For me, vacationing in the Catskills is much more than a pleasant memory—it is the story of my life. Some of my happiest and most meaningful experiences took place there. As a child, I spent unforgettable summers at a small family hotel in Kauneonga Lake, Block’s Hotel. I went to summer camp, made lifelong friends, and discovered the freedom that only a Catskills summer could provide.

As I grew older, the Catskills became more than a vacation destination. I worked as a busboy and waiter in the hotels, learning lessons about hard work and people that have stayed with me ever since. Later, I owned and worked at summer camps, giving a new generation of children the same magical experiences that I had enjoyed years before.

Eventually, my wife and I purchased a home in Kauneonga Lake. It wasn't simply because we wanted a country retreat. It was because the hotels where we had vacationed and the camps that had shaped so much of our lives were only minutes away. Like thousands of others who grew up in the Catskills, we felt an irresistible pull to return. It was like a magnet drawing us back to the place where so many cherished memories had been made.

Perhaps that's why, when people ask why the Catskills became America's most beloved vacation destination for generations of New Yorkers, I understand the answer not only from history books, but from my own life. The Catskills weren't just a place to spend a summer. For many of us, they became part of who we are.

The Catskills didn't become known as the "Borscht Belt" by accident. From the 1920s through the 1970s, hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers escaped the city every summer for the mountains. At its peak, the region welcomed well over a million visitors each season. So why did the Catskills become the vacation capital of the Northeast while other nearby mountain regions never reached the same level of popularity?

It was close enough to feel far away

For New Yorkers, the Catskills were almost the perfect distance. Families could leave Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, or the Bronx after breakfast and be sitting beside a mountain lake by lunchtime. The trip was usually only two to four hours by car, bus, or train.

The Catskills felt like another world. Instead of crowded apartment buildings, there were forests, lakes, fresh mountain air, and cool evenings—a welcome relief from the sweltering city summers before air conditioning became common.

The climate was ideal

Summer temperatures in the Catskills were often 10 to 15 degrees cooler than in New York City. Nights were comfortable enough for sleeping under blankets.

Doctors frequently recommended mountain vacations for people suffering from asthma, allergies, exhaustion or simply the stress of city living. Whether or not every claim was medically accurate, people genuinely believed they returned home healthier.

Resorts offered everything

Unlike many vacation destinations, Catskill resorts were self-contained worlds.

Large hotels such as Grossinger's Catskill Resort Hotel, the Concord Hotel and Kutsher's Hotel and Country Club featured:

• Swimming pools and lakes 
• Golf courses 
• Tennis courts 
• Horseback riding 
• Children's day camps 
• Dance lessons 
• Bingo 
• Movies 
• Nightclubs 
• Fine dining 
• Organized activities from morning until bedtime 

Guests didn't need to leave the property. Everything was included or readily available.

The food was legendary

Food became one of the Catskills' biggest attractions.

Visitors enjoyed enormous breakfasts, lavish lunches, afternoon snacks, multi-course dinners and midnight buffets. Many guests joked that they gained five or 10 pounds during a two-week stay.

Meals reflected the tastes of many Jewish families from New York City, blending traditional Eastern European favorites with American cuisine.

A haven for Jewish families

One of the most important reasons for the Catskills' success was that many Jewish families were unwelcome at numerous hotels elsewhere because of discriminatory practices common during much of the early- and mid-20th century.

The Catskills became a place where Jewish families could vacation without worrying about being turned away. They built a vacation culture of their own, complete with traditions, entertainment, sports and social life.

Over time, even after discriminatory barriers began to disappear, generations of families continued returning because it had become "where we always spent our summers."

Entertainment was first-class

The Catskills launched the careers of many future stars.

Young comedians polished their routines before demanding audiences. Singers, dancers, magicians and orchestras performed nightly.

Performers who appeared in the Catskills often went on to success in television, Broadway and Las Vegas.

It was affordable

Not everyone stayed at the grand hotels.

The region included:

• Luxury resorts 
• Medium-sized hotels 
• Family bungalow colonies 
• Small boarding houses 
• Rooming houses 

Families with almost any budget could find accommodations. Some stayed for weekends, while others spent the entire summer.

A strong sense of community

Guests returned year after year. Children grew up together, teenagers met lifelong friends—and sometimes future spouses—and parents reunited with the same families each summer.

It wasn't simply a vacation. It became a seasonal hometown.

Transportation made it easy

Frequent buses left New York City every day during the summer. Rail service also brought vacationers close to many resorts, where hotel shuttles met arriving guests.

As automobile ownership increased after World War II, driving became even easier thanks to improved highways, including the New York State Thruway.

Why not the Poconos or Berkshires?

Other nearby destinations certainly attracted visitors, but none combined all the Catskills' advantages.

• The Pocono Mountains became famous primarily for honeymoon resorts and couples' vacations rather than extended family stays. 
• The Berkshires emphasized culture, music festivals and scenic beauty, appealing to a somewhat different audience. 
• The Adirondack Mountains offered spectacular wilderness but were farther from New York City and lacked the dense concentration of family resorts. 

The Catskills uniquely combined proximity, affordability, entertainment, abundant activities, exceptional food and a welcoming atmosphere for the communities that made it their summer home.

Why the Golden Age ended

Beginning in the 1960s, several changes transformed American vacation habits:

• Affordable air travel made Florida, California, the Caribbean and Europe accessible. 
• Interstate highways encouraged longer road trips. 
• Home air conditioning reduced the need to escape city heat. 
• Younger generations sought different kinds of vacations. 
• Hotels everywhere became more welcoming to Jewish travelers, reducing one of the Catskills' unique advantages. 

Many famous resorts eventually closed, though some buildings found new uses while others disappeared. Even so, the Catskills left an enduring legacy in American culture, comedy, hospitality and family vacations.

For those who experienced its golden years, the Catskills were more than a destination; they were a cherished summer tradition. Children counted the days until school ended, parents reconnected with old friends, and grandparents watched new generations splash in the same pools and dance to the same bands. It was a place where memories were made, traditions were passed from one generation to the next, and the simple phrase, "We're going to the Catskills," brought excitement that lasted all year. It still does,