Ah, summer. While it can’t claim to be my absolute favorite season (fall has that honor), it certainly ranks up there. After months of hibernating with my books and movies, I am more than ready to head outside and get active. The canoes and kayak come out of storage, the hiking boots are checked to make sure they’re in proper condition, and the camping gear is dragged out for another season.

I do love spending time in the outdoors, and lucky for me I live in upstate New York, where opportunities to do just that are plentiful.

I want to encourage all of you to spend some time outdoors as well, so we’ve jam-packed this issue with suggestions on things to do, whether you characterize yourself as an “outdoorsy” person or not.

If the arts tickle your fancy, make sure you put a visit to the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts on your itinerary (see “By the Time We Get to Bethel Woods”). A beautiful arts complex built on the site of the famous 1969 Woodstock Festival, Bethel Woods is now host to a Woodstock Museum as well a performing arts center where the nation’s top classical, country, rock and pop acts perform. The Museum is also hosting the exhibition, Give Peace A Chance: John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s Bed-In For Peace. This exhibition, celebrating the 40th anniversary of John and Yoko’s Bed-In, will feature never-before-seen photographs of the vigil by Gerry Deiter. This is a one-of-a-kind exhibition not to be missed.

Or, for a free public art experience, you can just stroll the streets of the historic village of Saugerties (see “Hors’n Around Saugerties”), where dozens of carousel horses, painted by local artists, will be on display through Labor Day weekend.

If toasting the good life is more your speed, check out “Craft Brewing in the Hudson Valley” and “Wine in the Valley (and the Mountains).” In these articles, Jonathan Ment profiles some of the best craft breweries and wineries in the area, which also happen to be some of the best in New York State and in the entire United States.

And if you do consider yourself sporty, check out our “Summer Sports” article. It gives lots of suggestions for outdoor sports, including golf, activities on the water, and activities on the trails. I must admit that I’m not a golfer, but my mom, who is a golf fanatic and who has travelled all over the world in search of the perfect game, tells me that the Catskill Mountains and Hudson Valley have some of the best—and most beautiful—courses she’s ever played. She’s my mom, so of course she’s right.

And finally, we’ve highlighted some fun fairs and festivals for you, including the Rhinebeck National Antique Motorcycle Show & Swap Meet, the 15th Annual Catskills Irish Arts Week, the Global Medicine Show & Earth Concert, the Meredith Dairy Fest, and Star Fests at Stone Tavern Farm in Roxbury, which has some of the darkest skies (and best star gazing) in the northeast.

And lest we forget about the Quadricentennial, Jonathan Ment has also outlined some of the celebratory events going on in Henry Hudson’s eponymous city and the surrounding area.

We’ve also started a new summer series this month: “Where to Stay this Summer.” In this series, we’ll profile some of the best places to stay in the Region. This month, we’re highlighting all-inclusive resorts. In upcoming months, we’ll highlight boutique motels and hotels, inns and B&Bs, so be sure to pick up your copy of the Guide each month this summer.

See you in the Mountains!

Yours sincerely,


Sarah Taft
Managing Editor
tafts@catskillmtn.org