This was a fun experience, in fact I did it twice in August. 8 miles round trip with a snack break at first time. A bit of a glut workout. Beautiful in summer&fall. Employees were organized, safe, fun, and pleasant. The railway museum free and fascinating to those interested in the local history and /or trains. A volunteer gave us a tour of the train car restoration and he was thrilled.

10/10 recommend. My wife and I visited the first weekend of Oct 2025. There was a lot of traffic so we were running a few minutes behind. But we received a call from Rail Explorers about 10mins before our start time to confirm we were coming. We told them we would be there soon and they said to Drive Safe. We got there and they were totally hospitable. Very friendly staff and knowledgeable. 2 thumbs up. The actual ride was great as well. Very pretty. We would definitely do it again. coming from NYC its a 2hr drive. So I would probably pick the earliest time so we could do something else in the area before heading back home.

Although it rained in the first hour of the ride, the experience was nice and fun. We enjoyed our time. We were on a quad bike and people sitting next to each other had a nice bound. There are picnic tables and the restrooms in the waiting area. While instructions it started raining and they distributed rain Pancho's, which was a nice detail. Book early for fall season because the ride is through awesome color fall trees so the demand is high.

Had an amazing time! Staff is by far the best people for the job, they had everyone laughing and smiling. I went with 3 other friends and we got the quad option for the 11am slot. It was the PERFECT time to do it. The sun was shining and absolutely beautiful. When arriving you check in first, get your wristbands (that you get to keep) then you can get some tea or hot chocolate while waiting for all parties to show up, next is the employee who tells us all the rules and he was easy to listen, he was hilarious. Then we all get in and we peddle for 4 miles each way! It was $50 per person and we booked 3 months in advance. Saw a few kids but it was mainly 20 and up with the time frame i was in.

What an amazing experience!! It was so much fun!! The ride is about 2 hours. 1 hour one direction and then you come back the same path. All the bike guides were funny and kind!! They knew how to make the whole experience fun. The only thing I would warn you about is no cell service for at least 10 miles. So, we were not from the area and didn't have a way of getting our google maps to work! Bring a map just in case that happens to you!

I went to Rail Explorers: Catskills Division and absolutely loved it! 🚲🌲 It was beautiful, fun, and full of great vibes. The nature was breathtaking — river, forest, mountains, fresh air — pure joy for the eyes and soul. The team deserves a special shout-out! They were super friendly, helpful, and made sure the whole experience was as comfortable as possible. Pedaling was easy, so you can just relax, enjoy the views, and chat with friends. There’s a stop halfway for photos and a break, so the pace is perfect. If you want to unplug from your phone, soak up some nature, and just have an amazing time — this is the place for you! 💚

My first time experiencing Rail Explorers in The Catskills. A truly unique and fun experience. Getting there from The Bronx was easy enough. There were lots of scenic trees to see along the way, although they will look a lot better in the next few weeks as the leaves turn more red and orange. There was ample parking at the location and checking in was easy enough as they found my name and then handed me a wristband to wear. Just a few minutes after the reservation time, everyone gathered around for a quick orientation and preparation with clear instructions. Before we knew it, we were on our way, using pedal power to propel the rail car forward. Btw, you cannot pick and choose which railcar to sit on as your name will already be placed on the one you will ride. We sat on a two-seater, and the seat with the brakes is also the seat that requires more effort to get moving. It consisted of approximately 1 hour of pedaling in one direction, then everyone gets off, they turn the rail cars around and then you pedal back another hour to the starting point. You also get to cross the highway where they must halt traffic! Was very comical hearing people honk their horns cheering us on as we crossed through. I believe they had an area to buy water and sports drinks, but I did not see a spot to buy food or snacks. Mayhaps there is. The restrooms were extremely decent and not smelly at all! And lastly, the staff there were extremely friendly! Every single staff member gave off such a positive vibe! It's too bad we discovered this so late in the season as it is getting quite chilly. We will definitely be checking out their other locations next year and providing reviews for those as well.

Had a blast! I admit, some parts are pretty scary and there are some risks I’m sure. It’s not a man made river, people!! There are rocks and natural obstacles!! If you’re not interested in the outdoors at all, this probably isn’t for you- stick to a water park. If you’re an active person or outdoor enthusiast you’ll probably love it. The scenery is great.. the “ride” takes about an hour. Wear sneakers that you don’t mind getting wet!!

Efficient, fun for beginners. They have this process down, no fuss. Just bring your swim gear and a pair of shoes that you can get wet. The ride to launch is short and the return down river on tube is bumpy enough to be fun but never felt unmanageable. Great for first timers. You can go back around immediately for a small fee, just ask!

