Hudson Valley and Catskills retreats: prices, drive times and what is included
Most retreats here are 90 minutes to two and a half hours from New York City, and some can be reached without a car. Here is what five of them charge and include, read on their own sites, and how to choose between a program and a rest stay.
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Short answer: Most retreats in the Hudson Valley and Catskills are 90 minutes to two and a half hours from New York City by car, and some can be reached by bus or train. On their own sites, read on October 25, 2026, prices ran from $85 for a weekend dorm night with meals and daily classes at Ananda Ashram to $1,245 a night for two adults at Mohonk Mountain House, meals included. Decide between a structured program and a rest stay first, then pick the place.
The Hudson Valley and Catskills are close enough to New York City for a weekend retreat. Omega and Mohonk put themselves about 90 miles north of the city, Menla says two hours from the George Washington Bridge by car, and Zen Mountain Monastery says about two and a half hours.
Below are five retreats with the prices and inclusions they publish, how to reach them without a car, and what to ask before you book.
We do not take placement fees, so nothing here is sponsored.
Five Hudson Valley and Catskills retreats, checked on their own sites
Every cell comes from the retreat’s own website or booking page, read on October 25, 2026. Prices are what each one publishes, not a quote for your dates.
| Retreat | Where | From New York City | What the price includes | Published starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Omega Institute, R&R stay | Rhinebeck, Hudson Valley | About 90 miles | Meals, the campus and a daily open class in yoga, meditation or tai chi | Two nights from $290 plus tax in a campsite or tent cabin; $558 in a shared longhouse; $760 in a lodge room with a private bath |
| Mohonk Mountain House | New Paltz, Hudson Valley | Roughly 90 miles | All meals and non-alcoholic drinks, and most resort activities; no tipping | $1,245 a night for two adults, in its 2025 fact sheet |
| Menla, Create Your Own Getaway | Phoenicia, Catskills | Two hours by car from the George Washington Bridge; three by bus | Breakfast, lunch and dinner; classes and guest experiences are booked separately | From $306 for one person with meals; ask whether a rate covers a night or the weekend |
| Zen Mountain Monastery, Introduction to Zen Training Weekend | Mount Tremper, Catskills | About 2.5 hours by car; about 3 by bus | Accommodation in shared dormitories, meals and workshop fees | $300 for the weekend, with financial options |
| Ananda Ashram, overnight stay | Monroe | Not stated on its site | Room and board, daily meditation, and yoga and Sanskrit classes | A weekend night for one: $65 camping, $85 dorm, $140 standard room |
Three things to check before you book:
- Omega is seasonal. Its 2026 season ran from May 22 to October 25; on October 28, 2026 it already listed 2027 workshops from May 28 to September 26, 2027.
- Mohonk’s rate is from its 2025 fact sheet, the latest its press page links. Mohonk says its pricing is inclusive and there is no need to tip.
- Meals differ at the low end. At Ananda Ashram, lunch is served daily and dinner only on Fridays and Saturdays.
The four formats, at a glance
| Format | Best for | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Rest stays | Unstructured rest | Meals and open days, with classes you can take or skip |
| Yoga and meditation weekends | People who want a schedule | A set program, with meals and the workshop in the price |
| Somatic retreats | Facilitated work | Smaller programs; ask about group size and an intake call |
| Spa stays | Heat and recovery | Saunas, steam rooms and heated pools at resort spas |
Rest stays give you meals and quiet, with classes you can take or skip. Omega’s R&R stays, for example, include meals, the campus and a daily open class in yoga, meditation or tai chi.
Yoga and meditation weekends are structured programs. Zen Mountain Monastery’s Introduction weekend covers accommodation, meals and the workshop in one price.
Somatic retreats are smaller, facilitated programs. Menla in Phoenicia lists them on its calendar. Ask about group size and whether there is an intake call before you book.
Spa stays put heat and recovery at the center. Mohonk’s spa has a sauna, a eucalyptus steam room and an outdoor heated pool, plus a lakeside immersion treatment, and Menla calls itself a resort and destination spa with saunas and steam rooms. If you want the heat without leaving the city, our guide to New York City’s saunas and bathhouses covers the urban version.
Which area fits which trip
The Catskills. The most remote of the three. Expect longer drives and patchier cell service: Dai Bosatsu Zendo’s directions warn that cell service drops on the way, so print the last part of the route.
