Issue 39: Exploring the Catskills with kids
The best spots in Hunter, Tannersville, and Windham with Elizabeth Narins of Hotel Lilien
It’s summer, and we’re itchy to explore beyond our usual Hudson Valley spots. Our pal Liz Narins is here as our guest Catskills Correspondent this week. Welcome, Liz!
Hi, hello! Liz here from More Than Mom. I’m a former Cosmo editor and current mother of two (Shay, 5 and Emma, nearly 3). My main connection to the Catskills? I’m part of the founding team of Hotel Lilien, the boutique hotel and cocktail lounge located in a gut-renovated 1890s estate in Tannersville, which is just a few minutes from Hunter Mountain. In addition to freelance writing, I handle all things content, social, marketing, partnerships, merch, and PR for the hotel.
Hotel Lilien will celebrate its third anniversary this August, and if you’re doing some light math, why yes, we did open when I was 10 months pregnant with my second child.
Ahead of the hotel’s opening, our former family of three set up shop in an A-frame Airbnb at the base of Hunter Mountain, where a like-sized family of bears visited us regularly. (It’s like they knew I could run neither fast nor far!) All summer, my toddler spent his mornings hanging out with the son of my sister-in-law, who had also moved her family to Hunter temporarily. In the afternoons, I hoisted my child and belly full o’ baby into the car to kill time as our 1890s money pit underwent alllll the renovations and, against the odds, began to show signs of opening ahead of my due date.
I might not live in the Catskills full-time anymore, but I like to think I still know the best ways to whittle away an afternoon in the region with kids in tow. Every time we visit the hotel nowadays, we hone the list of recommendations you’ll find below. It’s the same list I kick over to visiting families when they ask us at the hotel for activity and dining suggestions.
Best Stroller Walks
My husband and I like fresh air and consider it a necessity to move our legs every day, in almost any weather. Our three favorite kid-friendly “hikes” are unpaved but stroller-friendly enough to leave an Uppababy Cruz unscathed.
We park on Bloomer Road off 29A behind Hotel Lilien. It’s a wide, shady path that walks you along Gooseberry Creek and dumps you out at Rip Van Winkle Lake and the best playground we’ve found in the Catskills.
Mountaintop Historical Society Rail Trail
This flat, straight path is another wide and shady wooded option. Park at the Historical Society and proceed where railroad tracks used to carry boxcars past Kaaterskill Falls. Our kids never make it that far, but the path does take you down to the famed three-story water drop off, which is every bit as majestic and worthwhile as you’ve heard. Almost as lovely: looping back to write the trip off as a quick nature bath.
Windham Path
This vast looped path encircles an open field dotted with streams and light landscaping along the way. We love tucking in whichever kid most needs a stroller nap and setting out for a solid walk with a clear beginning and end, and not much forestation or brush for ticks to hide in. (I’m underselling it! But trust me on this!)
Best Playgrounds and Playrooms
Our kids need space to play that’s not underfoot of hotel guests. Here’s where we go to get lost.
Rip Van Winkle Park (Tannersville)
This park leaves no stone unturned, with big and little kid swings, a tire swing, climbing wall, various climbing structures, and hardscaped musical instruments plus a roomy pavilion, a range of sports courts, and my kids’ favorite: a vast skate park that doubles as slide central. When my son was little, I’d plop him in the sand volleyball court with a shovel and take a load off. When we needed a change, we would migrate to Rip Van Winkle Lake Beach, which is a bit muddy but still fun for water play and boat/tube rentals from Tanners Boathouse.
The Catskill Mountain Country Store & Restaurant (Windham)
Another fun stop for kiddos (and parents alike!) The Country Store has an old-school pirate ship playground that is absolutely not up to any code, a small petting zoo, and, inside, a delightful toy shop that keeps toddlers busy.