If you're a thrill seeker go for it. Tubing the Esopus is a lot of fun but it is not for the faint of heart. If you go on a water release day there is a very good chance you will get thrown from your tube and roughed and scraped up a bit. Every time I've gone on water release day I've been sore and scraped for a few days after but it's been worth it. Other reviews are saying the owner is rude but I disagree, he is just very frank about what to expect, i don't think they can make it any more clear that this is not a leisurely thing and is a somewhat dangerous activity. It's a great time but there is a chance you will be thrown from your tube and it can be scary when you go under. It's not a Disney ride, it's a river and anything can happen. Definitely get the helmet and have something on your feet. If you're an adrenaline junkie go on water release day and hold on tight, if you want to do something fun an exciting but want to feel more in control go any other day. All in all highly recommend, you have to experience it at least once.

Had so much fun tubing here! It is dangerous, but thrilling- definitely recommend renting a helmet. Be prepared to get wet. You need to be willing to be active- the water is very shallow in places and the water moves fast so you can easily flip or get stuck. That being said, we had a great time! Highly recommend.

Fantastic day on the water! I left with the best memories of time spent with my sister. I also left with a few bruises, but it's to be expected wth the rocks you have to navigate. It's by no means a simple adventure, you'll find muscles you haven't used in years! There's plenty of advice and a safety instruction before you start. The helmets and life jackets are a must and I'd personally recommend old sneakers, much better traction.

The wife and I had an adventure planned. Got our tickets @ 1/2 price through WDST. Very well organized, it is an adrenaline rush, don't be put off by the horror story reviews. That being said, if your not paying attention you can get hurt. This is a river, it's nature, weather can affect how it flows. Beautiful little run, some calm running areas. Tons of fun would do again. At the end where you are supposed to get off the river could be a little better organized.

While the thrill of the rapid and tubing experience was exciting and fun, the owner was not!! He was very rude and took the time to point out that everyone that me and my daughter would not make it through the ride! Not everyone in this world is a size 2!! My daughter is a registered nurse who works the overnight shift in an ER!! She is very active and fit even thigh she isn't a size 2!! I am in my 50's but manage to keep my self active and in descent shape!! We both made it through the rapids with our group and all of us had fun together!! If there was a place near by that offered white whiter tubing we would have left!!!

Very cool shop, with many rooms of interesting stuff, including great clothes and a nice record collection. Don’t miss it if you’re in the area.

Fun little vintage shop on the main street. Records, vintage clothes, some oddities. Friendly staff and great photo ops out front.

This place is a wonderland of beautifully curated clothing delightful oddities. It is so lovely to find authentic vintage clothes at reasonable prices. Laura is both knowledgable and super friendly, and she was able to guide me to unique pieces that suited both my style and my size. Several rooms of fabulousness (including vinyl, books, and linens) and great fun all around! Highly recommend

a few months ago, while booking our air b&b I googled "what to do in Phoenicia" and the Mystery Spot was the first thing to come up. Now I've done a bit of traveling and sometimes a place that looks great can be kinda gimmicky, so this was my fear with this location, BUT now that I have been I can promise Mystery Spot was easily my favorite part of our trip. The owner was there, she was funny and kind and very knowledgeable! Another highlight was a shock to me... the layout! it was so easy to walk through and get lost in each room, everything was organized and easy to look through. I can't say enough how much that helped, I hate feeling like a bull in a china shop so feeling comfortable walking around was a big factor for me. My partner and I purchased our first antique and have our eye on our next purchase here, giving us an excuse to come back to the beautiful little paradise that is Phoenicia. Thank you Mystery Spot! You all helped make our holiday extra special. Hope to see you soon!

This store is a highlight of visiting Phoenicia. Quirky, fun and chock full of treasures. Groovy vintage clothes, vinyl and estate finds. Plus owner/artist/photographer Laura Levine sells some of her iconic rock and roll prints. A must.

My absolute favorite hunting ground for anything vintage/antique. Well-curated, items for every pocketbook, and owned by a renowned rock photographer. What more could you want?! Highly recommend to anyone who lives in or is visiting the Phoenicia area.

Fun, eclectic, fascinating array of stuff -- everything from vintage clothes and kitchen ware to books and records. Well worth a stop when you're in Phoenicia (and check the hours, since they vary...). Fun for all ages!

Woodland Valley leads to the Premier Sunrise spot in all the Catskills. It makes you work for it. Be prepared and be safe!

Great basic campground with potable water and restrooms/showers. No electricity. Fireplaces for cooking and campfires. Great place for hiking. The start and end of the Wittenberg-Cornell-Slide mountains hiking loop is from this campground. $20 per night - $6 per night for parking your car overnight during a hikes.

I came to Woodland Valley to hike the Great Ledge trailhead. This trail was 0.01% view, 0% fun and 99.99% bugs and rocks. The only reason I gave 3 stars was because the employees were extremely nice. You could not pay me to hike this trail again.

