35. Borscht Belt

The Catskill Mountains in upstate New York homed a slew of lavish Jewish resorts under the name of the Borscht Belt or Jewish Alps. The resorts were at the peak of their success between the 1920s and 1970s. They would often host famous Jewish comedians and musicians that would often thrive in their respective arts.

The resorts offered a number of specialty services and even had their very own Yiddish theater on the grounds. Once air travel became accessible to the masses, the resorts’ popularity dwindled. Besides for a few lingering hotels, it is almost completely abandoned today. The movie Dirty Dancing takes place on a Catskill resorts and shows best how life was during this bygone era.