The Mountaintop Library (Tannersville)
Situated in an airy two-story former chapel, they’re well-stocked with children's books, of course, but also puzzles and games, crafts, and Legos upon request. The librarians secured our allegiance after setting aside numerous fire engine books for our son, who spent his toddler years obsessed with emergency vehicles. We still hit up this library on every single trip.
Best Shops Where You Can Bring Your Kids
My kids have limited patience for browsing, but these stores meet their approval and feel like an adventure for them, too.
Phoenix Web (Hunter)
This free shop (you read that right!) is so fun to browse with kids. To take part in something magical, bring the clothes and toys they’ve outgrown, and drop a few donation dollars if you find anything awesome to take home.
Kaaterskill Thrift Shop (Hunter)
I’ve had some really fun finds (a painting, picture frames, vintage wicker side tables, a table runner, and so many cheapo toys) at this thrift shop, which is conveniently located next to Fellow Mountain Cafe and walking distance from the playground at Hunter Elementary. The long aisles make it hard to lose your kid while you browse, and the rock-bottom prices lower the stakes on every parent’s least favorite rule: you break, you buy.
Best Parent-Friendly (and Kid-Tolerant) Dining
Best for treats: Shandaken Bake (Tannersville)
Truly the cutest bakery around, Shandaken was crowd-funded by regional farmers’ markets fans. Owner Craig’s handmade signs are almost as sweet as his recipes (get the Chubby Squirrel!), which rotate on the regular and only disappoint when they sell out (as they do).
Best for lunch: Pantry on Main (Tannersville)
My go-to here is the grilled cheese panini with turkey instead of prosciutto, but the real draw is a vast seating area where my kids can run around without getting chastised. I’ve also been wowed by Pantry’s deli salads and prepared soups, which are great to-go options, although I usually prefer to stick around.
Best for road trips: Circle W (Palenville)
A must-stop on your way up and down the mountain, it has a robust sandwich menu full of nothing but hits, and its super well-curated provisions store is always worth a peek while waiting for your order.
Best for feral children: Chicken Run (Windham)
With live music, a tame stream where kids can splash within reason, a sandpit full of toys, and approachable food your kids might eat while you pretend they’re not yours, this restaurant is about as low-key and kid-friendly as they come.
Best for pseudo date nights: Hotel Lilien (Tannersville)
I’d be remiss not to mention that our cocktails are objectively stellar (the blood orange negroni spagliato!) and between fried chicken sandwiches, grilled cheese and tomato bisque, miso deviled eggs, and campfire cookies with ice cream, my kids never go hungry here. Despite an ample collection of board games in our library (and off-menu collection of toddler toys), my kids’ favorite hotel activity is shoveling gravel alongside the front gardens. The task is both endless and thankless, but it sure keeps them occupied while the grown-ups finish their drinks. We also have live music on Sundays, which is the most lovely way to end a weekend—and tends to put all the kids present into a peaceful trance.
More tips for the road
Fellow Mountain Cafe (Hunter) is on Too Good to Go. Reserve a mystery bag of pastries to pick up when the coffee shop closes at 3pm.
On an icky day, Wylder Hotel in Windham has a cafe (Babblers Bakery) where you can get a coffee to-go and bring your kids down to the hotel’s basement rec room, which houses arcade games and a variety of tabletop games like pool and foosball. It’s the perfect place to wait out a storm or warm up on a super cold day, plus the basement feels remote enough that you’re not disturbing anyone.
The antiques shop Rust, Diamonds, and More (Hunter) gives out free vintage toy cars to kids, and you can bet my kids have never forgotten that.
The Hunter Fire Station (17 Bridge Street and 23A, officially in Lansville) has an ORANGE fire engine. Your truck-loving kid hasn’t lived until they’ve seen it and walked across the street to peek at the neighboring glass-panelled garage, which houses a charming antique fire engine.
Each summer, I feel justified in my obsession with tick protection. We treat the hotel grounds and send out a bunch of clothes to Insect Shield for professional permethrin application. They tag every item they treat, then return everything laundered sans scent. The treatments allegedly last for 70 washes, well after your kid outgrows the clothing anyway.
