Living in the city and dealing with the daily commuting chaos here during the week, it’s nice to unwind and escape during the weekend. While searching for fall weekend trips from NYC I came across Mystic Lodge, a beautiful tipi situated at the base of some mountains. It’s on the property near the house where the hosts live, and right next to a common area barn with basic necessities. There are also other tipis available throughout the property, some more secluded and fully immersed with nature. If you’re looking for a unique and humbling experience without modern luxuries then this is the perfect place.

Weekend Trips from NYC: Mystic Lodge Blue Jay Tipi

Mystic Lodge is located in Bovina, NY in a valley near the Catskills. The drive on the way there was fairly smooth and easy. As you get to the Catskills it becomes beautifully scenic with windy mountain roads and quaint little towns scattered throughout. With it being early October we saw fall colors making their appearance with hints of yellows and orange mixed in with the greenery from summer. As you get closer the roads get more rugged and narrow. Once you’re close to the address, just look for a big barn and the tipi next to it.

Fall scenery on the way to Mystic Lodge

Cottage down the road from the teepee

We were welcomed by Chris, one of the hosts who lives on the property. He provided us some firewood for the night and gave more details on the property and amenities. He was very easy to talk to and made us feel very comfortable. It was interesting to hear the process of making the tipis and also about the area. To learn more about and appreciate tipis and their history read here.

View from behind the teepee

Aerial shot of the property showing the teepee and barn

Aerial shot of the pond and cabin on the property, also available to rent

View of the teepee and barn from the field

Terra embracing the fresh air and open landscape

After getting settled, we spent some time exploring the property and taking photos. Since we brought our drone with us we wanted to get some nice aerial shots surrounding and also of the mountains. The fall colors made for some gorgeous shots and added some warmth to the landscape.

The Tipi and Property

I was pleasantly surprised at how decked out the tipi was inside. There was a full-sized bed, a picnic basket, plenty of blankets, and a wood burning stove to keep warm. Complementary decor was sprinkled throughout with a dreamcatcher hanging above. On the ground was a cowhide rug, which made it extra cozy. If you’re struggling with getting a strong fire going, Lisa and Chris will gladly assist and welcome any other help you may need with anything. Their house is conveniently located nearby so it’s easy to find them.

View facing the barn

Also on the property was a barn. Inside there’s a power strip with electricity and a fridge with coffee/tea next to it. There’s also some furniture to sit and have another place to hang out. Outside of the barn is an outhouse and a rustic sink setup with fresh mountain spring water inside a glass jug. It was quite a unique experience brushing our teeth in the fresh mountain air.

Where to Eat

Smoked Ham pizza from Table on Ten

Dinner
There are a lot of great food options in this area. Since we had our daughter with us, we thought pizza would be perfect so we went to Table on Ten, located in Bloomville and a scenic 20 minute drive from the tipi. It was very charming and also busy, so expect a long wait. When you arrive you first order your meal, then you find a place to sit and they will bring it to you. We chose to sit in the outdoor picnic table area which was beautifully lit with string lights.

The pizza was so worth the wait. Everything is so flavorful and even the dough was delicious. There were a lot of unique flavor combos, but we went with a simple margherita and the smoked ham. They also had seasonal specials to choose from as well. All the ingredients tasted so fresh and it was perfectly cooked. In addition to pizza there are small plates including salads and soups, and also desserts.

The charming and quaint exterior of Blue Bee Cafe

Breakfast
After researching on breakfast places in the area we settled on Blue Bee Cafe, located in the main area of Delhi, a cute town about 15 minutes away. They open at 10am and there was already a line when we got there beforehand. It’s an adorable and cozy place and the interior has a lot of antique charm.

The staff was super attentive and kind. The food was simply divine and is made with local, seasonal ingredients. I went with an omelet which included roasted potatoes coated with olive oil and herbs, and also a choice of toast. We also got a club sandwich with potato salad, and a yogurt parfait for Terra with fresh granola, fruit and honey. I was very impressed overall with the experience here and highly recommend if you choose to stay around the area.

Dusk at the tipi

Reconnecting with Nature

After breakfast we got back just in time for check-out, which is at 12pm. If you’re in search of weekend trips from NYC, or even for a nice experience in the Catskills coming from out of state, the Blue Jay Tipi is the perfect place to find peace with nature. The fresh air, beautiful scenery, open space, and lack of phone signal will allow you to refresh and recharge.

