Nestled on the New York and the Pennsylvania border, Barryville is just a two hour drive from New York City in the Delaware Water Gap area. Though it’s a small town, Barryville offers all the ingredients for a memorable weekend, with many amenities walkable from our hotel pick, the Stickett Inn, including a gourmet grocery, farmers market, antique shopping, and one of the best dive bars ever.
To get here via public transit, take New Jersey Transit to Port Jervis, NY and take a cab; you can also take a bus to Milford, PA and Monticello, NY, and arrange a ride from there. Preferably, though, you’re driving yourself: and if so, don’t miss the incredibly scenic Eagles Nest, a beautiful winding road that overlooks the Delaware River.
Where to Stay in Barryville, NY: Cheeky Boutique Hotel Stickett Inn
We love Stickett Inn, just two hours from New York City in the heart of Barryville. The four-room inn is on the smaller side, but its rooms are spacious, and cheekily decorated with boob pillows, Elvis lamps, modern art, and mid-century furniture.
Each of the rooms has a special draw–a large kitchen, a wet bar, a steam shower, a soaking huge tub. There’s also an 850 square foot cottage, with two bedrooms, a full eat-in kitchen, fenced in private corral with Weber grill and full access to the main building. All rooms have access to the outdoor hot tub.
If you need any groceries or booze, walk across the street to the Barryville General, which is also host to a farmers market during summer weekends.
What to Do Around Barryville, NY: Explore the River Towns of the Delaware River Valley, Hike & Enjoy the Outdoors
For a tiny river town, there’s lots to do here–and even more when you venture out a bit. Start your morning off with a walk down by the river, then hit the antique shops in town on the way back. Barryville Antiques Emporium is especially fun–an antique shop in an old house, which spreads out to the yard during warmer months. Also right down the road from the hotel is Reber River Trips, with tubing, white water rafting, kayaks and canoeing. Just a bit further down the road, Kittatinny Adventure Center offers those same water sports, but also paint-balling and ziplining.
If you have a car, make sure to check out Narrowsburg, just a 15 minute drive away for brunch at The Heron and walk around town. Check out some the great shopping like Nest, a beautiful home and lifestyle boutique; Maison Bergogne, an antique shop in an old car garage; and One Grand Books, where the stacks are determined by “desert island” picks from celebrities, authors and artists.
Barryville is also 15 minutes from Bethel, the site of Woodstock. Park your car and wander the property at Bethel Woods Center for the Arts to see the field where the magic unfolded, along with the pond where festival-goers swam and bathed. The museum on-site is open from April to January.
Where to Eat and Drink Around Barryville: Farm Fresh Food, Dinner Above a Gas Station, and Hand-Set Bowling at a Dive Bar
Though coffee is provided at the Stickett Inn, breakfast is not. Head over to Barryville General, where you can pick up some pastries, or head to The Heron in Narrowsburg for a fantastic sit-down meal. The Stickett Inn also has a juice bar, helpful for those painful hangovers.
For an easy casual dinner, try out Back to Baker’s just up the road. It’s nothing fancy–the menu consists of your standard pub fare, but the pizza is pretty fantastic. The Heron, mentioned previously, is not only a great option for breakfast but also for dinner. Reservations are recommended–ask for patio seating for a seat overlooking the Delaware River. Another foodie hotspot in the area is the new location of Henning’s Local. This farm-to-table joint is in the most inconspicuous place possible: above a Mobil station. (Yes, Mobil as in the gas.) By description alone, we thought the restaurant would be small and cozy–but it’s actually quite large and loft-like. Reservations are recommended for this meat-heavy menu, but vegetarians might want to look elsewhere to dine.
As far as bars go in the area, Rohman’s ranks high on our list of “best dive bar ever” with cheap beer and hand-set bowling. Located in Shohola (across the river), it’s within walking distance to the hotel. Downstairs, the bar is made out of an old bar-car of a train; the seats at the bar fold down. Upstairs, bowling alleys are first come, first serve. Bring quarters for the juke box!
