Covering approximately 4,000 square miles, the Catskill region features miles of unspoiled scenery with five major rivers, the Mohonk Preserve, Catskill Park and more than 90 mountain peaks. Situated in New York State, the Catskills offers easy access to Manhattan, New Jersey and Connecticut. With dance classes, organized activities and recreational facilities, many old Catskills resorts continue to offer family-friendly vacations as depicted in the popular 1987 movie, “Dirty Dancing.”
Located approximately three hours from New York City, the Oquaga Lake resort has been owned and operated by the Scott family since 1869. The property features rustic buildings, antique furnishings, comfortable guest rooms and a 3,200 square foot hardwood dance floor. More than 110 individual guest rooms are located within various buildings around the grounds. The Main Lodge is the largest building and includes two-room suites as well as the main reception area and downstairs dining room. Located between the Main Lodge and the waterfront, Green Gables is one of the oldest buildings on the property and provides a downstairs lobby and two walk-out porches. Opposite Green Gables, the Guest House offers spacious accommodations and access to a common porch. Situated next to each other, the Christie Inn and Windmere feature private waterfront docks, lake views, small porches and lobby areas. The Farm House offers spacious accommodations, two separate kitchenettes and private access, while the Laurel is nestled among the evergreens near the lake. The cottage-like accommodations of the Laurel provide a kitchenette, sitting room, a porch and a private waterfront dock. Two nine-hole golf course, hiking trails, shuffleboard and lake front tennis courts are also situated among the 1,100 acres of property. The resort features a range of activities scheduled every day, while dancing and live entertainment programs are offered every night. Activities may include dancing lessons, cookouts, canoe trips, mini bus tours and show boat cruises.
Scott's Family Resort at Oquaga Lake
567 Oquaga Lake Road
P.O. Box 49
Deposit, NY 13754
607-467-3094
scottsfamilyresort.com
Originally built during the late 19th century for Brooklyn businessman, Thomas Hunt Talmage, the property was intended as a summer residence. Surrounded by 2,000 acres of land and including a lake, the home was not completed before Talmage's death. The property changed hands several times over the years, becoming a self-contained retreat run by Dominican Sisters and a vacation home for Cardinals Hayes and Spellman before opening to the public in 1984. Located in the Catskill Mountains, the small resort offers 17 guestrooms, many with working fireplaces, whirlpool baths and private sundecks. Guests may participate in a variety of seasonal activities, including swimming, fishing, boating, kayaking, hiking, tennis and bicycling during the summer. Cross country skiing, sledding, ice skating and snow shoeing is available during the winter. A full-service health and fitness club is open all year. During the summer, breakfast is served on a screened veranda with views of the forest and the veranda is glassed in during the winter providing views of the snow capped mountains.
Inn at Lake Joseph
162 Saint Joseph Rd.
Forestburgh, NY 12777
845-791-9506
lakejoseph.com
One of the oldest family-owned resorts in the United States, the 267-room Victorian castle was built in 1869. Only an hour and half drive from New York City, the Lake Mohonk resort is surrounded by thousands of acres of pristine forest and the Shawangunk Ridge. Guests can choose from a variety of accommodations, including elegant rooms in the Victorian Towers or quaint guest cottages on the grounds. The property includes a historic golf course, created more than 100 years ago, based on the links of St. Andrews. Guests may explore the landscaped gardens, Victorian Maze and more than 85 miles of hiking trails. Additional recreational activities include rock climbing at Sky Top with an authorized guide from Alpine Endeavors or playing on red-clay or Har-Tru tennis courts. The 18,000-square-foot Skating Pavilion offers an attractive setting for ice skating on a refrigerated rink or guests may enjoy fishing, boating and swimming in Lake Mohonk. The full-service Spa features a heated indoor pool, a fitness center and a yoga studio. The Mountain Lake Conference House accommodates up to 350 people and is frequently the site of resort programs focusing on music and nature. Nightly entertainment may include movie screenings, nature presentations, dancing or campfires with s'mores. The resort is located in the heart of the Hudson Valley, six miles west of New Paltz and the New York State Thruway.
Mohonk Mountain House
1000 Mountain Rest Rd.
New Paltz, NY 12561
845-255-1000
mohonk.com
