What to do in Windham with Kids
Windham is the perfect wintertime destination in the Catskills—especially if you’re traveling with bonkers, stir-crazy children. Back in February 2020, I put together a guide to Windham for my friends at Brooklyn Based. Then, as you all know, things got complicated. We recently updated the BB guide for an ideal grown-up weekend, but I’ve got everything you need to know about kid-friendly Windham right here:
Snow Tubes and Mini-Snowmobiles:
At Windham Mountain Adventure Park, Archer realized that riding a snowmobile is easier than riding a bike.
Windham Mountain caters to skiers of every level, but Windham Mountain Adventure Park caters to everyone—no matter how klutzy you are! You do not need any skills soar down a hill in a tube, and you don’t even need to be able to ride a two-wheeler to balance on a mini-snowmobile.
The Easiest Hike:
The Windham Path is more of a gentle walking trail than a hiking area. The views are beautiful through all four seasons, though we haven’t been there when the snow is deep. Bundle up, wear some comfy boots, and see how far you can make it along this 1.5-mile loop.
Coffee and Snacks:
When you’re traveling in cold temps with little kids, you may need to mainline coffee. Windham Local has a perfect little menu featuring house-made donuts and a killer breakfast sandwich with more of a Brooklyn vibe (their original location is in Cobble Hill). Higher Grounds Coffee has more of a ski-town, upstate-y atmosphere and a wider ranging menu of Belgian waffles, sandwiches, wraps, salads, and smoothies. I also recommend seeking out a hidden gem of a French bakery called La Pastisserie Normande and getting one of their almond tarts to go. You can bring it home and eat it for breakfast all week.
Beer and Books:
In pre-mask times, Pete discovered beer from one of our favorite hometown spots, Threes Brewing, in the walk-in fridge at Hickory Hill Market.
At some point in the day, you may want to switch from coffee to beer. Let your kids pick out some snacks at Hickory Hill Market, a giant, more-gourmet-than-you’d-expect gas station convenience store, while you browse their super-sick walk-in beer fridge. Grab whatever they’ve got from West Kill Brewing, one of our favorite Catskills breweries. The beers will stay chilled in your car while you pay a visit to Briars and Brambles Books, a great little shop owned by a local mom who keeps a well-curated children’s section.
Hearty Meals:
We’re doing all our pandemic dining in our car, so I can’t speak to the dine-in situation anywhere, but these are our kids’ favorite Windham spots, and they’ve all got take-out. If you’re craving a big ol’ meal of chicken and steak, Chicken Run is your go-to. (There’s even a kid-sized steak for your tiny carnivore.) My kids are into their milkshakes and desserts, too. We also love Mill Rock Restaurant for pizza and pasta. For a big midday meal, Catskill Mountain Country Store has sandwiches and diner fare, but there’s a big gift shop inside and your kids will want to buy everything they have. Consider yourself warned.
Good luck to all my parent friends as you navigate this long, weird winter. Please let me know in in the comments if I’ve missed any must-visit family-friendly spots in Windham so I can check out all your favorites!
