Old-Fashioned Inn in the Heart of the Catskill Mountains

There's a sense of a communal atmosphere at the family-operated Gavin's Irish Country Inn. Eight cottage-like buildings are grouped in a circle around the pool out back, and each cottage’s wooden deck looks out to the Catskill Mountains. You also get two home-cooked meals each day.

In the morning, newly baked blueberry or chocolate-chip muffins are included in the lavish breakfast spread, which also features french toast, eggs, and fruit. At night, a three-course meal might include roast beef, baked salmon, or chicken marsala. Head to the onsite pub, where live Irish music plays and guests dance into the night, and retire to a Plan B room with traditional decorations and views of the pool or the countryside.

Two included guest passes offer access to Zoom Flume Water Park, one of the largest water parks in the Catskills. Explore the park’s attractions, such as giant water slides, a riptide cove wave pool, and the Black Vortex, a water slide that takes place in total darkness.

East Durham, New York: "The Emerald Isle of the Catskills"

Sometimes called "The Emerald Isle of the Catskills," East Durham is a little unincorporated town surrounded by mountains in the southeast corner of New York. It's covered in green and has undulating terrain, similar to the Irish countryside; in fact, thousands of vacationing Irish families visit every year. There's even an Irish-themed village in the town, which holds summer and fall festivals with actors in period costume and live music.

East Durham is located within a few miles of several state forests, among them Manorkill, Bates, and Catskill Park, all of which attract hikers and campers to their lofty peaks. East Durham is mostly a rural area, and that peaceful seclusion is part of its charm; the closest city, Albany, is 35 miles away.