This summer, we sent content creator, Amelia Dobbs, on a roadtrip to some of our Outposts in the Northeast: from Getaway Eastern Catskills and Getaway Western Catskills outside of NYC, to Getaway Machimoodus outside of Boston and NYC. We sat down for an interview with her to hear about her experience. Here’s what she had to say:
Hi! I’m Amelia Dobbs and I’m based out of New York, NY. You can follow me on Instagram!
Who were your travel buddies for this road trip?
I run a travel content creation page with my girlfriend, Charlyn, who is a professional photographer. We met a few years ago by chance in Grand Canyon National Park and named our business Canyon Collective as a way to honor a serendipitous juncture in our relationship. We dated long distance at first and used to travel quite a bit to visit each other. We started taking photos and videos as a way to remember our trips when we spent time apart. This was the first road trip we’ve ever taken!
What was your route?
Our trip started in Manhattan, and the first leg of our drive was to Roscoe, NY to stay at the Western Catskills Outpost. The drive was beautiful and marked by panoramic views of fields and rolling mountains. As we approached Roscoe and the elevation increased, the roads got progressively less busy and we had a stunning view of the Peptacon Reservoir. A few days later we drove through Phoenicia, NY en route to Cairo, NY where the Eastern Catskills Outpost is located. This was probably our favorite leg of the trip! After spending time in Cairo we got back on the road until we reached Moodus, CT and our final Outpost. We were pretty surprised at how easy it was to get from location to location, and it gave us plenty of chances to explore along the way.
What were a few of your favorite stops along the way?
Our drive from Eastern Catskills to Moodus had beautiful scenery and included some of our favorite stops. The Phoenicia Diner is a fantastic establishment to patronize when in the Hudson Valley! Their brunch menu is comprehensive and we ordered two skillet entrees. They have outdoor and indoor seating and a cute converted Airstream counter. It was a perfect vibe for the nostalgia of a road trip! We then visited the small town of Tannersville, NY where we found several antiques shops and a great ice cream counter. We stopped into the store “Camp Catskill” and we were told that a great place to cool off was a nearby lake. We were lucky to get the local tip and after driving about ten minutes, found ourselves at Colgate Lake for a refreshing swim. After that it was back on the road to enjoy our Outdoor Suite in the Eastern Catskills!
What was the inspiration behind your playlist?
This playlist is for those who wander and wonder. A time machine that transports you back to every single emotion when falling in love with the life you live and the things that surround you. Nostalgia for life as it is and was.
What are some of your packing necessities when you getaway?
We always bring Bananagrams and this time we branched out and brought Quirkle! We love that Getaway supplies cards. Clothes for hiking are a must. We brought a cast iron skillet that was instrumental in cooking over the fire. We also figured out the best strategy for summer is to have swimsuits and towels in the car ready to go at all times for a quick swim!
Did you have a favorite part of each Outpost you visited?
Our favorite part of the Western Catskills Outpost was the Peptacon Reservoir! It’s so easy to get to the boat launch from the Outpost and the views are unbeatable. You can rent boats and fish in the Peptacon, but we truly just loved standing on the shore and skipping rocks. A big perk of the Outdoor Suite we were in at the Eastern Catskills Outpost was the hammock. It comfortably fit two people and we spent a lovely hour reading and listening to the birds. At the Machimoodus Outpost we were delighted to discover a nature trail that was part of the Outpost map. It took us fifteen minutes to stroll around and was an accessible and easy way to spend time in nature after a delightful afternoon nap.
How did it feel to disconnect and reconnect to nature at Getaway?
It’s really special to spend quality time with Char and take the opportunity to slow the pace from our busy NYC lives. We tried a few new recipes since we had ample time to cook (10/10 recommend doing steaks over the campfire in a cast iron skillet). The return to normalcy after the pandemic years has been an adjustment, and it was refreshing to take time to reflect on how that’s affected us. Most of our relationship has been spent in cities, and it’s a delight to see how someone you love interacts with nature and captures it for their memory. I saw Char take the time to walk down a path and follow a butterfly just to take a photo of its iridescent wings! The chance to discover the natural world through the eyes of someone you love is amazing.