Just over an hour from Albany via I-87 S and NY-23 W, Hunter NY is the perfect year-round day trip or overnight to explore the Catskill Mountains. Have your pick of hiking, tubing, skiing, and small-town shopping and dining all in one place.

This trip, we opted for an overnight at Scribner’s Catskill Lodge, where they offer a ‘Ski and Stay’ package that includes two lift tickets to Hunter Mountain (lift tickets are only valid on weekdays). Perfectly located across the street from Hunter, Scribner’s is the perfect “rustic-meets-modern” boutique hotel. Built in 1966, this 38-room hotel was completely gutted and renovated, welcoming guests in late 2016. Since then, it has been a city-dwellers escape, for more reasons than one.

Tip: Purchase your lift tickets to Hunter Mountain ahead of time online! You’ll save up to 25%! Hunter also offers a ‘Sleep in Sunday’ deal where 4-hour lift tickets are only $39, starting at 12 PM.

Start your day off with a breakfast sandwich and donut at Twin Peaks Coffee & Donuts in Tannersville, about 5-10 minutes away from Hunter Mountain, or stop by Scribner’s in-house restaurant, Prospect, to fuel up before hitting the slopes.

Finish your day of skiing at Prospect where they offer Apres Ski every Saturday and Sunday from 3-6 PM. Enjoy cocktails, drafts, a glass of wine, as well as small bites (the buffalo cauliflower was better than real chicken!).

Complete your day with dinner at Prospect, where you can enjoy the mountain views and get toasty by the woodstove. For dinner, we started with the Blistered Shishito Peppers and Portuguese Octopus. For our mains, we had Torchetti Cacio e Pepe and Rigatoni con Prosciutto. All of which were presented beautifully and were delicious.

If you’re staying at the hotel, you are invited out on the back patio for s’mores by the fire. The fire starts at 4 PM and goes through the night.

Food options in Hunter/Tannersville are harder to come by, especially for weekday lunches. Try Mama’s Boy Burgers for great burgers, grilled cheese, and ice cream. Or for pizza, try Sal’s Pizza open daily, Monday-Thursday from 4 PM-10 PM, Friday-Saturday from 12 PM-12 AM, and Sunday from 12 PM-10 PM.