Just a few hours outside of New York City, the Catskills feel like they belong to a completely different rhythm of life. For this weekend, we headed up to the Jewett, Windham, and Hunter area to spend a few slow days in a modern cabin surrounded by forest, open skies, and that quiet you only really notice once you leave the city behind.
There was no real itinerary for this trip, just a desire to slow down, drive through the mountains, eat well, and spend time somewhere that feels spacious in every sense of the word.
🎥 Watch the Full Catskills Weekend Vlog
🏡 Where We Stayed
We stayed in a modern log cabin in the Catskills, tucked into the trees and designed with large windows that bring the landscape directly into the space. The interior was a mix of warm wood textures, minimal design, and open views that made it feel like the outside world was always present, even when you were indoors.
It’s the kind of place where mornings naturally slow down, where you don’t really rush to start the day, and where coffee tastes better simply because everything around you is quieter.
Here’s the link if you want to check it out for your next stay!
📍 Jewett, Windham & Hunter: The Area
This weekend centered around three main areas in the northern Catskills: Jewett, Windham, and Hunter, each with its own character but all close enough to feel like part of the same slow-moving landscape.
Jewett feels the most tucked away and residential, the kind of place where cabins are hidden between trees and you don’t really hear much beyond wind and birds. Windham feels a bit more like a small mountain town, especially with its views and ski mountain energy, while Hunter brings in more activity with Hunter Mountain and surrounding trails and viewpoints.
☕ Where We Had Coffee, Breakfast & Slow Mornings
One of my favorite parts of weekends like this is finding small cafés or local spots that immediately set the tone for the day. Everything feels slower upstate, so even a simple coffee stop becomes part of the experience rather than just a quick routine moment.
Coffee stop / café 1 (Windham):
We stopped here for coffee after, the kind of place where everything feels unhurried and you end up staying longer than planned just because there is no reason to rush out.
Breakfast / brunch stop (Hunter):
This was one of those easy, comforting meals that fits perfectly into a mountain weekend, simple food, warm atmosphere, and that feeling of being slightly off schedule in the best way.
🥪 Where We Had Lunch
Lunch was one of those easy mid-day stops that ended up shaping the rhythm of the day more than we expected. We were somewhere between towns, driving through open stretches of the Catskills, and decided to stop somewhere local instead of rushing through.
It was the kind of place that feels casual in the best way, where you sit down without a plan, order something simple, and suddenly realize you’ve slowed down without even trying. That is something I always notice upstate — meals are not just functional, they become part of the break itself.
Lunch spot (Windham):
A relaxed local spot with simple food, warm service, and a very “weekend in the mountains” kind of atmosphere.
👉 Dandies
🍽️ Where We Had Dinner
Dinner was one of the highlights of the weekend, especially after long, quiet days outside. There is something about being in the mountains that makes evening meals feel more grounded, like the whole day naturally leads into them.
Dinner spot (Windham):
A cozy, local restaurant with a relaxed atmosphere and the kind of food that feels exactly right after a full day of doing very little but driving, walking, and taking in the landscape.
👉 Chicken Run Family Restaurant and Steak House
🌿 What the Weekend Felt Like
What stands out most about weekends in the Catskills is not necessarily what you do, but how the pace of everything shifts once you are there. Time feels less structured, conversations stretch a little longer, and even simple things like sitting by a window or driving through small mountain roads feel like enough of an activity on their own.
There is a kind of ease in being somewhere that doesn’t demand anything from you, where you are not constantly choosing between options or filling every hour with plans. Instead, the weekend just unfolds on its own.
🌄 Final Thoughts
By the time we drove back to the city, the contrast was immediate in the way it always is. Traffic slowly returned, buildings started replacing trees, and everything became louder again, but in a way that somehow feels more manageable after having been away for a while.
Trips like this are not about distance or even escape, but about rhythm. About remembering that life can feel different depending on how much space you give it.
And the Catskills, especially around Jewett, Windham, and Hunter, are one of the easiest reminders of that.
Thanks for being here and reading along. I hope this felt like a little escape in itself, and maybe even inspired your next weekend out of the city.
Love, Flor.
