Upstate Day Trip
Before moving to New York, I found it odd that most people I knew that lived here escaped to a weekend home. Whether it be the Hamptons or Upstate, I didn’t quite grasp the need to get away until I found myself living the crazed Manhattanite life. I no longer had access to a hiking trail at the end of my street like I did in Northern California and my desire for peace and quiet, trees and grassy lawns is real.
Look for photogenic backgrounds in unexpected places. This was taken alongside the Interstate at a truck stop.
Westwind Orchard, Accord, NY
On a recent Saturday with nothing on the agenda, we decided to grab a Zipcar and head North to Westwind Orchard, about 2.5 hours in the Catskills. My dear friend, Interior Monologue had just come back after her annual visit and it sounded like a place perfect for kids and adults alike.
Family-friendly and pet-friendly, Westwind Orchard has plenty of space to relax the day away.
The drive up was picturesque with the changing leaves and we downloaded a few episodes of Wow in the World to keep the littles occupied and we rolled into the farm just before lunch. I was pleasantly surprised by how charming the barns were and even more excited to find woodfired pizza and cinnamon donuts on the menu. The hubby sampled a few homemade ciders and I cozied up with a book beside the open fire while the kids ran freely and gave wagon rides to anyone that would partake. When the littles got restless, we grabbed a game of Jenga and tick tack toe that were tucked away inside the food barn and we were able to extend our stay and enjoy the ambiance.
Kelder’s Farm
When we pulled out of Westwind Orchard to head back home, the kid’s spotted a giant gnome beside the highway, naturally, we had to stop. Completely by accident, we discovered Kelder’s Farm, a mecca for littles in the Fall. For a $10 fee, kids can jump endlessly on the giant trampoline, feed the animals at the petting zoo, play a round of mini golf and ride a tractor through the corn field. There were several interactive experiences as well as a steampunk-esque pumpkin cannon that fired up as each group of pumpkin pickers arrived in the field that my kids are still talking about a month later. We picked our own pumpkins and noticed an abundance of crops that were done for the season but I can only imagine it would be a goldmine in the growing months and the perfect place to spend an afternoon when the weather gets warm.
I love a good mini road trip to get us out of the city craze and these two destinations made for a full yet fun day. The kids fell asleep on the way home and the hubby and I had time to chat which is just what this city fam needed. Where shall we go next?