Is there anything cuter than baby alpacas? I feel like they’re one of those breeds that make you burst into the widest grin–so soft, so gentle, so ridiculously cute.
The hubby and I decided to take our little man upstate to visit an alpaca farm, and ended up making a fun weekend of it! Granted, he fell asleep right as the tour was beginning, so he didn’t get to delight in baby farm animals–but the grownups certainly enjoyed it. Such a fun and easy weekend away, I wanted to share the details in case any of you are looking for some getaway inspiration! Happy travels!
A Weekend In The Catskills
Where To Stay: The North Branch Inn
Seriously guys, this is the cutest little spot. The motto of the inn (which you may remember us adopting!) is “The Good Ole Days Are Now.” It’s a quaint inn with a vintage/industrial vibe, no TV’s in the rooms (loved this), an old fashioned bowling alley guests are encouraged to use, and the coziest little fireplace lounge area. We were smitten. Oh! And they have a farm-to-table restaurant in the inn, with a menu that changes weekly, sourcing food from all local spots, and a bar with all American liquors. It’s delicious. And the breakfast is included in the hotel package. Try the apple cider donut, probably the best I’ve ever had.
Where To Eat: The Arnold House
About a 15 minute drive from the North Branch Inn, this is another cool Catskills property with fantastic food and a super groovy vibe.
What To Do: Visit The Buck Brook Alpaca Farm
A tour is free, and actually super fun and informative. Plus, you get to pet the babies. And the mamas. And the dads. Too much cuteness for one day.
A Few Other Things to do in the Area
- Visit the many thrift/vintage shops/farmer’s markets (the innkeeper, Tess, will be more than happy to point you in the right direction!)
- Have a country spa day at The Arnold House spa.
- Grab a drink and listen to live music in the evenings.
- Pack a picnic and go on a hike (so many trails!)
- Go on a brewery tour–there’s 4 within a short drive of the inn!
- Soak in some culture at the Bethel Woods Center. While we were there an exhibition on Woodstock was taking place.
- Horseback ride through one of the many scenic trails in the area.
As you can see, there’s plenty to keep you busy for a weekend. But I have an inkling you’ll be just as content lounging by the fireplace with a book and an apple cider donut (or three).
Jessica Tiare Bowen lives in the juicy Big Apple with her adorable pink-nosed chihuahua, Gillman. He’s the inspiration for her first published children’s book, “Park Avenue Pound Puppy.” The book is the combined result of her two greatest passions: pooches and penning stories.
Her passions include art, urban hikes through Manhattan, drinking coffee with 3 creams and 6 sugars, making extremely detailed itineraries and traveling to far away places, singing along to Broadway shows, Netflix movie nights, discovering incredible treasures at Goodwill and thrift stores, and listening to stories from little people under 7 and big people over 70.
She started her career as New York City Teaching Fellow, teaching elementary school and theater arts at a special education school in the South Bronx for 6 years. She is now a Special Education School Improvement Specialist working in public schools throughout New York City. She is the Editor-In-Chief of the online New York City travel magazine, Used York City. The magazine focuses on finding the best of New York…as used by New Yorkers. She is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, and an ASPCA Ambassador.
