There's a stretch on Route 108 where the road narrows to a single winding lane, the cliffs close in on both sides, and everyone in the car goes quiet. Except, in our case, a four-year-old in the back seat who decided the whole thing was a roller coaster and grinned the entire way up. That's the drive through Smugglers' Notch in early October, and it's the kind of thing you plan a whole trip around.
We did exactly that last fall - two adults, one preschooler, three nights at Smugglers' Notch Resort, and a stretch of weather so good it felt rigged: blue skies, warm afternoons, cool evenings. We caught the color about a week before peak, and it was still everywhere - on the backroads, on the cliffs, spilling down the mountainside outside our window.
We stayed in a trailside condo, and it changed the math of traveling with a kid. Full kitchen, a big dining room table for family game night, a living room fireplace we lit in the evenings for ambiance, and a porch looking straight out on the trails. From that porch we watched the sun move across the mountain all day - morning glow, afternoon blasting, sunset over the ridge. The resort has lodging options that run the gamut, for every size, location, and group dynamic, and between the shuttle and the walkability, you're never far from the action.
Smuggs' is called America's Family Resort, and it might be easy to shrug that off as marketing until you're standing in the middle of it. The FunZone alone - giant inflatable slides, a ninja course, mini golf - carried an entire afternoon, and our daughter talked about it for weeks after. We swam in the indoor pool, soaked in the hot tubs, hit playgrounds and kid-friendly hiking trails scattered across the property, and stumbled into a karaoke bingo night that turned out to be a highlight. In the village, there's a fire pit where families gather for s'mores in the evening, and a little country store where a kid can strategize over candy selection while you grab provisions for the condo.
The drive up through the notch is a showstopper. The road twists between towering cliffs and boulders the size of houses, narrow enough that cars take turns - one direction goes, then the other, a little choreography that somehow adds to the fun. Pull-offs line the road, and the caves are the move if you've got kids: ours scrambled around the rocks like a born spelunker. It's busy up there on a bluebird fall day, but hike a few minutes up any trail and you have the woods to yourself.
We also took a backroads drive through Jeffersonville, just down the road. Coming back toward the resort, the sun sat right over the mountain, with dirt road, farms, and cows in the foreground and foliage in every direction. If you want the postcard version of Vermont in October, it's out there waiting on those roads.
Two dinners worth planning around. The Hearth & Candle, on the resort, feels like your own private chalet - cozy rooms, a real wine list, options for everyone from vegetarians to steak people, and a kids' coloring contest that bought us a full relaxed meal. A short drive away, Martell's at the Red Fox is the laid-back counterpart: casual family food, a pool table, live bands in the yard on many nights, and years of kids' artwork taped up on the walls. Both felt like places locals actually go.
Here's the part that makes this easy to act on. Smugglers' Notch is running its AutumnFest Package this fall: book three or more nights between September 8 and October 12, 2026, and the fourth night is free. That's the same window we went - peak foliage, warm days, the full slate of family programming - with an extra night built in to slow down and enjoy it.
Call 1-800-419-4165 or visit smuggs.com to book your fall getaway. Foliage waits for no one.
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The fourth character is you. Hours before the first preview, the married actors talked about the night their kids finally saw them act, why comedy is the hardest genre they do, and a summer in Manchester that has them asking why anyone would ever leave.
The biggest night of Katie Lowes and Adam Shapiro's summer had already happened by the time we spoke on Friday afternoon, and it had an audience of roughly twenty.
Thursday was the final dress rehearsal for Advice, the New England premiere now running at the Dorset Playhouse. In the house were the couple's two children, Albee, eight, and Vera, five, watching their parents act for the first time in their lives.
“They have never seen their mommy and daddy act before, because all of our television shows are a bit too inappropriate for kids,” Lowes says. “Having your kids in the audience was so incredible that I feel like I could do anything now. I feel unstoppable.”
“It kind of felt like last night was bigger than opening night,” Shapiro says.
The two of them have spent their children's entire lives as actors, but always somewhere else. “They've watched us studying lines and having to go here and there, and mommy's working in Charlotte, daddy's working in Chicago,” Lowes says. “But they've never actually seen what we do.”
It required a briefing. “We had to warn them before the show,” she says. “Okay, these are the curse words we say. Mommy's going to maybe cry. Mommy's going to maybe yell at somebody.”
“Mommy's not married to Daddy,” Shapiro adds.
“Mommy's married to another actor named Nayib Felix, who just graduated from Juilliard, and that's okay,” Lowes jokes.
With only twenty people in the room, Shapiro could pick his son out of the laughter. “I could hear every single one of Albee's laughs,” he says. “It was awesome.” Their daughter came away with different priorities. “Our five-year-old just wanted a bunch of the stuffed animal props to take home forever,” Lowes says.
With the opening-night premiere set for tonight (Sat. 8/1), exactly one thing is missing: the thing a comedy cannot rehearse.
“We had a designer run on Sunday in a little rehearsal room, and then last night, maybe twenty people, our kids, some friends and family,” Lowes says. “But we are still missing this fourth character in the play. That is you all.”
“Everybody get ready to make their Dorset Theatre Festival debut,” Shapiro says. “We need you.”
It is a real invitation, not a bit. Advice runs 90 minutes with no intermission and three people at one dinner party, and the timing of it gets built in public over the course of a run. Tickets are on sale now through August 15. Lowes, is blunt about the challenges.
“I one hundred percent think comedy is the hardest of all the genres,” she says. “It requires the most twisting and turning, and it requires so much of what I studied and trained for at school. And at the same time, you have to make it look like it's completely easy and you've never thought about it at all.”
Shapiro's problem is the opposite one. “A second doesn't go by in my life where I'm not trying to think of what the funniest possible thing I could do next,” he says. Which is why a script this sharp comes as a relief rather than a constraint. “I don't have to work that hard. I can just do what's written.” He has been here before: “I used to be on a show that Mindy Kaling wrote, and people would ask, do you improvise a lot? No. It's Mindy Kaling. What she wrote down is hilarious.”
Advice is by Brent Askari, and it arrives in Dorset off a National New Play Network Rolling World Premiere that took it through Florida Studio Theatre, B Street Theatre and Florida Repertory Theatre. Askari has spent part of this rehearsal process sitting in the room, which is the distinction between a summer stock booking and what Dorset actually does. The festival has spent five decades developing new American plays in a converted barn turned theater, including one that went from a reading here to the Pulitzer Prize.
For Lowes, that comes with a specific kind of pressure. “Brent is a really, really smart playwright, and this is a very short, truncated rehearsal time, and I have a lot of words to say,” she says. “I want to get his words right because they're so good. Every single one he's chosen so perfectly. So there's that pressure, because I believe in him and his art.”
And then the pressure lets go, because he is in the room. “In rehearsal, he said, this line you keep messing up, I like the way you're saying it better than how I wrote it. Let's just do it how you're saying it,” Lowes says. “He's so open to this whole experience. I think the festival calls in artists who are just very open to this sort of vibe.”
Shapiro uses the access differently. “I'm so specific with jokes and how to play them, and where the wordplay is, and what the subtext is,” he says. “He's gotten a chance to see this play get done a couple of times and in readings, so he's bringing all that experience to the room. In a process this fast, it's nice to cut right to the chase and say, what worked here?”
Askari also gave them the sentence that functions as the whole argument for the evening. As Shapiro relays it: “There is every type of play imaginable that has been written and performed, and sometimes we just need to sit in a theater and laugh together.”
The easy version of this story is the married couple playing a married couple. Director Adrienne Campbell-Holt, who has now directed seven productions at Dorset and directed Lowes and Shapiro about nine years ago at their own company in Los Angeles, refused to write it.
“She sent us this play and said, I've been thinking about you guys for this,” Shapiro says. “Katie and I read it and we were like, yeah, we could play the husband and wife. And she was like, no, no, no. Not the husband and wife. You play Gary. She plays Joy. And I was like, oh, that's hilarious.”
So Lowes plays Joy, a high-priced lawyer married to Ron, played by Nayib Felix in his Dorset debut. Shapiro plays Gary, the college friend who turns up at their anniversary dinner freshly divorced, chronically chaotic and newly self-appointed as a life coach, carrying a self-help book he wrote called How To Maximize The Most Successful You. His own life is a wreck. The wine flows, the team-building exercises begin, and the evening comes apart.
“Directors and casting directors think of us better than we would cast ourselves,” Shapiro says.
Lowes has been coming to Manchester since her parents moved there fifteen years ago, which means Dorset has been in her peripheral vision for much of her career. She knew the Dorset Players. She knew the festival. She had been reading Theresa Rebeck, the festival's resident playwright, since college.
“I studied her plays in college and in scene study class,” Lowes says. “And one time we were visiting my parents and we were at the Dorset Farmers Market, and I saw Theresa Rebeck. I marched right up to her and said, oh my god, you're the famous playwright, I can't believe it. And she said, I live in Dorset. I work at the theater festival.”
“I always had it in my mind,” she says. “When Adrienne mentioned she directs at Dorset, I said, if a play could wind up there, I'd love to spend the summer and have our kids have the extra special time with my parents.”
And that is more or less what happened. The kids have cycled through Long Trail School's camp, the Manchester Rec Center, and Southern Vermont Arts Center, and on the morning we spoke they were on a bus to a nearby planetarium. Two children raised on Los Angeles blacktop are now negotiating. “They don't want to leave Dorset,” Shapiro says.
Neither, apparently, does anyone else. “My parents' four grandkids are in LA and they miss them terribly,” Lowes says. “But I'm like, why would you ever leave Manchester? I dropped my kids off at camp this morning and my mom was at the courts next door playing pickleball with about forty people. You don't get this where I live.”
Lowes and Shapiro co-founded IAMA Theatre Company in Los Angeles, which does new work exclusively, so they know what it costs to make a season happen. They came to Dorset braced to pitch in and spent three weeks being quietly astonished instead.
“Every day we're just like, whoa, that was so professional,” Shapiro says. “Every step of the way, this festival is pro level. And we're used to running our own theater companies.”
“To be told, you just need to show up here and this will be done, and then you show up and the set is immaculate and the theater's ready,” Shapiro says. “The whole process has been amazing.”
The detail that stuck with them was a safety walkthrough before tech, in which the company was shown the set, the props, the backstage traffic, and who would be on headset. “It was such a great little informational session,” Shapiro says. “And I'm like, hey, we need to do this at our theater.”
Lowes went further. “We were walking around and we were like, we didn't get this treatment even on Broadway,” she says. She and Shapiro joined Waitress as replacements, so she allows that the originating company may have gotten the full tour. “But we never had a walkthrough on Broadway of, this is how the set works.”
The math of the season impressed them too. Four full productions and a gala between late June and early September, out of one building. “To be able to put up four really high quality big plays in one summer is kind of insane,” Shapiro says. “And it's not insane for them at all. They know exactly what to do on every single day.”
“We do festivals in this amount of time,” he adds, “but they're reading festivals.”
Lowes has moved on to recruiting. “They have an amazing program of college students who are majoring in this and that, and they're coming and living here for the summer,” she says. “I'm like, the minute you graduate college, I need all of your information. You have to come work for me.”
The thing they keep circling back to is not the production values. It is the audience that kept introducing themselves before the show had even opened.
“I've met countless people in town, whether here or down in Manchester, saying we're coming to the show, we're coming to the show,” Shapiro says. “It reminds me of when we were little and we'd make a play and tell our family, 'Tonight we're doing a play after dinner.', and everybody would say, can't wait for the show. It feels like we know the audience better than we ever have.”
Lowes was in the checkout line at Shaw's when she spotted a Dorset Theatre Festival t-shirt. “This lovely gentleman says, I'll be there opening night,” she says. “And he's on the board!”
Shapiro went to see Rent at Weston Theater Company two nights earlier with Felix. The woman to his left mentioned she had tickets for the weekend. The woman behind him was coming Wednesday. The woman on the other side had tickets for the end of the run.
And then there is the neighbor. The festival houses its artists locally, and the owner of the cottage where the family is staying lives next door. “He came over with a jar of maple syrup to say break a leg,” Shapiro says. “It doesn't get any more Vermont theater festival than that.”
“You make theater in a big city, that's one thing,” Lowes says. “But you make this quality of theater in this town and it feels like the whole town is a part of it. They have an arrangement with Barrows House that if you're working on the festival you can go over there with your kids and use the pool. And the folks from Barrows House are coming to see the play. It just feels like what theater is supposed to be, which is a real connection to community.”
That connection is also the balance sheet. A rural professional theater at this level does not run on ticket sales alone, and the festival leans on donors and business sponsors to get from one summer to the next. The 49th season is the last one before Dorset turns fifty, and its already shaping up to be sensational.
Fifteen summers in, Lowes and Shapiro have a rotation, and they are actively expanding it. The festival's own Destination Dorset program exists for exactly this reason, pairing a night at the Playhouse with the rest of the day around it.
Lunch is often H.N. Williams in Dorset. “The Vermonter sandwich is next level,” Lowes says. Shapiro's first answer was Neighborhood Noodle in back in Manchester. Breakfast the morning we spoke was Up for Breakfast. They had been to Lola for dinner earlier in the week, and they drive down to the Chocolate Barn in Shaftsbury for ice cream at a rate Shapiro puts at “at least once a week.” If you want more of the same, we keep a running list of Manchester's most photogenic plates.
“We have our places we've been going for fifteen years,” Shapiro says, “but I'm so into trying all these new spots.”
The one they will not let you skip is Heart of the Village Yoga in Manchester Village, where Lowes's mother, Barb Lowes, teaches. “Everyone needs to go to my mom's yoga class,” Lowes says. “She specializes in brain longevity yoga. Incredible meditation, incredible flow classes.”
Advice opens Saturday, August 1 and runs through a 2 p.m. matinee on Saturday, August 15. It is the third of four productions in the festival's 49th season, the last one before Dorset turns fifty.
There is no version of this show that works without a full house, and both of them know it. Lowes does not think that requires any instruction.
“I don't think you have to tell the audience to laugh,” she says. “Laughing is healthy for you in all the ways.”
She and Shapiro spent most of an hour during our time together on Friday doing it to each other, finishing each other's setups, laughing at jokes the other one had not finished making yet, and just having a blast. That energy is what they are bringing to a 298-seat barn in Dorset for the next two weeks, and it is worth the drive to go sit and be a part of it.
Advice by Brent Askari, directed by Adrienne Campbell-Holt. New England premiere. Through August 15 at the Dorset Playhouse, 104 Cheney Rd, Dorset, VT. 90 minutes, no intermission. Starring Katie Lowes, Adam Shapiro and Nayib Felix.
Get tickets online or call the box office at (802) 867-2223. Dorset Theatre Festival's 49th season closes with Kenneth Lonergan's Lobby Hero, August 21 through September 5.
More to read: our full 2026 season preview with Executive Artistic Director Will Rucker and Managing Creative Director Ryan Koss, the story of how a Vermont barn became a launching pad for new American plays.
A family visiting Manchester dropped their two teenage daughters off at Gathered & Made and went to dinner. When they came back, the girls were still at the table, still making things, and neither one could tell you where her phone was. “At some point they were like, ‘Where are our phones?’ They didn’t even know,” says Loralee, who owns the studio with her business partner, Cheslea. The parents were so taken with the scene that they left the girls to it and went into the back to throw paint at canvases of their own. Two adults, four canvases. They loved it.
If one story explains Gathered & Made, that’s the one. The studio at 4927 Main Street in Manchester Center is a craft space, a retail shop stocked by local artists, a classroom, and a room where you are handed a poncho and encouraged to fling paint. It’s built for locals and visitors, kids and adults, the crafty and the people who swear they aren’t. And it exists because two women decided Manchester needed a place to make things.
Cheslea and Loralee moved to Vermont around the same time and met the way a lot of parents do: their sons played football together. Loralee had spent her career in the corporate world and was ready to be finished with it. “I was telling my husband, I don’t want to do this anymore. I’m done with corporate,” she says. Her husband had already met Cheslea and told her she needed to meet this woman, because she was saying the same things.
So they started meeting and brainstorming. Their first idea was a “handywomen” service, born from the experience of redoing their own houses and not being able to find anyone to hang wallpaper or paint a room. They eventually let that one go and kept circling a different gap: the town had painfully few indoor places to gather and be creative, for any age, at any skill level.
“We wanted to build a space that people would come and gather as a community,” Loralee says. “It’s hard to meet people as adults.” She also liked that it offered a way to spend an evening that didn’t revolve around food and drinks. And there was one more reason, the simplest one. “We’re moms ourselves. We know what it’s like when you’re looking around for things to do in the community,” Cheslea says. “That’s why we opened this place.”
The first thing you notice inside is that the quality of the projects are really quite impressive. A wallet sewn from scratch in a single class. Decoupaged book art. Polymer clay earrings. Moss arrangements on wooden boards. “We call it elevated crafts,” Cheslea says. “We want people to have access to beginner-friendly crafts, but we also want them to be able to walk away after an hour or two with something that they’re really proud of. That’s really the whole basis of the business.”
The studio runs on two tracks. Drop-in crafting works like a menu: choose a project from a rotating seasonal board - string art, wool pom-pom garlands and trivets, painted trail signs and terracotta pots, moss and stone terrariums - then collect everything you need from the studio’s “general store” of supplies. The base price covers the materials at the base level, and add-ons are exactly that. Want three air plants in your terrarium instead of one, or a small army of butterflies on your moss art? Totally up to you and your budget. No reservation is required for drop-in, though you can book a table and they’ll save you a seat.
The second track is classes taught by local artists, and the sewing classes have been the early hit. In an intro class, everyone walks out with something they actually made, and the July calendar shows the range: fused-glass garden stakes on July 16, a one-hour sewing foundations session and an upcycled-jeans workshop on July 21, an evening of Korean cooking and wine pairing on July 25, a flower class on July 30 covering growing, cutting, and designing, and a sew-your-first-tote class on July 31. The flowers, when Loralee teaches, come from her own garden beds and from Full Moon Blooms, a flower farm in Londonderry. There’s also a twice-monthly open sewing service where you can bring in a repair or a project and get guided help at the machine, plus kids camps running as screen-free creative weeks through the summer.
For the people who came along but don’t want to craft, there’s a lounge with comfortable seating and free coffee. That’s not an afterthought. It’s the difference between “I’ll wait in the car” and everybody coming inside.
Then there’s the room in the back. The Splatter Zone is exactly what it sounds like: you suit up in a poncho, goggles, and shoe covers, prep a canvas, and spend twenty minutes throwing washable paint at it with whatever tools look fun. A full session runs about 45 minutes, up to four people can paint at once, and there’s a viewing window cut into the wall so friends and family can watch the chaos from clean clothes. Canvases can be customized ahead of time with tape or decals - mask off a shape, splatter over everything, and peel it away at the end to reveal crisp negative space in the middle of the color. Reservations are required, and it’s BYOB.
“I think it really expands our audience a bit,” Cheslea says. Ask her who the splatter room is for and she laughs, because the answer keeps changing. “We have couples coming in here taking four canvases - they have a huge space to fill in their house and they’re throwing paint around. We have little kids coming in here, and we have friends, teenagers, people just coming in here and making really, really cool stuff.” They’re already plotting what the room becomes next; blacklight painting is on the list.
For a town where a rainy afternoon can stump a whole family, an indoor activity like this fills a real hole - the same one Pastime Pinball fills on the arcade side.
The retail side of the shop follows one rule: everything is made by local artists, most of whom also teach at the studio. Sell here, teach here - it gives working artists revenue and exposure in the same room where customers just learned how hard the craft actually is. The owners find their artists the way everything seems to happen in this town: they meet one person, and that person leads to another. Artists who want in can reach out directly; no formal teaching credentials required.
The local sourcing runs deeper than the shelves. The wooden boards under the moss art were foraged in Newfane by a man who identifies trees with a disease that leaves striking veining in the wood, cuts the boards himself, and now forages mushrooms for the studio’s moss pieces too.
The building keeps unfolding as you walk through it. Behind the main studio there’s a private party room that hosts a steady run of kids’ birthday parties, a kitchen waiting on future baking and cake-decorating classes, and the lounge, which doubles as private event space for groups who want the place to themselves.
What holds it all together is the thing Loralee comes back to when she talks about why they built it: making something with your hands feels good in a way that’s become rare. “You end up feeling so good about yourself when you walk away with something that you make,” she says. “We see it here every day. People come in and they’re like, ‘I can’t do that.’ They sit down and they start, and then it’s, ‘Oh my god, I did it.’”
Gathered & Made is open six days a week (closed Wednesdays) at 4927 Main Street in Manchester Center. Browse the July class calendar, reserve the Splatter Zone, or just walk in and pick a project off the board. And if you’re keeping count, it’s one more reason Manchester’s Main Streets keep getting more interesting - This & That Vintage being the other new arrival worth your afternoon.
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For one Saturday every other summer, gardens that might otherwise spend the rest of the year screened by hedges and stone walls throw open their gate to welcome curious visitors. On July 11, the Garden Club of Manchester runs its biennial Garden Tour: eight private gardens across Manchester, Dorset, and East Dorset, self-guided, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., rain or shine. Tickets are $35 per person, and every dollar goes to the club's scholarship fund.
What holds the tour together is the depth and range. "Every garden has something special," says Pattie Haubner of the Garden Club of Manchester - "a spectacular vista, rare plants, sculpture, or a water feature." Rather than walking eight versions of a similar perennial border, you are walking eight ideas about what a Vermont garden can be.
