A Group Getaway in High Falls With a Creekside Hot Tub and Sauna
Getting a dozen people to agree on a weekend away is its own kind of logistics. One wants to hike, another would rather browse antique shops, and a few are already asking about dinner. The ideal group trip leaves room for all of it, with a house worth returning to between outings.
On a recent October weekend, six couples found that combination at Schoonmaker Retreat in High Falls, a hamlet in the Hudson Valley. The Ulster County property, which straddles Rosendale and Marbletown, has two historic houses, a rushing creek, and a sauna and cedar barrel hot tub beside the water.
The main Schoonmaker House is more contemporary, while the smaller Coach House is rustic-chic and creekside; it served as a fort for Mr. Schoonmaker during the Revolutionary War. With a bedroom for each couple, there was no fussing over rooms, and everyone agreed their beds were ultra-cozy. The Coach House has no kitchen but does have modern conveniences, including an automatic water dispenser.
Dinner on Friday was at Ollie's Pizza in High Falls, housed in a renovated barn and serving wood-fired pizzas, salads, and meatballs. Back at the retreat, the group held a Top Chef-inspired cocktail competition in the well-equipped kitchen.
Saturday brought a hike up Joppenbergh Mountain, less than a 10-minute drive away in Rosendale, followed by coffee at The Big Cheese on Main Street and an outdoor lunch beside the creek at Creekside Bar and Bistro. Later came Westwind Orchard in Accord, which serves pizzas and pastas alongside hot or cold cider and hosts live music. Dinner was at Accord Social, 15 minutes away, for pastas, salads, branzinos, martinis, and wine, with s'mores around the firepit back at the house afterward.
Sunday's rain split the group: some drove about 20 minutes to Kingston, while others explored vintage stores, shops, and farm stands, including Clubhouse Vintage, Postmark Books, and Soiled Dove. Some jumped in the creek as a cold plunge while others warmed up in the hot tub, with fairy lights around the area and fog adding to the scene. The house is dog-friendly with no added fee. That night, the group cooked a family-style meal together, with two long dining tables each seating six.