I recently went on the most relaxing weekend trip to the Catskills in Upstate NY. Located two hours away from NYC, the Catskills is home to some of the most stunning trails and waterfalls, which was everything I wanted in a quick summer escape. Staying in a Getaway cabin made the experience even more special. Here’s a recap of my Getaway Catskills East experience and a 2-day weekend guide to the Catskills:
What is Getaway?
Getaway offers nature escapes to encourage people to unplug from life’s daily hustle. Getaway outposts are located within a short driving distance (2 hours or less) from 14 major cities:
Atlanta
Austin + San Antonio
Boston
Charlotte + Raleigh
Dallas + Houston
Los Angeles
New York
Pittsburgh + Cleveland
Portland
Washington DC
What are Getaway cabins like?
The vibe
Getaway cozy cabins are definitely a glamper’s dream! They were thoughtfully designed providing you with everything you need:
an extremely comfortable queen sized bed or queen bunks with fresh linens. I felt like I was sleeping on clouds and waking up to a beautiful view of trees was such a treat.
a bathroom with a hot shower, toilet, bath towels, body wash, shampoo, and conditioner
heat and air conditioning
a rechargeable lantern
a kitchenette with a mini fridge, two burner stove, dishware, and cookware. Salt, pepper, and olive oil are the only cooking ingredients provided. Sugar and creamer is also available. The water is potable and drinkable. Cleaning supplies including paper towels, dish soap, and trash bags are also provided. They have different provisions available for purchase including coffee, tea, pasta and sauce, and popcorn. Everything is under $10 which was surprising. I was expecting it to be similar to overpriced provisions at hotels. You can use what you want and you will get billed after checkout.
a mini library to further inspire your wanderlust
Cards and an interesting book of card games
an outdoor fire pit with grilling grate and outdoor seating. They sell fire starter bundles for $6.50.
a cell phone lockbox so you can detach yourself from your phone and indulge in undistracted time in nature
Under-bed storage space for your luggage
Bonus: The cabins are dog friendly! If you book with your furry friend, Getaway provides dog bowls, treats, a waste bag, and an outdoor lead.
What’s missing?
There wasn’t a mirror anywhere in the cabin! But, the fact that this was literally the only thing I found that was missing shows you how the Getaway design team really nailed it. Also, I quickly realized it just my ego reacting and that it wasn’t the end of the world to spend one day without a mirror.
The community
You’re not completely alone. There are cabins spread out within reasonable distance throughout the outposts.
Prepping for your Getaway
Book ASAP
Getaway is extremely popular! It’s best for you to book as soon as you get the thought, especially if you want to visit over the weekend. Here’s a screenshot of a search I made on August 20th for Catskills West.
Use code TRAVELJEWELS for $25 off your booking.
Budget Considerations
If you plan on doing a hike-based getaway, your biggest costs outside of the cabin cost will be for groceries, dining out, and gas.
Packing List
Since our Getaway was only one night we decided to maximize our time by dining out and buying snacks to sustain us in between meals.
There are several grocery stores near the Catskills East Outpost:
Catskill Country Store (10-minute drive)
Hannaford Supermarket (10 minute drive)
Last Chance Cheese (25 minute drive)
We decided to buy our snacks locally before heading on the road to the cabin. Here was our shopping list for one night for two people!
Food & Snacks**:
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Fruit: Pineapples, grapes, and watermelon
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S’mores essentials: 2 bars of chocolate, graham crackers, and skewer sticks
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Terra Mediterranean Chips
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Sunseed chewy bars
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Water (2 33 fl oz bottles for hiking)
** If you plan on cooking bring your own seasonings from home.
Other essentials:
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Sunscreen
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Bug spray
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Anti-itch cream
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Hiking bag
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Sneakers
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Swimsuit
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Quick dry towel (great for waterfall hikes)
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Wash cloth
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Lotion
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Personal toiletries
What to expect?
Before your arrival
Getaway will text you the morning of your arrival with outpost map for you to download just in case you lose service* near the cabin. Getaway texts you 30 minutes before check-in with your cabin name and key code.
*I have Sprint and my service was decent with consistent 2 signal bars throughout my stay.
Check-in/ Check out-times
Check- in is at 3 pm and check-out is at 11 am. You can reach out to the community team and call 617-914-0021 or email lodge@getaway.house to inquire about adjusting your check-in and check-out times. But it may be impossible for the foreseeable future. When I requested they said it wasn’t possible because of extensive cleaning procedures put in place.
Welcome package
We were welcomed with a fresh smelling cabin and a welcome packet that included a map of where you can go hiking, swimming, fishing, skiing, other points of interest, and grocery shopping. On the other side of the map is 36 ideas on how to unplug!