The one people will talk about is in Dorset. This year's route includes a house set in and around an abandoned marble quarry, and the scale of it is hard to prepare for. "The sheer size of the tumble of cut marble, and the deep rock walls with brilliant colored aqua water below, is jaw-dropping," Haubner says. The same property holds a lily garden, a cactus garden, and a moss garden - three distinct worlds on one piece of land.
Getting on the tour is its own process. Club members and friends will see a garden, or hear about one, and recommend a visit; the co-chairs go and check it out, says Becky Burke. "In addition to identifying memorable features, unusual plants, outbuildings, views, etc., we also take into consideration access, parking, and location." Owners, she says, genuinely like opening up: "Gardeners are a passionate bunch who are proud of their properties. There is nothing more rewarding than sharing them with others and having those people appreciate what has been done." Two gardens asked to return this year because they had added new areas since their last turn.
The tour is the visible day, but the club behind it works year-round, and has since 1920, when it was founded as the first garden club in Vermont. It marked its centennial in 2020. Ask why a volunteer group lasts that long when so many others fade, and the answer is not really about plants. "Our real staying power has to do with our collective focus on supporting our community and the diverse skills our members possess," Haubner says. Many recent members are new to the area, and the club is how they meet people and get to know the Northshire.
The community work is everywhere once you know to look for it. Members maintain the plantings on the Town Greens of Manchester and Dorset, hang the holiday wreaths on public buildings and on the bridge in Manchester, and bring fresh flower arrangements to the Manchester Community Library every week - in summer, cut from their own gardens. And each year the club awards a $4,000 scholarship to a graduating local senior headed into botany, environmental science, sustainability, or a related field. This year's recipient is Christopher Madsen of Rupert, a recent Burr and Burton Academy graduate now studying wildlife biology at UVM. The $35 you spend on Saturday is what pays for it.
The tour rewards a plan. Download the map from the club's website, then either start in Manchester with lunch and spend the afternoon in Dorset, or start in Dorset in the morning and work your way back toward Manchester. This year the Marsh Tavern at The Equinox is offering a tour-day lunch menu and donating a share of the proceeds to the club's area beautification programs, which makes it an easy midpoint (lunch is paid separately and isn't included in the tour ticket price). Two house rules are worth remembering: the gardens are private homes, so pets and picnicking are not allowed, and you should ask permission before taking photos.
The Garden Club of Manchester Garden Tour runs Saturday, July 11, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., rain or shine. Tickets are $35 per person, with proceeds going to the scholarship fund. Online ticket sales are now closed, but you can still buy tickets in person through Friday at Northshire Bookstore and H.N. Williams, where credit cards are accepted. On the day of the tour, tickets can be purchased at any of the gardens. The Barnstead Inn is the only one that accepts credit cards - the rest take cash or check only. The full tour map is at gardenclubofmanchester.com.
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The favorite room from Nicole Mata’s childhood wasn’t really a room. It was her grandmother’s attic in Pennsylvania, lined with rows of racks - garment bags, dresses, shoes, hats, and purses gathered over a lifetime. Her grandfather was an Army colonel stationed in Germany, where the couple entertained constantly and her grandmother kept something to wear for every occasion. Nicole spent hours up there, trying on other people’s glamour.
Then, when she was around nine, an aunt moved her grandmother into a retirement community and gave the whole collection to Goodwill. “I never got over it,” Mata says. Decades later, that attic is essentially the business she runs today.
That business is This & That Vintage, which opened a private showroom this spring on the second floor of the historic Equinox Junior building on Manchester Village’s Main Street. The room is full of clothing and accessories that have already lived one life, and Mata’s willing to bet that they’re ready for another. Revive, rewear, relove, as the shop puts it.
Mata didn’t set out to sell clothes. She spent years as an event planner and designer, and when the pandemic wiped every event off the calendar, she needed something to do with herself. “I’m not good at being bored,” she says. She started selling housewares on Instagram, which became a booming business at the time, but kept drifting back to the jewelry and clothing she had been walking past at estate sales. “I was tired of seeing it and passing it by, so I figured I’d pick up a couple of pieces.” People loved them.
Clothing takes up space, though, and before long it took up more than her house could hold. So she rented a studio in Cross River, New York, in Westchester County, to store inventory and run her live sales. She would work with the door open, and people in the building started knocking - could they come in, could they buy something. “Sure,” she told them. When a storefront opened downstairs, she took it, and a pandemic hobby turned into a five-year run as a Cross River boutique.
The move to Vermont was about family - her kids, the schools, a slower pace than New York. The Matas relocated to Manchester last summer, and for a while Mata ran the New York store from a distance, with a staff she still misses and monthly trips down to refresh the floor and see clients. Then the building that housed the store sold. She read it as a sign, packed everything up, and went looking for a space of her own up north.
That part nearly didn’t happen. Manchester retail is hard to crack - she kept running into triple-net leases that are tough for any small shop to carry - and the weekend she drove down to empty out the New York store, she still had nowhere to bring it. “I figured we’d just put it in storage or in the basement,” she says. Then her phone buzzed: a text from the woman who ran the yoga studio upstairs in the Equinox Junior building, relayed through a mutual hairdresser friend. They were giving up their space. Would Nicole want it? Two days later, it was hers.
The space matters to Mata more than square footage usually matters to a retailer. Her last shop lived in an old barn, and she is drawn to rooms that already have something to say. “Putting your business in a space that inspires you - I don’t want to be somewhere with no character,” she says. She painted the Equinox Junior space herself, added track lighting, and arranged the whole thing the way someone trained to do it would. [If shops with a past are your thing, you are in good company in Vermont right now - from an 1800s barn turned shopping destination to a firehouse gallery where every piece has a story.]
And she was trained to do it. Mata holds two degrees from the Fashion Institute of Technology, one in fashion merchandising and marketing and one in display and exhibit design, plus a stint doing display work for Crate & Barrel. Finding the pieces is one passion; staging them is the other. The result certainly reads more like a small museum than a thrift store. She set it up, she says, “like it’s somebody’s dream closet.”
Walk in and she will give you a quick tour: “necklace world,” a wall of scarves and handkerchiefs that were among her best sellers in New York, a purse wall, belts, shoes, and a well-lit corner she calls the closet, staged like the one you wish you had at home. Then she gets out of your way.
She wants you to touch things, try them on, take your time. “It’s a full sensory experience, especially with vintage,” she says. The collection runs to the 1980s and earlier, with some 1990s pieces edging in - which, she will admit with a laugh, now counts as vintage too.
Part of what she is selling is memory. “I love when someone comes in and says, ‘I remember my mom had this piece,’” she says. “It takes them down memory lane.”
Almost everything arrives through consignment, and almost all of that through word of mouth. Being so close to New York City helped; over the years Mata built a network of consignors who bring her serious pieces, sometimes whole estates at a time. One entire wall of the Manchester showroom came from a single woman’s collection. She does not take everything - she curates to her own eye and era, and she is glad to point sellers elsewhere when a piece is not right for the shop. If you think you have something that belongs there, she asks that you reach out and send photos.
Mata was not sure how a vintage showroom would land here. Opening weekend answered the question. “I was amazed at the outpouring,” she says - visitors and locals both, all looking for something they could not find anywhere else. She expects her regulars to be travelers, second-home owners, and locals with an eye for the unusual, and she has stocked the room widely enough that most people will find something that stops them.
She is also arriving at a good moment for the neighborhood. Manchester’s historic district has been coming back to life - the marble sidewalks restored, new independents opening their doors, places like Earth Sky Time pulling people down the hill. “There’s so much magic down in the historic district,” she says. “It shouldn’t be ignored.”
The events background has not gone anywhere. Mata plans to open the showroom to the public about once a month, and she wants to host private “sip and shop” evenings - a group of friends, cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, browsing or just enjoying the room. She is also toying with small how-to sessions, like bringing in someone who knows the dozen ways to tie a scarf to teach the rest of us. “I love getting people together,” she says.
For now, This & That Vintage runs by private appointment and the occasional open-shopping day, with hours still settling in. The simplest way in is to call or email, watch the shop’s Instagram for open days, or browse the collection online.
It's not her grandmother’s attic in Pennsylvania. But it is the same impulse that started up there - keep the beautiful things in circulation, and find each one the next person who will love it.
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The Dorset Playhouse opens its 49th season on June 19 with a “Gaslight” thriller and a comedy lineup stacked with Broadway and screen names - Katie Lowes, Theresa Rebeck, Kenneth Lonergan and more - and a whole company already at work behind the curtain.
There is a particular kind of quiet that settles over a 298-seat room built out of pre-Revolutionary barns, right before something frightening happens on stage. Dorset Theatre Festival is counting on it. The festival opens its 49th season on June 19 with “Deceived,” a new thriller built from the bones of “Gaslight,” and Executive Artistic Director Will Rucker makes no apology for putting a scary play first.
“There’s something about it like Friday night at the drive-in - that exciting, maybe even old-fashioned night-at-the-theater feeling,” Rucker says. “It harkens back to our history here, and to the tradition of theatrical storytelling. It’s a good way to kick-start a season with some excitement and suspense.”
He has reason to lead with confidence. Last summer was the best at the box office in the festival’s history - more than 10,000 people came through the Playhouse doors - and 2026 is the last season before a milestone. In 2027, Dorset turns 50, half a century in which a rural Vermont barn became one of the country’s most influential launching pads for new plays. Martyna Majok’s “The Cost of Living” went from a reading here to the Pulitzer Prize; we told that story, and the economics behind it, in last year’s feature on the festival.
“We’re really trying to take this sustainability thing seriously, so we can get to our next fifty years,” says Managing Creative Director Ryan Koss. The lineup is built to do two things at once: bring regulars back and give newcomers an easy reason to make the drive. As Rucker describes it, good programming balances “things we know people want to see, things we think they might like to see, and things I want them to see just because.” This year that adds up to one thriller and three comedies.
Drive past the Playhouse this month and the first thing you notice is the tent. It goes up on day one and roughly doubles the size of the scene shop inside the building. “That’s the signal that we’re here,” Rucker says. Behind it, a company of about 35 people hit the ground the day after Memorial Day and has been building the summer ever since - sets, costumes, lights, and sound, all made in the same building, alongside the box office and marketing crews getting the season in front of audiences.
Some of that work looks less like art and more like a treasure hunt. For “Deceived,” the props team has been combing Facebook Marketplace and driving to antique stores around the region, photographing gothic furniture and sending it back to the designer for a yea or nay. It is the unglamorous engine behind a very polished result. “The more authentic the production, the scarier it will be,” Rucker says.
The building itself is a shared one. The Dorset Players, the community theater group that owns the historic Playhouse, use it most of the year; the festival moves back in each spring, unpacks out of storage, and raises that tent. Turning the space over into the festival every summer, Koss says, has become part of the brand - a signal that the season has arrived.
Before “gaslighting” was a term people tossed around, it was a plot. “Deceived” is a new adaptation of Patrick Hamilton’s 1938 thriller “Gaslight” - the play that gave us the word - set in fog-bound 1901 London, where a young bride notices the gas lamps dimming on their own, footsteps in empty rooms, small objects moved out of place. Her husband insists she is imagining all of it.
What’s changed is the ending. Adapted by Johnna Wright and Patty Jamieson, this version lets the woman rescue herself. “In the original, a male character comes in and saves the wife,” Rucker says. “In this version, adapted by two women, Bella saves herself, with the help of another woman. It’s women banding together.” Director Jackson Gay, who staged the festival’s white-knuckle “Misery” in 2023, is back, and in a room this size the scares land close. Rucker still remembers a “Misery” patron who went home with fake blood across her white suit. “I like when that kind of thing happens.”
The festival’s resident playwright, Theresa Rebeck, lives just up the road in Dorset Hollow, and this summer she is doing something she rarely does: directing her own work. “The Understudy” is her fast, sharp backstage comedy about a struggling actor who lands an understudy spot in a long-lost Kafka play on Broadway - until a swaggering Hollywood star storms into rehearsal and a stage manager scrambles to keep the whole thing from collapsing.
Rebeck is the most Broadway-produced female playwright working today, with five plays on Broadway and a long history at Dorset. For this production she revisited a script she first wrote more than fifteen years ago and aged the characters up into their late fifties and sixties. “It’s going to be hilarious, given the cast we have,” Rucker says. The run is a short one - 11 performances only - and features stage veterans Jeffrey Bean and Elizabeth Heflin alongside W. Tré Davis of CBS’s “Fire Country.”
If “Deceived” is the white-knuckle one, “Advice” is the laugh-out-loud one - “slow food for the people who loved ‘The Book Club Play’ last year,” as Rucker puts it. At an anniversary dinner, Ron and Joy’s evening goes sideways when Gary - freshly divorced, deeply chaotic, and a newly self-appointed life coach - turns up pitching a self-help book he wrote called “How to Maximize the Most Successful You.” His own life, of course, is a wreck.
The draw for a lot of ticket buyers will be the couple at the center: Katie Lowes, who played Quinn Perkins across seven seasons of “Scandal,” and her real-life husband Adam Shapiro, currently on the Emmy-winning “The Bear.” “It’s always helpful to have somebody with familiar credits,” Rucker says, “and Katie’s a great actress.” She has Vermont ties, too - her mother teaches yoga in Manchester - and the family is driving across the country from California for the run. Adrienne Campbell-Holt, a seven-time Dorset director, directs the New England premiere, fresh off its national rolling world premiere.
The season closes with Kenneth Lonergan, the writer who won an Oscar for “Manchester by the Sea.” “Lobby Hero” plays out almost entirely in the lobby of a Manhattan apartment building, where a drifting security guard, his by-the-book boss, and two mismatched cops get pulled into the wake of an off-stage murder. It is funny, and then it is not.
“There are very funny parts, but more than that, it’s human,” Rucker says. “It’s not quite a mystery - it’s a puzzler. A lot of questions about truth: what constitutes truth, what’s your responsibility if you know it.” Lonergan’s play had a celebrated 2018 Broadway revival with Chris Evans and Michael Cera; at Dorset it gets a four-person staging directed by M. Bevin O’Gara, who spent fifteen years at Boston’s Huntington Theatre. Koss sees it as the right closer - the season opens on pure theatrical thrill and ends on a masterwork with something to chew on. “Questions of good and evil are always appropriate for the theater,” Rucker says.
Part of the draw of a show at Dorset has always been everything around it - the drive in, the barn, the dinner after. This year the festival’s neighbors are leaning in: the Dorset Inn and Barrows House plan to keep one of their properties open after each performance, so there is somewhere to land for a drink or a late bite. A couple of the shows run under 90 minutes, which leaves room to flip the usual order and eat afterward.
There is also the festival’s biggest night of the year. The fifth annual Dance Party Ball lands Saturday, July 25 at the Old Gray Barn, headlined by Broadway’s Desi Oakley (“Waitress,” “Chicago”), with a DJ, open bar, and auction. It is the festival’s largest fundraiser, and in a year spent shoring up the finances for that 50th season, every bit helps. So does simply showing up. Koss’s first ask is the easy one: “Buy a ticket and come have fun.” Rucker has a second one worth borrowing - if you love the place, buy a ticket for someone who has never been. “Even if you don’t go with them,” he says. “It’s a place you care about.”
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Dorset Theatre Festival’s 49th season runs June 19 through September 5 at the Dorset Playhouse, 104 Cheney Rd, Dorset, VT:
Single tickets and subscriptions are on sale now at dorsettheatrefestival.org or through the box office at (802) 867-2223. The Dance Party Ball is July 25 at the Old Gray Barn.
Updated 06/01/26
The hardest part of planning a family vacation usually isn't picking the destination. It's the quiet worry that you picked wrong - that someone will be bored, that the day will fall apart, that you'll spend the whole trip adding things up. Smugglers' Notch Resort built its summer around taking that worry off the table.
In Jeffersonville, VT Smuggs' has been running full-tilt summer programming for more than thirty years, and the model is refreshingly simple: book the Family Fun Adventure Package and most of what you'd actually want to do is already part of the stay. Pools, the waterparks, the inflatable features at Bootleggers' Basin, guided hikes, evening events on the Village Green, the on-demand shuttle that means you never reload the car - it's bundled, every day, for the whole family.
“It's the vacation where you could do a million things, or you could do nothing if you wanted to,” says Matt McCawley of Smugglers' Notch. “Those things are all part of the package. You don't have to worry about whether you can go to this pool or that pool, or get into the fun zone.”
There's a real financial logic underneath the simplicity, too. The package is priced per booking, not per person, per day. Book a la carte lodging through a rental site and you'll typically pay a per-person daily rate for access to those same amenities, which, McCawley points out, adds up fast once you've got even one adult and one kid heading to the pool every morning.
Mornings at Smuggs' are for getting out - guided hikes, trail time, or dropping the kids at camp while you take the morning at your own speed. Older kids and teens can sign up for the resort's specialty camp (formerly the high adventure camp), which runs a different challenge each day: the obstacle course at ArborTrek, kayaking at Lake Elmore State Park, rock climbing at Bolton. By midday everything shifts toward the water, and evenings pull back together with shows and family activities on the Village Green. No second-guessing, no itinerary to manage.
A few of the marquee experiences sit outside the package - the camps, the zip line, the ninja warrior course, and the professional disc golf - but those are the kinds of add-ons most families expect to pick a la carte anyway.
About that disc golf. Smuggs' is quietly one of the top disc golf destinations anywhere. Its two courses, Brewster Ridge and Fox Run Meadows, have both landed firmly in the top 10 of UDisc's 2026 World's Best Disc Golf Courses, and on the U.S. list they sit at #2 and #3 - behind only Maple Hill in Massachusetts. They're also genuinely different rounds.
Brewster is the wooded one, threading through the resort's cross-country trails. “It's classic Vermont woods,” McCawley says. “There are stone walls, little drainage creeks. It's a pretty course.” Fox Run plays more open, down in Bootleggers' Basin alongside a reservoir with the mountains in view. “Visually, it's a more impactful course.”
If you want to build a trip around the courses, the Disc Golf Play & Stay Package runs several sessions through the season: three nights of lodging, daily breakfast, course access, and use of the pools and hot tubs to ease out the post-round stiffness, starting at $128 per person, per night. You'll head home with a commemorative disc and gift bag, too. Remaining 2026 sessions are June 5-7, June 26-29, September 4-7, and October 16-18. Book by calling 1-800-521-0536.
This summer also brings a bigger Fourth of July than usual. With the country marking America's 250th, Smuggs' is stretching the holiday into a full week of patriotic programming, leaning on the traditions the area already does well - the town parade, the fair at the school - and adding the resort's own spin, with an activity or two each day and decorations around the Village.
“We want to make the Fourth of July a destination, somewhere to come and take part in an authentic Americana celebration,” McCawley says.
One insider note if you're after a calmer week: the stretch right before the Fourth of July is about as quiet as a full-programming summer gets at Smuggs'. “You're going to have just about every program to yourself,” McCawley says - the pools, the hikes, all of it. The lull right after Labor Day, that last week of August into early September when school's back but summer isn't, is the other sweet spot.
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Full details and booking for the Family Fun Adventure Package are at smuggs.com or by calling 1-800-419-4615. However you build your week up there - a million things or a whole lot of nothing - it's all set up and waiting, just for you.
Stay | Local Business | Southern Vermont
When the family that owns Flower Brook Farm first bought it back in 1962, there was grass growing down the middle of the road. No running water. A single bare bulb for electricity, no indoor bathrooms, and wood stoves for heat. It's fair to say, quite a lot has changed.
It was a working dairy farm in the mountains of Southern Vermont, and the family - then living in Flint, Michigan - had fallen for the area after renting a place in nearby Dorset two summers in a row. They bought the farm that November and started coming up for summers and Christmases, tapping the maples, boiling syrup, and learning what it meant to really unplug. The phones were party lines. There was no radio or TV reception to speak of. That, as one of the owners remembers it, was the original way to disconnect.
More than sixty years later, the farm is still in the family - and still a place to get away from it all - but the farmhouse itself has been completely reborn. The result is one of the more unique short-term rentals you'll find in the state: a true Vermont farmhouse with a deep family history, sitting on more than 300 protected acres, rebuilt from the ground up to hold a big group comfortably.
Between 2016 and 2018, the family did something most people only talk about: they took the house down to the studs and physically raised it, lifting the entire structure to open up a fully usable lower level underneath. The project was designed by the family's own architect, who set out to do one thing above all - make room for everyone. The old kitchen and dining room were combined into one big open space. The lower level got radiant-heated floors. Light pours in through oversized windows, even below grade.
What they didn't do is erase the history. Much of the original wainscoting, the painted floors, the woodwork and doors were all preserved and worked back into the renovation. The materials they did add came from close to home: the siding was sawn at a nearby mill, the flooring was sourced locally, and the plumbers, electricians, and carpenters came from Rutland, Poultney, and Danby. As one of the owners pointed out, the project also brought money into the community and saved a house that otherwise would have fallen down. Art hangs throughout - including paintings by a family cousin who wrote and illustrated children's books, and work by Pawlet artist Matt Solon, who painted a portrait of the family's late patriarch.
That patriarch was a serious reader, and it shows. The lower-level library was built specifically to hold his collection, right down to a full set of the Oxford English Dictionary. There's a piano, plenty of workspaces, and no television by design - though there's wi-fi throughout for anyone who wants to stream a movie or get a little work done.
