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TRAVEL TIME 2 hours by car
WHY? A sleepy little town in the Catskills with a lot going for it: a great pub, the arts, good tunes. Also! This is the “birthplace of dry fly-fishing.”
MUST DO Livingston Manor is less of a jewel box, more steel-toed boot. Nothing about it feels too twee or weekender-oriented, which in the Catskills can be a blessing. Arts-wise, the Catskill Art Society has its own gallery as well as classes on everything from meditation to calligraphy. Already have the waders packed in the car? Aspiring fishermen and women should take a lesson at the Wulff School of Fly Fishing before casting out (Call [800] 328-3638). The Beaverkill or the Willowemoc Rivers snake through town, and both are best known for their trout stocks. About 15 miles outside of Livingston Manor is the brand spankin’ new Bethel Woods Center for the Performing Arts. They host big names in music: this year, Dave Matthews and the New York Philharmonic are on the calendar. If your mission is some serious R&R, buy a book at the eclectic Hamish & Henry Booksellers, which functions a town water cooler (and bills itself as Sullivan County’s only “new-book bookstore”) then tote your purchase to the Lazy Beagle Pub. Just because it’s a trout town doesn’t mean you can’t get some truffled mac and cheese (2 Pearl St; [845] 439-3405).
STAY HERE The double-edged sword of lodgings in Livingston Manor is that while there aren’t any super-high-end properties to speak of, the prices are, for the most part, reasonable. The Beaverkill Valley Inn
is perfect for the piscatorially-inclined; the property includes mile of private river in Catskill State Park and they prepare fishing licenses for guests before they arrive (from $105; [845] 439-4844). Lanza’s Country Inn
is a bit frumpier, but there’s cute little bar, and much can be forgiven at this lower price point (from $109; [845] 439-5070).
HAPPENINGS For God’s sake, don’t miss the Trout Parade (June 13), Livingston’s answer to the Mermaid Parade on Coney Island. The New York Philharmonic is at Bethel Woods (July 11), and the Shandelee Music Festival’s Sunset Concert Series and includes a meet-and-greet with the artists after each show (August 1-16).
HOT TIP Though it’s a bit of a drive, the harness track at the Monticello Raceway is a bit of louche entertainment worth the trek (204 Route 17B; (866) 777-4263).
LEARN MORE
www.livingstonmanor.org