Bear Mountain in the Palisades Region

Unveils new work to the beautiful Appalacian Trail.  Read more from the NY Times. 

Directions here - about an hour from NYC

click the pic for more info

Central New York State map

more about parks and campgrounds in the area

click the pic

Sometimes I forget why I feel the need to do this but then I come across something that I cant believe I didn’t know about, that I don’t want to forget about, and that I feel the need to share with others - Ally Pond Adventure Park in Queens, NY.

The park - full of ropes courses, zip lines, slingshots, etc - appears to be about 30 to 90 minutes depending on traffic, from Manhattan out into Queens, by car. Or, take the E or F subway to Bus Q46.  Free for families and individuals on Sundays, at 10:00 am and 1:30 pm from May through November. There is family camping, corporate or group training and retreats available as well.  

And, you can read lots about it from NY 1, NY Times, and Daily News. 

I feel like it could be crowded, but that’s a risk I’m willing to take, I guess. I mean, there’s obviously a whole park to explore just in case.  

 718-217-4685 - adventure center rangers

WEEKEND GETAWAY

Sacandaga Campgrounds, Adirondack State Park, Northville, NY

Believe it or not, if you want to go camping this summer and haven’t yet booked your campsites,  you may very well be left with one along the main road or next to the bathrooms.  For the prime river front camping sites, you gotta get on it early.

Sacandaga Campground in Fulton County is along the southern tip of the Adirondack State Park.  It is a beautiful campground where two branches of the same river meet.  The best site there is #62 that juts out into river meeting place.  Check out the campground map here. The water isn’t very deep and there are boulder rocks all throughout that you can lounge on. 

more info , here too

There is of course lots of hiking nearby.  If you hike to the Falls, be careful!  The rocks slope steep and are slippery.  We almost lost a fellow traveler.  

Take a driving break on your way up or on your way home.  If you search Beelocal for Ulster County you’ll find some towns you can stop off in. 

WEEKEND GETAWAY

TOWN PROFILE: Phoenecia, NY in Ulster County

You won’t come across many people from the tristate area who enjoy spending time upstate that haven’t at some point enjoyed Phoenecia.  Only about two hours north from NYC, and right in the thicket of the Catskills, Phoenecia is a one road main street town. I love so much about it, it’s hard to fit it all into what’s supposed to be a succinct blog post. Basically, it is an ideal summer day trip or weekend getaway. Go up for tubing down the Esopus River (there is usually a discount coupon on the website), delicious breakfast at Sweet Sues or Bloody Mary’s and pizza at Brio’s - both classic beloved restaurants, and don’t forget the standard small ice cream shop.  Al’s Seafood, with its funny little pool in the back, isnt bad either for lobster.

Walk the small main street for art galleries, gift shops and country stores.  Don’t expect to find a gourmet food shop here though, so do that earlier (Route 28 has some places) on your trip up.  

There is camping right there on the river at Black Bear Campground or Sleepy Hollow Camp Site right off 28 or Devil’s Tombstone.  Make advance reservations to get better plots that are off the main road and on the water.  Or, you can read other beelocal Ulster County posts for inn or resort lodging and restaurants in the area.  

Have some beers in a cooler in your trunk so that when you’ve finished tubing the river you can grab a breski and drink it in the sun while lounging in your tube.  Pure heaven.

hiking?         theater?          farms and farmers markets?