Here's the detail that tends to win people over: the combined kitchen-and-dining area has two of every major appliance - two refrigerators, two dishwashers, two sinks. It sounds excessive right up until you've tried to cook a holiday dinner for fifteen people with a single oven. This is a kitchen designed for big family meals, where more than one cook can actually work at the same time. The owners built it that way on purpose, because accommodating large groups was the whole point.
There's space to match. The house has 9 bedrooms, 17 beds, and four full and two half baths, and it comfortably hosts groups from a couple up to sixteen or more. A former workshop has been turned into a loft lined with bunk beds - the kind of room kids fight over. You could host a family reunion here without anyone feeling on top of each other, which is the rare trick this place pulls off: room to gather, and room to get away from each other.
The lower level is, in the words of one guest, every kid's dream: a game room set up for ping-pong and billiards, with board games for rainy afternoons. Across the dirt road there's a creek for frog-hunting and skipping stones. Outside, there's a fire pit (marshmallows recommended), a charcoal grill, picnic tables, and meadows in every direction, plus gear for croquet, bocce, badminton, volleyball, and basketball. It's the kind of setup where the kids disappear outside for hours and come back muddy and happy.
Bringing the dog? Good. Flower Brook Farm is pet-friendly, and there's no extra pet fee - which, for anyone who's tried to find a large group rental that takes dogs, is a real rarity. As the owners note, a lot of big properties won't allow pets at all, which means leaving the dog behind or paying for a sitter. Here, the dog comes too.
The farm sits on more than 300 acres, and the land is enrolled in Vermont's Use Value Appraisal program (better known as Current Use), which keeps it working and undeveloped for the long haul. That's a big part of what makes a stay here feel so private - you're not sharing a fence line with anyone. There's also a sugar bush, and the family still cuts timber every decade or so.
For guests, the draw is the walking and hiking. The property has marked trails that are mowed through the meadows rather than cut through the woods, which keeps the footing easy and helps keep ticks down. If you're up for it, there's a roughly five-mile loop around Mt. Hoag that starts right at the front door. One of the owners studied forestry and can name just about everything growing out there - and in spring and early summer, there's plenty to find: ramps, fiddleheads, raspberries, thimbleberries, gooseberries, tart cherries, and apple trees that have been on the property for over a century.
A few details you don't notice in photos but feel once you're there. There's an ADA-compliant bathroom on the main level and an accessibility ramp, so the house works for guests with mobility needs and for multi-generational groups where not everyone can manage stairs. The home runs on Tesla backup batteries, so a rural power flicker doesn't end the weekend. And because the renovation used good materials and real craftsmanship, the house simply feels healthy - one friend visiting during our tour, who described herself as the canary in the coal mine for dust and allergens, said she had no trouble at all.
Flower Brook Farm is about a 25-minute drive from Manchester, out through Dorset, which puts it within easy reach of the shopping, restaurants, and trails of the region while still feeling worlds away. It books directly through the owners - no third-party platform fees - and you can see availability and reserve on their booking page. You can learn more about the house, the rooms, and the land at flowerbrookfarm.com, and find it alongside our other Vermont short-term rentals on Vermont.com.
If you've been looking for a place big enough for the whole family but personal enough to truly feel like a home, this is one to put on the list. Come see it for yourself.
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On a quiet weekday afternoon in North Bennington, Chef Nic Brunina has laid three appetizers out at the pass - a preview, for us, of what he’s bringing to Hildene. A Vietnamese-style basil and crab spring roll with wasabi crème fraîche and soy pearls. A duck confit crostini layered with foie gras and a blueberry compote. A truffle-laced goat cheese bruschetta with apple and candied pecans. Come Saturday, he and his team will be making these fresh on site at Hildene, The Lincoln Family Home, plating them for fifty guests lucky enough to have grabbed tickets to the Food & Wine Pairing event during the Manchester Food & Wine Festival.
This is what Pangaea does, and has done, for going on two decades.
The pairing event itself is a single afternoon. The relationship behind it is much longer.
Brunina grew up in Bennington and ran track at Mount Anthony Union High School. He expected to go on into sports medicine - until a biology class senior year talked him out of it. He landed instead at the New England Culinary Institute in Burlington, graduating in 1998. His NECI class was the one that opened the Commons on Church Street, the institute’s student-run downtown restaurant.
By his own count, he’s left Vermont nine times. Phoenix first. Then Napa Valley to work with a renowned Japanese chef, where he staged at Bouchon in the Yountville culinary scene Thomas Keller was just then building. Then San Francisco. Then back.
In 2001, twenty-one years old, he started at The Equinox in Manchester as a catering prep cook. The hire was a story unto itself: a couple of NECI grads on staff vouched for him, the executive chef walked out, asked if he could start that day, and he did. By the time he left after the better part of fifteen years he had become a task force executive chef for the entire hotel brand, rotating through properties in Washington D.C., Boca Raton, and Long Beach.
Then his daughter was born. He didn’t want to be on a plane every Sunday night. He stepped sideways into food sales at Performance Foodservice for five years, learning the other half of the business - how restaurants source their ingredients, how distributor relationships actually work, the difference between what shows up on a menu and what arrives on a truck.
He helped open Union Underground in Manchester after that, from the construction phase through the night the doors swung open. That’s where Pangaea’s owner, Nick Disorda, first saw his name. The Manchester Journal ran a small piece on the new chef in town. Disorda called the day it published. He needed a director of catering. He knew Brunina’s background. Would he take the call?
The catering was the original ask. Brunina took it. Eight seasons later he helps run the whole operation.
Pangaea has been catering at Hildene since around 2007. The partnership predates Brunina by a decade. It was built the way these things tend to get built in close-knit, Vermont communities - by people who already knew each other. Hildene’s then-president Seth Gardner and Pangaea’s then-owner Bill Scully sat down to figure out how a historic property could host weddings and large events without the inconsistency that comes from a revolving door of caterers. The model they landed on, and that Brunina inherited, puts Pangaea, Hildene, and longtime floral partner Lily of the Valley on equal footing. Three companies, one team in the room. Brunina says any guest walking the grounds shouldn’t be able to tell which company any given staff member works for. That’s the design.
You see it most clearly at scale. At the Lincoln Symposium dinner at Hildene earlier this month, his team plated 250 guests in seventeen minutes. Seven cooks in the back. Twenty-two servers on the floor. No hot boxes, no heat lamps. Just oven, to plate, to table. On paper, the food in that room was the work of three different companies. In the room, it was one event.
That kind of choreography only works when the relationships are tried and true. Brunina has been at it for close to a decade. He works in tandem with Hildene Farm in the dene - the goat dairy and creamery, the apiary, the cattle, and the gardens led by Ann Ogden Hausslein. The Hildene Farm chickens supply the eggs in Pangaea’s kitchen there in North Bennington. Cattle raised in the dene work their way onto wedding menus up at Hildene. Produce flows the same direction. When Brunina plans a tasting in January, he’s planning it already knowing what will be coming out of the high tunnels in May.
For Brunina, sourcing is a rule with three numbers. Produce within fifty miles. Land animals within a hundred. Seafood within four hundred. The last one is a stretch, he admits, and there are categories where the rule has to bend - there are no shrimp farms in Vermont. But the rule matters less than what it points at, which is a network of small operators within driving distance whose work ends up on the plate.
Produce comes from the good folks at Mighty Food Farm, the certified organic vegetable farm just up the road in Shaftsbury, celebrating their twentieth growing season this year. Microgreens come daily from Kathy Snow, whose business has grown alongside Brunina’s needs over the years - she asks what he’d like to see next season, and tries it. Coffee for the café comes from Iron Coffee, just over the New York border, roasted and delivered within forty-eight hours. Milk and butter come from Battenkill Valley Creamery in Salem, New York. So does a truffle-laced goat cheese in the current rotation that Brunina has a hard time talking about without grinning.
Pull / 01
“You develop a partnership so it’s effective and reasonable for both parties. I have a world broadliner. I have to. But the local guys are where the menu actually lives.”
- Chef Nic Brunina
The Pangaea menu reads like a choose-your-own-adventure. The curry, the Provençal, the stir fries, and the risottos all come with selectable proteins, with tofu always on the option list.
Brunina is proud of one specific thing about Pangaea’s dining room: that someone in flip flops and a tank top can order a quesadilla two tables away from a couple celebrating their fiftieth wedding anniversary over a grilled tenderloin, and neither table feels out of place. That is not, he says, a small thing to engineer.
He’s pushed himself on the vegetarian side of the menu in particular, after a career that didn’t always do so. His pride dish in that lane is a seven-layer vegan Napoleon - stacked vegetables and a quinoa-tofu base served with a roasted-tomato marinara built from tomatoes he dries down slowly in the oven before they ever hit the pot. The technique is borrowed from his brother’s maple syrup operation. Slow concentration first, then assembly.
Pull / 02
“People order it and they don’t even know it’s vegan. That’s the goal. I’m not trying to do vegetarian. I’m trying to do food.”
- Chef Nic Brunina
The festival appetizers Brunina is bringing to Hildene this weekend are a fair sketch of where his kitchen sits right now. Globally inspired. Locally sourced. Technique in service of flavor, every time.
The spring roll uses crab and basil, served with a wasabi crème fraîche he builds by whipping wasabi into heavy cream and folding it into sour cream. The heat is real but not aggressive. The soy pearls beside it are made through Brunina’s favorite molecular trick. He heats a mixture of tamari, rice vinegar, agave, and agar to 190 degrees, then drips it from a squeeze bottle into oil chilled to 26 degrees in the freezer. The droplets shatter against the cold oil and seize into pearls that burst on the tongue. He uses the same technique with balsamic for summer bruschetta and with cranberry juice for vodka shots at the bar. They look like roe and taste like pure flavor bombs.
The crostini is the most classic of the three. Duck confit, foie gras, and a house blueberry compote stacked over toasted bread. It’s the bite that benefits most from sitting with the right red.
The bruschetta is the local one. The truffle-laced Battenkill goat cheese, fresh, local apple, candied pecans, and microgreens from Kathy Snow.
The Pangaea team will be at the Food & Wine Pairing at Hildene on Saturday, May 23 from 4:30 to 6:30 PM, plating those three bites for fifty guests against the backdrop of the property’s spring gardens. As of this writing, the Hildene event is understandably nearly sold out.
If you don’t catch them at Hildene this weekend, you’ll catch them at Hildene most weekends through October. That’s the rhythm. They cook in the dene at Hildene, they cook in the kitchen in North Bennington, and somewhere in the middle is a chef who’s been chasing this particular flavor of partnership for the better part of a decade. The kind that gets built one wedding, one symposium, one bustling weeknight at a time. The kind that lasts.
If you’ve never been to Pangaea, drive down some weeknight. The bar holds five seats and they tend to be taken by the same handful of locals night after night. They’ll have an opinion on what to order. That too, is a good sign.
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Must be 21+ to consume alcohol. Please drink responsibly.
Saturday afternoon on the patio. A Lawson's Finest Liquids tap takeover, a brat plate, and live music from 3:00 to 5:00 PM. That is Beer & Brats at Union Underground, and it slots perfectly into the Manchester Food & Wine Festival weekend on Saturday, May 23rd.
The ticket covers two pints of Lawson's pours, bratwurst, German potato salad, and red cabbage bites with cheese sauce. A rep from the brewery will be on hand, pouring pints and talking about the beer. A local guitarist plays through the afternoon.
We stopped by Union Underground earlier this spring to scout the patio and shoot a few photos. Now the brats might be served on May 23rd, but the bacon cheeseburger, chicken sandwich, and Asian salad all pair perfectly with some Lawson's right now.
Union Underground and Lawson's have worked together before. They've collabed on trivia nights at the bar, and last summer they shared the bill at the Manchester Bluegrass Festival. "We just have a good rapport with them," Sara Kimball, who runs Union Underground with Nate Brown, said.
Sara's pitch for the event is that it rounds out the festival schedule. The festival as a whole caters to a bit more polished aesthetic, and they wanted something more casual in the middle of the day to help balance it. Nate framed it differently: different festival partners run what they are good at running. The farms host pasture walks. Union Underground hosts a killer patio and great beer.
Saturday is the busiest day on the festival schedule, and the lineup pairs naturally. The Pasture Walk and Cheese Tasting at Woodlawn Creamery in Pawlet runs from 11:30 AM to 1:00 PM. Sip, Savor & Stroll at the Southern Vermont Arts Center wraps at 2:00. Beer & Brats opens the patio at 3:00. Hildene's Food & Wine Pairing starts at 4:30. Pick what works best for you and your crew, and you're going to have a blast.
Memorial Day weekend also marks Manchester's unofficial summer kickoff, and Union Underground is leaning into it. Live music runs three days a week on the patio all summer, with a full event calendar through the season. Saturday's session is the first, and not to be missed.
Tickets are on Eventbrite. Patio opens at 3.
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Grab tickets to Beer & Brats on the Patio
See the full festival lineup at vermontfoodfestival.com
Must be 21+ to consume alcohol. Please drink responsibly.
There's a moment every spring when The Equinox comes back to life. The lawn games go out. The golf course opens. The patios fill up. The trees in the courtyard finally bloom. This year, that moment is thankfully looking to line up quite nicely with Memorial Day weekend, when the resort acts as host for the Manchester Vermont Food & Wine Festival.
If you know Manchester, the Equinox is an obvious home for a festival of this size. The campus is built for it: long lawns, big rooms, generous parking, a footprint that can absorb a crowd without making it feel like one.
But the bigger reason the festival is anchored at The Equinox is what's rooted in the history here. The Marsh Tavern is older than the United States. Robert Todd Lincoln signed the guest register long before he built Hildene down the road. The Chop House was originally the homestead of Levi Church Orvis, patriarch of the family that would soon found both the Equinox House and the Orvis Company; his initials, L.C. Orvis 1832, are still carved into the marble mantel above the fireplace. Certainly a working hotel with two and a half centuries of dinner-table history attached to it is ideally situated to host an event such as this.
The festival opens Friday, May 22, at 6:30 PM with the VIP Preview Soirée. It's a ticketed event for a smaller, earlier crowd before the Sunday Grand Tasting, and the Equinox's culinary team is running a tasting station alongside the visiting vendors. The spread will include a chef-led carving station, chilled seafood display, and curated wines poured by the team at Farrell Distributors, who handle wine for both the resort and the festival. Representatives from Michael David Winery are also coming in to pour for the weekend.
Two hours of relaxation and tasting, drinks in hand, before the rest of the weekend takes off.
Saturday, the festival fans out across Manchester and the surrounding hills. There's a self-guided pasture walk and cheese tasting at Woodlawn Creamery in Pawlet, a wine-paired lunch at the Southern Vermont Arts Center, a free brewery tour at Lost Marble Brewing in Manchester, vermouth and cider flights at Local Maverick, an afternoon food and wine pairing on the grounds at Hildene, a Mediterranean dinner with Turkish wine pairings at Depot 62 Cafe, and much, much more. The full schedule and ticket links for each event are at vermontfoodfestival.com.
The festival closes back at the Equinox on Sunday, May 24, with the Grand Tasting from 1 to 4 PM (VIP ticket holders get in at noon). This is the headline event: local, regional, and international wines and spirits poured side by side, gourmet bites from area restaurants, the Green Mountain Experience showcase featuring Vermont artisans and small-batch producers, live music, raffles, and a complimentary gift bag for every ticket holder.
Tickets to the Grand Tasting and the VIP Soirée are on Eventbrite.
If we had one suggestion, it's to make the property itself part of the experience.
The Marsh Tavern is open all weekend, in a room that's been hosting drinks and dinner under different names since 1769. We were over there earlier this week shooting food photography for festival coverage and the food is as delicious and beautifully presented as the resort itself, served in a room that's been the heart of the property for over two centuries.
Falcon Bar's patio is also open and The Chop House is doing a grand reopening that same weekend with a wine dinner on Saturday night featuring Michael David Winery, the same producer pouring at the festival. Outside the dining rooms, the rest of the property is coming back to life. The Dormy Grill, the casual sandwich-and-deck spot down on the golf course, opens for the season Memorial Day weekend.
"It's kind of waking the property back up out of its slumber," says John Barth, the Equinox's Director of Food & Beverage. "Memorial Day weekend, is when it all comes alive for the summer, and that's a big thing for us."
The Equinox is running a stay package built for the festival called the Grand Tasting Escape. It includes 10% off your stay and exclusive access to the Friday VIP Preview Soirée (a $155-per-person value), available for stay dates May 21 through May 24, with the requirement that guests stay the night of May 22 to attend the Soirée. The package is bookable directly through the resort at equinoxresort.com/offers.
Memorial Day at the Equinox is what a hotel waits all winter for. The festival is the headline, the resort is the home base for your weekend, and both are going to be well worth remembering.
Must be 21+ to consume alcohol. Please drink responsibly.
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When we caught up with Chef Angela McCrovitz earlier this week, she described her arrival at The Landgrove this way: “They actually found me at the same time I was looking for them.”
That's how a nationally followed chef from Northwest Indiana has ended up spending four and a half weeks at a 216-year-old inn in Landgrove, Vermont, just in time to help bring From the Vine to Vermont - a five-course wine pairing dinner on the calendar for May 2 - to the table.
The event has been in motion for a while. Bruce and Emily Haupt of The Landgrove have been working with Owen Roe - a Washington and Oregon winery known for structured, balance-driven wines - to bring a Vermont tasting to life, with longtime Owen Roe team member Tony O'Rourke leading the wine side of the evening.
When Angela arrived at the inn, the format expanded. Five wines poured across five courses, the food designed to sit alongside Tony's selections rather than compete with them.
“If you're going to do a wine tasting, then let's not just do a wine tasting,” Angela says of her approach. “Let's make it different. Let's make it special. Where they remember the wine, maybe based on what you're pairing with the food.”
What came together is a progression in five movements, each course titled like a chapter. The menu opens with Garden Light - peach and burrata with the Rocks of Bawn “Shafts and Furrow” white blend. Dual Expression is the second course, and the name is literal: grilled salmon with a choice of two pairings, a Rocks of Bawn Pinot Noir or the Owen Roe “Folly of Man” Pinot Gris. Same fish, two different conversations.
From there the evening moves into Bold & Structured (petite filet crostini with a Grower's Guild Cabernet), Smoked Contrast (a very Vermont plate of maple-glazed bacon, apple, cracked pepper, and gorgonzola with Owen Roe's “Ex Umbris” Syrah), and closes with Orchard Ember - a warm maple bread pudding paired with the 2018 “Parting Glass” Gewurztraminer, a late-harvest bottle from Yakima Valley's Outlook Vineyard.
Angela's career, as she puts it, “is not your typical chef history.” She has owned restaurants, including The Captain's House, a coastal spot nationally known for its lobster rolls. She has done food styling for Better Homes and Gardens. She has been written about in the Chicago Sun-Times and Chicago Tribune. She runs Table & Thyme, a private dining and catering outfit in Northwest Indiana. Her own bio describes her as “chef, teacher, storyteller,” in that order.
“I love to put a story on a plate,” she says. “That's just what I do.”
That instinct is already showing up in her other work at The Landgrove. A separate menu she is running this week responds to the inn's artist-in-residence program, currently hosting Alvaro Castagnet, known for bold composition. Angela has titled the courses First Expressions, Shadow and Light, Brushstroke Harmony, and Final Impressions. Next week a new artist arrives, and Angela will write a new menu to match. That is the idea: food that answers the work happening in the studio next door.
For the May 2 dinner, some of the storytelling comes from the wines themselves. Rocks of Bawn, David O'Reilly's newer family project, takes its name from a popular Irish folk song; O'Reilly has said its “Shafts and Furrow” label traces to “The Follower,” a Seamus Heaney poem about a farmer and the child who walks in his footsteps. There's plenty there for Tony to work with at the podium.
Angela's advice is simple: show up for the people as much as the food.
“The most important thing is to meet and greet - everyone you can possibly talk to,” she says. “Getting to know other people who are coming, why they're there, whether they know anything about wine. Sort of the icebreaker kind of thing before it all starts.”
From there Tony walks guests through the wines and the winery's story, course by course. Angela's plates follow. The course most likely to get talked about is the second - that grilled salmon with two possible wines, designed to show how the same dish shifts depending on what's in the glass.
“They don't have to be wine connoisseurs,” Angela says. “They don't have to know anything about it. They're there to learn. They're there to experience.”
One more thing worth saying: this is Angela's first stretch at The Landgrove, and whether it becomes a longer chapter is still being worked out between her and the inn. Translation for anyone curious what this kitchen is going to feel like over the coming months - the May 2 dinner is the fantastic early read.
From the Vine to Vermont: A Curated Pairing Experience happens Friday, May 2, 2026 at The Landgrove (132 Landgrove Rd, Landgrove, VT). Seating is limited.
Full event details on our event calendar.
Must be 21+ to consume alcohol. Please drink responsibly.
There's a new crew grazing at Hildene Farm in Manchester, and they're not your average cows.
Hildene, The Lincoln Family Home recently welcomed a small group of Randall cattle - a rare American landrace breed with deep New England roots and a conservation story worth paying attention to. The cattle traveled up from Delaware last year, and this spring marks a quiet milestone: they've made it through their first Vermont winter in good health.
We stopped by the farm to see them settling in, and came away with photos of a few moments that didn't make it into the team's write-up - early morning light on the pasture, a closer look at the breed's signature black-and-white markings, and the easy routine that's taken shape between the cattle and the farm crew.
