With handfuls of amazing regions making up the state of New York, all of us have our own favorite neck of the woods to visit and explore. With that said, the folks over at Lonely Planet have recently unveiled their Top 10 regions that they feel are deserving of the spotlight this year and one of ours happened to make the list. Landing in the top as the only region from America to make the list, see why this one particular area of the Empire State was just named one of the best to visit in the entire world.
With this summer marking the 50th anniversary of the Woodstock Festival that took place in New York, you'll find that more people than ever are visiting the Catskill Mountains this year.
As if the area hadn't already made a comeback in the last 10 years, major festivals and attractions like the anniversary of Woodstock have drawn in more visitors than ever from both inside the state and out. Thanks to everyone over at Lonely Planet, New York's Catskill Mountain Region was named the second best region on their Top 10 list.
While the Catskill Mountains are fantastic to explore all year round, you'll find the region is at its busiest during the summer when you can make use of popular attractions like Bethel Woods.
One of the best outdoor music venues that the state of New York has to offer, Bethel Woods is where the Woodstock Festival was held and continues to be a fantastic venue to this very day. All summer long, you can expect to find amazing concerts taking place at Bethel Woods, as well as the region's other smaller venues.
The star of this region is obviously the mountains, though not the tallest in New York, have so very much to offer to adventures of all kinds.
No, the Catskill Mountains aren't as high as New York's Adirondack Peaks, but that doesn't mean that these trails and mountains are to be underestimated. All around the region, you'll find phenomenal mountains like Hunter Mountain, Windham Mountain, Overlook Mountain, and Slide Mountain - the tallest in the area.
The Catskill Mountains aren't just for hiking and skiing though, you can also enjoy world-famous attractions like longest and tallest zipline in America on Hunter Mountain.
That's right! From ziplines to other treetop adventures, there are all sorts of ways that you can enjoy the actual mountains of this region.
Speaking of adventure, did we also mention that this scenic region is home to New York's tallest waterfall?
Yes readers, it's true! Hidden away in the Northern area of the Catskill Mountains is
Kaaterskill Falls - a two-tiered waterfall that cascades down 260-feet!
When you're ready to take a break from adventuring, you can visit any one of the region's charming restaurants or local distilleries.
With so much to see and do in the Catskill Region, you'll want to know where the best places to eat and drink are. For starters, you can quench your thirst at places like the Catskill Distilling Company - while some may choose to visit more whimsical destinations like the area's
cheese-themed restaurants.
When you're ready to slowly ease your way back into the outdoors, you can find unique ways to explore the Catskill's art scenery with stops at places like Opus 40.
Any true New Yorker will be able to tell you that this outdoor wonder was where part of Dave Matthew's Band shot their video for Satellite, but there's more to Opus 40 than just that one famous cameo. Sitting on 70-acres of land in Saugerties, visitors of Opus 40 can see the hard work of artist Harvey Fite who spent more than 37-years creating this marvelous work of art with his own hands.
The region is also filled with a variety of historic sites and museums that will leave you absolutely fascinated with this area of New York.
From the Trolley Museum of New York in Kingston to the Thomas Cole Historic Site in Catskill, there are so many amazing places with the Catskill Mountains that have managed to keep the region's history so well-preserved - and you'll want to explore them all!
During our warmest months, visitors enjoy cooling off in the region's hidden beaches and small-town creeks.
Between the 700,000-acres of forest preserve that make up the Catskill Park, you'll find plenty of natural oases where you can cool off during the summer months.
If you're ready to take on all that the Catskill Mountains have to offer, the final step will be to pick a place to stay. Let's go!
When it comes to accommodations in the Catskill Mountains, you'll be pleasantly overwhelmed by all the different options that you'll have available to you. Whether you want to pick from one of the whimsical rooms at the
Roxbury Motel or you want to stay somewhere that offers a funky camping experience like
Kate's Lazy Meadow - you'll find plenty of places that will be willing to put you up as you explore one of the best regions in the world!
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