Travel Lens

15 Best Things to Do in Callicoon, NY

Here are the best things to do in the charming town of Callicoon, NY:

Visit Callicoon’s Historic Western Hotel

The Western Hotel is one of Callicoon’s most famous landmarks with its 1852 Victorian design. The National Register of Historic Places has recognized the hotel's historical and cultural significance in Sullivan County. This crown jewel is still fully operating today. Drop by and see how it has served this community since its establishment. Its indoor decor gives you a mix of a modern-day vibe with an elegant vintage charm to remind you of its rich past. You can dine at their restaurant, which features an original, well-preserved mahogany Bar Room. Play a round of pool on their billiards table, or keep warm by their fireplace. The Western Hotel provides a one-of-a-kind experience. Try and add this place to your itinerary while visiting Callicoon.

Country Living

The 25 Best Small Town Main Streets in America You Need to Visit ASAP

Plan your next trip around these quaint, idyllic spots.

3. Main Street in Callicoon, New York

Settled by the Dutch in the 1600s, this art-imitates-life Main Street reads more country western than east coast (especially with the 1852 inn-and-supper club, the Western Hotel). Sling back tuna melts and crab cakes on the patio of  Matthew's on Main as you recount memories from yesteryear and plot your day's adventures. As you wander through vintage shops and pass by old train tracks, mighty mountains infuse your view with vivid greens in one of the Sullivan Catskills' finest undiscovered gems.

VOGUE

Callicoon and Beyond: Sunrise Ruffalo’s Guide to the Catskills

“I love the community that the store represents.” Those are the words of Sunrise Ruffalo, wife of actor Mark Ruffalo, and owner of Sunny’s Callicoon Pop. The store, which is situated in New York’s Catskills region, has quickly become a local source for design goods. In the words of Sunrise, it sells everything from a simple notebook to a piece of embroidery that took 50 hours to create. “I like showing people how they can live cohesively with both modern design and items that have generations of stories within them. At my store, I’ve curated a collection of one-of a-kind pieces that achieve this balance of old and new.” But for Sunrise, her life in Callicoon goes far beyond her business.

“I moved to Callicoon because of its pristine beauty, untouched natural resources, open landscape, and clear water. It has such a sense of balance between nature and the contemporary world; I wanted to instill that value in my children,” she explains. Below, Sunrise shares 11 of her favorite local gems. “For such a rural area, these restaurants, shops, and attractions are all part of what make this such a wonderful community. Our geographical connection is not the only thing that ties us together; it’s also our mutual appreciation for the outstanding beauty of the environment.”

1. The Western Hotel in Callicoon Step back in time and experience Callicoon’s hospitality with a sunset meal overlooking the Delaware River. My favorite entrée is the trout, a true local delicacy.

2. Catskill Brewery in Livingston Manor For the over-21 audience, experience great locally brewed beer here. As water protectors, we love that this brewery uses natural ingredients and focuses on not leaving a trace behind after production.

3. The Heron in Narrowsburg Delicious biscuits and buttermilk fried chicken. In other words, it’s great comfort food with a special touch. They also have amazing service. The staff greets you with such warm, welcoming smiles, and the tunes are always spot-on. Their balcony overlooks the big eddy, the deepest part of the Delaware River, which is ideal for summer.

4. 9 River Road Hotel in Callicoon This beautifully appointed bed and breakfast in town has cozy nooks and crannies in which you can read a book or watch the river flow by. Their breakfast is made from all locally sourced foods, and they provide bike rentals for guests.

5. MayerWasner in Narrowsburg A gorgeous collection of designer clothing. The owner of the store has chosen to create a business around a collection that is sustainable, locally made, and supportive to the community. She makes the most beautiful limited-edition Liberty print shirts in her avant-garde, minimalist style. She also carries amazing brands such as Ace & Jig, Raquel Allegra, and CB I Hate Perfume.

6. Lazy Fox New York in Callicoon For beautiful sleepwear that you won’t find anywhere else, this has been a wonderful new addition to our community. I’ve never been much of a lingerie girl before, but the proprietor, Susan, turned me. I got the most beautiful sets of underwear and bras. Trust me, my husband was not complaining.

7. Callicoon Theater in Callicoon This theater is an original one-room movie theater with the best popcorn I have ever had. (I’m a connoisseur of popcorn.) The theater was built in 1948, and still has Art Deco accouterments and lighting. I have rented out the entire theater at a reasonable price for private parties, and my guests always have a blast!

8. One Grand Books in Narrowsburg This bookstore has an incredible collection of 1,000 books between two separate stores, and we are lucky enough to have one of them in our community. The books are selected by celebrated creative minds who choose their top 10 reads to take to a “metaphorical desert island.” You could get lost in this little jewel of a space for hours.

9. Lander’s River trips in Callicoon Callicoon is a perfect location to take advantage of Lander’s kayaking, tubing, and canoeing down the river. The quiet water and surrounding beautiful mountain views make this the perfect place to find peace. Bald eagles have nests all along the scenic landscape, so you are sure to get a sighting.

10. H. Smith & Co in Narrowsburg H. Smith is an amazing party planner with a personal touch. She knows the area in and out and understands just how to create the perfect environment, whether it’s for a wedding, Fourth of July bash, or other summer festivity. She has such impeccable taste—I wouldn’t trust anyone else.