For the full story - how these animals ended up in Manchester, what makes the breed so unusual, and why Co-Farm Director Kim Pinsonneault and her team are thinking about long-term preservation - the Hildene team has put together a great piece on their blog.
Read the full story on Hildene's blog >>
There's a photograph taken on the porch of the Grafton Inn in 1893. Five men sit gathered in the afternoon light - one of them is Rudyard Kipling. It's the kind of detail that stops you: Kipling could almost be mistaken for a footnote in The Grafton Inn's history.
This year, the Grafton Inn turns 225. To mark the occasion, they're offering a special anniversary rate for stays booked by March 1st: $225 per night for standard rooms, $299 per night for Presidential Suites, with breakfast for two included. Book online by March 1st using promo code 225YEARS.
The History Behind It
Grafton resident Enos Lovell converted his two-story home into an inn in 1801, convinced - correctly, as it turned out - that people were looking for a place with good food and lodging. The building still stands as part of the inn today. By 1823, the inn had doubled in size under Hyman Burgess, and the expansion was done quickly enough that the floor levels on the second and third floor corridors quite quirkily never exactly matched up. In the 1880s, the Phelps brothers added a third floor as well as the signature wraparound porches, giving the inn much of the appearance it has today.
Over those two centuries, the guest list accumulated: Ulysses S. Grant in 1867, Rudyard Kipling in 1892, Daniel Webster, Theodore Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, Oliver Wendell Holmes, Ralph Waldo Emerson. The inn passed through various owners until 1964, when the Windham Foundation purchased it and undertook a major restoration. Today the Foundation - whose mission is the preservation and vitality of Vermont's rural communities - still owns and operates the property. Every stay, in a literal sense, contributes to that work.
What You're Actually Booking
The inn's 45 individually appointed rooms are spread across the main building, outbuildings, and private guest houses, furnished with period antiques. Breakfast is included with every stay - a proper sit-down country breakfast, not a continental tray. The Phelps Barn Pub, operating year-round in what was originally the inn's carriage house, serves farm-to-table pub fare with Vermont brews and local spirits. The 1801 Tavern runs seasonally; both venues are members of the Vermont Fresh Network.
Less than a mile from the inn, the Grafton Trails and Outdoor Center offers Nordic skiing, snowshoeing, fat tire biking, a 600-foot tubing run, ice skating, and horse-drawn sleigh rides on select Saturdays through early March. Trail passes and equipment rentals are complimentary for inn guests - worth noting when doing the math on the anniversary rate.
For those who want something a little different, the weekly wine and cheese snowshoe tour at Grafton Trails - a guided hour through the forest followed by a Grafton Village Cheese plate and wine at the cabin.
Book Before March 1st
The 225th Anniversary Rate is available for March 2026 stays, booked online by March 1st using promo code 225YEARS. Standard rooms from $225/night. Presidential Suites at $299/night. Breakfast for two included, plus taxes, service fee, and the standard $20 resort fee.
Two hundred and twenty-five years is a long time to keep the doors open - and a reminder that some places are worth preserving. March is a good time to be part of that.
Manchester's Fall Harvest Day returns to Factory Point Green on October 18 for three hours of live music, pumpkin decorating, face painting, and free activities for all ages. The completely free event anchors a packed October calendar that includes cider tastings, mountain brewery festivals, and Halloween celebrations across town.
Between now and the end of the month, Manchester delivers fall programming beyond just foliage drives. You'll find craft beer tastings at Stratton, corn mazes at Equinox Valley Nursery, carved pumpkin displays downtown, and a grand finale Halloween celebration at SVAC. Here's your guide to Manchester's harvest season, starting with the main event on October 18.
When: Saturday, October 18, 2:00-5:00 PM
Where: Factory Point Green, downtown Manchester
Cost: Free
Heritage Family Credit Union and the Manchester Business Association know how to throw a harvest party. The October 18 event at Factory Point Green delivers the essential fall festival experience without the admission price. Three hours of live music, hands-on activities, and community connection make this the gathering that helps define Manchester's autumn.
Local nonprofits drive the activity lineup. The Northshire Day School, Manchester Community Library, Maple Street School, and MEMS PTO host stations throughout the green - pumpkin decorating, cornhole tournaments, face painting.
The Kimpton Taconic Hotel provides free popcorn all afternoon. When you're ready for something sweeter, Wilcox Ice Cream and Bubbles Bakes sell treats that taste even better when the temperature drops.
The afternoon culminates with the annual Pumpkin Carving Contest display. Submitted carved pumpkins line up for judging, showcasing everything from traditional jack-o'-lanterns to intricate artistic designs. If you're entering the contest, you'll want to register by October 16 - entries span multiple age groups with categories for Spookiest and Most Creative, and local businesses contribute fantastic prizes.
Before Fall Harvest Day arrives, two major events kick off the mid-October festivities.
When: October 11-12, 11:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Where: Local Maverick and Split Spirits, 96 Depot Street
Local Maverick and Split Spirits launches its inaugural CiderFest with two days of Vermont cider tastings, exclusive Apple Brandy releases, and 20-plus Vermont brands. This isn't a massive fairground operation - it's a curated experience at 96 Depot Street that puts craft cider front and center.
Registered guests receive 10% off in-store purchases, and non-alcoholic cider options keep the event family-friendly. Proceeds support NOFA-VT's Farm Share program, connecting tastings directly to Vermont's agricultural community.
When: October 10-13
Where: Stratton Mountain Resort
Twenty minutes from downtown Manchester, Stratton Mountain packs four days with three distinct events. Saturday's Brewfest brings Vermont craft beer, live music from The Mallet Brothers and Saints & Liars, a mac and cheese cook-off, and kids' adventure camp. Sunday shifts to Oktoberfest mode - The Amish Outlaws perform, stein hoisting competitions test your stamina, and beer brats disappear fast.
Monday's Race to the Summit challenges participants to run, jog, or hike to Stratton's 3,875-foot peak. The prize? An Ikon Base Pass. Even if you're not competing, the gondola ride operates through mid-October, delivering panoramic views of peak foliage across the Green and Taconic ranges.
Several Manchester autumn traditions run throughout the month, letting you build your own harvest itinerary.
When: October 7-19 (voting period)
Where: Participating businesses throughout Manchester
Downtown storefronts compete for the title of Fall Harvest Decorating Champion through October 19. Pumpkins, gourds, hay bales, and mums transform shop windows across town. Online voting determines the winner, and businesses genuinely commit to their displays - this isn't a few pumpkins on a doorstep situation.
Walk the downtown corridor, snap photos of your favorites, and share them with #ManchesterVT.
When: Saturdays October 11, 18, 25
Where: Sun Lodge & Trailhead Restaurant
Sun Lodge runs three Saturday afternoon pumpkin carving parties designed specifically for families. The $30 per child package includes a pre-hollowed pumpkin, stencils, kid-friendly tools, warm apple cider, toasted pumpkin seeds, and a kids' meal from Trailhead Restaurant's menu.
Spooky fall story time rounds out each session. Pre-hollowed pumpkins mean kids focus on design instead of struggling with the messy extraction process - a detail that matters when you're working with younger carvers.
When: Now through October (weather permitting, closed Tuesdays)
Where: Equinox Valley Nursery
Equinox Valley Nursery transforms its North Field into fall festival central. Tractor-drawn wagon rides deliver Green and Taconic Mountain views, the corn maze tests navigation skills, and the pumpkin patch stocks every shape and size you need for decorating or carving.
The on-site shop carries Halloween decorations, pumpkin carving kits, local maple syrup, and seasonal décor. Scarecrows stationed throughout the property add charm without veering into over-done territory. Plan for a couple hours - the combination of activities and shopping keeps families engaged longer than expected.
When: Saturday, October 25, 2:00-5:00 PM
Where: Southern Vermont Arts Center
SVAC closes October with Halloween on the Hill, a free afternoon (registration required) that combines magical illusions by Tom Joyce, spooky musical stories from the Trillium Quartet, face painting, fortune telling, and an art scavenger hunt across the campus.
The costume parade remains the event's centerpiece, with separate competitions for kids and pets. School band performances, trick-or-treating stations, and arts and crafts round out the programming. SVAC's hilltop location adds atmosphere - the property's 407 acres provide natural Halloween ambiance without artificial haunted house dramatics.
Come for Fall Harvest Day on October 18 and you'll catch the Decorating Contest voting period, plus the mid-point of pumpkin carving season at Sun Lodge. Start your weekend with CiderFest tastings, head to Stratton for Brewfest, then return to Manchester for Sunday farmers market shopping.
The beauty of Manchester's harvest calendar lies in its concentration. Everything happens within a 20-minute radius, businesses coordinate rather than compete, and the town's compact downtown means you can walk between events. Factory Point Green sits at the center of it all, making Fall Harvest Day your natural anchor point for exploring Manchester's autumn offerings.
Bring layers - October afternoons start warm but cool quickly once the sun drops behind the Taconics. Parking fills up near Factory Point Green on event days, but the municipal lots on Center Hill Road and Seminary Avenue stay accessible. Register in advance for events requiring it - the Pumpkin Carving Contest closes registration October 16, and Halloween on the Hill fills its capacity early.
The check-in process at Holiday Inn Club Vacations Mount Ascutney Resort feels different from the start - you're not getting a cramped hotel room, you're getting keys to a spacious villa that serves as your Vermont headquarters. Tucked into Brownsville's quiet mountainside, this isn't just another place to sleep between Vermont adventures. It's your strategic headquarters for exploring the Connecticut River Valley's hidden gems, with enough space to spread out adventure gear and enough comfort to truly unwind after days spent discovering what makes this corner of Vermont special.
Mount Ascutney Resort sits in that sweet spot every traveler dreams about - close enough to everything, far enough from the crowds. From your villa's front door, you're 15 minutes from Simon Pearce's glassblowing workshop, 20 minutes from Woodstock's village green, and practically next door to Mount Ascutney State Park's hiking trails. But here's what really sets this location apart: when you return from a day of gorge-gazing at Quechee or brewery-hopping at Harpoon, you're not cramming into a standard hotel room. You're coming home to 970-1,600 square feet of villa space with a full kitchen, separate bedrooms, and a living room where everyone can actually spread out.
The resort's position in the Connecticut River Valley creates natural day-trip loops. Head south to explore the covered bridges and artisan shops, swing west to tackle mountain adventures, or venture north for brewery tours and scenic drives. Each evening, you return to the same comfortable base - no packing, no check-outs, no wondering where you'll rest your head next.
Mount Ascutney State Park delivers on Vermont's outdoor promises without requiring a long drive. The 3,144-foot summit trail rewards hikers with views stretching across three states, while the lower trails offer gentler family-friendly options. What makes having the resort as your base so valuable? You can tackle the challenging summit hike knowing you'll return to your villa's full kitchen to refuel properly, not survive on vending machine snacks.
The resort's proximity to the Connecticut River opens up water adventures most mountain lodging can't offer. Kayaking, fishing, and seasonal whitewater rafting become easy additions to your itinerary when you're not spending hours driving between activities and accommodations.
Twenty minutes from Mount Ascutney Resort, you'll find that Quechee Gorge earns its "Vermont's Grand Canyon" nickname with a 165-foot drop that stops conversations mid-sentence. The bridge viewpoint captures the classic photo, but the trail to the bottom - and yes, back up - provides the real adventure. After working up an appetite on the gorge trails, Simon Pearce restaurant and glassblowing workshop in nearby Quechee village combine Vermont dining with artisan craft demonstrations.
Woodstock, the postcard-perfect Vermont village, sits close enough for easy afternoon explorations. The village green surrounded by historic homes, covered bridge photo opportunities, and Billings Farm & Museum's hands-on agricultural experiences, will fill an entire day. But returning to Mount Ascutney Resort means your kids can process the day's adventures in their own space while adults enjoy wine on the villa's deck, planning tomorrow's discoveries.
The resort's connection to Vermont's food and beverage scene runs deeper than just location. The Maple Kitchen restaurant sources ingredients from local growers and partners with regional distillers, serving dishes like maple candied bacon and cider glazed Maplewood smoked ribs. Open Thursday through Monday from 5-9pm, it provides the perfect wind-down dinner after vigorous adventure-filled days.
What really distinguishes Mount Ascutney Resort as an adventure basecamp becomes clear in the evenings. While other accommodations offer a standard bed and bathroom, you return to villa amenities that enhance rather than detract from your Vermont experience. The full kitchen lets you prep trail snacks and store local cheese purchases properly. The separate living areas mean different family members can decompress in their preferred ways - teens in the game room, adults around the fire pit, younger kids at the 7pm movie showing with free popcorn.
The resort's unique amenities create their own mini-adventures. The cinema-style movie theater with daily showings becomes the perfect rainy-day backup plan or evening wind-down activity. The outdoor fire pit area, surrounded by Adirondack chairs with Mount Ascutney views, provides the quintessential Vermont evening experience without leaving the property. Also, don't miss out on the game room with billiards, darts, and foosball tables to further amp up the family competitions.
The villa setup also solves practical adventure challenges that standard hotels can't address. Hiking boots dry properly in the mudroom areas. Adventure gear spreads out in living rooms without creating chaos. The washer and dryer in each building means you can refresh clothing mid-trip rather than over-packing. Full kitchens allow for proper pre-hike breakfasts and post-adventure refueling.
Mount Ascutney Resort delivers on Vermont vacation promises that other accommodations struggle to match. You get authentic local connections through The Maple Kitchen's regional sourcing and proximity to working farms and artisan workshops. You experience genuine outdoor adventures with Mount Ascutney State Park and Connecticut River activities literally at your doorstep. And you enjoy comfortable, spacious accommodations that enhance rather than limit your vacation experience.
The Connecticut River Valley location puts you in Vermont's heart without tourist-trap crowds. Brownsville maintains authentic small-town character while providing easy access to the region's marquee attractions.
Ready to establish your Connecticut River Valley basecamp? Mount Ascutney Resort offers summer promotions including 20% savings and daily resort credits for Thursday-Sunday arrivals. Your Vermont getways are waiting - and they all start with those villa keys that unlock both comfort and adventure.
For reservations and current availability at Holiday Inn Club Vacations Mount Ascutney Resort, visit their website or call directly to discuss villa options and local adventure planning.
This lodging guide is brought to you in partnership with the Manchester Business Association, connecting you with the businesses and experiences that make Manchester, Vermont, a premier adventure destination.
You wouldn't expect a chain hotel to feel like a local secret, but step into the Hampton Inn & Suites Manchester and you'll understand why guests keep writing things like "the support was what you might expect from a family member, not the hotel you happened to be staying in." Under the leadership of Director of Operations Fuad Naser, this 97-room property has cracked the code on something most hotels struggle with: delivering chain-level consistency while maintaining the kind of authentic Vermont hospitality that makes visitors feel genuinely welcomed.
The secret? They've figured out that Vermont charm isn't something you manufacture - it's something you cultivate through the people who deliver it.
That cultivation shows in concrete recognition. The Hampton Inn & Suites Manchester recently earned the prestigious 2024 Connie Award from Hilton, ranking #1 in North America - an achievement that reflects the collective effort of every single employee across all departments. Named after Hilton founder Conrad Hilton, the Connie Award recognizes properties based on exceptional customer loyalty scores, service excellence, and overall quality performance.
Fuad mentions that what makes this recognition particularly meaningful is how it reflects the pride every employee takes in their work here. From housekeeping to front desk, from maintenance to breakfast service, the award represents a unified commitment to hospitality that guests notice immediately and remember long after checkout. It's the kind of consistency that only happens when an entire team genuinely cares about the experience they're creating together.
The first thing that sets this Hampton Inn apart is what you see before you even walk through the door. Designed to resemble a historic New England farmhouse, this uniquely designed hotel embodies tradition with modern sensibilities. Outdoor seating areas with a fire pit and lush landscaping welcome you and make you feel right at home - details that signal this isn't your typical corporate property.
Located on Main Street in downtown Manchester, guests are within walking distance to local shops, retail outlets, farm-to-table restaurants and cafés, seasonal attractions, and historic landmarks. The architectural choice isn't just aesthetic - it's strategic. When your building looks like it belongs in Vermont rather than looking like it could be anywhere, guests immediately understand they're somewhere special and welcoming.
But what really makes the difference is how the team uses that foundation to create experiences that feel distinctly local while maintaining the reliability Hampton Inn guests expect.
Guest reviews consistently highlight staff members by name, with Fuad and team members making such positive impacts that couples are frequently recommending the hotel to their wedding guests. This level of personal attention shows up in the details that matter most to travelers. Front desk staff provide restaurant recs upon check-in, with team members offering local tips and insider knowledge about the area.
These aren’t recommendations by rote or something being pushed uniformly through a memo. The staff who works here lives in the area and are able to provide their genuine tips and inside information that comes from years of calling a place home. The team understands that Vermont hospitality isn't about being overly familiar - it's about being genuinely helpful and paying attention to what guests actually need.
Every Hampton Inn offers complimentary breakfast, but not every Hampton Inn turns breakfast into a daily celebration of their location. Staff members take time to give instructions on making the perfect waffles at the complimentary breakfast - the kind of small gesture that transforms a standard amenity into a memorable moment.
The property also offers Hampton On the Run Breakfast Bags as take-away Monday through Friday, perfect for guests heading out early to explore the many hiking trails nearby, or spend the day at the outlets. It's this kind of thoughtful adaptation to how people actually travel that separates good hospitality from great hospitality.
The hotel offers both traditional guest rooms with microwaves, refrigerators, and coffee makers, as well as spacious suites including a wetbar and comfortable sleeper sofa - accommodations that work whether you're a couple on a romantic getaway or a family exploring the Green Mountains.
The property also features a heated indoor swimming pool, whirlpool, and fitness center, amenities that serve Manchester's year-round appeal. After a day of hiking or shopping, guests gravitate toward those fire pit areas where conversations naturally happen between travelers sharing their Manchester discoveries..
What truly distinguishes this Hampton Inn is how the team connects guests to Manchester's authentic experiences. Close by to Bromley, Stratton, and Magic mountains, and Hildene, the Lincoln Family Home, the staff doesn't just point guests toward the obvious attractions - they share the kind of local knowledge that helps visitors discover what makes Manchester special.
This expertise becomes especially valuable during Manchester's busy summer season, when knowing which restaurant takes reservations, which trails offer the best morning light, or which shops are worth the walk can make the difference between a good trip and an unforgettable one.
Here's what really shows the property's commitment to Manchester's growth: the team isn't just maintaining their current level of excellence - they're preparing for what's next. With Lost Marble Brewing Company opening right next door in Fall 2025, the Hampton Inn is positioned to be part of Manchester's evolving hospitality landscape while staying true to what makes them special now.
The brewery development, led by the same hospitality group that owns the Hampton Inn, signals that this isn't just about adding amenities - it's about creating a hospitality ecosystem that enhances the entire Manchester experience.
Ready to experience Vermont hospitality done right? The Hampton Inn & Suites Manchester sits at 4519 Main Street, perfectly positioned for everything Manchester offers. During peak summer season, advance reservations ensure you won't miss out on staying at a property where the award-winning staff knows the difference between good service and genuine hospitality.
This lodging guide is brought to you in partnership with the Manchester Business Association, connecting you with the businesses and experiences that make Manchester, Vermont, a premier adventure destination.
The gondola operators at Stratton Mountain Resort have seen it all - three generations of the same family riding to the summit together, marriage proposals at the fire tower, and countless parents teaching their kids to read the mountain weather from 3,936 feet up. But this Father's Day weekend, something special is happening in the valley below: it's an itinerary packed to the brim with events and happenings sure to pique Dad's interest, as well as the rest of the crew.
This is Father's Day weekend at Stratton Mountain Resort, where three days of perfectly curated events turn a simple mountain getaway into the kind of weekend that becomes a family tradition. Whether your dad's the type who wants to tackle the uphill mountain bike race or prefers savoring local brews at the pig roast, Stratton's June 13-15 lineup delivers something for every kind of father - and every kind of family.
Here's how to make the most of every moment, from sunrise yoga on the summit to the final set of Saturday's concert under the stars.
Skip the usual traffic-induced arrival stress and head straight for the gondola when it opens at 10 AM. The Scenic Lift Ride to Stratton's 3,936-foot summit isn't just transportation - it's your weekend's opening statement. Take the short hike to the historic fire tower for those legendary four-state views, snap the obligatory photo with the summit bear, and let the mountain work its magic.
Tee Time Strategy
Here's what locals know: Friday afternoon golf at Stratton Golf Course hits differently. The 27-hole championship layout offers rotating 18 and 9-hole combinations, and with daily tee times from 8 AM to 6 PM, you can easily fit in a round before dinner. The Mountain, Lake, and Forest courses each offer distinct challenges - ask the pro shop which combination suits your dad's game.
Evening Logistics
Benedicts opens at 9 AM Friday for breakfast, but the Green Apron at the golf course runs until 6 PM if you want to extend that post-round conversation. Pro tip: Use Friday evening to scope out Saturday's farmers market location in the Stratton Courtyard - you'll want to know exactly where to find those local crafts and artisanal foods.
Morning: Choose Your Adventure
Saturday morning splits into two perfect paths. Adrenaline seekers should register for the Berm and Burn Uphill Mountain Bike Race by 8:30 AM - six hours to rack up as many laps as possible on Stratton's challenging terrain. This isn't your typical father-son bike ride; competitors push hard, and the mountain pushes back.