Have you ever stayed in a tipi? We’d love to hear about it!

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The post Weekend Trips from NYC: A Rustic Catskills Tipi appeared first on Our Travel Soup.

Every now and then on weekends we like to explore more around where we live. With a car, the possibilities are endless in discovering what surrounds us. In searching for ideas on day trips from NYC, I came across White Post Farms, located in Melville NY on Long Island. With a little over an hour drive from Brooklyn, it seemed like a nice escape for the day. I had never heard of this farm before, but was pleasantly surprised by what it offered.

Family Fun NYC Day Trips: White Post Farms

Spending the day at White Post Farms was such a blast. There was so much to see and do, and Terra never got bored. The close interaction with the animals was so unique. Here’s everything you need to know about spending a day trip here.

The Market

Upon arriving at White Post Farms you’ll see a large market with parking lot to the right. We went on a slightly rainy day so the parking lot was half empty when we got there. First we checked out the market and grabbed a bite to eat. There was a lot to pick from, various sandwiches, soups, salads and drinks like coffee, tea, and smoothies. The food tasted very fresh and it was made to order. Outside is a large seating area to eat with covered tables, so it was nice even in the misty rain.

In the market area there was various farm fresh local food, as well as fresh baked goodies. Behind the market is another shop which we mostly just passed through to get to the actual farm. There are signs leading to the farm entrance so it’s very easy to find.

Entry into the Farm

Before you enter the farm you have to pay for tickets and any extras you choose. For us tickets were $18 each, even for kids. We also opted to get a combo package including a bottle of milk and cups of food to feed the animals, a pony ride and train ride. The combo gives a big discount so it makes more sense to get it.

Terra feeding a goat near the entrance to the farm

Adorable pigs nearby the goats

Feeding more goats she loved it!

Pigs and Goats

As you enter the farm the first thing you’ll see are the goats and pigs. They especially love the milk and the food, so we spent some time here feeding them. Terra loved having them eat right from her hands. We found the setup really nice to be able to get up close and personal with the animals, something we’ve rarely seen elsewhere. Next to the animals are hand washing stations, which are great for keeping hands clean in between feedings.

Birds landing right on Terra's head, she loved it!

The birds lined up on a rope

Aviary with Exotic Birds

Located close to the pigs and goats was an aviary, filled with Australian lorikeets and other exotic birds. They have nectar cups for sale before you enter, but at first we opted not to buy. However when we saw the birds were only interacting with those who had the nectar, we decided to buy a few cups. It was so cool having them land on us and feed on the nectar. The interactivity here was truly enjoyable and unique. They even landed on our heads a few times, Terra wasn’t sure what to think of it!

The alpacas were so cute

The camels, we rode these in Morocco!

A group of lemurs cuddling together while sleeping, so cute!

We fed the zebras through the chute

Exotic Animals

Throughout the rest of the farm are plenty of exotic animals, some of which I’ve really only seen in zoos. We saw zebras, monkeys, lemurs, alpacas, kangaroos, and various types of camels. Terra especially loved seeing the camels after our camel trekking trip to the Sahara Desert. Some of these animals you can’t get close or interact with, but you can feed them food down a chute. Nearby the animals was an explanation of what they are and the region they come from, which I thought was cool.

Getting up close and personal with Patches the Giraffe

Patches the Giraffe

One of the highlights of our visit here was being able to get up close and personal with the Patches the giraffe. We were able to pet his head and feed him veggies. Being that it’s one of our dreams to do an African Safari and stay at Giraffe Manor, we loved being able to experience this close to home as well. We definitely recommend visiting just for this alone!

Terra enjoying the pony ride

The train ride, Terra loved it!

Train and Pony Rides

Aside from feeding the animals there are pony and train rides. Since we got the combo package they were both included. Terra really enjoyed both of these and it was organized quite nicely. The train went around a few times, so it was a good length of time. Nearby the train were a few food places with kid friendly options for a quick snack.

The main playground area, so fun!

Terra loved exploring all the miniature houses

Playground Area and Miniature Houses

Next to the exotic animals was a big playground with mini houses lined up next to each other. The miniature houses were especially popular with the kids as they loved going inside and peeking through the windows. Terra could have spend a few hours here alone if we let her. It was a great way to end our day here after seeing all the animals. Your kids will be quite worn out after this!

