Things to do/eat ner Woodstock, NY.
July 20, 2010 7:27 PM Subscribe
Help me plan a long weekend in the general Woodstock, NY area. Fun/pretty places and vegetarian friendly restaurant suggestions welcome!
My girlfriend and I are spending 4 days in the general area of Woodstock, NY in early August, for part of which we'll be joined by a couple of friends. We're staying in a B&B in Woodstock proper, and will be driving all around the area. We know a few things we want to try and get to - Opus 40, some hiking and the like - but I'd like to get people's opinions on fun things to do, scenic places for some easy hiking (we're both horribly out of shape) and some good veg-friendly eating.
Anything within a half hour drive or so is cool, farther if its especially awesome.
p.s. There's another past AskMeFi thread on this very subject but its 3 years old, so I thought I'd see if anyone had some new input. Forgive me please if this is a Bad Thing!
My girlfriend and I are spending 4 days in the general area of Woodstock, NY in early August, for part of which we'll be joined by a couple of friends. We're staying in a B&B in Woodstock proper, and will be driving all around the area. We know a few things we want to try and get to - Opus 40, some hiking and the like - but I'd like to get people's opinions on fun things to do, scenic places for some easy hiking (we're both horribly out of shape) and some good veg-friendly eating.
Anything within a half hour drive or so is cool, farther if its especially awesome.
p.s. There's another past AskMeFi thread on this very subject but its 3 years old, so I thought I'd see if anyone had some new input. Forgive me please if this is a Bad Thing!
Springwood, FDR's childhood home, and the Vanderbilt Mansion, are about 45 minutes from Woodstock in Hyde Park. The history, architecture, and gorgeous views of the Hudson River Valley are well worth the additional 15 minutes drive time.
posted by kbar1 at 8:42 PM on July 20, 2010
posted by kbar1 at 8:42 PM on July 20, 2010
Best answer: About 20 minutes away, in Phoenicia, is (Laura Levine's) Homer and Langley's Mystery Spot Antiques. Depending on exactly when you'll be there, there's the Music for Front Porches series. I don't know if that's your thing at all, but I, personally, am a little giddy about going there next week. And I hear Sweet Sue's for pancakes is a must-do too, though that would depend on what kind of a vegetarian you are.
posted by peagood at 5:15 AM on July 21, 2010
posted by peagood at 5:15 AM on July 21, 2010
Response by poster: Not vegan, just veg, so Sweet Sue's is a definite possibility. And it looks like we may be able to just catch one of the shows, ginchy!
posted by Aversion Therapy at 5:28 AM on July 21, 2010
posted by Aversion Therapy at 5:28 AM on July 21, 2010
I was just in Phoenicia last weekend! Definitely get breakfast at Sweet Sue's (banana coconut pecan french toast). I also had breakfast that the pizzeria looking place down teh street from Sweet Sues and that was also amazing (blueberry cornmeal cream cheese pancakes). Breakfast was one of the highlights!
From teh town of Phoenicia you can also get a bus to go tubing down the Esopus Creek, but beware as there have been beaver attacks against humans recently (I'm not joking).
2nd Mystery Spot.
Lastly, it doesn't look like theres one in early August, but for anyone else visiting the area, attending a Midnight Ramble is a must.
posted by WeekendJen at 7:03 AM on July 21, 2010
From teh town of Phoenicia you can also get a bus to go tubing down the Esopus Creek, but beware as there have been beaver attacks against humans recently (I'm not joking).
2nd Mystery Spot.
Lastly, it doesn't look like theres one in early August, but for anyone else visiting the area, attending a Midnight Ramble is a must.
posted by WeekendJen at 7:03 AM on July 21, 2010
Oh, Mystery Spot has a nice little vinyl room too. Get some country music!
posted by WeekendJen at 7:03 AM on July 21, 2010
posted by WeekendJen at 7:03 AM on July 21, 2010
Best answer: Oh man I am jealous! That's one of my favorite parts of the world and I haven't been back in ten years or more.
Just the other day I was thinking about how much I would like to go tubing again on the Esopus - its the absolute most perfect way to waste a summer afternoon. The place to get the tubes is Town Tinker Tube Rental. From there you either get in the river for the "novice" and then hop on a bus back to the start when you're done or take the bus up to the start of the "expert" and get out at the tube rental place. I recommend asking what the water levels are like if they're high take the novice run but if they are normal to low try the expert. It doesn't look like prices have changed much in the last decade $20 per person for a full set up without a wetsuit or $30 with one. Bring shoes that you can wear in the water or rent them if you don't own any.
I have fond memories of taking my dad to see the world's largest kaleidoscope (the man LOVED kaleidoscopes) but it looks like they have turned a fun quirky attraction into a high-end yuppified mall/hotel. I leave that one up to you.
I don't have any personal experience with it but I have always wanted to go to The Museum at Bethel Woods which commemorates the festival that made the area famous and the era which gave birth to it. Everyone I've talked to says that they have done an amazing job and managed to avoid the cheese factor/overly nostalgic claptrap that is so easy to fall into.