For a more zen approach, the 11 AM Mountain Top Yoga session takes place on Stratton's unique wooden yoga deck at the summit. The 90-minute class combines expert instruction with views that stretch across the mountain ranges. Take the gondola up, center yourself at the summit, then float back down renewed.
Afternoon: Village Life
The Stratton Courtyard transforms Saturday afternoon into Vermont summer magic. The Farmers Market runs 3-6 PM, featuring local crafts, art, and foods that capture the region's artisanal spirit. You know what we love? The timing works perfectly - browse the market, then transition seamlessly into the pig roast at 4 PM.
The Pig Roast Experience
Here's the thing about Stratton's luau-themed pig roast: it's not trying to be Hawaii, and that's exactly why it works. The mountain setting, the local crowd mixing with visitors, the smell of slow-roasted pork filling the courtyard - it's distinctly Vermont with just enough tropical flair to keep things playful. Runs 4-7 PM, setting up perfectly for the evening's main attraction.
Tower of Power: The Headliner
Since 1970, Tower of Power has been creating music that defies easy categorization - soul, funk, jazz, and rock blended into something entirely their own. The outdoor stage fires up at 6 PM (doors at 5:30), and here's what veteran concertgoers know: arrive early to claim your spot, because when Tower of Power hits their groove, the entire courtyard becomes one massive dance floor. Get tickets here.
Father's Day Proper
Sunday scales back the intensity but maintains the magic. The climbing wall returns (10 AM-4:30 PM), Mountain Top Yoga offers another session (11 AM-12:30 PM), and the village shops extend their Father's Day specials through the weekend.
Shopping Strategy
The retail deals deserve attention: The Dashing Bear offers 30-60% off select merchandise, plus new Goldbergh Luxury Sports pieces. Stratton Sports goes up to 50% off, while the bike shop hits 40-60% off select gear. New arrivals from Kuhl, Howler Brothers, and Prana mean you're not just shopping sale items - you're discovering what's next.
The Long Weekend Package
Stratton's offering something smart: book Friday and Saturday nights, get Thursday or Sunday free. This transforms a Father's Day weekend into a proper mountain retreat without breaking the budget.
Dining Rhythms
Benedicts handles breakfast duty (earlier hours on weekends), while the Green Apron covers lunch and dinner. Both locations understand mountain timing - hearty portions, efficient service, and menus designed for active days.
What really sets this apart is Stratton's position in the larger Manchester Vermont summer experience. You're 20 minutes from Manchester's designer outlets, historic inns, and restaurant scene. This weekend works as a mountain retreat or as the active component of a broader southern Vermont exploration.
Father's Day weekend at Stratton isn't just about the events - though Tower of Power alone makes it worth the trip. It's about that specific combination of mountain adventure and family time that only happens when everything aligns perfectly. The gondola rides, the yoga sessions, the pig roast conversations, the concert under the stars - these moments stack up into something larger than their individual parts.
Reserve your spot now, because some weekends are too good to leave to chance.
This outdoor adventure guide is brought to you in partnership with the Manchester Business Association, connecting you with the businesses and experiences that make Manchester, Vermont a premier outdoor destination.
Picture this: You're standing at the base of Mount Equinox at 6 AM, morning mist rolling through the valleys while you lace up your hiking boots. The Green Mountains stretch endlessly before you, and you've got an entire day of adventure ahead. This is Manchester, Vermont - where the mountains aren't just a backdrop, they're your playground.
Manchester has quietly become the ultimate base camp for outdoor enthusiasts, and it's not hard to see why. Nestled between the Green Mountains and the Taconic Range, this charming Vermont town has mastered the art of balancing accessibility with authentic mountain adventure. Manchester gets outdoor adventure right, combining serious mountain terrain with the kind of thoughtful amenities that keep you coming back for years.
Below you’ll find our curated collection of summer outdoor adventures - from dawn-patrol hikes to adrenaline-pumping mountain bike descents, world-class fly fishing to unique mountain experiences you won't find anywhere else. We'll guide you through the best trails, the most thrilling adventure parks, championship golf courses, and the summer festivals that make Manchester Vermont a premier summer outdoor destination.
The Big Mountain Experiences
Mount Equinox towers over Manchester like a gentle giant, and the Blue Summit Trail delivers exactly what you'd hope for - sweeping 360-degree views that make the climb worth every step. The Equinox Preserve spreads across 11 miles of well-maintained trails, from the easy pond loop that's perfect for morning coffee walks to challenging summit climbs that'll test your legs. What really sets this apart is how the trails connect to the Southern Vermont Arts Center, where you can literally walk from mountain views to world-class sculpture gardens and galleries.
The Lye Brook Falls trail might just be Vermont's best-kept hiking secret. At 125 feet, it's one of the state's highest waterfalls, and the approach through the Lye Brook Wilderness feels wonderfully remote despite being only minutes from downtown Manchester. You'll follow old logging roads through dense forest - bring a headlamp if you're chasing those sunset views.
Don't miss Hildene Lincoln Family Home, where 12 miles of trails wind through the historic grounds of Robert Todd Lincoln's summer estate. The combination of history and hiking here is unmatched - you'll walk the same paths where presidential conversations once took place.
For serious hikers, the Appalachian Trail/Long Trail section to Bromley Mountain offers that classic Vermont ridge experience. The steady climb through dense forest opens up to exposed ridge walks where you can see for miles across the Green Mountain spine - it's the kind of hike that reminds you why Vermont's Long Trail is legendary among serious backpackers.
Adrenaline on Two Wheels
Come summer, Stratton Mountain Bike Park transforms from ski mountain into a full-suspension playground. The downhill trails range from flowy beginner runs to technical challenges that'll have you questioning your life choices (in the best way). What we love about Stratton is how they've designed trails that actually flow - you're not just surviving the descent, you're dancing down it.
The Northshire Area Trail System offers a completely different vibe with the Raptor Lane Trails providing technical singletrack through dense forest. For something more relaxed, the Manchester Rail Trail and Marble Rail Trail follow historic routes with gentle grades and scenic water crossings.
The Equinox Preserve welcomes mountain bikers on most of its 11-mile trail network - just avoid the single-track sections marked for hikers only. The pond loop makes for a perfect warm-up ride with your coffee.
Water Ways and Summer Escapes
Here's what puts Manchester on the map for water enthusiasts: the Battenkill River. This isn't just any fishing spot - it's where Orvis cut its teeth, where fly fishing legends were born. The river offers world-class trout fishing, but it's equally magical for kayaking and canoeing. The gentle current and crystal-clear water make it perfect for beginners, while experienced paddlers appreciate the technical sections downstream.
Vermont River Runners can set you up with everything from guided trips to solo adventures, and they know every swimming hole and secret eddy along the way.
When you need to cool off, Emerald Lake lives up to its name with that distinctive emerald tint that photographs beautifully but feels even better when you're floating in it. The Dorset Marble Quarry offers a completely different swimming experience - deep, cold mountain water surrounded by dramatic marble walls.
Adventure Parks and Unique Experiences
Bromley Mountain Adventure Park proves that ski mountains really know how to have fun year-round. The triple-track Alpine Slide is legendary and a can’t-miss. The Giant Swing launches you four stories high over the valley, while the waterslide provides instant relief from summer heat. The treetop adventure course challenges your balance and nerve while keeping you suspended in the forest canopy. These folks have it all!
The Land Rover Experience at Equinox offers something you won't find anywhere else in Vermont. Professional instructors teach you expedition-style driving through terrain that would make a mountain goat nervous. You'll master steep ascents, side-tilts, and rock crawls while exploring parts of the Green Mountains most people never see.
Dana Thompson Memorial Park might just be the most stunning rec center we’ve ever seen. The six-lane swimming pool and diving board anchor a facility that includes walking paths, skateboard park, pickleball courts, basketball, soccer fields, and playgrounds. It's where locals gather and visitors quickly feel at home. And those views are just unreal.
Swing Into Paradise
Equinox Golf Resort & Spa features the Walter Travis course redesigned by Rees Jones, where every hole offers mountain vistas that'll try to distract you from your swing. The course design takes full advantage of the natural terrain, creating challenges that feel integrated with the landscape rather than imposed upon it.
Stratton Mountain Golf Course spreads across 27 holes of championship terrain. The elevation changes and mountain views make this more than just golf - it's an alpine experience that happens to involve clubs and balls, in the best possible way.
The 18-hole disc golf course at Hunter Park winds through 25 acres of Green Mountain terrain. Whether you're a seasoned disc golfer or curious beginner, the course design offers something for every skill level while showcasing Manchester's natural beauty.
Summer Festival Season
The Manchester Music Festival (July 10-August 7, 2025) celebrates its 51st season at the Southern Vermont Arts Center, where classical music performances unfold against a backdrop of mountain vistas and sculpture gardens. There's something magical about Beethoven with a Green Mountain sunset.
The Vermont Summer Festival runs June through August, transforming the area into an equestrian wonderland with USEF-rated competition that draws riders from across the country.
For a completely different musical experience, the Dead of Summer Music Festival (July 11-13, 2025) takes over Hunter Park with three days of live music, camping, and that Vermont festival vibe that keeps people coming back year after year. The Green Mountain Bluegrass & Roots Festival brings together multiple generations of musicians and music lovers in an authentic mountain setting.
Gear Up for Adventure
The Mountain Goat stocks everything serious outdoor enthusiasts need, from Patagonia and Smartwool to Salomon and Chaco. The staff actually uses the gear they sell, so their recommendations come from experience, not sales quotas.
Orvis isn't just a store - it's where American fly fishing was born. Whether you're a complete beginner or looking to refine your technique, their instructors offer lessons that'll have you reading water like a local. The flagship store experience feels part museum, part outfitter, all Vermont.
Battenkill Bicycles keeps the local cycling community rolling with rentals, repairs, and route recommendations that locals actually use. They know which trails are running best each week and can point you toward hidden gems.
How to Make the Most of Your Mountain Life
Start early - really early. Manchester's best outdoor experiences happen when the morning mist is still rising and you've got trails to yourself. Pack layers even in summer; mountain weather changes fast, and you'll appreciate that extra fleece when you reach the summit.
Connect your activities. Hike Mount Equinox in the morning, cool off at Emerald Lake in the afternoon, then catch evening music at the Southern Vermont Arts Center. Manchester's compact size makes it easy to fit multiple adventures into a single day.
Ask locals for beta. Manchester's outdoor community is genuinely welcoming, and locals love sharing their favorite spots with people who appreciate them. Strike up conversations at The Mountain Goat or Battenkill Bicycles - you'll leave with intel you won't find in any guidebook.
The Bottom Line
Manchester works as an outdoor base camp because it offers serious mountain experiences without the pretense. You can challenge yourself on technical mountain bike trails in the morning, learn fly fishing techniques perfected over generations in the afternoon, and end your day with world-class music in a sculpture garden overlooking the mountains you just explored.
This is mountain life done right - where adventure and culture intersect, where every trail has history, and where the mountains aren't just something to look at, they're something to live.
This outdoor adventure guide is brought to you in partnership with the Manchester Business Association, connecting you with the businesses and experiences that make Manchester Vermont's premier outdoor destination.
Nestled along the pristine shores of Lake Saint Catherine in Poultney, Vermont, this charming lakefront cottage offers the quintessential Vermont lake experience. Just steps from your door, the crystal-clear waters of one of Vermont's most beloved lakes are waiting for you - with mountain views creating a picture-perfect backdrop. This serene location strikes the perfect balance - peaceful enough to hear the morning calls of loons echoing across the water, yet conveniently located near the amenities of Western Vermont and the New York border.
This thoughtfully designed lake cottage comfortably accommodates up to six guests, making it ideal for families or small groups seeking a waterfront getaway. The primary bedroom features a king-sized bed with large nightstands and double closets, perfect for longer stays. The second bedroom offers two built-in twin beds and a built-in desk - the ideal setup to maximize space and functionality. For additional sleeping space, a built-in hallway bunk adds that nostalgic summer camp feel that kids (and the young at heart) will love. With two freshly renovated bathrooms, morning routines remain stress-free even when the cottage is at full capacity.
The cathedral ceiling in the main living area immediately draws your eye upward before the stunning lake views capture your full attention through the abundant windows. This light-filled space creates an instant connection to the outdoors with wood floors that add warmth and character. But what truly distinguishes this lakefront gem is its private dock extending into Lake Saint Catherine - your personal gateway to swimming, fishing, and boating adventures.
The thoughtful indoor-outdoor flow makes summer living effortless, with two separate decks furnished with comfortable lounge chairs perfect for afternoon naps or morning coffee. The lakeside patio features a fire pit and outdoor dining setup, creating the ideal spot for evening s'mores and stargazing. As previous guests have enthusiastically noted in their numerous 5-star reviews, the sunset views over the water are absolutely breathtaking.
This lake house comes fully equipped with all the conveniences that make vacation life easy. The kitchen has everything needed to prepare fresh summer meals, whether you're cooking the day's catch or creating a lakeside feast. When you need a break from the sun, entertainment options abound with a 55-inch HDTV, cable, Apple TV, and a solid collection of board games, puzzles, and books.
For those who need to mix some work with their lake play, a dedicated workspace with reliable WiFi ensures you can stay connected. Though there's air conditioning available through a split ductless system, most guests prefer to throw open the windows and let the natural lake breezes flow through. The hosts have thought of everything - even stocking extra throw blankets for curling up with a good book in the rocking chair during cooler evenings.
The outdoor spaces truly shine at this lakefront property. The direct lake access via your private dock is the centerpiece of the experience - perfect for morning fishing, afternoon swimming sessions, or just sitting with your feet dangling in the cool water as the sun sets. The two kayaks provided by the hosts invite exploration of Lake Saint Catherine's scenic shoreline and quiet coves.
For the playfully competitive, the yard is equipped with cornhole, lawn dice, spike ball, and tiki toss games. The adventurous can swim out to the big yellow raft anchored offshore for sunbathing with panoramic views. If bird-watching is your jam, this cottage delivers with resident eagles soaring overhead and loons calling across the water throughout the day. As evening falls, the fire pit beckons for gatherings under the stars.
While you might be tempted to never leave the lakefront property, the surrounding area offers abundant activities for all interests. Golf enthusiasts will appreciate the 18-hole course just around the corner. Hikers can explore nearby trails that wind through Vermont's lush summer landscape, including sections of the beloved Long Trail just a few minutes away.
Lake Saint Catherine State Park, a short drive away, offers additional swimming beaches, picnic areas, and boat rentals. For a change of scenery, head to nearby Lake Bomoseen for paddleboarding or visit the historic marble quarries in Proctor. On rainy days, the shops and restaurants of Rutland are less than 30 minutes away.
For a truly unique Vermont experience that you won't find elsewhere, check out the summer rodeos at Pond Hill Ranch. Every Saturday night from July through Labor Day weekend, this authentic Western-style rodeo brings bull riding, barrel racing, and bronc riding to the Green Mountains—a surprising and thrilling contrast to Vermont's usual pastoral scenes. Kids especially love the calf scramble and meeting the cowboys after the show.
Summer visitors can time their stay to coincide with local farmers' markets where you can stock up on fresh Vermont produce, artisanal cheeses, and homemade baked goods for lakeside picnics.
The Cluckin Cafe at Cones Point Country Store is a true Lake Saint Catherine gem, serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner just minutes from your cottage. After your meal, challenge the family to a round of miniature golf or treat everyone to their delicious homemade ice cream while browsing local gifts.
Toads Burger Bar in Poultney delivers comfort food perfection with their signature smash burgers, hand-cut fries, and indulgent milkshakes. Their kid-friendly space and TVs showing live sports make it an easy win for the whole family after a day on the lake.
Lake House Pub & Grille offers spectacular views alongside their menu of fresh seafood and Vermont specialties. Try their famous tacos and listen to live music while watching boats cruise across Lake Bomoseen—a perfect evening outing when you're ready to explore beyond Lake Saint Catherine.
Wine enthusiasts shouldn't miss Whaleback Vineyard, where you can sample distinctive cold-climate wines with scenic views of the surrounding countryside. Their outdoor tasting area is the perfect spot to unwind and discover Vermont's emerging wine scene.
The cottage is approximately 4 hours from New York City, 3.5 hours from Boston, and 2 hours from Albany. The scenic drive takes you through picturesque New England towns and rolling countryside that sets the tone perfectly for your Vermont lake vacation.
For those seeking a more scenic approach, historic Route 30 follows the western edge of Vermont through charming villages with mountain views at every turn.
Summer rates for this highly-rated lakefront cottage (4.88/5 stars from 42 reviews!) start from $275/night, with weekly rates available for extended stays. Peak summer months (July-August) and holiday weekends typically require a minimum 3-night stay.
Book directly through Vermont.com to secure your lake escape. With its perfect waterfront location and consistent 5-star reviews, summer weekends book quickly, so early reservations are strongly recommended.
Set your alarm for at least one sunrise during your stay. The early morning light on Lake Saint Catherine is magical, and watching the mist rise off the water while listening to the loons call is an authentic Vermont experience you won't soon forget.
Welcome to the kind of Vermont property you don’t just stumble upon — you seek it out. 860 True North Way is more than an address; it’s a portal into your wildest dreams of freedom, self-reliance, and deep-woods peace. Spread across 1,405 contiguous acres of pristine wilderness in Jay, Vermont, this rare retreat is equal parts adventure basecamp, conservation haven, and off-grid sanctuary. Whether you're craving complete solitude, looking to build a legacy property, or chasing the back-to-the-land lifestyle (with a few modern luxuries), this one brings the heat — and then some.
Let’s start with the heart of it all: a beautifully renovated off-grid chalet, set on 976 acres of land protected by a land trust easement. This isn’t your average rustic camp. The chalet comes fully loaded with solar power, battery backup, and an auto-fired generator — all the gear you need to live comfortably without ever flipping on a power company switch.
Inside, things are warm, open, and welcoming. The main floor features a bedroom and bathroom, plus an open-concept kitchen, living, and dining space under cathedral ceilings. Oversized windows and a classic Vermont woodstove deliver the perfect mix of rugged charm and cozy comfort, with mountain views that absolutely steal the show. French doors lead to a wide, sun-soaked deck — ideal for that first mug of coffee, a sunset IPA, or a front-row seat to the Northern Kingdom’s nightly sky show.
There’s also a loft upstairs and a full walk-out basement below, unfinished but brimming with potential — gear room, bunkhouse, creative studio, second living space? You decide.
We’re not exaggerating when we say this property is massive. The land stretches from ridgeline to riverbank and includes two additional tracts to the west — 274 and 155 acres — that bring even more value (and adventure). The western parcels aren’t just wild; they’re working, too. A leased sugaring operation with 7,000+ taps brings in $25K/year. And that’s not the only revenue stream — the entire property is enrolled in the Cold Hollow Carbon Credit Program and Vermont’s Current Use program, keeping your taxes light and income flowing.
The terrain? It’s a dream for anyone who’s ever owned a pair of snowshoes, strapped on a backpack, or waxed a pair of skis. Miles of private trails weave through hardwood forests and rolling meadows. There’s a spring-fed trout pond for quiet mornings with a fly rod. Wildlife abounds. And best of all, the property borders thousands of acres of conserved land, giving you a direct line to even more skiing, hiking, hunting, and off-road exploring. It’s like having your own state park — but better.
Though you’ll feel a world away, you’re just down the road from Jay Peak Resort, where winter warriors and summer seekers alike come to ski, ride, golf, and splash. You’re also minutes from the Canadian border — this property includes more than two miles of frontage along the international line — making it a true north-country gem with easy access to Quebec’s charm.
And while you’re off-grid, you’re not off-map. Nearby villages like Montgomery and Troy offer low-key community vibes, while the resort scene at Jay keeps things lively when you want a little après action.
What’s special about 860 True North Way is that it’s not just one thing. It could be your full-time home, a family compound, a retreat center, a conservation-minded investment, or the off-grid outpost you’ve always dreamed about. It already has the infrastructure, the income, and the epic setting. All it needs is someone ready to write the next chapter.
So whether you’re drawn by the call of the wild, the promise of privacy, or the idea of creating a multi-generational legacy in the heart of Vermont — this is your moment.
HEED THE CALL.
Contact Nicholas Maclure of Century 21 Farm & Forest to schedule a private showing: (802) 673-8876 and be sure to mention Vermont.com.
December 12, 13, 14, and 15, 2024 in Warren, Newport, Grafton, and Manchester, Vermont
Burlington, VT – December 2, 2024 – The Vermont Symphony Orchestra presents its beloved Brass Quintet concerts in collaboration with Counterpoint, a Montpelier-based choral chamber music ensemble. The family-friendly program will combine festive brass and vocal music for all ages to enjoy and celebrate the holiday season.
“The Brass Quintet and Counterpoint concerts are one of VSO’s favorite holiday traditions,” said Elise Brunelle, Executive Director of the Vermont Symphony Orchestra. “We look forward to bringing this year’s program to communities across Vermont to spread holiday cheer and enjoy festive music together.”
Nathaniel J. Lew will conduct the concerts, which will feature VSO musicians Shelagh Abate, horn; Mark Emery, trumpet; Ryan Noe, trumpet; Matthew Wright, trombone; and Zachary Grass, tuba.
The program features a mix of sacred and secular holiday tunes—carols such as Hark the Herald Angels Sing, The Twelve Days of Christmas, and O Holy Night; and an international flavor with Greek, Catalan, and Mexican music. The VSO Brass Quintet will also perform the world premiere of a piece entitled “The Great Ice Field” by Music-COMP student Harrison Brown, a Stowe High School senior.
