Local Attractions

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East Durham NY Map

Local Attractions

East Durham is known for its Irish heritage and cultural promotion. The town attracts many Irish-American visitors during the summer months who stay at its Irish motels. East Durham contains several significant cultural attractions including:

Zoom Flume  – Just down the road from Gavin’s! You can zoom down 300-foot giant winding water slides, and splash down into the cool canyon of water below. Challenge the 10,000 gallon-a-minute “rapids” rafting a 600-foot chute. The Black Vortex will twist, turn, and splash you around in total darkness. Dare to take the plunge in the Mighty Anaconda, and race your friends down the Grand Prix Splashway. You can splash and play in the GIANT Lagoon Activity Pool, or float gently down the Lazy River. For the adventurous, soar through the air on the the Zip Line from one side of the park to the other.

• Michael J. Quill Irish Cultural and Sports Center – with Irish Park, John E. Lawe Memorial, Gaelic Football field, Baseball field, Festival field, and more! The Michael J. Quill Irish Cultural and Sports Centre (MJQICSC) were formed in 1987 by a group of people who wanted to help preserve Irish Cultures and Sports in America. This was especially important in the town of East Durham, the “Emerald Isle of the Catskills.” The park is the site for the annual carnival, Irish feis, and contains a flag display of Irish counties.
• Our Lady Of Knock Shrine – Opened in 1989, the Shrine is dedicated to Our Lady of Knock, Mother of God, who appeared in Knock, County Mayo, Ireland on August 21, 1879. All the stained windows and monuments are from Donegal, Ireland. It is a beautiful shrine and a Roman Catholic place of worship. Check at Gavin’s front desk for mass times.
• Guaranteed Irish USA – a mile away! The largest Irish Import store in the US, and the place to find everything Irish including crystal, china, hand-knitted clothing, paintings, books, and specialty foods. Guaranteed Irish opened its doors in 1979 and has continued to expand its collection ever since.
• K&K Ranch Horseback Riding – K & K Equestrian Center is a farm located in the Catskill Mountains of East Durham, NY, with 100 acres of woods, fields, and hills. We offer guided trail rides for all skill levels of riders, and pony rides for the younger set.
• Hull-O-Farm – offering farms tours in the summer and mystery corn maze tour in the fall. Lots of home-made goodies. Since its 1779 post-Revolutionary War founding, only the Hull family has been keepers of the land now known as Hull-O Farms. For the family’s 200-plus years of dedication to its farming heritage, they have been recognized and designated by New York State as a National Bicentennial Farm, an honor that they cherish.
• Blackwalnut Farm – an awesome organic farm stand only one mile away. Pick your own, or shop from the stand. Open Memorial Day to Thanksgiving. Farm stand featuring organically produced vegetables, sweet corn, maple products, honey, and pumpkins. Pick your own flowers and berries. CSA memberships are also offered. Organic/local vegetables, fruit, pick your own berries, pumpkins, maple syrup, honey and jams, jellies, pickles, and more.

In addition to Gavin’s Irish Pub, the town is home to numerous other Irish pubs and restaurants. The town also sees many visitors for the fall foliage season, along with golfers, and hikers.

 

 

Nearby Regional Attractions (within a few miles)

 

 

Museums: Thomas Cole House, Olana House, Bronx Museum, Catskill Mountain Foundation… and more!

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More Local Events

Greene County Youth Fair in Cairo July 26 – July 29, 2018
Family oriented activities including animal shows, demonstrations, variety of entertainment, food, trade tent with a variety of vendors. Free admission. Hours: 9am-9pm Thursday-Saturday, 10am-5pm Sunday. Angelo Canna Park, Cairo, NY.

Catskill Mountain Thunder Motorcycle Festival  September 12-16, 2018, East Durham, NY.
Large motorcycle festival with bikes, music, and food.

 

Mini-Day Trips

Howe Caverns – Only a 30 minute drive! Step into an elevator that takes you 156 feet below the Earth’s surface, to a prehistoric underground cavern six million years in the making. Your specially trained guide will help you negotiate the cave and learn about magnificent limestone formations, stalactites, stalagmites, and flowstone, and the tremendous conservation effort underway to protect and preserve Howe Caverns for future generations.

Cooperstown – The National Baseball Hall of Fame is a 1.5 hour drive from Gavin’s.
The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is an independent, non-profit educational institution dedicated to fostering an appreciation of the historical development of baseball and its impact on our culture by collecting, preserving, exhibiting and interpreting its collections for a global audience as well as honoring those who have made outstanding contributions to our national pastime.

Delaware and Ulster Train Ride & Catskill Scenic Trail – in Arkville, NY. The Delaware and Ulster is an excursion train that combines railroad nostalgia with scenic rides through New York’s legendary Catskill Mountains. The Catskill Scenic Trail is a 26 mile trail offering a hard-packed surface that makes it perfect for hiking, biking, and horseback riding!

FDR Home and Library – in Hyde Park – “All that is within me cries out to go back to my home on the Hudson River” said FDR. This quote captures FDR’s connection to Springwood, the estate that he loved and the place he considered home. The first US Presidential Library was started by FDR here. Visit the Home of FDR and Presidential Library and Museum to learn about the only President elected to four terms.

Hudson, NY – visit Warren Street, one of the largest Antique Districts in New York. Warren Street offers visitors a wide variety of shops featuring antiques, art galleries, clothing, furniture, home furnishings, gourmet foods, and a number of excellent restaurants. Local museums include the NY Firefighters Museum, and the Olana State Historic Site, former home of Hudson River School Artist Fredrick Church.

Albany, NY – New York State’s Capital is only a 45 minute drive. During the entire summer, the Albany Trolley runs weekend tours through the Historic District. The Great Escape and Watersplash Kingdom, a Six Flags theme park, is open during the summer months. Numerous historic homes and the state capital are worth visiting any time of the year.

Saratoga’s Gaming and Raceway – Discover 1,700 slots, live harness racing, live simulcast coverage, an array of delicious dining options and Vapor, a modern, casually chic night club at Saratoga Gaming and Raceway. More than 1,700+ slot machines, including 200 of the hottest games titles and more than 300 of the most exciting themes from top manufacturers. With the combination of great dining, exciting gaming, thrilling live racing, and a variety of live entertainment, there’s something for everyone to enjoy!

Lake George – Famous for the lake and many boat tours- 1.5 hour drive.

Auriesville – Visit the Auriesville Shrine, site of the first martyrs of North America. Mass times available on their website www.auriesvilleshrine.com

For more events or attractions in our area, visit www.greenetourism.com