In the first week of January, we headed to Upstate NY near Phoenicia for a family vacation. I use the word vacation lightly, because we basically just resumed our everyday activities of cooking at home / ordering in, and hiking, but in a different part of the state, but it felt nice to wake up in a different space and get away as a family. We rented this incredible Airbnb, and I would say it’s one of my favorites that we’ve ever stayed in. Every detail was well thought out, and the bedroom window overlooking a stream was BEAUTIFUL. While we were up there it snowed a good 6 inches, and the world looked like complete magic. It was an amazing way to start the year! Here’s our favorite hikes and spots from the trip!
Hikes:
Ashokan Rail Trail: This stunning “walk” (it’s more of a walk than a hike) has 3 points of entry with parking, and runs 11.5 miles. We walked different parts of the trail on different days, and each section has it’s own charm. It’s a lovely hike with kids, and I ended up carrying Charlie due to the snow on the ground, but we’ve walked it in the Summer and Fall, and a stroller works fine!
Rochester Hollow: This is a 4.9 mile out and back trail located near Big Indian, and I’d call it moderate. It’s great with a toddler, and dogs ARE allowed! The road to the trailhead was rough, and we ended up parking on the street a few minutes before the trail and simply walking in, because of the dirt and uncertainty of the road. It is also more of a walk than a hike, but the ground isn’t really smooth enough to push a stroller on it, so we did bring Charlie in a carrier. It’s gorgeous, and definitely inserts you into nature a bit more than the rail trail.
Where We Ordered Food From:
Phoenicia Diner: Always a win, and their food is delicious for breakfast lunch and dinner. We picked it up to go.
Peekamoose: We ordered takeout from here one night and it was SO soo good. I’d highly recommend. Everything was fresh, and farm to table.
Bread Alone: There’s a few locations, and all are equally as good. We picked up way too many bagels and pastries for in the car meals on this trip!
I hope these are helpful if you’re making your way up to Phoenicia!