VSO’s premieres of works by Music-COMP students stretches back more than ten years, and fulfills a mission to showcase the variety and depth of music created by young Vermonters. “My inspiration for composing ‘The Great Ice Field’ was a sub-genre of heavy metal music as well as a frozen lake scene in Elden Ring, one of my favorite video games,” said Harrison Brown. “As a Music-COMP student, I have always wanted to write a piece for the VSO and I am so happy I finally got the opportunity.”
Performance Details:
The December 12 performance in Warren is dedicated to the memory of Virginia Roth, a passionate music lover and supporter of the holiday concerts in Warren, Vermont, for many years.
Information and tickets for these concerts can be found at vso.org.
About the Vermont Symphony Orchestra:
Celebrating its 90th anniversary with the 2024/25 season, the Vermont Symphony Orchestra is a cultural cornerstone in the region, enriching communities and the lives of Vermonters statewide. With a commitment to artistic excellence, innovative programming, and community engagement, the VSO has established itself as one of the country’s premier state orchestras. For more information about the Vermont Symphony Orchestra and to purchase tickets for this concert series, please visit VSO.org.
Stratton Mountain Resort is turning it up this season - $20 million up, to be exact. With fresh snowmaking upgrades, cutting-edge equipment, lift modernizations, and even enhanced employee housing, Stratton is rolling into winter with a serious glow-up. Whether you’re here for the powder or just to snag a waffle from the cabin that’s finally back (yes, that Waffle Cabin), this winter is shaping up to be one for the books.
You know those perfectly groomed trails that make your runs feel like a dream? Stratton just raised the bar. They’ve added 160 new HKD KLIK hydrants to popular trails like Frank’s Fall Line, Mike’s Way, and Old Log Road. Plus, 25 state-of-the-art snow guns are taking up residence on Mike’s Way, ensuring top-tier conditions all season long.
If snowmaking’s a science, Stratton’s got a PhD this year. Add in a Prinoth Bison X snowcat for precision grooming, and it’s clear this mountain isn’t messing around.
Beyond the snowmaking upgrades, Stratton’s investments touch every corner of the resort:
Stratton knows how to bring the fun. From New Year’s Eve fireworks to the HOMESICK snowboard fest and the legendary Annual Pond Skim, this mountain knows how to party.
Don’t miss these family-friendly classics:
Nothing caps a day on the slopes like good food and great vibes, and Stratton’s got both in spades:
Stratton may not want to give away all its secrets, but here’s a taste:
Stratton’s reputation as a family-oriented mountain is well-earned, with activities and vibes that welcome everyone from tiny shredders to seasoned pros. And they’re doing their part to keep Vermont green:
With its vibrant base village full of shops, dining, and year-round activities, Stratton is more than a mountain - it’s a destination. From the thrill of the slopes to the community's charm, this is winter in Vermont at its finest.
Whether you’re here for the runs, the waffles, or the après, Stratton Mountain Resort has everything you need to make this winter unforgettable. See you out on the mountain!
Alright, winter warriors, it’s that time of year again! Whether you’re a seasoned shredder or just starting out, Vermont’s mountains are gearing up for another epic season. We’ve got the inside scoop on when your favorite resorts are opening, along with all the passes, deals, and perks you need to make the most of this winter. From family-friendly slopes to beastly runs for the adrenaline junkies, there's something here for everyone. So, grab a hot chocolate, bundle up, and let’s dive into the projected opening dates and passes for the 2024/25 ski season in Vermont. First up: the iconic Stratton Mountain Resort and family-favorite Smugglers' Notch Resort!
Why we love it: Stratton just keeps getting better, especially for families and beginners. They’ve expanded their Learning Zone with three new state-of-the-art covered surface lifts. The beginner areas have been regraded, helping those learning to advance quicker. If you're looking to take a ski or snowboard lesson this winter, Stratton is the place to do it!
Why we love it: Smuggs is known as "America's Family Resort," and trust us, they’ve earned that title! From their legendary Family Fun Guarantee to the Fun Zone 2.0 (a one-of-a-kind indoor playground for kids and adults, featuring everything from a bouncy house to laser tag, climbing walls, and an arcade - whew!) this is where memories are made!
Why we love it: They don’t call it “The Beast of the East” for nothing! Killington is the king of the long season, sometimes staying open until May! If you’re ready for endless powder days, this is your spot.
Why we love it: Known for some of the best grooming and snow-making in Vermont, as well as a top-tier ski and ride program, Okemo is consistently a family favorite. Perfect corduroy and family fun? Check!
Why we love it: Known as the “Ski Capital of the East,” Stowe doesn’t just deliver on skiing—it’s also home to one of the best ski towns in America. Shopping, dining, entertainment—Stowe has it all. Perfect for when you want to hit the slopes and then unwind in style.
Why we love it: Bolton Valley is a hidden gem and the only Vermont resort with night skiing! So if you’re not ready to call it quits when the sun goes down, this is the place for you.
Why we love it: As Vermont’s "Sun Mountain," Bromley gets sunlight all day long. You’ll be toasty warm even on the coldest days, making this a great choice for families.
Why we love it: The “Jay Cloud” isn’t just a myth—it’s a snow-making machine! This mountain gets dumped on more than any other resort in Vermont. Also, don’t miss their epic indoor waterpark, a perfect après-ski adventure for the whole family.
Why we love it: Mount Snow is home to Carinthia, the East Coast’s largest terrain park. If you’re into tricks, rails, and jumps, this is your playground.
Why we love it: Sugarbush has everything—challenging terrain, stunning views, and an authentically Vermont experience. While many come for the snow, the Mad River Valley community is a treasure trove of local farms, artisan cheese, and craft breweries like Lawson’s Finest Liquids. Come for the skiing, stay for the culture.
Why we love it: Burke Mountain is beloved for its laid-back vibe and is home to the world-renowned Burke Mountain Academy, which has produced many Olympic ski racers. Venture up to the Northeast Kingdom to experience the excellence!
Why we love it: Famous for its motto "Ski it if you can," Mad River Glen is one of the last ski resorts in the U.S. to ban snowboarding, but we recognize it more for its epic terrain, jaw-dropping vistas, and of course, the legendary single chair!
Why we love it: Pico is smaller than its neighboring Killington but offers a more relaxed, less crowded atmosphere that locals and families love. Don’t sleep on this Green Mountain gem!
Why we love it: Offering a throwback to the early days of skiing with its small-town charm and history, Saskadena Six is everything we love about Vermont skiing. Be sure to visit nearby Woodstock for picture-perfect dining and lodging to go with your powder turns!
Why we love it: Magic Mountain is known for its old-school vibe and has some of the best tree skiing in the state. For a rocking good time, make sure to hit up The Black Line Tavern for some quintessential après ski enjoyment.
Ikon Pass: Love to explore? The Ikon Pass gives you access to over 50 destinations around the globe, including Stratton and Sugarbush in Vermont. With no blackout dates, this pass is ideal for those who like to mix things up. The Ikon Base Pass offers the same perks with a few blackout dates, making it a bit more affordable.
Epic Pass: For those loyal to Vermont’s iconic resorts like Okemo, Stowe, and Mount Snow, the Epic Pass is your golden ticket. It grants unlimited access with no restrictions, plus discounts on rentals, lessons, and lodging. If you’re skiing across multiple mountains or want the flexibility of hopping between resorts, Epic is your go-to. The Epic Day Pass offers even more flexibility for shorter trips!
Welcome to 132 Landgrove Road, a rare and historic treasure nestled in the heart of Vermont’s majestic Green Mountains offered by Brian Gehlich and David Citron of Re/max Four Seasons. This quintessential, full-service country inn spans 9,730 square feet and sits on 23.7 acres of beautifully landscaped property, offering endless possibilities for its next owner. Whether you’re ready to step into the Vermont innkeeper’s dream or reimagine this space as a private estate compound, the Landgrove Inn is your blank canvas for a life well-lived.
Built in 1810, this classic property has been lovingly maintained and updated by its current owner for over 21 years. The Landgrove Inn includes 16 charming rooms and suites, along with private owner’s quarters consisting of three additional rooms. Whether hosting guests or loved ones, every corner of this property speaks to comfort and timeless charm.
The property’s revenue streams are bolstered by the InView Center for the Arts, a purpose-built facility constructed in 2009. With over 1,800 square feet, this building hosts more than 35 groups per year, each staying for up to five nights and enjoying three meals daily. From art retreats to corporate workshops, the Arts Center is a cornerstone of the inn’s success - and a launchpad for even greater potential.
Other key updates include a new generator installed in 2023 and a recently replaced roof on half the inn in 2022. These investments ensure that the inn is ready to welcome its next chapter of guests or serve as the foundation for a private, multi-purpose estate.
Beyond the buildings, the Landgrove Inn’s property is a dream. A sparkling pond, inviting in-ground pool, and newly added pickleball court provide recreational opportunities for guests or family members. The lush grounds are framed by stunning mountain views that shift with the seasons, offering a backdrop of fall foliage, winter snowscapes, and lush summer greenery.
When the outdoors calls, you’re just minutes from some of Vermont’s best ski destinations. Stratton Mountain, Bromley Mountain, and Magic Mountain are all within easy reach, offering world-class skiing, snowboarding, and year-round activities. In summer, nearby lakes and trails provide opportunities for kayaking, hiking, and enjoying the serene Vermont landscape.
While Landgrove itself is a peaceful retreat, nearby towns offer world-class culinary and cultural experiences. Peru is home to the iconic JJ Hapgood General Store, where you can sip a warm coffee, savor delicious local fare, or gather provisions for your next adventure. In Weston, you’ll find The Vermont Country Store, a beloved landmark brimming with all kinds of Vermont goods and nostalgia, and the Weston Playhouse, where Broadway-quality productions take the stage.
A short drive to Manchester opens up even more possibilities, from fine dining and boutique shopping to cultural events and outdoor activities. Whether you’re exploring art galleries or indulging in farm-to-table cuisine, Manchester complements the quiet charm of Landgrove with vibrant energy.
The Landgrove Inn is more than just a property - it’s a lifestyle and an opportunity. Whether you choose to continue its legacy as a beloved country inn or transform it into a private estate, this property offers the space, amenities, and location to bring your vision to life. The solid base business from the InView Center for the Arts and the loyal guest base ensure a seamless transition for aspiring innkeepers, while the sprawling acreage and versatile facilities invite creative reimaginings for private use.
This is your chance to own a piece of Vermont history and make it your own. With a blend of historic charm, modern updates, and unparalleled natural beauty, 132 Landgrove Road is the ultimate escape. Contact Brian Gehlich or David Citron of RE/MAX Four Seasons at 917-538-5913 to schedule your private showing. Whether you’re drawn to the Vermont innkeeper lifestyle or dream of crafting your private retreat, this property is ready to welcome you home to the Green Mountains.
Nestled on the shores of Lake Willoughby, The Grandview cottage offers a unique blend of historic lakefront charm and modern amenities, all for under $360,000. This beautifully upgraded home listed by Nicholas Maclure at Century 21 Farm & Forest presents an exceptional opportunity for those dreaming of serene Vermont lake life without breaking the bank.
Breathtaking Lake Views Imagine waking up to panoramic views of Lake Willoughby from your open kitchen, living, and dining area. The new deck provides the perfect spot for morning coffee or evening relaxation, offering an uninterrupted view of the lake’s pristine waters. With expansive views and the lake just a stone’s throw away, The Grandview promises endless opportunities for fishing, swimming, boating, hiking, and more.
Historic Hints with Modern Comforts Showcasing many of the original details and stylings, The Grandview features exposed wood walls and ceilings that exude a rustic yet cozy vibe. The two-bedroom, one-bathroom cottage has undergone significant upgrades, including new windows, a roof, wiring, kitchen appliances, and a modern bathroom. These enhancements ensure you enjoy the comforts of modern life while preserving the home's authentic character.
Outdoor Enthusiast’s Paradise The Grandview’s prime location in the Northeast Kingdom offers easy access to the North Beach of Lake Willoughby, which features town-maintained parking, and local amenities like basketball courts and direct access to the VAST network of trails. Whether you're into hiking, mountain biking, snowmobiling, or simply exploring the great outdoors, this property places you in the heart of Vermont's natural beauty.
Investment Potential With just under an acre of land, the expansive front yard and wooded backyard provide ample space for future amenities or additions. With its desirable location and modern upgrades, The Grandview is not just a home but an excellent investment opportunity in the Green Mountains.
Experience Vermont Living For those seeking a tranquil retreat with the charm of a bygone era and the conveniences of today, The Grandview is your perfect match. Don’t miss this rare opportunity to own a piece of lakefront paradise for under $360,000.
Ready to make The Grandview your own? Contact Nicholas Maclure at Century 21 Farm & Forest today for a private tour and see firsthand why this property is the epitome of affordable lake life in Vermont.
Catamount Arts and KCP Presents announce British vocal ensemble VOCES8, at St. Johnsbury Academy’s Fuller Hall, on March 4th, at 7pm. Dubbed “the slickest of the lot,” by BBC Radio 3, VOCES8 performs a capella arrangements ranging from the Renaissance era to modern cinema, captivating audiences around the world.
Versatility, crystalline harmonies, and the shared joy of singing are hallmarks of VOCES8’s renowned performances. A celebration of diverse musical expression is central to the ensemble’s transformative entertainment and education ethos. VOCES8 performs music from film, pop, classical, and Celtic traditions, transporting audiences through a vast musical landscape of the British Isles and beyond.
Since their inception in 2005, VOCES8 has performed at prestigious venues including Wigmore Hall, Elhphilharmonie Hamburg, Cite de la Musique in Paris, Vienna Kozerthaus, Tokyo Opera City, NCPA Beijing, Sydney Opera House, Victoria Concert Hall Singapore, Palacio de Bellas Artes in Mexico City, and countless others. New projects with Eric Whitacre, Paul Simon, and Taylor Scott Davis are currently in the works.
VOCES8’s current U.S. tour is the subject of a new documentary series titled, “Backstage Pass.” Filmed in New York, Philadelphia, Washington and New Jersey, “Backstage Pass” captures the heart of VOCES8 and their mission to change the world through music. The pilot episode is currently available on YouTube.
VOCES8 is dedicated not only to performance but to music education. The VOCES8 Foundation, a registered charity praised by UNESCO and responsible for investing over $1M in music education in the UK alone, offers educational programs, choral scholarships, summer school, and a music education center in London. One of the only vocal ensembles in the world to run its own center for music outreach and education, VOCES8 runs workshops, master classes, concerts, and recording sessions in London’s VOCES8 Centre.
Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom is home to hundreds of choral music students, both children and adults alike, including St. Johnsbury Academy’s Hill-Tones, the Halcyon Chorale, Newark’s beloved Balkan Chorus, as well as bands and ensembles such as Kingdom All Stars and EPIC Music. VOCES8’s St. Johnsbury performance promises a rare and inspiring opportunity for aspiring singers to see one the world’s most renowned chorale groups, creators and practitioners of the VOCES8 Method, up close and personal. Those who can’t wait are encouraged to visit VOCES8’s YouTube page to watch clips of the ensemble performing selections ranging from Lord of the Rings to Metallica to Handel.
“The singing of VOCES8,” raves Gramophone, “is impeccable in its quality of tone and balance. They bring a new dimension to the word ‘ensemble’ with meticulous timing and tuning.”
For tickets to see VOCES8, at St. Johnsbury Academy’s Fuller Hall, March 4th, at 7pm, or to learn more about upcoming KCP Presents shows, visit www.kcppresents.org or www.catamountarts.org. Alternatively, call 802-748-2600 or visit the Catamount Arts pop-up box office in the Caplan’s Building on Railroad Street, in St. Johnsbury.
The KCP Presents Series is produced by Catamount Arts working in association with Kingdom County Productions and supported by generous local sponsors including Passumpsic Bank, St. Johnsbury Academy, Vermont Broadcast Associates, Vermont Public, Seven Days, The Point, The Autosaver Group, and with grant funding from the National Endowment for the Arts, Vermont Arts Council, and the New England Foundation for the Arts.
The thrill of skiing in Vermont becomes even more exhilarating when you have the right equipment under your feet. Thankfully, that's where Equipe Sport steps in, a haven for outdoor enthusiasts since 1989. Nestled in the heart of southern Vermont, Equipe Sport is not just a store; it's your gateway to the ultimate outdoor adventure. Whether you're skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, or setting out on a cross-country skiing adventure, their mission is simple: to set you up with the best gear and knowledge for an unforgettable experience.
From its humble beginnings at the junction of Route 30 and Route 100 (just minutes from Stratton, Bromley, and Magic ski mountains) Equipe Sport has grown into a cherished institution among the Southern Vermont outdoor community. With four strategic locations, including their flagship store (Rawsonville), Stratton Village, Mtn. Riders (also Rawsonville), and Mount Snow, they've cemented their reputation as southern Vermont's premier outdoor gear provider. Each store, staffed by passionate outdoor enthusiasts, offers a personalized service that's as unique as your outdoor adventures.
Equipe Sport's ski rental process and services are designed with you in mind. Offering a wide range of equipment for adults and youths, including skis, snowboards, cross-country gear, and snowshoes - there's something for every skill level and preference. Whether you’re an advanced/experienced rider or a complete novice excited for your first time on the hill - Equipe Sport has the right equipment to make your outing a success.
Plus, their convenient online booking system ensures your gear is ready when you are, allowing for a hassle-free start to your adventure.
Thinking of turning those demos into a permanent addition to your ski quiver? Great! Equipe’s Demo as Rental program is just what you’re looking for, offering skiers a chance to test the latest models from top brands like Volkl, Blizzard, Kastle and more. With a straightforward rate and the ability to apply two days of rental towards a purchase, it's an unbeatable opportunity to find your perfect match on the slopes.
Each of the four Equipe Sport locations (plus Mountain Riders) offers a unique blend of services and expertise, ensuring no matter where you are in southern Vermont, high-quality rental and demo experiences are within reach. The convenience of their locations underscores their commitment to making the most out of your skiing and riding adventures. After all the quicker you get the right gear, the faster you can be out ripping turns!
What truly sets Equipe Sport apart is their team of outdoor experts. With nearly 35 years of experience, their staff excels in matching clients with the right equipment, thanks to their deep knowledge of the latest technology and a genuine passion for outdoor sports. From advanced boot-fitting processes to in-depth equipment guidance, they ensure your gear enhances your performance and enjoyment on the slopes.
Booking your rentals or demo gear is easy and straightforward, with options to reserve online and pick up your equipment at the most convenient location. Their flexible system, including early pickup and drop-off, exemplifies their customer-first approach, ensuring your skiing adventure starts on the right foot.
Blending top-notch equipment, unparalleled expertise, and a commitment to customer satisfaction, the folks at Equipe have your best interests in mind. Whether you're hitting the slopes for the first time or seeking to bring your skiing adventure to the next level, Equipe Sport is your one-stop shop, ensuring every turn is a winner.
Ready to Elevate Your Ski Experience? Head over to Equipe Sport's website now to book your ski rentals or demo equipment. Whether you're carving down the slopes of Stratton or exploring the trails of Mount Snow, the perfect gear awaits you. Reserve today and discover why Equipe Sport is Southern Vermont's premier destination for skiers and riders seeking the best in equipment, expertise, and service.
How do I choose the right ski equipment rental package?
Your choice should be based on your skill level, terrain preferences, and personal comfort. Equipe Sport's expert staff can guide you through selecting the perfect package for your needs.
Can I book my ski rentals and demo programs online?
Yes, Equipe Sport offers an easy online booking system for all their rental and demo services, ensuring your gear is ready for pickup at your convenience.
What makes Equipe Sport different from other ski rental providers?
Their nearly 35 years of experience, personalized customer service, and commitment to quality set them apart. Their knowledgeable staff and state-of-the-art equipment ensure a superior skiing experience.
Are there options for skiers at all levels in the demo programs?
Absolutely. Equipe Sport's demo programs cater to skiers of all skill levels, offering a wide range of high-quality equipment to test on the slopes.
How can I make the most out of my ski trip with Equipe Sport's services?
Take advantage of their expert advice, consider demoing equipment before buying, and don't hesitate to ask for adjustments or recommendations during your trip to enhance your skiing experience.
What are the benefits of trying equipment through a demo program before purchasing?
Demoing allows you to test various models under real conditions, ensuring your investment in equipment truly suits your style and preferences, which ultimately enhances your time out on the slopes.
Catamount Arts and First Night North 2024 invite revelers near and far to come to St. Johnsbury for the 31st year of Vermont’s favorite and longest-running New Year’s Eve performance festival. Featuring about 175 performers in nearly 70 shows in venues throughout St. Johnsbury, First Night North guarantees a full nine hours of fun for the whole family. The eagerly anticipated festivities, presented by Catamount Arts in partnership with the First Night North committee and countless community supporters, will take place Sunday, December 31st, from 3pm to midnight.
The fun begins an hour earlier than usual with early bird entertainment for all ages, especially those whose bedtime falls well before midnight. Celebrants with enough stamina for the full nine hours of live entertainment will have 70 shows to choose from, including storytellers, dance, magic, circus, comedy, juggling, and music, culminating in a community countdown, the raising of the First Night North Ball of Lights, and a midnight dance party to welcome the New Year.
Musical acts include a wide range of soloists, duets, choirs, and bands offering nearly every imaginable genre: bluegrass, folk, jazz, Celtic, blues, R&B, contemporary and classic rock, polyphonic, country, Latin, and swing, not to mention riveting performances on harp, organ, didgeridoo, and more.