The mid-Hudson Valley. The easiest to reach. Dutchess County’s tourism office puts it about 90 minutes north of the city and reachable by train, with Hudson line stops at Beacon, New Hamburg and Poughkeepsie.
The Berkshires edge. Where the valley meets western Massachusetts, with towns like Lenox and Stockbridge and their spas. If that pull wins, our Berkshires retreat guide covers it.
Getting there without a car
A car is easier, but not always needed. Sullivan County’s tourism site says car-free visits are possible with some planning, and several retreats make it simple:
- Zen Mountain Monastery is a walk from the bus stop in Mount Tremper.
- Menla runs a $5 shuttle from the Phoenicia bus stop until 8 p.m., with advance notice.
- Mohonk offers free transport from the New Paltz bus station, and suggests a taxi from Poughkeepsie’s train station.
- Omega is reached by Amtrak to Rhinecliff; pick-ups may need to be scheduled in advance.
- The Garrison Institute, another retreat center, is a twenty-minute walk through the woods from the Garrison train station.
If you do drive, Sullivan County’s tourism site says Friday afternoon departures stretch a trip of roughly 90 minutes to two hours, and that leaving early Friday evening or Saturday morning avoids the worst of it.
What a weekend upstate costs
The published prices above run from $85 for a weekend dorm night at Ananda Ashram, and $300 for a whole weekend at Zen Mountain Monastery, to $1,245 a night for two at Mohonk.
What the price covers matters as much as the number. Omega prices its R&R stays as $30 a day plus your accommodation, with a two-night minimum. Mohonk includes meals and most activities and asks for no tips. Menla’s rates include meals, and its classes are booked on top.
Because trips here are usually short, the per-night rate stings more than it would on a longer trip. Our retreat cost guide puts these numbers in national context, and how long a retreat should be is the companion question.
What to ask before booking upstate
Program or rest. Decide whether you want a schedule or empty space. This is the choice that prevents most letdowns.
Who is running it. For anything therapeutic, the facilitator matters more than the property. For a rest stay, the food and the quiet matter most.
What fills the day. Some places include classes and guided time; at others you book them on top. Know which you are buying.
The season. Some retreats close for part of the year. Omega’s 2026 season ran through October 25, and Dai Bosatsu Zendo says its road is sometimes closed from November to April in bad weather.
The real travel time. Ask how guests usually arrive and whether the retreat helps with the last stretch from the bus or train.
FAQ: Hudson Valley and Catskills retreats
Do you need a car for a Catskills retreat? A car is easier, but not always needed. Zen Mountain Monastery is a walk from the Mount Tremper bus stop, and Menla runs a $5 shuttle from the Phoenicia bus stop if you book it ahead.
When is the best season for a Hudson Valley retreat? Fall is peak season. Sullivan County’s tourism site says fall foliage weekends and summer holiday weekends fill up fast and to book well in advance. The region is open all year, but check whether your retreat is.
Is a weekend long enough for a retreat here? A weekend is the usual format, and Omega’s R&R stays have a two-night minimum. A third night adds a full day with no travel.
How far ahead should you book a Catskills retreat? Book fall weekends early. Small programs fill too: Zen Mountain Monastery keeps a waiting list and says it can often fill cancellations. Check the refund terms when you book: as of October 29, 2026, its Introduction weekend’s $75 deposit was non-refundable but could be moved to a future retreat if you cancel a week or more ahead, and Mohonk Mountain House refunded its deposit (the first night’s room rate), less a $50 fee, with more than 7 days’ notice, or 14 days for a holiday weekend.
Pay by credit card on the retreat’s own booking page. Federal billing rules let you dispute a credit card charge for a service that was not delivered as agreed, but your letter has to reach the card issuer within 60 days after the first bill with the charge was sent to you, so a deposit paid months ahead may be outside that window. The rules cover credit cards, not debit cards, and a complaint about quality has its own, narrower route that starts with the retreat. Our retreat buyer’s checklist covers the rest.
The bottom line on Hudson Valley and Catskills retreats
Most retreats here are 90 minutes to two and a half hours from New York City, and some are reachable by bus or train. The prices they publish run from $85 for a weekend night at an ashram to $1,245 a night for two at a resort, so check what the price includes and whether the retreat is open in your season.
If you are comparing regions, our guide to New England retreats covers the next region over, the weekend retreats guide helps if your time is tight.
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