Liberty is a former Borscht Belt hub with a country feel
Once known as a vacation destination in New York’s Catskill Mountains, Liberty is now a quiet rural retreat with a mix of vacationers and full-time residents. “Liberty is sort of like the last frontier in Sullivan County,” says Alla Sienitsky, the principal broker with Resort Realty who’s sold homes in the area for over 27 years. “Past Liberty, you can drive on the highway for miles and don’t see anything.” From the early 1900s through the ‘80s, the area was part of the Borscht Belt, a part of the Catskills that catered to Jewish vacationers. Many of the original hotels have been demolished — including Grossinger’s Resort, which inspired the setting of the movie “Dirty Dancing” — and now Liberty’s village amenities and country atmosphere attract residents to this quiet community.
A variety of village homes and country retreats
In Liberty’s village, colonial, Cape Cod and National homes sit close together along narrow, hilly streets. Most have driveways and yards large enough for mature trees and small gardens, and some of the larger homes have been converted into multifamily properties. In the rural areas surrounding the village, ranch-style houses, farmhouses and cabins become more common. Many of these are on at least an acre and can be surrounded by forests or open farmland. Prices typically range from around $140,000 to $440,000, but some properties with luxury amenities like saunas and swimming pools can range from $610,000 to $890,000. Multifamily homes generally cost between $250,000 and $390,000, and units in these are also available for rent.
Restaurants offer diner classics and globally inspired dishes
The village area has a walkable Main Street with markets, law offices and restaurants like Paesano’s Pizzeria, which offers pizza by the slice and whole pies for dine-in, takeout or delivery. Parksville and the other hamlets here also have locally owned businesses. “Our friends opened a cool bus restaurant,” Sienitsky says. “It’s a bus from England. They bought it and they made it into a small restaurant called Double Up.” This Parksville hangout, whose kitchen is on the bus’s first level and dining room is on the upper level, serves globally inspired cuisine. Near the former Grossinger’s Resort, Liberty Diner has been a popular spot for American comfort food for 30 years. Grocery options include ShopRite and Lemonade Kosher Supermarket.
Liberty’s public schools earn C ratings
Kids can start school at Liberty Elementary, which earns a C from Niche, and then go to the C-minus-rated Liberty Middle. At the C-plus-rated Liberty High, students can join nearly 20 clubs, including the Science Olympiad, the Allusions literary magazine and the DJ club, where students learn how to DJ school dances.
Car and bus routes to Monticello and New York City
State Route 17 leads around 13 miles to Monticello, where travelers can take Coach USA’s ShortLine Hudson bus to New York City, around 106 miles away. Depending on traffic, the trip to New York takes around two hours by car or bus. Move Sullivan provides bus service around the county. Sidewalks in Liberty’s village center make it pedestrian-friendly. Houses of worship here include the Swan Lake Synagogue, Masjid Ahlus-Sunnah and St. Peter’s Roman Catholic Church. Garnet Health Medical Center in Harris is around 8 miles away. New York Stewart International Airport, which has a handful of domestic commercial flights, is 55 miles away, and Westchester County Airport, which has more options, is a 101-mile trip.
Community events include festivals, pancake breakfasts and concerts
Liberty has regular events throughout the year, like September’s Fall Festival, which starts with The Great Pumpkin Dash 5k and includes pumpkin picking, hayrides and bounce houses. In May, the Cinco de Mayo Festival has traditional dances, mariachi music and kids’ games. Liberty’s smaller hamlets also have regular events that are usually put on by the local fire departments. “They do parades, they do pancake breakfasts. Those are very popular,” Sienitsky says. “It’s a highlight of living in the country.” Nearby, Bethel Woods Center for the Arts — the site of the 1969 Woodstock Festival — has regular festivals and concerts.
Outdoor recreation includes hiking, fishing and golfing
The nearly 3-mile Liberty Rail Trail connects Liberty’s village center to Walnut Mountain Park, which has 13 miles of forested trails for hiking and biking, a playground and sports fields. Francis A. Hanofee Memorial Park is known for its fishing lake and Olympic-sized swimming pool. The Sullivan County Golf Club has been a golfing destination here since 1925, and the course was restored in 2024. At the Liberty Public Library, adults can join writers’ groups, while kids and teens can participate in story times and game nights.
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Written By
Annie Franklin
