Earlier this month, we were able to escape to Upstate NY as a family for a few days. It was a magical time, to be together, to slow down a bit, to explore, and to cherish these last few weeks and months of being a family of 4. We stayed at a super private and cozy airbnb, Flatrock House, in Shandaken, New York. It was just 10 minutes from the Phoenicia Diner and Foxfire Mountain House, two of my all-time favorite upstate destinations! Foxfire was the home of my 2016 retreat, An Intentional Autumn!

These are some photos of our time upstate. The weather wasn’t perfect, so we were only really able to have one full day outside. We spent that day at the Flatrock Swimming Hole, maybe the most perfect, secret swimming hole ever! We packed a picnic lunch and headed down the road just a 1/2 mile from our airbnb to access the swimming hole. It was so, so fun! I stayed out of the water (#pregnant), but the girls and Joe spent hours swimming and jumping, and we all searched for fish and tadpoles. We picnicked on the rocks (which were huge and flat, hence the name, Flatrock). Shortly before we left, an elderly gentleman and his granddaughter arrived. They said they’d been swimming there for years. They were the only people we saw for hours. I so recommend this little spot!

Flatrock House was so cozy and woodsy and welcoming! It had everything we needed, and more! Joe and I played games every night (Scrabble battles!). I think my favorite part of the home was the moody, changing light throughout the day. I kept finding myself caught off guard by the way a particular room looked at different times during the day. The kitchen was super well equipped, the bedrooms were so cozy and dark (woohoo for kids sleeping late into the morning), the second floor “game room” was such a great space for spreading out, and the decor was just spot on! Such a great mixture of restored vintage, antiques, and a few modern pieces. And then a bit of the required cabin-woodsy vibe. The house was so secluded, too, with so many outdoor nooks. Access to the Esopus Creek (where Naomi and I explored early one morning) right through the backyard and a short walk through their magical forest, a huge fire pit, a covered deck, lots of yard space, and a magical dining area surrounded by the woods. We didn’t have a chance to dine al fresco (so much rain and thunder) at the hidden picnic table, but I really hope to go back next year with a larger group of people! Thanks so much to Nik and the Flatrock folks who provided such a wonderful stay for our family!

The house was so welcoming, we didn’t have much reason to explore elsewhere. But we did manage to escape to nearby Phoenicia (and the diner), say hi to our friends at Foxfire Mountain House, and we spent part of a day (before the thunderstorms arrived) in Woodstock. I bought a few gifts at Shop Little House (such a great collection of items for the home), and we had lunch in the magical garden at The Garden Cafe. The girls loved walking around Woodstock and window shopping. At one point Zoe squealed “this is so much fun” as she pranced ahead of us, not holding anyone’s hand.” It’s the little things, folks. What are your favorite upstate destinations?

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