The Cedar Stock Cabin sits in one of the most culturally rich and scenically beautiful corners of New York State. The Catskills and the Hudson Valley have long attracted artists, makers, and independent spirits, and the result is a constellation of small towns, each with its own distinct character, within easy driving distance. Whether you want to browse antique shops on a storied main street, walk a trail to a working lighthouse, explore a monumental sculpture park, or stand on the ground where half a million people gathered for the most famous music festival in history, it is all here — and none of it is more than forty-five minutes from your front door.
Woodstock Village — 5 Minutes
Start with the town that gives the cabin its name. Woodstock village is a five-minute drive down the mountain and an endlessly charming place to spend a morning or an afternoon. Tinker Street, the main thoroughfare, is lined with independent galleries, eclectic boutiques, vintage shops, and the kind of stores that only exist in towns where creativity is the primary industry. Browse handmade jewelry, locally printed art, vinyl records, and artisan goods you will not find anywhere else.
The village green at the center of town is the community's living room — on any given weekend, you might find live music, a farmer's market, or simply locals and visitors sitting on benches watching the world go by. Grab coffee at Bread Alone, lunch at one of the excellent restaurants, and take your time. Woodstock rewards those who wander without a schedule.
Saugerties — 15 Minutes
Fifteen minutes east of the cabin, Saugerties is a river town with a personality all its own. The star attraction is the Saugerties Lighthouse, a beautifully preserved 1869 structure accessible via a half-mile nature trail through tidal flats and marsh along the Hudson River. The walk itself is lovely — birdwatchers will want binoculars — and the lighthouse offers tours and even overnight stays for the adventurous.
Back in town, Partition Street is the heart of the action. This walkable strip features an appealing mix of antique shops, bookstores, art galleries, and restaurants that has made Saugerties increasingly popular without losing its small-town soul. The HITS horse shows draw equestrian enthusiasts throughout the year, and the waterfront area along the Esopus Creek is a peaceful spot for a stroll. Saugerties is the kind of town you drive to for a quick errand and end up spending the whole afternoon.
Phoenicia — 20 Minutes
Phoenicia is a tiny mountain hamlet with outsized appeal. Twenty minutes west of the cabin along Route 28, it sits at the confluence of Stony Clove Creek and the Esopus Creek, and in summer it becomes the tubing capital of the Catskills. Rent a tube, float the Esopus, and let the mountain-cold water carry you downstream — it is one of the most purely joyful things you can do in the region.
Beyond tubing, Phoenicia offers the legendary Phoenicia Diner, the Empire State Railway Museum for train enthusiasts, and a handful of charming shops and galleries. The Town Tinker tube rental operation has been running for decades and makes the whole experience effortless. Phoenicia is also the gateway to some excellent Catskills hiking, including the Slide Mountain Wilderness and Wittenberg-Cornell-Slide Trail.
Kingston — 25 Minutes
Kingston is experiencing a remarkable renaissance, and a day spent exploring New York State's first capital is one of the best ways to spend your time off the mountain. The city has two distinct centers, each worth visiting. The Rondout waterfront district, where the Rondout Creek meets the Hudson River, is home to a thriving collection of restaurants, bars, galleries, and shops housed in beautifully restored maritime-era buildings. Walk along the water, browse the galleries, and stop for lunch at one of the excellent farm-to-table restaurants that have put Kingston on the culinary map.
Uptown, the Stockade District is one of the oldest continuously inhabited neighborhoods in America, with stone houses dating to the Dutch colonial era and a growing art scene that includes the O+ Festival and numerous independent galleries. Kingston is also home to an impressive number of craft breweries and cideries, making it an excellent stop for those who appreciate good drinks alongside good food.
Hudson — 45 Minutes
Forty-five minutes south of the cabin, the city of Hudson has transformed from a quiet river town into one of the most celebrated small-city destinations in the Northeast. Warren Street, the half-mile main drag, is an antique hunter's paradise — dozens of shops range from high-end design galleries to eclectic vintage emporiums filled with everything from mid-century furniture to rare books and estate jewelry. Even if you are not buying, the window shopping alone is extraordinary.
Hudson's dining scene punches well above its weight, with farm-to-table restaurants that draw on the surrounding agricultural bounty to create menus that would be at home in any major city. The town also has a lively bar scene, excellent coffee shops, and a growing number of art galleries that reflect its creative population. Plan to spend a full afternoon wandering Warren Street, with a meal as the centerpiece.
Opus 40 — 20 Minutes
One of the most remarkable and unexpected destinations in the region, Opus 40 is a monumental environmental sculpture created over 37 years by artist Harvey Fite. Carved from an abandoned bluestone quarry in Saugerties, this six-acre labyrinth of terraces, ramps, and platforms built from hand-fitted stone is genuinely awe-inspiring. A towering monolith stands at the center, and the surrounding landscape of pools, trees, and sculpted stone creates a meditative space that feels ancient despite being a twentieth-century creation.
Opus 40 is open seasonally, typically from late spring through fall, and occasionally hosts concerts, performances, and events within the quarry. It is one of those places that photographs cannot fully capture — you need to walk through it, feel the stone underfoot, and let the scale of one person's vision wash over you. It is twenty minutes from the cabin and absolutely worth the trip.
Bethel Woods Center for the Arts — 45 Minutes
On a rolling hillside in Sullivan County, forty-five minutes southwest of the cabin, sits the actual site of the 1969 Woodstock Music and Art Fair. Despite the festival's name, it was held here in Bethel, on Max Yasgur's dairy farm, and the site is now home to the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts. The museum tells the story of the 1960s and the festival through immersive exhibits, oral histories, and period artifacts that bring the era vividly to life — even for those who were not born anywhere near 1969.
In summer, Bethel Woods hosts a full season of outdoor concerts on the same hillside where Hendrix, Joplin, and The Who once played. Sitting on the lawn as music fills the valley and the sun sets behind the hills is a profoundly moving experience, connecting you to a moment in cultural history that still resonates. Pair a visit to Bethel Woods with an exploration of Woodstock's own arts and music scene for the full story of this region's creative legacy.