$431,461Average Value$347Average Price per Sq Ft7Homes For Sale
Historical figures with ties to Phoenicia
When Babe Ruth wasn’t slugging home runs for the New York Yankees as part of the team’s “Murderer’s Row” lineup of the 1920s, the eventual Baseball Hall of Famer took breaks from his nighttime carousing to cast a line in the creeks of Phoenicia in upstate New York. He also frequented what’s now the Sportsman’s Alamo Cantina Bar & Grill on Main Street, and tales also circulate of infamous New York City mobster Dutch Schultz’s purported buried fortune in the Catskills.
The wilderness that brought Ruth there for recreation and may have lured Schultz to stow his wealth still endures today, and it continues to attract people to the Catskills for isolation amid nature. “People are looking for a little bit more isolation up in Phoenicia,” says Karina Galeano, a real estate salesperson with Keller Williams Hudson Valley North, who adds that traveling to and from Phoenicia in the winter is a trek. “Those are a little bit more like second homes in the area. A lot of city people have come up there and want a country house, where you can escape.” Galeano also adds that there aren’t many cell service towers in the Phoenicia and Shandaken areas, and improvements to that aspect are in progress.
Phoenicia is a great small town to take a stroll and enjoy local shopping.
The Phoenicia Playhouse performs for the residents of Phoenicia.
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Recreation on solid ground or the Esopus Creek
Since Phoenicia is a sliver of land within the Catskills, the mountains are generally visible from most spots and serve as a picturesque backdrop. Town Tinker Tube Rental facilitates tubing on the Esopus Creek, and anglers fish for trout in the creek’s waters. “The tubing is really popular,” Galeano says. “Actually, the home prices for Phoenicia went up dramatically because it was so popular.” Hiking, biking and camping are popular pastimes in the surrounding area, and the Tanbark Loop Trailhead is within Phoenicia itself. The trailhead is beside Parish Field, a multi-use recreational facility for volleyball, basketball and more.
Esopus Creek in Phoenicia is popular for fishing and more.
Phoenicia residents can head to the local trail for a mountainous hike.
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Local diners associated with history and film
The iconic Phoenicia Diner is only open until 6 p.m., but has existed for more than 60 years, has an attached store and serves up breakfast and lunch. “It’s very popular,” says Karina Galeano, a real estate salesperson with Keller Williams Hudson Valley North. “They take diner food and make it a little bit upscale.” The special Supper Club nights feature full-course meals with themes ranging from holidays to movies. That included an August 2024 showcase where the restaurant played the locally-shot film “Werewolves Within” and held a discussion with the cast, crew and more. “It’s more crafted,” Galeano says. “They have a really great burger that has mac-and-cheese in a wrap, sort of a burrito, with pickled jalapenos. The store even sells their own coffee brand.”
Other stops along Main Street include the Phoenician Steakhouse, which offers outdoor garden dining. The Bettina Café & Market serves breakfast and lunch five days a week, while The Ice Cream Station stocks sodas, candy and homemade fudge alongside its frozen treats. The Sportsman’s Alamo Cantina takes pride in its connection to Babe Ruth’s patronage and has a 10-foot statue of Daniel Boone outside its doors. There’s a Hannaford in West Hurley, which is about 17 miles away, and more shopping is farther east in Kingston.
The local diner in town offers breakfast and lunch to local residents.
Phoenicia residents can head to Sportsman's for indoor or outdoor seating.
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Several residential streets in north Phoenicia
Housing inventory in Phoenicia is low and properties are mostly clustered along a few residential roads branching off of Main Street on the north side of the creek. Architectural styles vary widely, but include ranch-style homes, colonials, bungalows and retreats. “There’s a lot of cabin-looking homes and some log cabins,” Galeano says. “There’s a lot of history up there. You’ll get a mix of modern inside a shell of something that was old.” Prices typically range from $300,000 to $400,000, though some houses have sold for up to $500,000 and occasionally higher.
Larger homes in Phoenicia offer small town charm.
Smaller bungalows in Phoenicia provide driveways and great landscaping.
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Tracing the tracks of trains long past
One of Phoenicia’s most unique features is the Rail Explorers: Catskill Division, situated on the south side of the Esopus Creek. “It’s a cool activity,” Galeano says. “People use the rail track, which has these carts people can pedal and go through the mountains.” The two-seater carts run along the Ulster and Delaware Railroad, which traces its way through the wilderness of the Catskills over an 8-mile span. The Empire State Railway Museum, which is housed in a historic station building, commemorates the history of trains in the region with displays of boxcars, a locomotive, lanterns, telegraphs and more.
The red-and-stone façade of Church of St. Francis De Sales towers on one side of Main Street, and across from it sits a Meditation Garden & Grotto, where visitors can reflect or wander amongst statues. The Phoenicia Playhouse Community Theatre sits north of the river and puts on numerous shows, fundraisers and workshops throughout the year, as well as film series and festivals. In northern Phoenicia, The Graham & Co. serves as a boutique hotel on the edge of Stony Clove Creek. “This young couple took over an old motel and made it into this really cool hotel,” Galeano says. “It has a coffee shop, you can rent bikes and there’s a pool. They did a lot with it and there’s nice views there.”
Hop on a rail car over at the Rail Explorers in Phoenicia.
The Rail Explorers is an adventurous reail ride through the woods of the Catskills mountains.
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A quartet of schools for Phoenicia students
Students may begin their education by heading to Phoenicia Elementary School, which receives a B-minus from Niche. Graduates can then head to Reginald Bennett Elementary School, also rated a B-minus, for grades four through six. On the same campus, Onteora Middle School gets a B-plus and runs from seventh to eighth grade, while Onteora High School garners an A-minus from Niche and offers athletic programs like winter sports, golf and field hockey.
Phoenicia Elementary School has 125 students in with a student-teacher ratio of 6 to 1
Reginald Bennett Elementary School has 237 students with a student-teacher ratio of 7 to 1.
Onteora Middle School has 171 students of which 37% of students are at least proficient in math.
Onteora High School has 413 students 87% of which are at least proficient in math.
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Convenience to Route 28
Route 28 runs along much of Phoenicia’s western edge and is the only major road nearby. “The drive alone up to Phoenicia is really kind of marvelous,” Galeano says. “You drive along parallel to the Esopus Creek and you’re surrounded by the Catskills, which are just beautiful.” The New York State Thruway is accessible just over 20 miles east, and Kingston sits about 25 miles southeast.
Phoenicia is a small mountainside town in the Catskills.
Phoenicia residents typically bike through town due to it's low traffic and small proximity.
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Written By
Adam Cheek
Photography Contributed By
Stephen Mihalchik
Video By
Tyler Newbold
Interested in learning more about homes in this area?
Reach out to
Catherine Quintard,
an experienced agent in this area.
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On average, homes in Phoenicia, NY sell after 92 days on the market compared to the national average of 50 days. The median sale price for homes in Phoenicia, NY over the last 12 months is $350,000, down 22% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
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