Tried and true favorites will include Fairbanks Planetarium shows, Bob and Sarah Amos, Tritium Well, Marko the Magician and Hypnotist, and the Family Fun Fair. Two dozen new attractions are slated this year, including karaoke, hosted by Open Stage, and performances by Cirque Us, Halcyon Chorale, and Alyx the Magician.
There will be plenty to eat throughout the festival, both indoors and out, as food trucks, community centers, and venues up and down Main Street prepare a variety of tasty vittles ranging from full dinners to desserts and snacks as well as First Night’s traditional and beloved pancake supper.
Patrons are encouraged as always to sample a variety of entertainment, and shuttle service will include RCT electric buses running continuous 15-minute loops among performance venues. Buses can be flagged down anywhere along the route.
Since 1993, First Night North (formerly First Night St. Johnsbury) has been a family-friendly, substance-free festival aiming to redefine New Year’s Eve as a community-wide holiday, gathering friends, families, neighbors, visitors, long-time First Night revelers and first-timers alike to celebrate the New Year in a season typically characterized by short days, cold temps, and long, dark nights. First Night North unites community through shared cultural celebration, deepens appreciation and access to visual and performing arts, and encourages people of all ages to come out, despite the dark and cold, and share a magical evening of joy and spectacle with loved ones and new friends.
For many, both in and outside the Northeast Kingdom, First Night North is a cherished family tradition, drawing generations together year after year. Indeed, for many local families, an entire generation has been raised coming to First Night, and are now bringing their own children to the event. First Night North families know the special magic that comes with spending the first moments of every New Year among community.
First Night North is very much a community function, relying not only on regional performers, businesses, organizations, and vendors, but on a large and dedicated team of volunteers. Volunteers get free First Night admission in exchange for one two-hour shift.
For more information about First Night North 2024, including the complete schedule of performers and how to purchase admission or become a volunteer, visit www.firstnightnorth.org, call 802-748-2600, or visit Catamount Arts at their pop-up box office in the Caplan’s Building on Railroad Street. Buy admission buttons before Christmas to take advantage of early bird pricing.
Please be reminded that Catamount Arts’ Eastern Avenue building will remain closed through First Night, but buttons will be on sale that day at the info booth on Main and Eastern, St. Johnsbury School, and Catamount’s pop-up box office in the Caplan’s Building on Railroad Street.
Fall Foliage in Vermont is more than just a season; it's a full-on experience. A mesmerizing display of vivid oranges, fiery reds, and sunlit yellows stretch as far as the eye can see, painting the canvas of the Green Mountain state. But where does one start to explore this autumnal wonderland? Enter Basin Harbor Resort, your ideal fall foliage basecamp.
Nestled amongst the serene shores of Lake Champlain, it's not just a luxurious lakefront haven but also your gateway to thrilling hikes, mouthwatering culinary delights, and that rejuvenating crisp, autumn air. Dive in to discover a Vermont adventure that promises memories and stories as vibrant as the foliage.
| Day | Highlights |
|---|---|
| Day 1 | Basin Harbor | Button Bay Trail | Snake Mountain |
| Day 2 | Mt. Philo | Shelburne Bay | Burlington OR Camel's Hump |
| Day 3 | Adirondack State Park |
Morning: After a relaxing night’s sleep at your lakefront cottage hideaway, you’ll be rested and ready for an early (yet leisurely) morning hike along the Button Bay trail. Following past the golf course, this 2+ mile excursion will bring you through vibrant forest trails to Button Bay Point where dramatic views of Lake Champlain and the foliage across the lake await. There are many opportunities to extend your morning hike with loops and trails leading throughout Basin Harbor’s stunning 700-acre property.
Once you make your way back to the cottage, it’s time to fuel up for breakfast/brunch at the unbelievable Ardelia’s breakfast buffet. Like everything at Basin Harbor, this buffet is comprised of quality ingredients and perfect presentation. We were particularly partial to the whipped ricotta crepes (with caramelized bananas!) and the chef-carved sea salt & maple candied bacon station. What a way to start the day!
Afternoon: After breakfast, it’s time for the second hike of the day (we have to burn off those crepe calories somehow). Twenty minutes down the road (we suggest taking Jersey Street to really capitalize on those Autumn views) in nearby Addison, VT, you’ll find Snake Mountain. Pay no attention to the name, we’ve yet to spot a snake while hiking here, instead, you’ll find peaceful wooded trails and sweeping summit views. There are several routes to choose from, but we suggest the West Trail to Hotel Overlook.
A four-mile out-and-back hike (~2.5 hours round trip), the trail up is moderately rated with one or two steeper areas, but primarily consisting of gradual and consistent elevation gains. As the name suggests, there was a stunning hotel at the top of the mountain at one point, but a fire in the mid-1920s left just the large foundation behind. This foundation is the perfect spot for a picnic or water break as there are many nooks and crannies to lean against and rest up for the hike back down. The views here are stunning and endless, as you look out onto Lake Champlain, local farmlands, and the Adirondacks below.
Post hike, it's time to hit the charming streets of Vergennes. Head back north (this time taking VT22-A) and you’ll find quaint village shops and delicious eateries around the central town green. Take a breather and dig into the culinary wonders at Vergennes Laundry. Part bakery/part café, with a dash of Montreal flair and French gourmet tradition. We usually like to give a specific recommendation on what to order, but quite honestly everything here is next-level delicious. Just a few doors up, be sure to visit some excellent boutiques, like The Joy Shop and Malabar, where take-home treasures abound.
Evening: When you’re planning on six hikes in three days, it’s important to take your downtime seriously. Luckily Basin Harbor has all your basecamp needs covered. Dinner reservations are waiting for you at Basin Harbor’s Red Mill, a renovated sawmill serving up local comfort foods, cold beers, and excellent cocktails. After dinner, you’ll find movie nights, bonfires, or calming lakefront strolls before hitting the hay for a great night's sleep.
Morning: A leisurely morning awaits, as you either grab a hot coffee and breakfast sandwich from Basin Habror’s Breezeway Cafe or hit up the breakfast buffet for round two (with all the options they have to choose from, there’s no way to have tried them all in just one go!).
After squaring away breakfast, head up Rt. 7 until you get to Mt. Philo State Park in Charlotte, VT. The perfect hike to start your day, Mt. Philo has several routes to the top, but we’ve always been fond of the Summit Trail from the lower parking lot. While steep in spots, the trail is well maintained and there are many great places to stop, rest, and enjoy being out in nature.
Massive boulders, winding trails, and secret turnoffs are all part of what you’ll find on the lower section of this trail, followed by a quick ascent up steep, yet fun, routes to the summit. Expect this 1.7 mile out and back trail to take roughly an hour and fifteen minutes round trip, but we absolutely suggest budgeting additional time to spend at the top. Long views of Lake Champlain, from beyond Basin Harbor to the south and past Burlington to the north, are always worth the extra time to appreciate.
Afternoon: After taking in Mt. Philo, you’ll continue heading north on Mt. Philo Road, which is particularly stunning this time of year. Winding country roads, with excellent views of Vermont Farmland and fall foliage can be found everywhere you look as you make your way to Philo Ridge Farm for an early lunch.
This 400-acre sustainable farm, cafe, and restaurant is one of our absolute favorite stops in the entire state, as their attention to detail and quality is top-notch. Farm-fresh, seasonal ingredients make the sandwiches, salads, and soups absolutely mouth-watering, and with the fall bounty recently harvested, you can rest assured that your lunch will be phenomenal.
Following lunch, drive north along Lake Champlain to the Shelburne Bay Loop at Shelburne Bay Park. Following the shores and rising above in dramatic fashion, you’ll find cliff faces looking towards both Burlington and back to the east, small bridges crossing babbling brooks, and gentle woodland paths. This 2.5-mile loop will take approximately an hour to complete, but if you want to continue the adventure, Shelburne Farms is just two minutes away where miles of additional trails can be found.
After hiking along the lake, it’s time to make your way to Burlington where you’ll find the many eclectic shops of Pine Street. We love stopping into The Soda Plant, a small business market collection featuring more than 40 studios, galleries, shops & services. You’ll also want to make a pit stop for a chocolate tasting at Lake Champlain Chocolates - who can resist?
Evening: As the sun sets, you’ll make your way to either Church Street Marketplace (a pedestrian-only street lined with restaurants, shops, galleries, and more) or to Waterfront Park (a Lake Champlain boardwalk with stunning views), for an evening stroll. After getting some air and seeing the sights, it’s time for dinner, and while there are many excellent options to choose from, we love the timeless classic American Flatbread.
Wood-fired pizzas served around multiple hearths, this warm and welcoming atmosphere is just what the end of day two’s adventure called for. All the pies here are excellent but we always seem to gravitate towards Punctuated Equilibrium (kalamata olives, roasted red peppers, fresh rosemary, red onions, Vermont creamery chevre, mozzarella, grana padano, fresh herbs) and Power to the People (chicken, buffalo sauce, red onions, carrots, blue cheese dressing, mozzarella, grana padano, fresh herbs).
Day 2 Alternative: Hinesburg
Now if you’re in the mood to kick things up a notch and really test your hiking mettle, this slightly more aggressive option is up to the challenge.
Morning-Afternoon: Breakfast this morning is at Three Squares Cafe in downtown Vergennes. As the power you need to conquer the peaks, it's best to eat up. Also, grab one of their sandwiches or burritos to-go as a summit meal refuel.
Afterward, you’ll be heading east to Huntington, VT to find the third-highest mountain in the state, Camel’s Hump. Appropriately named as you'll see, Camel’s Hump is a challenging hike and a ton of fun, so bring extra water. A six-mile out-and-back hike, Camel’s Hump will make your legs burn and your heart pound, but the steep path up is packed with scenic lookouts and unique natural features that bring you above the treeline.
The summit scenery is certainly the payoff as on a clear day, the foliage views that await are nothing short of breathtaking. With 360º panoramas, the mountains and the trees below are filled with vibrant reds, oranges, greens, and yellows that would make any painter proud.
Evening: After your four-and-a-half-hour adventure, you’ve earned some well-deserved R&R back at Basin Harbor. Take in the sunset at your cottage and catch up on some reading, make the most out of their hot tubs and pool, or enjoy a pre-dinner cocktail at the Champlain Lounge.
No matter which route you take, be sure to find your way to Ardelia’s for dinner as Chef Chris Bonniver has prepared an unbelievable Fall Dinner Menu. From 24hr Slow Roasted Bone-In Short Rib (charred sweet onion soubise, porcini mushroom, olive oil marcona almond, hakurei turnip, coca nib, and sorrel) to Kabocha Squash Ravioli (brown butter, crispy sage, confit cranberry, caramelized walnuts, salsify, mascarpone cheese, and fig), and Scuttleship Farm Lamb Shank (white beans, garlic sausage, escarole, roasted peppers, preserved lemon, arugula chimichurri, and Lucques olive vinaigrette) - your dinner will be just as sensational as the views from your hike.
Now we know that this is a Vermont-centric guide, but one of the amazing things about having Basin Harbor as your foliage home-base is their proximity to Adirondack State Park.
Morning: After a quick breakfast sammie from Breezeway Cafe, it’s time to head out on a guided tour of the largest park in the United States, which just so happens to be across the lake. A short, scenic boat ride on Basin Harbor's EScape brings you to a cliffside cove where you’ll head out into the park for a hike amongst the pristine landscape. A moderately difficult hike, you can expect winding trails through deep forest paths, and gorgeous fall scenery on this hour-and-a-half day-hike. As you head back across the lake, take in the views of Basin Harbor from this vantage point, as it has welcomed visitors from near and far to enjoy foliage in Vermont for five generations.
Afternoon: It’s time to check out and reflect on the simultaneously relaxing and adventurous time you’ve spent amongst the Green Mountain foliage. From fine dining to mountain-top picnics, casual waterfront strolls to thrilling, heart-pounding expeditions, boutique shopping to hot-tub decompressing - this has been a trip to remember and be proud of.
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Fall into Foliage: To book your own Autumn Adventure and enjoy discounted room rates of up to 35% off during most weekdays, make Basin Harbor your Fall Foliage basecamp and find your cottage now.
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Hey there, leaf peepers and cozy cabin lovers! When the calendar flips to fall, there's nothing quite like a Vermont Fall Getaway to sweep you off your feet and fill your Instagram feed with envy-inducing snapshots. It’s not an exaggeration when we say that the whole state turns into a jaw-dropping canvas of reds, oranges, and golds that screams 'road trip' louder than a car packed with excited weekend warriors.
But where to stay during this foliage getaway? The stunning selection of cabins and cottages below are sprinkled throughout Vermont's picturesque locales and set in charming little havens nestled among trees that are practically on fire with autumn hues, (not to mention featuring amenities that make you feel right at home amidst the great outdoors)!
Stick with us as we dig into the most Insta-worthy cabins and cottages that you've got to check into this fall. We're diving deep into what makes each spot unique, from sipping morning coffee with panoramic views to snuggling up in the coziest corners that Vermont has to offer. So grab a hot cup of cider, and let’s get this leaf-peeping party started!
Where do we even start? Vermont is like stepping into a live-action painting once fall rolls around. Trees practically competing to show off their best reds and oranges, while the mountains play backdrop to your personal autumn movie. And those crystal-clear lakes reflecting the fiery foliage? It’s nothing short of amazing. So, if you're looking to bask in Mother Nature's best show, you'd better believe the Green Mountain State has got front-row tickets with your name on it.
But it’s not all about sitting back and enjoying the view – though, we wouldn’t blame you if that's your jam - Vermont has this incredible knack for serving up a smorgasbord of adventures, from hiking trails that lead to jaw-dropping vistas, to mountain biking and cycling routes that offer the freshest of air and the cleanest of lines. And when the sun dips low, how about unwinding at a cabin with a hot tub waiting to soak your worries away? Whether you’re an adrenaline junkie or a chill-seeker, Vermont’s fall season is your playground.
Okay, here’s the cherry on top: these drop-dead gorgeous spots are just a hop, skip, and a jump away from major cities. We're talking easy-breezy drives from New York City or Boston. Imagine swapping the concrete jungle for a foliage-rich paradise in just a few hours, making it the ultimate weekend retreat. Plus, with scenic drives that have you reaching for your camera at every turn, getting there is half the fun! So, rev up those engines and hit the road because Vermont is ready to welcome you with open arms and vibrant views!
Without further ado, here's our handpicked list of the top Cabin and Cottage Getaways for a magical Vermont Fall Foliage experience.
Location: Nestled in the heart of Stowe, Vermont, The Summit House promises an unforgettable retreat just a mile away from the bustling downtown. Whether you're here to gaze at the phenomenal fall foliage or to catch the morning light filtering through the forest right from your bedroom, this prime location got you covered. Seriously, a 5-star rating from 95% of recent guests can't be wrong!
Amenities: Step inside and prepare to be wowed. This isn't just a cabin, it's a haven of modern comfort blended with rustic charm. Picture yourself unwinding by the modern wood-burning fireplace, a cool drink in hand, and your favorite shows playing on a massive 50" TV. And that spa-style rainfall shower? Pure bliss after a day exploring the mountains. With the convenience of self-check-in and an array of top-notch amenities including a fully equipped kitchen and WiFi, you're all set for a cushy stay. And let's not forget the private patio, where you can kick back and soak in the gorgeous views.
Activities: When you're not lounging around enjoying the chic interiors, the vibrant town of Stowe offers a treasure trove of experiences. Get ready to explore the charming downtown brimming with quaint shops and cafes or venture out on a myriad of heart-pumping hikes to take in the awe-inspiring fall foliage that the region is renowned for.
Rates: Planning to hole up in this slice of paradise? It's going to set you back about $533 per night. But trust us, for a getaway that promises not just a stay but an exceptional experience, it's totally worth it. Plus, with rave reviews and a near-perfect rating, you know you're in for a treat!
Location: Get ready for a distinctive lakeside escape that screams personality at every turn. Situated on the picturesque banks of Lake Champlain, Basin Harbor is a sprawling paradise that offers not one, not two, but a whopping 74 unique cottage choices for your very own slice of lakeside bliss during your Vermont Fall Getaway.
Amenities: Bid goodbye to the cookie-cutter vacation experience and say hello to a place that embraces individuality and charm. Each cottage at Basin Harbor is a testament to creativity and personal taste, boasting distinctive layouts, decor, and features that echo the golden days when families would send in their own specs and designs for a personalized lakeside oasis. But don't fret, modernity has graced Basin Harbor too, with a slew of renovations that bring in contemporary comfort without compromising the unique charm of each cottage.
Activities: Ready to embrace the outdoors? Basin Harbor is your playground! Spread across 700 acres of pristine tranquility, this is where adventure meets relaxation. Tee off at the golf club, dip into the heated outdoor pool, or indulge in a spirited game of pickleball or croquet on the perfectly manicured courts and lush lawns. Oh, and your furry best friend? They're going to have the time of their life at Fanny's Beach, a dedicated doggy swim area.
Rates: For the specifics on rates, check out Basin Harbor’s online reservation platform, or better yet, give their friendly front-desk a call to help set up a personalized pick that suits your style and budget. Trust us, diving into the details is part of the fun here!
Location: We know what you're here for - those lush multi-colored mountains and that crisp Vermont air! Nestled in the rustic embrace of Granville, this snug loft offers the perfect vantage point to soak in all of that majestic beauty and more. Picture yourself amidst the natural wonders, just a stone's throw away from exhilarating hiking, biking, and kayaking adventures.
Amenities: When it comes to comfort, this great loft doesn't hold back. Though compact, the space radiates an enormous charm and coziness, thanks to the mini-fireplace/stove that warms up your space after a thrilling day outdoors. And can we talk about those copper countertops and handrails?
Activities: Your schedule here could be a whirlwind of outdoor adventures or a tranquil retreat amidst nature - the choice is yours! Either way, you've got hiking and biking options galore mere minutes from your front door. And once back, why not enjoy a warm soak in the hot tub while drinking in the expansive views from the patio or the upper deck? Remember, the breathtaking vistas are a part of the package!
Rates: Ready to whisk your significant other for a memory-making escape? The price is just as cozy as the loft itself, at an average of $206 per night. Trust us, this little haven is big on exceptional experiences without breaking the bank.
Location: Welcome to your secluded retreat in the woods of Southern Vermont! Just imagine, being fully immersed in nature with 17 vertical feet of floor-to-ceiling windows, offering you an uninterrupted view of the forest canopy. And don’t worry about missing out on nearby attractions, with Bromley Mountain’s Adventure Park just a 15-minute drive away and vibrant Manchester within a 25-minute drive, boasting fine dining and delightful spas.
Amenities: "Tiny" doesn't mean compromising on luxury! This tiny home has everything you need for a cozy and indulgent stay. Cook up a storm in the full kitchen, enjoy movie nights with the in-home theater, and let your worries melt away in the expansive 71-inch soaking tub.
Activities: Whether you're hiking peaks and valleys at nearby state parks or exploring apple orchards and mountain biking parks within a 20-minute radius, there's no end to the adventures that await. And after a day of exploring, return to your private sanctuary nestled amidst the trees, providing the perfect blend of relaxation and rejuvenation.
Rates: Ready for a luxury retreat without the luxury price tag? This unique getaway is all yours for an average of $275 per night. Considering the one-of-a-kind experience you’re set to have, it’s an absolute steal!
Location: Just 20 minutes away from the Sugarbush Resort, this gem is tucked away in the serene embrace of Roxbury, VT. With 330 acres of woods surrounding you, lovebirds seeking a cozy nest during their Vermont Fall Getaway have hit the jackpot. Picture yourselves waking up to the gentle rays of the morning sun, exploring the walking trails, and maybe even engaging in a bit of impromptu birdwatching.
Amenities: Leave the chaos of the city behind and step into a world where modern comforts and rustic charm meet. From the cuddly leather loveseat to a fully equipped kitchen where you can whip up some breakfast with the complimentary local eggs and homemade preserves, this cabin is a slice of heaven. And the cherry on top?
Activities: Whether it's a BBQ session on your sunny deck, cozying up by your very own fire pit, or venturing out to nearby attractions like the Warren Covered Bridge or hiking trails, adventure is just around the corner. And with the Mad River Valley offering an array of activities, your getaway can be as laid-back or action-packed as you want!
Rates: Planning a romantic escapade has never been this rewarding. For an average price of $185 per night, you can unlock the doors to this paradise, where every moment is a memory in the making. Go ahead, treat yourselves to a vacation that’s a perfect blend of luxury and nature.
Location: Ready for a fall vacation that's all about vibrant foliage, private beaches, and sunset campfires? Say hello to your dream getaway nestled in Vergennes, right on the magnificent shores of Lake Champlain. Picture yourself having a laid-back morning with views of the Adirondack mountains, or perhaps, embarking on a historic journey with a short drive to Chimney Point State Historic Site. And hey, if you're into birdwatching or game walks, the surrounding area is your playground.
Amenities: Welcome to your "large" tiny house that's packed with all the comforts of a home and then some. Let's talk about those bedroom lofts, each boasting a comfy queen bed promising restful slumbers amidst the serene surroundings. Plenty of room for everyone!
Activities: The cabin itself is an adventure waiting to happen. Venture down simple paths leading to spectacular overlooks of the lake, relax in the hammock or get your adrenaline rushing with some kayaking - the choice is yours. Not to forget, the private shale beach beckoning you for some sun-soaking sessions if the weather is cooperative. Working remotely? The fiber-optic WiFi has your back, allowing you to stay connected amidst nature.
