Sometimes, you just need to get away. Even if it’s for one night, I find so much joy in packing a bag and experiencing a change of scenery.
Having some time off between Christmas and New Years, my boyfriend and I decided to head to the Catskills for some skiing fun, good food and relaxation. Read on for my recap of our 1-night trip!
Stay
I spent many hours looking for the right “vibe” for this overnight stay. I wanted to feel cozy and disconnected, and like I had really left home for the night. I had a few options on my list that I narrowed down and some that I would have loved to stay at but were unavailable for our dates of travel.
Ultimately, I landed on Full Moon Resort in Big Indian, NY. This location choice was in part due to our plans to go skiing, so I didn’t want to stay too far from the local mountains of Belleayre, Hunter and Windham.
Full Moon Resort typical operates as a wedding venue and retreat location, but they also have a spectrum of lodging options that are available to book on AirBnb. We stayed in one of their Mountain Sky Cottages, which was just what I was looking for! It was secluded, and disconnected from the other cottages, quaint and had a great view of the mountains through a large picture window.
The cottage was clean, simple and inviting with perks like a smart tv, heated floors in the bathroom and a large shower with double shower heads. [Image from AirBnB]
Do
Our activity of choice was skiing, so we hit the road early to get to Hunter Mountain early in the day to get as many hours of skiing in before checking into our cottage (check in was at 3pm).
This was our first time at Hunter – there were about half of the trails open as they hadn’t gotten much snow yet. We bought our lift tickets online and I got my rentals from a ski shop down the road called Snowbird Ski Shop.
There are a few options for skiing in the area – Belleayre Mountain was just 15 min away from our cottage, while Hunter and Windham are around 35-40 min away, respectively.
In addition to skiing – snow tubing, snowmobiling, snowshoeing are other great options for winter fun. The area is popular for hiking, fishing and more in the warmer months.
Eat
One of my favorite parts of getting away is indulging in some good food!
For dinner on our first day, we ate at Woodnotes Grille, part of the Emerson Resort & Spa in Mt. Tremper, about 20 min away. The Emerson Resort was another option I was deciding between for lodging, and would like to stay there one day too! We tried the Braised Short Ribs and the NY Strip Steak, both of which were delicious.
Other dinner options include The Phoenician Steakhouse and Brios in Phoenicia, The Clubhouse at Shandanken Inn, and Peekamoose Restaurant.
For breakfast the next morning we visited the famed Phoenicia Diner. The menu is full of things you want to eat, from pancakes to eggs Benedict for morning eats, and salads and sandwiches for lunch. We both had the Corned Beef Skillet which was beyond tasty. I’d add this spot to your itinerary if I were you!
Danielle Elisabeth CO. 