A Mother-Son Weekend in the Catskills

My son and I recently spent some time in the Catskills. We basically jumped in our car and headed to the mountains for some R&R and a bit of bonding. He loves to ski, so knowing that was part of our plan was a big motivator for him. The Catskills is an interesting getaway choice because it offers so much to do for both children and adults, and we were both up to the challenge of checking it out. Equipped with a full tank of gas, we set out from Westchester for two days of adventure with a group of writers and their children.

Where We Stayed

Our destination was Delhi, New York, what happens to be a very interesting town in the Western Catskills. We were headed to the Fisk House, a historic stagecoach inn that has been restored to its original condition and is now a five-room bed & breakfast. The two of us slept in the house’s best room, or at least my son thought so. Our room had its own bathroom, a queen-sized bed, a TV, AC, Wi-Fi, comfy linens and antique furnishings. We also had access to the rest of the house, which includes a cozy living room, dining room, sitting area in the foyer and full kitchen. The owner keeps fruit in the fridge, and access to coffee and tea all day. It was the perfect to end up after a long day out – simple, but perfect for our rustic adventures.

Where We Ate

Maggie’s Krooked Café in Tannersville

We stopped at Maggie’s Krooked Cafe, a cafe in Tannersville, an adorable village where each building is painted a different color, for a home made meal and fruit smoothies. I liked that the menu offered a nice selection of vegetarian options for me and plenty of carnivorous options for my son, who had the steak and eggs.

Table on Ten in Bloomville

I absolutely loved Table on Ten, about a 20-minute drive from the Fisk House. From the outside, there is not much to expect, as it appears to be an old house off a dirt road. But I was intrigued as soon as I walked in and saw modern decor and the menu, full of interesting pizzas and salads with fresh ingredients from local farms, home made sodas and dessert pies topped with ricotta and honey. I would go back to Table on Ten in a heartbeat and I look forward to the next time I can.

Andes Hotel in Andes

The Andes Hotel was a bit closer to the Fisk and a good choice for an evening meal. My son had fish & chips and I had salmon. After a day of skiing, we were both glad to sit back and relax. The hotel is casual and the kind of place where you’ll see anyone you’ve met in the Catskills that day. The owner of the Fisk House and her staff member who served us breakfast was dining there that night, too.

What We Did

Plattekill Mountain in Roxbury

My son’s a skier, so Plattekill was a must on our itinerary. I don’t usually ski with my son alone, but thankfully there was another child on our press trip on his level. I’ve been to a lot of ski resorts all over the country, and I have to say that I was impressed with Plattekill. It’s a family-run resort so you get a bit more attention than at other resorts. It’s also less crowded, so the lines to the lifts are shorter and it’s easier to get a seat in the dining room at lunchtime. The show was fresh, and the trails varied by level and terrain. My son also went skiing for the first time, which he loved. You may have a few weeks left in our long winter season, so if you can head to the Catskills, check out Plattekill – or put it on the docket for next year.

Catskill Mountain Foundation in Hunter

On the way from Tannersville to Delhi, we stopped for an education tour of the Catskill Mountain Foundation in Hunter, whose mission is to provide educational opportunities in the arts for youth and lifelong learners. We learned about a historical piano collection from a jazz pianist tour guide. The collection includes instruments from the 1700’s, including one used by Liberace himself and a replica to a piano owned by Abraham Lincoln. Then we went into an art gallery filled with work by local artists. It was a nice, cultural experience and broke up the long drive to our destination.

Shaver Hill Farm in Harpersfield

My son loves pancakes, so our big breakfast in honor or Maple Weekend at Shaver Hill Farm in Harpersfield was very much anticipated. The farm dates back to 1912, when it started as a small dairy farm with a maple syrup operation on the side. Today it’s a full-blown maple syrup operation. On our guided tour, we learned that maple syrup isn’t something you can easily make at home. It takes 35 gallons of sap to produce one gallon of syrup in massive machines and is a 12-hour process. We watched first hand how the owners tap the trees for sap, went on a horse-drawn tour of the sugar bush and sampled maple cream, donuts sugar and syrup. It was such a sweet way to end the trip.

Disclosure: We were hosted by I Love New York and our accommodations, attractions and meals were complimentary. As always, opinions are my own.