The Hirox is immersed within an area rich in culture and attractions, outdoor recreation, agriculture, antiques, and specialty shops. Below are some highlights of our favorite places to visit and things to do.
Food & Drink
Grocery Stores
- Jim’s Great American (Prattsville) – 10 minutes east of the Hirox will provide all your basic necessities. Solid local beer selection.
- Tops (Stamford) – 10 minutes west, with similar size/selection as Jim’s.
- Good Grocer NY (Roxbury) – 10 minutes south, with smaller, more curated selection of goods.
Restaurants
- Brushland Eating (Bovina Center) – A James Beard-nominated farm-to-table restaurant that offers a pre fix multi-course meals.
- Prospect at Scribners (Hunter) – Delicious food and cocktails in a gorgeous setting overlooking Hunter mountain.
Breakfast Spots
- TPs Cafe (Stamford) – Go to spot for full stacks of pancakes, hash, meat, and egg breakfasts.
- Blue Bee Cafe (Delhi) – Great breakfast sandwiches along with soups and salads. Their chocolate chip and peanut butter cookies are unmatched!
Craft Beverages
- West Kill Brewing (West Kill) – Scenic taproom that features delicious beers crafted from ingredients sourced on its 127-acre farm.
- Wayside Cider (Andes) – Taproom features craft ciders and tasting menu within two restored barns.
- Strickland Hollow (Delhi) – A farm and distillery with its own Tasting Room to showcase homegrown spirits alongside other regional wine, spirits, and beer.
Coffee Shops
- Stamford Coffee (Stamford) – Super friendly staff and welcoming vibe that serves great espresso, coffee, and treats.
- Watershed (Roxbury) – Also top-notch espresso/coffee to anchor an onsite cafe and marketplace.
- Cafe Marguarite (Margaretville) – Great coffee and even better pastries, with a highlight being handmade chocolates.
Scenic Cultural Tour
Our favorite scenic drive is the Roxbury-Margaretville-Andes-Delhi-Hobart-Stamford loop. The route is a beautiful tour of the region and takes about 90 minutes. However each town deserves proper time to get out and explore, so one could easily allocate a half or even full day for the tour.
(note that several of the food & drink recommendations above our located on this tour)
Roxbury – Stop for a coffee and pastry at Watershed. Between May-November, check out the Pakatakan Farmers Market (Halcottsville), a farmers market located in a historic round barn.
Margaretville – A dynamic Main Street with great home goods, antiques, garden, fashion, jewelry, and decor shops, as well as bakeries (Cafe Marguarite), taverns (Binnekill), and cocktail bars (Zada’s).
Andes – A worthy destination in its own right, featuring a lovely bookstore (Diamond Hollow), gallery (Hawk & Hive), bakery (Wilson’s Bread), cidery (Wayside), and coffee shop (Dragonfly55).
Delhi – A thriving college town with so many great attractions, notably This & That and The Stonehouse (home goods), Blue Bee and Hollow (cafes), Strickland Hollow (spirit tasting room), Luck Dragon (art supplies), and the Bushel Collective (cultural center).
Hobart – This tiny town is the only book village east of the Mississippi, featuring seven different independent bookstores. With extra time, make a trek to Roxbury Mountain Maple to pick up maple syrup produced and sold on site, alongside local honeys and meats.
Stamford – The last (or first?) stop. Be sure to check out Stamford Coffee + Catskill Outpost (co-located), Half Acre (restaurant), and Hillhaven Farms, a family run farm and shop that sells delicious produce.
Outdoor Recreation
Year Round Activities
- Mine Kill State Park (North Blenheim) – 10 minutes north of the Hirox named after an 80ft waterfall (easily accessible), with an Olympic-sized swimming pool, 8 miles of hiking trails, and an 18-hole disc golf course. In winter, enjoy ice skating, tubing/sledding, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing and snowmobiling. Rentals of skates, shoes, sleds and tubes are available.
- Catskills Scenic Trail (regional) – a 26-mile rail-to-trail located at the base of the entrance road to the Hirox. Supports hiking, biking (wider mountain tread), cross-country skiing, and horseback riding. Note that in the winter many use the trail for snowmobiling, yet we’ve found it to be still comfortable and safe for cross country skiing.
Summer Activities
- Hiking – There are countless great hikes in the area (pictured at left is Pratt Rock Hike). We encourage you to download the AllTrails app to find the perfect hike based on preferred interests and levels of difficulty.
- Fishing – The region features some of the best fishing in the Eastern United States, with hundreds of miles of world-class fishing streams, ponds, lakes, rivers and the reservoirs. Check the Visit the Catskills page to find a local stream, outfitter, or guide.
- Golf – There are 6+ golf courses of within 40 minutes. Check Visit the Catskills to find the ideal course for your preference.
- Cycling – There is also excellent trail and road cycling in the area. For the adventurous, check out the Bike Park at Windham Mountain.
- Paddling – Lastly, there is great paddling in the area. For a scenic paddle of the East Branch of the Delaware River, rent a kayak/canoe at Sophie’s Pleasant Pheasant Farm in Halcottsville.
Winter Activities
- Bearpen Mountain Sports (Prattsville) – A family-run activity hub that provides cross country skiing, snowshoeing, fat tire biking, curling, and the longest snow tubing run in New York. 15 minutes from the Hirox.
- Skiing (regional) – The four major ski mountains in the Catskills are all within 35 minutes:
- Belleayre – Home to the highest ski slope in the Catskills, with 174 skiable acres, 50 trails, XC ski trails, eight lifts (including a high-speed gondola), and four lodges.
- Plattekill – Ideal for families and beginner skiers, featuring 39 different trails for all ability levels, including steep double black diamonds with 1100 feet of vertical drop.
- Hunter – Caters to skiers and riders of all abilities with 67 trails across four mountain faces, including a signature terrain park with jumps and rails.
- Windham – Boasting 285 skiable acres across 54 trails serviced by 11 lifts, Windham offers six terrain parks, a ski school, and tubing park.