Safety
24- hour support line
In case of an emergency you should always call 911. But, you can always text or call the Getaway 24-hour support line at 617-914-0021 if needed. There’s also a landline phone in the cabin for use if you don’t have cell service.
Door security
There’s a latch on your cabin door for added security.
First aid kit
There’s a first aid kit in the bathroom of your cabin.
Hospital
The nearest hospital, Columbia Memorial Hospital is a 20 minute drive from the outpost.
Protection against local wildlife
To avoid attracting bears, you want to make sure you keep your food properly stored indoors and keep the outdoors trash free at all times. Also, for your peace of mind, know that bear attacks are rare.
Protect yourself from tick bites, by applying insect repellent and checking your entire body after being outside.
Self-care all day
The biggest thing you can expect from Getaway is ample opportunity to practice self care. I thoroughly enjoyed meditating in the woods, rereading one of my favorite books— The Four Agreements, and sleeping in.
Things to Do in the Catskills
Day 1
Kaaterskill Falls
There are a number of waterfall hikes in the Catskills, but Kaaterskill Falls is one of the most impressive ones. It is the highest cascading waterfall in New York State dropping 260 feet in two tiers. The hike to Kaaterskill Falls is 1.4 miles roundtrip and is moderately difficult.
Getting there
It’s a 25 min drive from the Catskills East outpost located off of Route 23 in Haines Falls. As you get closer to the Kaaterskill Falls the roads get narrower and a bit crowded with pedestrians walking along the sides.
Parking
This is one of the most popular waterfalls so expect crowds. There is a designated parking area by the entrance, but by the time we arrived (around 4:30) there were about 20 cars ahead of us to grab a spot. We decided to find parking on a side road. There were a few private residences nearby selling parking spots for the day for about $10-20. The Town of Hunter is cutting down on illegally parked cars and towing them.
My friend visited Kaaterskill Falls on a Monday afternoon, it was still crowded, but she was able to get a parking spot with a short wait.
Social-distancing and safety
It was honestly way more crowded than I imagined, but the majority of people were wearing masks and staying 6 feet apart in their groups. Beware of slippery rocks. There is a lot of signage to direct you and warn you about spots that had a lot of fatalities.
Swimming
There were a number of swimming holes throughout Kaaterskill Falls. I brought my swimming suit, but personally decided against getting in because of the crowds and I was already feeling cold without getting in the water
Kaaterskill Falls was truly mesmerizing, now I get why it inspired so many famous artists. I would love to visit in the Fall and see the waterfalls with a backdrop of the colorful foliage.
Restaurants
After the hike, we went to the colorful Town of Tannersville to grab food to bring back to the cabin. There was an abundance of options, most restaurants were open until at least 8-10pm, and some even had indoor dining.
If you’re visiting during a weekday, your options may be more limited. While searching for places to eat, I noticed that some restaurants weren’t open on Monday or Tuesday.
Night-time activities
After eating, we winded down by the fire pit with s’mores, cocktails, and star gazing!
Day 2
Brunch
After checking out, we headed to In the Sticks for brunch. I highly recommend this restaurant! It was like having a delicious home-cooked meal at your favorite auntie’s house. Carolina, our waitress was so funny and took really good care of us.
Ashokan Reservoir
We stumbled across the majestic Ashokan Reservoir on our drive to another waterfall hike. It’s one of the largest reservoirs in the Catskills Mountains and it provides NYC its drinking water. NYC is known to have some of the best tap water in the world and being at the Ashokan Reservoir I can see how.
Voorney Falls Trail
We visited the Voorney Falls trail in Kerhonkson. It’s 3.6 miles roundtrip with moderate intensity. The roads leading up to the parking for the start of the trail is extremely narrow, bumpy, with a lot of potholes.
When we parked we just started walking and didn’t pay attention to any signage. After walking for a hour, we finally got to a sign that said the waterfalls were 2 miles away and realized we went in the wrong direction. Unfortunately, we were on a time limit and had to head back to the car.
We missed the falls, but going on a nature walk was just as beautiful. However, if you do intend on seeing the falls and you’re on a time limit, don’t repeat our mistake. After parking, you will see a sign that says the falls are 1 mile away.
I’m from NYC, but this was my first time exploring the Catskills. Multiple times throughout my stay, I found myself enamored by the beauty of the area and comparing it to different foreign countries. I was comforted by the fact that I didn’t have to travel far to feel a world away. Everything I need can be found in my home state. This trip deepened my love for NY. My weekend escape to the Catskills was the unplugged adventure and reawakening I needed!
Have you been to the Catskills? What’s your favorite thing to do there? Let me know in the comments.
Disclaimer: I was a guest of Getaway, but all opinions expressed here are my own.
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