Callicoon is the other Sullivan County river town worth the drive, about an hour north of the cabin if you take 97 the long way. It's quieter than Narrowsburg fifteen minutes south, less self-consciously boutique, and home to one of the largest farmers' markets in the Catskills every Sunday from May through October. If you find yourself at the cabin on a Sunday morning with nothing on the schedule, this is the answer.
The town, in 90 seconds.
Population around 600 in the hamlet. Callicoon Center, the township, runs about 3,000. The town grew up around the railroad and the timber industry in the 1800s; today it's a slow-living river town that's been on the receiving end of a quiet boutique boom over the past decade. The result is a Main Street with a real brewery, a working distillery, a wine merchant, a movie theater, and a Sunday farmers' market that draws crowds from across Sullivan County.
From the cabin, take 191 north into Hancock, then NY-97 south for 30 minutes. About an hour door to door. The drive along the Delaware is one of the best in the region, especially on a fall Sunday.
The Sunday farmers' market, the main event.
The Callicoon Farmers' Market runs Sundays 11am to 2pm from May into November on A. Dorrer Drive, alongside the river. It's the biggest market in Sullivan County and one of the better ones in the Northeast for its size. Over twenty vendors. Local farms, bakers, maple syrup producers, Sullivan-based wineries and distilleries, and a real handful of artisan food makers.
Highlights worth seeking out: the bread vendors, the Tonjes Farm Dairy cheese, the maple producers (especially in late spring), and the August tomatoes. Bring cash. No dogs allowed. Pack out your own trash, there are no cans in the park.
Combine it with a walk along the river, lunch at one of the restaurants below, and an afternoon at the cidery up the hill. That's the full Callicoon Sunday loop.
Eating and drinking in Callicoon.
- The Western Hotel, 22 Upper Main, a restored Victorian with a tap room restaurant. Curated menu, craft beverages, fireside lounge. Also rents 10 guest rooms if you want a Callicoon overnight.
- Callicoon Brewing Company, Upper Main Street. Over a dozen beers on tap including their own IPA, pale ale, and porter. The natural after-market stop on a Sunday afternoon.
- Catskill Provisions, also Upper Main. A woman-owned distillery that infuses wildflower honey into their spirits. Gin, vodka, whiskey, all award-winning. Tasting room open weekends.
- Callicoon Wine Merchant, a wine bar with outdoor seating and Spanish-style tapas. Quieter than the brewery, good for a pre-dinner drink.
- Navor Koken, 39 Lower Main. German-style restaurant and specialty store. The name means 'neighbor's kitchen' in Plattdeutsch. Locally sourced, family-run, the most distinctive lunch in town.
- Rafter's Tavern, 28 Upper Main, a music-and-tavern spot with live music many weekend evenings.
Seminary Hill, and the cider.
Just outside town, up a long driveway through orchards, sits Seminary Hill Orchard & Cidery. It is, as far as we can tell, the world's first Passive House-certified cidery building, which makes the property quietly an architecture pilgrimage as well as a cider stop. The wraparound deck looks out over the Delaware River Valley. They serve flights, full pours, and a real food menu, and they rent rooms for overnight stays.
Bestsellers include Spy Craft, Beechwoods, and Delaware Dry. The deck on a fall Sunday afternoon is one of the better hours in the region. Worth the drive even if you've already eaten in town.
Drive times from Callicoon.
- To the cabin: about 1 hour
- To Narrowsburg: 15 minutes (south on 97)
- To Hancock, NY: 30 minutes (north on 97)
- To Bethel Woods: 25 minutes
- To NYC: about 2.5 hours
For the river-town pair, the Narrowsburg guide covers the next stop south. The Bethel Woods guide is 25 minutes inland.
Where to stay.
If you're reading this and not yet booked, here's the quick pitch: the better stay for couples and small groups is a private cabin on a quiet lake within an hour of here. Three bedrooms, private dock, paddle boards, a kayak, a row boat, and a fire pit. About 3 hours from NYC. 4.86 stars on Airbnb, Guest Favorite. See it on Airbnb, or check availability and ask a question first.