There you have it, an ever-expanding list of ways we survive and thrive with kids up in the Catskills. If you’d like to keep hanging out, be my guest at my newsletter More Than Mom, or be my actual guest and book a room at Hotel Lilien using my discount code LIZFRIENDS.
Thank you, Liz!
What We’re Reading
[Liz] - I'm always a week (or a month) behind book club assigned readings. On a recent girls' trip, I took the opportunity to catch up and devoured The Wedding People by Alison Espach over the course of three days. My book club is currently on a summer hiatus while several of us have second babies and/or skip town, so I've put library holds on two of Espach's other books: Notes on Your Sudden Disappearance and The Adults to get me to September.
[Ashley] - I recently started The Retrievals, a podcast about how women’s pain is dismissed and what can be done about it. I’m listening to Season 1 which looks into some pretty horrifying experiences at a fertility clinic, and after that, I’ll continue onto the new season 2, which explores C-section deliveries. Each episode gets pretty intense so if you’re undergoing fertility treatment or giving birth anytime soon, you may want to table it for later.
[Genevieve] - Well, Cara Tedstone’s latest post “What Defines Our Relationship with Our Children?” couldn’t have come at a better time for me, when my nearly-3-year-old and I are butting heads more than ever before, and I’m frequently spiraling over what to say, what to do, how to parent without traumatizing her…the usual. I give you this: “What does define [our relationships with our children] is what we return to after the apology. Do we go back to power-over dynamics, even in subtle ways? Do we apologize, then ask for obedience? Or do we begin to unravel our need for control and move toward true collaboration?”
[Maddie] - Parenting a three-year-old is throwing me for a loop this week too, Genevieve! I’m turning to the chapter on sibling relationships in How to Raise Kids Who Aren’t Assholes by Melinda Werner Moyer, and after a few rereads, I might be getting closer to diffusing the dozens of little sibling tiffs in my own household. Moyer cites a study where researchers found young siblings fight six times an hour on average — a learning that’s certainly borne out by my personal experience.
Our Picks
[Liz] - Although I spend hours each week packing camp lunches, after-camp snacks, and pool snacks for my kids, I always end up scrambling for my own food when I'm out all day. To keep my energy up and moods stable, I've claimed Lalo's new Bento Box as my own. I called in a sample after an eating therapist I interviewed at Solid Starts recommended it; in testing, I found the three compartments surprisingly roomy and easy to clean. So far, it's been immune to leaks and great at keeping food chilled after sitting in the fridge overnight.
[Ashley] - I never, ever have time for pedicures - where does one even get a pedicure in the Hudson area?! During sandal season, I’ve been treating my feet to this divine Sallye Ander Heavy Duty Foot Cream. It smells incredible and makes my weary feet feel just a touch appreciated at the end of the day.
[Genevieve] - The Six Bells Fourth Annual Barn Sale is upon us and I couldn’t be more tickled by the spongeware jugs, needlepoint spite pillows, and painted tapered candles.
[Maddie] - If we’re judging by the volume of follow-up texts from friends, the “Car Naps” playlist I shared a little while ago was a success. I figure I should also share its inverse, a dance-y mix that stemmed from my kids’ enduring love of “Return of the Mack”. Here’s “Tot Moves”. It’ll double as the soundtrack for an early 2000s bar mitzvah if you’re in a pinch.
In the Neighborhood
We live in the Mid-Hudson Valley and we’re keeping tabs on these (mostly family-friendly) events near us. If there’s another event you’d like us to share, please send it our way!