My review is primarily focused on the experience of dealing with the DEC personnel at Woodland Valley when we arrived to check in. First off, it's crucially important to read the fine print when making the reservation. The check in window is between 2PM and 9PM. If you arrive after 9PM they WILL NOT LET YOU IN! You get to an area of the Catskills with zero cell service, so an attempt to contact the campsite and let them know of your late arrival is limited. We arrived at 905PM after fighting traffic coming up from the city. Meeting one of the DEC Officers at the gate of the campground, she was unsure if check in after 9PM was possible, she directed us to talk to the registration office manager. The registration office wasn't closed down yet, and as I mentioned, we arrived 5 minutes after the 9PM window. Regardless, the manager was adamant that there was nothing they could do, 9PM is the hard cut off. When we asked what our options were if they weren't going to let us into the campground, for a site that we had already paid for and was sitting unoccupied, they suggested we drive back to town to find another place to stay, or camp on the side of the road until the office opened back up at 8AM. What a horrible way to run a campsite. Why is it infeasible to capture our information on a sign-in sheet and allow us to access our campsite? Luckily we were able to find another site in town and stay the night of $40. Not everyone has this kind of flexibility, it's a shame that a NYS campground is so absolute and penalizing for arriving a few minutes after the check in window.

I was a little hesitant to camp here since there were many reviews mentioning some unpleasant experiences with the camp host. The online guidelines state that you must enter before 9 PM or forfeit the reservation. The camp host we met was a very nice man. We arrived at 7:30 PM and the check-in office was closed but there were signs directing us to camp at our reserved site and check-in in the morning. The camp sites are pretty big and the main bathroom is good. Only the handicap shower stall had warm water but it was plentiful. I like that they have a separate building for washing dishes and for sorting out trash and recycling. No cell service.

This campground is in a beautiful location! The staff are very helpful and nice. I would love to give five stars, but unfortunately there was no access to clean water at the campsite so I took off one star. The bathrooms are clean and spacious! I didn’t get any pictures of our campsite but it had one picnic table, a fire pit, lots of space for a car and space for our big tent and small tent. The pictures I include in this review are of some views and places in the area around the campground, as well as a lovely deer who came very near to our site!

Great place to get away no phone service but its good to unplug sometimes did have a pay phone though

Cute little gem with tons of history, Steve was our tour guide, very kind and welcoming. Great views!!

Excellent trip either for train enthusiasts or smaller children. The price is right and there is ample parking with beautiful views of the mountains. There’s a small museum in an old antique and a beautifully restored train station high up in the Catskill mountains. This is a very historical railroad and this was one of the stops. The team of volunteers that run this beautiful piece of historical magnificence are awesome and you can see they put a lot of time and love into the restoration of these beautiful machines. This is not a long and in-depth trip, but absolutely worth it.

Had the best experience at this railway museum. It’s like taking a trip back in time with so many cool artifacts and photos of the old railroad station. The volunteers and guide were very sweet to me and my son. All so enthusiastic to share the history and explore the caboose. It’s free but donation based and really was a cool place to see how the Catskills railway used to be!

Really enjoyed this attraction. It's at the Catskills rail adventure place....we were there to ride the rails. Wish the ESL adventure was longer.... it was great!

Awesome museum and very friendly people, kids had a blast and this tour was the highlight of their trip! We were invited to see a special steam train in the barn which they were restoring and it’s wonderful to see people are so passionate that they dedicate their energy and time to restore historical trains. Shout out to Miko!

I had actually planned to take more pictures while I was here but I became so enthralled with the history and information the volunteers had during their tour. This museum is free but has the option to give donations. They have a little gift shop as well. They have a lot of original parts of the building, and a great little recreation of what the train station(s) looked like back in the day, it is made with as much accuracy as was possible, so it is really neat to look at. You certainly learn a lot from here, including about how trains used to stay on time, money security in the old building, and an overall history of the area. Although this is not at all by fault of the museum, we had asked if we could look at the trains and were given permission as long as we stayed on the grass but when we were on the grass, a girl from the business next door yelled at us that we weren't allowed over there, so come communication with that business may be needed.

Fascinating place near the Catskills mountains. Hand cranked individual rolling stock running on a dedicated railroad track, with some old carriages and memorabilia . To avoid disappointment book your ride in advance as it’s very popular

Great place with very unique items. Get a gift for yourself or someone special. Dave is wonderful! I guarantee you will leave with something! Popular place for locals and visitors - I was just there today!

Funnest place in the state for gifts and home items. I bring my relatives here when they come and visit. Always something new for everyone on your list. Classy wrapping by Dave makes each gift special and he is very welcoming. Something for every price range and occassion. Classic Catskills themed gifts as well.

I have been shopping here since David opened 23 years ago. Unique gift assortment as well as a good price range of items. David's gift wrapping always makes the purchase extra special. We always bring our out of town guests here.

Finally a reasonably price gift store with items you can both give and would like to receive. Personable owner with interesting inventory and enamoring greeting cards. They have unscented candles too. I don't want my candles to multitask, soft glowing light is all I require.

Great array of unique items, We always seem to find something we didn't know we were looking for.

Awesome place to visit and shop! Owner is super friendly and helpful!! Been going there 20+ years💖

Love this store. Beautifully curated store. Dave is the best!