11. Buck Brook Alpaca Farm in Roscoe A beautiful hilltop farm full of extremely soft alpacas. It is a great place to take the kids when you have a moment. I have even fallen in love with their extremely friendly cats that roam the farm.

Above, take a look at some of the items for sale at Sunrise Ruffalo’s store.

The River Reporter

It’s alive! Western Hotel back in business

It was first built in 1852, a few years after the first train ran through what was then Callicoon Depot, part of the railroad-related boom that turned a single house into a bustling community. Originally, it was built in the Greek revival style, but sometime around the turn of the 20th century, the roof was raised and two stories and a mansard roof were added to create the iconic structure that dominates Upper Main Street in Callicoon today. For well over 100 years, it was a vibrant part of the hamlet’s commercial life. Then, for some years, it lay dormant.

But now, Callicoon’s historic Western Hotel has been reopened and reimagined as a boutique hotel, a bar featuring craft cocktails, and a restaurant with an inventive menu that serves updated comfort food, bar snacks and healthful farm-to-table choices. Irene Nickolai purchased the property after having opened local lifestyle shop Callicoon Trading and serving as president of the Callicoon Business Association. “I’ve put down roots in Callicoon, and it became my mission to see The Western not only return to its former glory but serve the community’s current needs,” said Nickolai.

Nickolai says that her renovation plans aim to preserve the charm and character of the building, which has recently been placed on the National Register of Historic Places, and a tour of the ground floor bears her out. Keen on opening immediately, Nickolai has already freshened the space. She pointed out places where modern white ceiling tiles have been removed to reveal the original wooden ceiling (as can be seen in the photo of the bar below), and areas where somewhat drab late 20th-century wallpaper has been removed. The entire bar area—which includes a fabulous stained-glass ceiling insert, also visible in the photograph—has received a facelift, including a new lighting installation by New York Vintage Lighting that perfectly enhances the historic ambiance.

Nickolai says the local clientele is already returning to both bar and restaurant. Rooms on the upper floor will host travelers and former residents happy to be revisiting the Upper Delaware. Harmonie Hall, the classic second-floor ballroom—which the public most recently obtained a tempting glimpse of during Callicoon’s Dickens on the Delaware celebration in December of 2015—is being readied to host more events ranging from weddings and film screenings to dance and other performances; the room features a stage that makes it particularly versatile in this respect. Nickolai explains that “the space will get a bit of a makeover, but the hallmark tin ceilings and original wooden dance floor remain,” retaining the room’s abundant character.

The restaurant’s menu was conceived with chef Henning Nordanger of Henning’s Local. Henning has brought his farm-to-table ethos to the Western, creating a succinct and reasonably priced menu that includes a cast-iron-roasted chicken with creamed broccoli and pickled-onion-mashed-potatoes, salmon with a curried corn puree and fresh greens, and a grain plate that features quinoa, barley, roasted organic vegetables, a beet tahini and herb yogurt. Also of note is the house-ground beef burger, and a gourmet grilled cheese that is a novel take on French onion soup, which Nickolai describes as “wildly popular.”

The craft cocktails are especially creative and utilize house-made cordials, fresh fruit garnish and a host of different bitters—the latter a historic preparation, made with botanical ingredients, that is enjoying a new popularity. Coincidentally, both the herbaceous bitters and The Western first enjoyed success in the mid-1800s. Nickolai believes in the timing: “We’re creating a welcoming environment for everyone, one that’s fresh and inviting but steeped in tradition and history,” she says.

The Western Hotel’s restaurant is open Thursday through Sunday from 5 to 10 p.m., with the bar staying open for those wishing to imbibe later into the evening.

The River Reporter →

The Western Hotel to be reborn; Indiegogo campaign provides a kick-start

Our Indiegogo Campaign is live and was featured in the River Reporter on May 11, 2016:

The historic Western Hotel, in the bucolic hamlet of Callicoon, is preparing to change hands for the first time in almost 50 years. The iconic 19th century building has been a hotel, restaurant and gathering space for this Delaware River community. Like many anchor properties in rural towns, it has lain dormant for some time. But recently Irene Nikolai, with her commercial real estate background, saw the possibilities in the property. In the ballroom, for instance, she envisions arts programming, film screenings, performances, dance classes and much more.

Nickolai relocated from New York City in 2011, with a story reminiscent of many city transplants. She was taken by the natural beauty and charm of Western Sullivan County, and opened Callicoon Trading, a lifestyle shop featuring locally made products and art, located directly next to The Western. The possibility of bringing the neighboring property back to life became a daily consideration.

Led by Nikolai, the plans for The Western have become something of a collaborative effort, with local community members advising on everything from arts and culture programming to community outreach, and lauded local chef, Henning Nordanger, consulting on a farm-to-table concept lounge and restaurant that will highlight products from the area’s agricultural bounty.

The community is invited to join in via an upcoming Indiegogo campaign, an international crowd funding website that helps entrepreneurs. Nikolai said, “Reaction to the sale has been overwhelmingly positive; the community wants to see this succeed, and I want everyone to feel like they can play a part in this exciting project.”

The Indiegogo campaign will launch on May 14. Participants in the Founders’ Circle will be rewarded with a plaque in the ballroom or have a cocktail named after them, for example. Support of the project will range from $20 incentives and up. To see the campaign, click here. For more information call 845/887-9017.