I've spent two decades in this valley chasing swimming holes the old-fashioned way — half-remembered directions from a guy at the hardware store, a "no trespassing" sign you pretend not to see, a scramble down a bank that ruins a perfectly good pair of sneakers. So forgive me if I sound a little stunned writing this next sentence: New York State just handed us a legitimate, lifeguarded, ADA-accessible swimming hole, for free, and it's better than any of the secret ones. It

I rarely plan or strategically hunt for specific hand painted, hand forged, or thought-twisting crafty wonders. I prefer to just happen...

Plan a Phoenicia, New York getaway with current recommendations for restaurants, lodging, tubing, culture, nearby attractions and easy Catskills itineraries.