Ongoing Events
Through August 16 - Bard Summerscape, Annandale-on-Hudson
Mondays - Wiggles and Words (for 0-6 months) at the Red Hook Library, Red Hook
Mondays - Songs & Stories at Ulster Public Library, Ulster
Mondays and Fridays - Tunes and Tales at the Red Hook Library, Red Hook
Tuesdays - Storytime with Robbie at Starr Library, Rhinebeck
Wednesdays - Runs with Return Run Club, Hudson
Wednesdays - Catskills Nature Explorers, Arkville
Wednesdays until August 20 - Waterfront Wednesdays, Hudson
Thursdays - Music & Movement Storytime at the Hudson Area Library, Hudson
Thursdays - Haema pop-up at Return Brewing, Hudson
Fridays - Preschool Story Time at Ulster Public Library, Ulster
Fridays through August 22 - Wethersfield Adventurers Club, Amenia
Saturdays - Hudson Farmers' Market, Hudson
Saturdays - Maverick Family Saturday concerts, Woodstock
Saturdays - Outdoor Yoga (with llamas) at Clover Brooke Farm, Hyde Park
Sundays - Rhinebeck Farmers’ Market, Rhinebeck
Sundays - Farm-to-Table Family Buffet at Random Harvest, Craryville
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July & August Events
Thursday, July 24 - How to Build a Cheese Board at The Spark of Hudson, Hudson
Thursday, July 24 - Sunday, July 27 - The Greene County Youth Fair, Cairo
Thursday, July 24 - Sunday, July 27 - Millbrook Horse Trials, Millbrook
Friday, July 25 - Saturday, July 26 - Bard SummerScape: After Hours, Annandale-on-Hudson ^
Friday, July 25 - Remember You Mother’s Circle, Kingston
Friday, July 25 - Twilight Limited Special on Catskill Mountain Railroad, Kingston
Saturday, July 26 - Camp Here Nowhere Now retreat, Livingston
Saturday, July 26 - Community Barn Raising at Art Omi, Ghent
Saturday, July 26 - Intro to Sourdough at The Spark of Hudson, Hudson
Saturday, July 26 - Mellenville Fire 100 Year Anniversary Parade & Celebration, Mellenville
Saturday, July 26 - Caramoor Jazz Festival, Katonah
Saturday, July 26 - Farm Yoga at Fishkill Farms, Hopewell Junction ^
Monday, July 28 - Friday, August 1 - Family Camp at The Ashokan Center, Olivebridge
Tuesday, July 29 - Moms Next Door Know Your Rights Training, Virtual
Friday, August 1 - GODDESS: Origins of Wonder ft. Goddess Party, Athens
Saturday, August 2 - Sunday, August 3 - Great Estates Garden & Landscape Weekend, Dutchess County
Saturday, August 2 - Dance Showing at Art Omi, Ghent
Saturday, August 2 - Hudson Sankofa Black Arts and Cultural Festival, Hudson
Sunday, August 3 - The Moto Social, Hudson
Starting Monday, August 4 - Youth Summer Camp at Cone Zero Ceramics, Catskill
Thursday, August 7 - Kingston Cooks workshop, Kingston
Sunday, August 10 - Free movie screening of Encanto at Story Screen Cinema, Hudson
Sunday, August 10 - Children & Families Workshop at Storm King Art Center, New Windsor
Starting Monday, August 11 - Baby Nature Class with Hudson Valley Adventure Club, Livingston
Starting Monday, August 11 - Youth Summer Camp at Cone Zero Ceramics, Catskill
Saturday, August 16 - Summer Music Series: The Goddess Party, Athens
Saturday, August 16 - Nature Walk & Craft with Hudson Valley Adventure Club, Hudson
Monday, August 18 - Infant and Young Child CPR Workshop at The Spark of Hudson, Hudson
Thursday, August 21 - How to Run Your First Long Distance Race at The Spark of Hudson, Hudson
Friday, August 29 - Sunday, August 30 - Hudson Valley Hot-Air Balloon Festival, Lagrangeville
^ = for adults
* = will likely sell out, so book soon
 | A guest post by
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Big thanks for having me guest edit this week! What a joy to collaborate with the Hudson Valley's best trio!
Wonderful list! I’m local-ish to the area and screenshotted a bunch. Thanks for putting it together! 😊