Bird Show and Water Slides

At various times in the day there’s a bird show showcasing some of the exotic birds they have on the farm. The timing didn’t work out for us to see it, but it looked like a cool event to check out while here. There were also big bounce houses with water slides, but due to the weather we chose not to go here. But it looked great for a nice summer day!

After spending a day here, we definitely think White Post Farms was a worthwhile trip. The ability to interact and get close to so many animals was a wonderful experience. All of the other activities on the farm were a bonus! If you’re looking for ideas on day trips from NYC, this should be on your list.

Have you been to White Post Farms? If so we’d love to hear about your experience here!

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As September arrives we start to think about apple picking and harvest festivals. It’s become a yearly tradition to go with Terra and make homemade applesauce. Living in NYC we are surrounded by plenty of farms to choose from. Since we mostly go upstate, I thought this year we’d try to check out some in Jersey as well. Being in Brooklyn it was much easier to access not having to drive through the city to get there.

Apple Picking Near NYC: Alstede Farms

Alstede Farms was recommended by a friend and also popped up throughout my search. It was only about an hour drive from us, so we decided to plan a day trip there. We went a bit early in apple season around mid-September. It seemed to be less busy around this time, as we’ve heard from others that it can get quite crowded on weekends.

Entry to the Farm

As you arrive at Alstede Farms there’s a large parking lot with attendants helping to navigate you to available spots. It was well organized and easy to manage. After parking we walked towards the farm, where we were greeted by a few farm animals before entering. This as a nice way to get the kids excited about going to the farm. We spent a bit of time petting the horse and donkey before heading on our way.

The market area with homemade ice cream and pumpkins

The area to purchase the tickets and apple boxes/bags were to the right after entering. Since we were ready for lunch we decided to check out the food area first. There’s a tent with various choices (hotdogs, burgers, fries, sandwiches, etc.) We also saw a homemade ice cream stand near the market with a lot of flavors to pick from. There’s also a farm market here with lots of fresh goodies and even some local wine. Of course there are also apple cider donuts, our personal fall favorite.

Apple Picking

After paying for entry, you can choose to either walk or take a tractor to the U-Pick farm. There are also wagons free to use if you choose to walk. We opted for the tractor for the experience and ease of reaching the various spots quickly. It comes every 10-15 minutes so we never waited long for one.

Wandering around the orchard

Terra picking some apples, she loved helping out!

Since we were mostly interested in just apples we went to the orchards first. There were some types of apples that weren’t ripe yet, but a good amount available for us to pick from. Since we were there early in the season we found the trees were packed with apples and some even untouched. This farm isn’t organic so we saw some chemical residue on the apples, something to keep in mind if you decide to sample a few while picking.

Sunflower field next to the orchard

Close to the orchards was a sunflower field, available to pick from. After wandering through the field a bit we waited for the tractor to take us to our next stop.

Corn Maze

The next stop after the apples was the corn maze. Since Terra wasn’t really interested we decided to skip this, but it looked fun. There were a few snacks being sold outside of it in case you need a hunger boost.

Berries and Peaches

Our last stop on the tractor ride was the berries and peaches, located right next to each other. We were only interested in peaches as it was towards the end of berry season so passed up on them. The peach trees were really full and perfectly ripe. Since our box was nearly full we decided to head back.

Before you exit the U-Pick area you have to pay for what you picked. We filled a fairly large box of apples and peaches for around $35, so the price wasn’t too bad for what we got.

Terra trying out the large bubbles in the activities area of the farm

There was also hula hoops to try out

The clown from the puppet show playing tricks on Terra

Other Farm Activities

There’s a lot of other farm fun activities located around the entry area. There are giant bubbles that kids can make and some hula hoops at the end of the tractor ride. There’s also a puppet show at various times throughout the day. Terra’s favorite part was being able to see and feed the animals again. This was a nice way to end our day here.

The cows were so cute!

Feeding the horse, he was so gentle!

She just loves feeding and petting the animals

Overall we found Alstede Farms to be a pleasant fun-filled day. It was well organized and easy to navigate. You can really spend a whole day here, but we found 3-4 hours to be sufficient. It’s a great choice for apple picking near NYC, our favorite part of autumn!

What’s your favorite apple picking spot near NYC? We’d love more ideas!

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