Rip Van Winkle’s Memory is Alive and Well in the Hudson Valley

Famous author Washington Irving first wrote about Rip Van Winkle in 1819.  More than 200 years later he story still resonates with a lot of us, particularly those of us who call Upstate New York home.  Van Winkle famously played in the Catskill Mountains, enjoyed a bit to much ale, and fell asleep for twenty years.  It is a beloved tale and all with a background of the Hudson Valley and the Catskill Mountains.  Ol' Rip is well remembered in this region still today.  He is a "Chamber of Commerce darling" and is a key part of attracting visitors to this beautiful and historic region of the Empire State.  This gallery looks at a dozen places that carry on the name Rip Van Winkle even today.  They are a varied bunch, from festivals to breweries to food places and to fishing guides.  The name Rip Van Winkle is very much alive in this area.  Check out the stories below.