When it comes to planning a family trip, the Catskills check every box on your list. A+ attractions with lots of kid-friendly activities? Check. Great pizza, ice cream, and microbrews for mom and dad? Check! Out-of-the-box experiences that create lasting memories? Check, check!
Kid-Friendly Attractions
If you’re a family that enjoys spending time exploring in the mountains, head to the twin towns of Hunter and Windham. Go skiing and riding, ice skating, ziplining, and snowshoeing in winter, then spend the warmer months mountain biking, going to yoga classes, and participating in special holiday events like Windham’s July 4th festivities that include viewing the fireworks from the mountain’s summit.
Balance out all the rugged outdoor activities with a trip to one of the Catskill Region’s incredible art museums. Visit Hanford Mills Museum in East Meredith where you and your kiddos can explore a classic working mill to see how raw materials were transformed into workable goods using the power of rushing water. Time and the Valleys Museum in Grahamsville dives into Native American history, explores farming life, and includes a hands-on series of exhibits that allows your kids to play dress up and take photos in the 1930s Selfie Exhibit. At Thomas Cole National Historic Site in Catskill, you’ll discover how the Hudson River School of Art started at the creator’s former home.
Best Places for Family-Friendly Dining
For every kid who goes through a picky eater phase, the Catskills have you covered. Find Catskills restaurants replete with kid-friendly favorites like chicken fingers and grilled cheese, while also offering palate pleasers for parents.
Chicken Run Family Restaurant and Steak House in Windham is a great spot for après ski dining, offering live – family-friendly – entertainment, delicious comfort food, and outdoor seating and bonfires during the warmer months.
For an all-American kind of diner experience, head to Roscoe Diner in Trout Town USA, aka Roscoe, to feast on French toast, pancakes, and their delicious French fries with your favorite pizza toppings, or Memphis barbecue. Yum!
For Italian, take your family to Frank Guido’s Little Italy in Kingston, where everything from garlic bread to Penne Bolognese are meant to be shared family-style. The kid’s menu feature’s spaghetti, ravioli, macaroni and cheese, and of course, pizza!
For tasty treats and modern comfort food, Two Sisters Emporium in Hancock is the place to be!
Unique Catskills Experiences for the Whole Family
Bethel Woods Center for the Arts is the home of Woodstock, the epic three-day music festival that left its mark on the 1960s and beyond. It’s also a great place to dive into an artistic experience that your kids will love. Sign up for an art class or multi-day arts and theater program, and watch your kid’s inner artist shine.
In Hunter, the New York Zipline Adventure Tour provides a safe and thrilling flight over the treetops on the highest, fastest, longest zipline canopy tour in North America.
Not into heights? No trip to the western Catskills is complete without a few casts in Trout Town USA. Whether you book a fishing guide or take the kids out on your own, discover why this small town has such a big fish tale!
For an arts-meets-outdoors experience before heading home, stop in at Opus 40 Sculpture Park & Museum in Saugerties where a cool sculpture park awaits discovery.
Discover our list of family-friendly lodging in the Catskills, whether you’re a family that likes camping in the great outdoors, or you’re looking for a ski vacation close-to-home. Visit the Catskills with your family this year for an unforgettable vacation.
