Escape to Bear Mountain

Loving the Bear Mountain Inn, But ….

 

A great getaway for those living in New York City and thereabouts is the Bear Mountain Inn and all it has to offer—hiking and sports for the athletically inclined, a zoo and a carousel for the young at heart, a spa for those in need of some indulgence, and onsite dining options very casual to less so. I first became aware of the existence of the Bear Mountain Inn when the Youthful Adventurer was a mere toddler and marveled then, long before its 2005 renovation, that a state-owned facility (or, more accurately, the Palisades Interstate Park Commission’s facility) offered such a delightful destination and an actual vacation spot. I had just recently relocated from Washington, D.C. back to New York State and, truth be told, was also reacquainting myself with the concept of statehood having lived for more than a decade in a federal ‘district.’

Roadtrip to Bear Mountain

I was back again for a school field trip during the youthful one’s elementary school years and began to appreciate the place from a child’s perspective. On my most recent visit, though, I am there with the Brawny Sherpa for some escapism, a short vacation of sorts, not such a long roadtrip from our day-to-day world. Why do we choose the Bear Mountain Inn? Aside from being partial to the place as something of a downscale Mohonk Mountain House, I get a great deal on Groupon that includes a night at the Overlook Lodge and $20 toward dinner at Restaurant 1915. We make an appointment at the onsite spa for a Lavender Garden body brushing and massage for me and a men’s beer retreat for the Brawny Sherpa and look forward to our escape to Bear Mountain.

A Midwinter Escape: Dining, Spa Time, and an Overnight

Arriving on a cloudy, soggy winter day, we are heartened that early check-in can be accommodated. We find our way to the Overlook Lodge, drop our gear and appreciate our room’s views overlooking Hessian Lake, and head back to Restaurant 1915 for a quick lunch before we head up to the Inn’s third floor for our spa appointment.

The Bear Mountain Inn is intended to become “the handsomest playground in the world” in 1915.

The restaurant’s appellation alludes to the place’s history. At one time, Bear Mountain was intended to be the site of a prison, but thanks to donations from the Harriman family, avoids that fate and, instead, is intended to become “the handsomest playground in the world,” as George Perkins, Chairman of the Palisades Interstate Park Commission, put it when the inn opened in 1915. New York Governor Charles Whitman made it to that opening luncheon, as did a number of guests with surnames prominent even today: Rockefeller, du Pont, Cabot Ward.

More than a Century of Service from the Bear Mountain Inn

Tens of thousands of visitors used to make their way to Bear Mountain on any given weekend, with the New York Times reporting in 1958 that 45,000 people arrived on January weekend to partake of winter sporting activities.

Our visit is much more quiet, coming, as it does, midweek and on a foggy winter day. We see hints of a more vibrant community, though, in a couple planning their wedding in the restaurant as we peer in ballroom after ballroom in the Inn itself. It does, indeed, some like a delightful place for a big party.

It’s also delightful for a quiet getaway. Our spa experience offers some much-needed bliss and we like having a bit of downtime back in our room for some reading and writing before heading back to the main inn for dinner.

During the day, the wall-to-wall windows in Restaurant 1915 offers dreamy views even on overcast days, and at night, the tall fireplace—large enough for a person to enter—provides flickering romance of a different sort. Our lunch choices are practical—a burger and a veggie burger along with a mojito. In the evening, we indulge a bit more, starting with a cheese and charcuterie appetizer and then moving toward grilled polenta and seasonal vegetables for me and a ribeye with whiskey sauce for the Brawny Sherpa which we washed down with a bottle of 2015 Clos du Bois merlot. For dessert, we share the chocolate chip cookie skillet with vanilla cream and caramel, a treat most definitely worthy of our journey.

Wishing This Part Were Better

A few aspects of our visit disappoint us, though, particularly given the place’s glorious past as host to Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts and presidents and even, back in 1943, Madame Chiang Kai-shek, the First Lady of the Republic of China. The Inn itself could use a good scrubbing, from windows to floors, as could our room in the Overlook. Dead bugs were on our windowsill, hair not our own could be found on the desk, and the tub clogged when we showered. The communal area of the Overlook featured tables full of crumbs in the afternoon.

A bit more tender loving care—or, perhaps, more fierce management—could also be used on the grounds, which were surprisingly littered, and at Restaurant 1915, where friendly service did not quite make up for a less than sparkly facility. It’s little things, like some salt and pepper on tables in commercial packaging rather than in shakers, and a table that goes ungroomed before the dessert course is served. It’s those dirty floors, replete with dried ketchup spots, and set tables that somehow already have crumbs on them.

Yet, our retreat does what we intend it to do—provide a reasonably priced escape from the harshness of winter and a little bit of bliss. We would visit here again. We just want it to be managed better and for the place to be cleaner.

Tips for Bashful Adventurers

• Wear sensible shoes—no matter what the weather or your inclination toward outdoorsiness, you will be tempted to explore some of the grounds.
• If you are staying in Overlook Lodge, bring a flashlight! The parking lot—not exactly even—is very dark after sundown.
• Festivities in ballrooms at busier times can bring noise. Perhaps consider staying in the Overlook Lodge or in one of the smaller lodges even if you would prefer the convenience of staying in the Bear Mountain Inn itself.
• Buffet breakfast at Restaurant 1915 was included with our package. It veers toward starchy choices—we cannot help but wonder why “free” breakfasts in U.S. hotels are never as varied or as quality-driven as breakfast offerings in places like Paris and Rome. We miss the croissants, cheese, blood orange juice, and fruit salad offered during a recent stay at Courtyard by Marriott Paris Arcueil. Sigh. Nevertheless, we appreciate the buffet as an option and enjoy going to Restaurant 1915 one last time before our departure.
• The onsite gift shop is delightful with offerings sure to please visitors and giftees of all ages.

 Bear Mountain Inn, 3020 Seven Lakes Drive, Bear Mountain, Rockland County, New York 10911

 —Lori Tripoli

~Advertisement~

~Advertisement~

Looking for things to do in the vicinity of Bear Mountain? You might like these posts:

• History in the West Point Graveyard
• Meeting the French in Cold Spring
• Cold Spring, N.Y.: Geo. Washington Drank Here
• Boscobel for the Holidays

~Advertisement~

~Advertisement~

Where Exactly Is the Bear Mountain Inn?

 

~Advertisement~

~Advertisement~

Been to the Bear Mountain Inn recently? How was your stay?