the theater, the Catskill Mountain Foundation’s Sugar Maples Center for Creative Arts exists to bring enrichment and culture to all ages. Throughout the summer, enjoy an array of arts and cultural activities, events, lectures, and special performances at The Orpheum Theatre, including lectures on Mozart and Beethoven, and exhibitions featuring local artists’ work.
6) Grab Your Putter & Play the Catskill Nine
The Catskill Nine is a series of Catskill golf courses also known as the Rip Van Winkle Golf Trail. For players who conquer all nine, there could be a big fat $10,000 pot of cash and prizes waiting at the end of the season. To participate, golfers need a Golf Trail Pass from the Greene County Golf Association for $199. It provides tee times at all courses.
Greene County Tourism
Exit 21 off NYS Thruway
700 Route 23B
Leeds NY 12451
tourism@discovergreene.com
www.GreatNorthernCatskills.com
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