The other thing in the area not to miss though is Howe and/or Secret Caverns. Both of them are naturally formed caves that are open to the public via guided tours but (at least when I knew them) the two are at opposite ends of the spectrum in terms of how tourism in the area is approached. Howe Caverns is the Tourist Attraction with capital letters - its clean, well lit, always bustling and an elevator takes you down to the start of the tour where a local teen will give a well-rehearsed spiel with plenty of solid information about the history and geology of the cave. Secret Cavern seems a lot more like someone found out there was a cave on their property and thought "hey maybe folks will pay to see this! and then I won't have to get a real job!" The tours are conducted by Kurt or Todd who also paint the most amazing billboards you have ever seen. The tour starts when Todd figures out where he left the keys for the padlock or Kurt covers up the paint cans for the billboard he's in the process of painting right in the middle of the gift shop. The tour might include some history and geology but will also have amusing stories about his dogs (who may or may not be in attendance), funny observations about city folks, tales of drinking and BBQing underground (maybe he'll even take you on a detour off the trail to see the BBQ spot) and it has been rumored that sometimes the tour even ends with very oblique suggestions that you smoke a joint with him at the base of the underground waterfall. If you can only do one of the two definitely make it Secret Caverns but really you should check out both because they compliment each other in a very weird way, they're only a mile apart, and hey, caves are cool!
I have also spent many a wonderful day just kind of bumming around the town of Woodstock itself. Lots of neat shops, cool quirky people more than willing to strike up a conversation, and lots of great wholesome food (much of it veg.)
Have a great time and please update the thread with details of your trip! and if you go to Secret Caverns could you pick me up a bumper sticker?
posted by Bango Skank at 9:02 AM on July 21, 2010 [2 favorites]
Just the other day I was thinking about how much I would like to go tubing again on the Esopus - its the absolute most perfect way to waste a summer afternoon. The place to get the tubes is Town Tinker Tube Rental. From there you either get in the river for the "novice" and then hop on a bus back to the start when you're done or take the bus up to the start of the "expert" and get out at the tube rental place. I recommend asking what the water levels are like if they're high take the novice run but if they are normal to low try the expert. It doesn't look like prices have changed much in the last decade $20 per person for a full set up without a wetsuit or $30 with one. Bring shoes that you can wear in the water or rent them if you don't own any.
I have fond memories of taking my dad to see the world's largest kaleidoscope (the man LOVED kaleidoscopes) but it looks like they have turned a fun quirky attraction into a high-end yuppified mall/hotel. I leave that one up to you.
I don't have any personal experience with it but I have always wanted to go to The Museum at Bethel Woods which commemorates the festival that made the area famous and the era which gave birth to it. Everyone I've talked to says that they have done an amazing job and managed to avoid the cheese factor/overly nostalgic claptrap that is so easy to fall into.
The other thing in the area not to miss though is Howe and/or Secret Caverns. Both of them are naturally formed caves that are open to the public via guided tours but (at least when I knew them) the two are at opposite ends of the spectrum in terms of how tourism in the area is approached. Howe Caverns is the Tourist Attraction with capital letters - its clean, well lit, always bustling and an elevator takes you down to the start of the tour where a local teen will give a well-rehearsed spiel with plenty of solid information about the history and geology of the cave. Secret Cavern seems a lot more like someone found out there was a cave on their property and thought "hey maybe folks will pay to see this! and then I won't have to get a real job!" The tours are conducted by Kurt or Todd who also paint the most amazing billboards you have ever seen. The tour starts when Todd figures out where he left the keys for the padlock or Kurt covers up the paint cans for the billboard he's in the process of painting right in the middle of the gift shop. The tour might include some history and geology but will also have amusing stories about his dogs (who may or may not be in attendance), funny observations about city folks, tales of drinking and BBQing underground (maybe he'll even take you on a detour off the trail to see the BBQ spot) and it has been rumored that sometimes the tour even ends with very oblique suggestions that you smoke a joint with him at the base of the underground waterfall. If you can only do one of the two definitely make it Secret Caverns but really you should check out both because they compliment each other in a very weird way, they're only a mile apart, and hey, caves are cool!
I have also spent many a wonderful day just kind of bumming around the town of Woodstock itself. Lots of neat shops, cool quirky people more than willing to strike up a conversation, and lots of great wholesome food (much of it veg.)
Have a great time and please update the thread with details of your trip! and if you go to Secret Caverns could you pick me up a bumper sticker?
posted by Bango Skank at 9:02 AM on July 21, 2010 [2 favorites]
For a short hike, definitely go to Kaaterskill Falls, which are the highest two-tier falls in New York state, on Route 23A in Palenville. A little further up 23A in Tannersville, Last Chance Cheese and Pancho Villa's are good dining options (but I can't vouch for how vegetarian friendly they are.)
Hunter Mountain (in Hunter) is now home to a Zipline course, if that's up your alley.
posted by andrewraff at 2:25 PM on July 21, 2010
Hunter Mountain (in Hunter) is now home to a Zipline course, if that's up your alley.
posted by andrewraff at 2:25 PM on July 21, 2010
Forgot to add: in Phoenicia, also nth the Sweet Sue's recommendation and tubing on the Esopus at Town Tinker.
posted by andrewraff at 2:27 PM on July 21, 2010
posted by andrewraff at 2:27 PM on July 21, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Aversion Therapy at 7:28 PM on July 20, 2010