Frommer's New York State by Marc Lallanilla

Author:Marc Lallanilla
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Published: 2011-11-29T05:00:00+00:00

Southeastern Catskill Region (Ulster County)

The southeastern section of the Catskill Mountains, centered in Ulster County and the closest to New York City (many parts are 2 hr. or less by car), is one of the most historic, sophisticated, and beautiful parts of the Catskill region. It’s an area of bucolic farmlands and original settlers’ stone houses belonging to French, Dutch, and English immigrants. The area straddles the easily blurred divide between the Catskill Mountains and the Mid-Hudson Valley and is thus easy to combine with tours of the west bank of the river valley. Some of the most legendary names are contained in this section that skirts the southern edge of the Catskill Forest Preserve: Mohonk Mountain House, Woodstock, and New Paltz, as well as small but increasingly happening up-and-comer towns such as Saugerties and Phoenicia. This section is so close to the western portion of the Mid-Hudson River Valley that you might also consider attractions, lodging, and dining options in chapter 7.

Essentials

Getting There From north and south, direct access by car is via exits 18 to 20 of the New York State Thruway (I-87).

Visitor Information Contact the Ulster County Tourism Office, 10 Westbrook Lane, Kingston ( 800/342-5826; www.ulstertourism.info). The Woodstock Chamber of Commerce operates an information kiosk, 10 Rock City Rd., Woodstock ( 845/679-6234; Thurs–Sun 11am–6pm), which dispenses town and area maps.

New Paltz & Environs ★★

The largest historical attraction in the southeastern Catskills is in New Paltz, a likable college town (SUNY–New Paltz) founded in 1678. The Huguenot Street Stone Houses ★★, 18 Broadhead Ave. ( 845/255-1660; www.huguenotstreet.org), represent some of the oldest remaining architecture in the region. This collection of a half-dozen Colonial-era stone houses was built by a small group of French religious refugees, the Protestant Huguenots. A National Historic Landmark, the Huguenot district once occupied 40,000 acres at the edge of the Wallkill River. The original stone houses, the earliest of which was built in 1692, have been restored with period furnishings and heirlooms and operate as house museums. Also on-site are the bright-yellow 1705 DuBois Fort (now a visitor center and museum shop, where tours begin) and the French Church, a reconstruction of the 1717 original. Guided tours are the only way to see the interiors of the stone house museums. A deluxe (90-min.) tour includes three period houses and the French Church and costs $12 adults, $11 seniors, $5 students ages 6 to 17, free for children 5 and under; a standard (60-min.) tour, which visits two period houses, is $9 adults, $8 seniors, $3 students 6 to 17, free for children 5 and under; a self-guided cellphone tour (60 min.; $6) is also available. Tours are offered May Saturday to Sunday 10:30am to 5pm; June to October Thursday to Tuesday 10:30am to 5pm; November to December Saturday to Sunday 11am to 3pm. Walk-in guided tours are offered at 11am and 2pm any day the visitor center is open. Consult the website for a healthy calendar of special events. If visiting out of season,

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