Rates: Gear up for a stay that won't break the bank, with prices averaging at $345 per night. Considering the private beach access, well-appointed interiors, and the pristine location, we'd say it's a steal. And remember, the vibrant colors of Vermont in autumn are priceless!
Location: Picture this: You're perched on a hill just a smidge away from the vibrant heart of downtown Stowe, enveloped in the sounds of Vermont trees and nature. Sound surreal? Welcome to The Canopy House, your gateway to the very best of Vermont's breathtaking fall foliage, a mere hop, skip, and a jump from the bustling Main Street of Stowe and only 9 miles away from Stowe Mountain Resort. But hey, it's not just about the spectacular views; you've got the von Trapp's lively brewery scene just 5 miles away and hiking trail options galore for all those autumn escapades.
Amenities: Step into an oasis that marries modern luxury with rustic elegance. The Canopy House is where your comfort meets style, boasting amenities that cater to both relaxation seekers and tech-savvy travelers. Lounging in a living room adorned with OM Home Furniture while enjoying the warmth of a crackling fire? Yes, please! And we haven't even gotten started on the six-person hot tub under the starry Vermont sky!
Rates: Fancy a stay at this enchanting retreat? It's yours for a stellar rate of $464 per night. With a 4.93 rating from a whopping 279 reviews, it's clear that guests find value in every dime spent here.
Location: The Trout Cabin is your tranquil log cabin set amidst the lush greenery of Londonderry, VT, with Magic Mountain practically at your doorstep and the shimmering trout pond just a stone's throw away. Whether you're a hiking enthusiast eager to hit the trails or someone looking for a quiet refuge, this cabin, minutes from Magic Mountain Resort (and the famous Black Line Tavern) and a 4-minute drive from the Lowell Lake State Park, has got all bases covered.
Amenities: We're talking rustic vibes with all the comfort of home. The cabin comes equipped with a cozy kitchen area housing a stovetop, microwave, and coffee maker - all ready for you to whip up some homely meals. And don't forget about the BBQ set up outside for some grilling fun. For those chilly nights, the fireplace indoors promises warm and snug evenings. And get this, if you’re up for the adventure, you can enjoy a refreshing outdoor shower with a stunning view of the Green Mountains to boot!
Activities: Now, this is where the fun begins. Get ready to dive into a world of adventure with hiking trails and mountain biking just a walk away. And for the angling aficionados, your very own trout pond is waiting for a session of fly fishing. Fancy a quiet day instead? The porch facing the pond promises serene moments amidst nature. Trust us, with an almost perfect score of 4.9 out of 5, you're gearing up for an exceptional stay.
Rates: Ready to nab that September special with a cool 15% off on mid-week bookings? It's all about seizing the moment here. The prices are a steal, especially when you consider the wealth of experiences awaiting you.
Location: Ah, Eden, Vermont, the place where dreams come true, especially at this teeny tiny cottage nestled right on the water's edge of Lake Eden. Imagine waking up to serene beachfront views, just a stone's throw from the sparkling lake that beckons you for a morning swim. And when it's time to venture out, you're just minutes away from attractions like the Green River Reservoir State Park and a hop, skip, and jump from downtown Stowe. Your scenic adventure in the Northeast Kingdom awaits!
Amenities: This one-room cozy paradise packs a punch when it comes to amenities. Offering everything you need to make your stay comfortable and memorable - a fully-furnished kitchen, a snazzy corner shower, and even an incinerating toilet. Settle down in the living area, with a foldable table set for four and enjoy your meals with a panoramic view. Did we mention the loft that houses a king-size bed and a TV equipped with a VCR for a nostalgic movie night? You're all set!
Activities: Whether you're here for the summer splash or winter wonder, this cottage has got you covered. Dive into a plethora of water activities with kayaks, paddle boats, and canoes available for rent. Picture yourself gliding through the lake, basking in the sun, and taking in the scenic vistas.
Rates: Here comes the sweet part - not only does this little retreat offer a tranquil getaway, but it also doesn't break the bank. Head on over to the booking platform, and make sure to glance through the hospitality welcome guide section "essentials" to get all the deets on what you need to bring along. Your perfect vacation is just a click away!
Location: Cradled amidst the scenic beauty of the “Golden Triangle” of Southern Vermont, Seesaw's Lodge is your ticket to a breathtaking retreat that brilliantly blends the old Vermont world charm with modern luxuries. Imagine gazing at the spectacular mountain views and soaking up the warm southern exposure right from your snug cabin or the expansive seven-bedroom lodge. Yes, this is real, and it's all set to welcome you for an unforgettable Vermont Fall Getaway.
Amenities: Step into any of the recently rebuilt cabins, and you'll be greeted with spaces that exude warmth and comfort. Think living rooms flaunting exposed beams, mud rooms with floors radiating heat, and kitchens brimming with modern amenities for a seamless stay. Relaxing by the gas fireplace or taking in the cool Vermont air from your private deck balcony. And guess what? Each unit promises high-speed wifi, air-conditioning, and large smart TVs to keep you entertained throughout.
Activities: Whether you're meandering through the scenic paths at Mad Tom Orchard, or catching the panoramic vistas from Stratton Resort’s gondola, the local experiences here are nothing short of magical. Kids and adults alike will love the vibrant corn mazes and pumpkin patches at Equinox Valley Nursery - don't forget to snag a fresh apple cider donut while you're there! And when it comes to dining, Johnny Seesaw's Restaurant on site is a meal to remember, dishing out comfort food with a fresh Vermont twist. Trust us, it's a culinary journey you don't want to miss.
Rates: The rates here vary depending on the season and the type of accommodation you choose. But rest assured, the unique blend of vintage charm and modern comfort at Seesaw's Lodge offers bang for your buck. For the most accurate pricing, check out their official website or give them a ring.
Location: Nestled in the serene setting of Castleton, VT, this lakefront retreat known as "Blues Views" stands as your private gateway to the alluring waters and majestic nature vistas of Vermont.
Amenities: Imagine stepping into a home that blends the charm of the 1920s with the modern comforts of today. This dog-friendly sanctuary boasts a full suite of amenities, including a cozy sunroom perfect for late-afternoon chit-chats, a well-equipped kitchen to whip up your culinary delights, and central AC to keep you cool when the leaf-peeping adventure heats up. And don't forget about that high-speed WiFi, keeping you connected for all your streaming and social media needs.
Activities: It's all about lakeside bliss at the Blues Views. From boating to fishing, biking to hiking, an array of activities awaits you just a few miles from your home base. And with picturesque lake views gracing almost every room, you'll have the perfect backdrop for all your vacation selfies and group photos. Trust us, your Instagram feed has never looked this good!
Rates: The rate details are as dynamic as your vacation plans, so just hop on over to the site, plug in your preferred dates, and hit 'Book Now' to get an accurate quote. Oh, and if you're bringing along your furry friend, rest easy knowing the nightly pet fee is included in your quote.
Location: Calling Montpelier home, this delightful Vermont Cottage is nothing short of a fairy tale waiting to unfold for couples. Nestled snugly amidst Vermont's lush foliage, you are just a short drive away from cultural gems like the Vermont Historical Society Museum and the illustrious golden-domed Vermont State House. Oh, and for those scenic walks you've been dreaming about? Hubbard Park is just 10 minutes away, making those impromptu picnics amidst nature a total breeze!
Amenities: From the second you step in, the cozy allure of this one-bedroom haven wraps you in a warm embrace. This isn't just a stay, it's an escape into a world where modern comfort meets rustic charm. Whether it's the free WiFi keeping you connected or the air conditioning ensuring you're always the perfect temp, this cottage is equipped to pamper. And let's not forget the outdoor space - think morning coffee sessions on the deck, or crisp romantic dinners in the lanai. Sounds dreamy, right?
Activities: When it comes to keeping yourself engaged, the area around Montpelier is a treasure trove of wonders. Dive deep into Vermont's rich history with a visit to the nearby museums or simply grab a pair of comfortable shoes for a romantic stroll in Hubbard Park.
Rates: Looking to score the ultimate romantic getaway? Starting at $225 per night this is a steal! With an exceptional 5/5 rating, this slice of paradise offers you not just a stay, but memories that you'll both adore.
Location: Tucked away in the heart of Londonderry, this modern A-Frame chalet is your gateway to Vermont's vibrant foliage season. Ready to taste some of the best local cheeses and veggies? Taylor Farm is just a breezy 10-minute walk from your doorstep.
Amenities: Once you step inside, it's all about laid-back luxury. The chalet comes kitted out with everything you need for a home-away-from-home experience. Picture yourself waking up in one of the three sumptuous bedrooms, brewing a cup of coffee in the private kitchen, and enjoying breakfast with a view on the deck or patio.
Activities: Beyond the confines of this comfy retreat, Londonderry charms with its natural beauty and vibrant community vibes. Whether it's a tranquil walk along the West River, a bit of weekend shopping at the nearby Manchester Designer Outlets, or a delicious visit to Honey Pie, there's something for everyone.
Rates: Ready to snag this comfy corner for your next getaway? $500 per night seems more than doable for this three-bedroom beauty!
Before you dash off to capture the golden hues of Vermont’s picturesque foliage season, we've got a few tidbits to make your getaway nothing short of perfect. Here’s the low-down on the best times to witness the state's vibrant fall canvas and some packing tips to keep your adventure comfy and fun. Trust us, a well-planned trip is the first step to an unforgettable Vermont vacation!
Let's talk timing. To catch Vermont in its full fall glory, you'd want to mark your calendars for late September to early October. Now of course, this is not an exact science, as depending on weather and temperature each year’s foliage progression may differ, but if you want to make the best bet, these are the times we aim for. You can always stay up to date with our Fall Foliage Report for more in-depth progress.
Alright, onto the packing game. Vermont's autumn has that crisp, cool air that brings out the adventurer in everyone, but when the sun is shining things can get pretty toasty. Here’s what you should toss in that suitcase:
1. Layers, Layers, Layers: Think cozy sweaters or flannels, light jackets, and scarves (we’ve been loving our new foliage-hued flannel from Howler Brothers!) The temperatures can be quite the chameleon, shifting from chilly mornings to warm afternoons.
2. Footwear: Trust us, you'd want to bring your comfiest pair of hiking boots or sturdy sneakers, perfect for those foliage walks or a spontaneous mountain hike.
3. Outdoor Gear: Planning to immerse yourself in the outdoor offerings? Don’t forget to pack binoculars for bird watching, or maybe a portable hammock to really soak in those scenic vistas.
Ready to roll? Your Vermont fall adventure awaits, packing in a world of vibrant colors, leisurely outdoor pursuits, and memories that'll last a lifetime. Let's make it one for the books!
So, gear up, adventure seekers! Vermont is laying out the red (and orange, and yellow) carpet, beckoning you to an autumnal extravaganza that's nothing short of legendary. This isn't just a vacation, it's a recharge, a revitalization, and a chance to nab the best fall selfies to spice up your feed. Let's make those weekend plans a riot of hues and fun. From rustic cabins to lakeside frolics, it's all waiting for you in good ol' Vermont. Go on, seize the season and book your quintessential fall retreat, Vermont style!
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Got your own leaf-peeping adventures or snapped some vibrant vistas? We're all in to hear and see it! Shoot us your stories at [email protected] or share them on your socials with #WeAreVermont. Let's keep the Vermont vibe rolling and the adventure chronicles coming.
Till then, keep the wanderlust alive and the cameras ready. See you amongst the leaves!
Labor Day Weekend is soon upon us, and what better place to spend it than Vermont's very own Stratton Mountain Resort? From Thursday, August 31 through Monday, September 4, we're not just talking about a mere escape; we're talking about an experience that threads the needle between relaxation and a heart-pumping adventure.
Let's break it down day by day.
Your extra-long weekend kicks off with a panoramic ride up the Gondola. Picture this: a fifteen-minute lift ride (where you’ll enjoy stunning vistas of the late-summer/early foliage coverage below) brings you to the summit of southern Vermont's highest peak. Once at the top, you can enjoy a short hike to the Fire Tower, take a breather and a picnic at the Hubert House deck, or just take a minute to appreciate your dramatic surroundings. On your way back down, spot the iconic summit bear and perhaps snap a photo or two for the ‘gram.
Feeling sporty? Dive into the Mountain Bike Park, tailored for all—from the cautious newbie to the daring downhill veteran. With more than 10 miles of downhill single-track trails, there’s something for everyone.
And if two-wheelers aren't your thing, rev up your engines for the ATV Summit Tours. New this year, this 90-minute round-trip tour will take you up winding mountain trails from the Sun Bowl to the summit and is absolutely exhilarating.
Oh, and don't forget to take breaks—perhaps a stroll through the Sidewalk Sales at Stratton Village? With 30-70% off name brands such as Burton, The North Face, Rossignol, Smartwool, GoPro, and more - you’ll find deals that might just make your jaw drop.
Now, if you fancy serenity wrapped in a scenic backdrop, the 27-hole Championship golf course awaits your swing.
Start your weekend right with the Stratton Foundation Golf Tournament. Described as one of the top resort courses in New England, you’ll find three distinct nine-hole layouts; Forest, Lake and Mountain. But, it's not just about the game or that picture-perfect setting, it's about the cause. Each stroke supports the Stratton Foundation, which has been impressively stepping up in response to the recent flooding.
Yoga enthusiasts, prepare to find your Shangrila. Start your day with a Mountain Top Yoga session. As you stretch and meditate, you're above the clouds and miles away from any stress or distraction at home. Serenity paired with a view—what more could one ask for?
As evening approaches, it's showtime! Get ready to sway and groove as the one and only The Wailers (yes, that Wailers!) take center stage. Get in the groove with OG reggae, and dance the night away with those iconic classics!
If you thought Saturday was packed, Sunday's got its own lineup. Fuel up your morning with another session of Mountain Top Yoga. Once you've found your zen, it's time to gear up for an all-day treat. Blues, Brews & BBQ 2023 promises tantalizing flavors, rocking music, and a selection of the finest local brews.
Wind down your adventure-packed weekend with one final Mountain Top Yoga session, or an invigorating swim in the many local swimming holes. Reflect, relax, and be pumped you decided to make the most of your holiday weekend up on Stratton.
Don't let this Labor Day be just another long weekend. Turn it into a story. An adventure. And remember, tickets for specific events fly off the shelves, so best to grab yours early!
Make the most of a long weekend: Book a Friday and Saturday night stay at Stratton Mountain and get a Thursday or Sunday night complimentary for a true Vermont getaway. Book Your Long Weekend at Stratton
Ever dreamt of a grand, lakefront estate that's pure Vermont luxury, wrapped up in a $26.2 million bow? Welcome to Grosse Point Estate, folks - the palatial epitome of Vermont's jaw-dropping beauty and a true slice of heaven for all the billionaire leaf-peepers out there.
An old-school, elegant stone residence sits on a whopping 345 acres of pristine Vermont land. Built in 1906, this historic 10,000-square-foot stone house is your ticket to living the grand Vermont life.
Wake up every morning and take in over 30 miles of Lake Champlain views. With sweeping lake vistas both to the north and south, prepare for an all-you-can-see buffet of tranquil blue water. It's so stunning we wouldn't blame you if you feel the need to pinch yourself each day, just to be sure you aren’t still dreaming.
But Grosse Point offers more than just a magnificent main house. It's a world unto itself, complete with five guesthouses, usable barns, and even a farm manager's house. Picture inviting your friends to your very own New England retreat, where each party can retire to their own charming cottage after a day, out on the water, or finding foliage, or of golf out on your private 9-hole course.
This majestic estate offers 1.5 miles of lake frontage with three large docks, promising endless days of lakeside relaxation and water-based fun. So, whether you want to dip your toes in, go for a morning swim, or launch your yacht, Grosse Point has you covered.
With the majority of the property covered by a Nature Conservancy Conservation easement, you can rest assured that the tranquil beauty of this place is here to stay. Meaning this slice of Vermont heaven is going to stay heavenly.
Grosse Point is on the market for only the second time in a century. So if you've got a spare $26.2 million lying around, here's your chance to own a chunk of Vermont's rich history. Even if you're not ready to cough up the cash, you can still drool over the photos and daydream about living the high life.
Listed by Wade Weathers of LandVest, you can check out the full listing and prepare to be wowed.
All listings featured on Vermont.com are independently selected by our editors. If you book or purchase something through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission - which in turn helps support our work - so, thank you!
Are you looking to get out and explore Vermont this summer? Vermont’s state parks are exactly what you’re looking for. With more than 50 unique parks to explore, get ready to be mesmerized by breathtaking landscapes, serene lakes, and exhilarating trails. From the tranquil shores of Burton Island to the rugged beauty of Smugglers' Notch, Vermont’s state parks are the perfect launching pad for a Green Mountain adventure.
Whether you're a first-time VT visitor or a seasoned Green Mountain explorer, these parks offer a slice of paradise. From kayaking on serene lakes to hiking through lush forests, each park has its own unique allure. And it's not just about the parks themselves - nearby attractions, charming lodging options, and farm-to-table dining experiences will add an extra touch of magic to your expedition. So pack your sense of adventure and get ready to uncover the beauty, excitement, and hidden treasures that await you in Vermont's stunning state parks.
Located in Lake Champlain, Burton Island State Park is a true gem for outdoor enthusiasts. A short ferry ride over will bring you to Burton Island’s stunning shorelines and panoramic views - which are perfect for swimming, boating, and kayaking. The island also offers hiking trails that lead to hidden coves and picnic spots. For those who love camping, Burton Island State Park provides amazing island camping experiences in their lakefront lean-tos and tent sites.
Nearby attractions include the picturesque bike trails along Lake Champlain and the historic village of St. Albans. When it comes to lodging, we happen to love the charming Back Inn Time Bed & Breakfast, or if you don’t mind a bit farther of a drive, Hotel Vermont in nearby Burlington is a chic boutique winner. For dining, don't miss the great eats at Twiggs Gastropub or the craft beers at 14th Star Brewing Company.
Nestled along the shores of Lake Bomoseen, this state park is a hidden paradise. Take a dip in the crystal-clear waters, try your hand at fishing, or rent a boat to explore the lake's serene beauty. Hiking enthusiasts will enjoy the trails that wind through dense forests and offer breathtaking views.
Within 10 miles, you can check out the Pond Hill Ranch Rodeo (one of the only rodeos in the state), or you can have a night at the track at Devil’s Bowl Speedway. For a unique lodging experience, check out the cozy Lake Bomoseen Lodge and Taproom, or we like this great VRBO cottage. Satisfy your taste buds with farm-to-table delights at The Taproom or eat dockside at Lake House Pub and Grille.
Prepare to be mesmerized by the majestic Camel's Hump, Vermont's iconic mountain peak. Camel's Hump State Park offers a network of hiking trails that take you through lush forests, alpine meadows, and breathtaking vistas. As you ascend the mountain, you'll be rewarded with panoramic views of the surrounding valleys and lakes.
Within a short distance, explore attractions like the scenic Stowe Mountain Resort or the charming village of Waterbury, home to the renowned Ben & Jerry's ice cream factory. For a unique stay, consider the cozy Green Mountain Inn, perfectly located in the middle of downtown Stowe. Treat yourself to a farm-to-table dining experience at Hen of the Wood or sip craft beers at The Alchemist Brewery.
Nestled around the picturesque Elmore Lake, Elmore State Park is a tranquil haven for outdoor enthusiasts. Swim in the clear waters, relax on the sandy beach, or embark on a scenic hike up Elmore Mountain for breathtaking views of the surrounding countryside. Don't forget to bring your picnic basket to enjoy a leisurely lunch by the lake.
For a unique lodging experience, this rustic cottage farmhouse on Airbnb is as tranquil as it gets. Just down the road in Morrisville, be sure to visit Lost Nation Brewing, for great food and amazing local craft beers.
Emerald Lake State Park, with its sparkling lake and lush forests, offers a perfect retreat for nature lovers. Swim, fish, or paddle in the crystal-clear waters, surrounded by the scenic beauty of the Green Mountains. The park's hiking trails lead you through serene woodlands and provide glimpses of wildlife along the way.
Nearby in Manchester, explore attractions such as the legendary Northshire Bookstore or the breathtaking drive up the longest private-owned toll road in America at Equinox Mountain. Stay at the charming Banrstead Inn or indulge in a fabulous stay at the iconic Equinox Resort. For dining, savor farm-to-table delights at the Silver Fork or the Crooked Ram for truly excellent meals.
Tucked away in the heart of Vermont's wilderness, Green River Reservoir State Park offers a secluded retreat for outdoor enthusiasts. Paddle through the calm waters of the reservoir, surrounded by lush forests and untouched beauty. Hiking trails allow you to explore the park's diverse ecosystems, where birdwatching is a must for nature lovers.
Camping is the way to go at Green River, or make a day trip of it and enjoy a stay at the always-welcoming Smugglers' Notch Resort. Also, heading back to Lost Nation for pints and food is always advisable.
Jamaica State Park, nestled along the scenic West River, is a paradise for outdoor enthusiasts. Swim in the river's refreshing waters, explore the park's hiking trails, or simply relax and enjoy a picnic by the water. Don't miss the opportunity to visit the park's captivating Hamilton Falls, a spectacular waterfall hidden within the lush forest.
This amazing tiny house is the perfect home base for your Jamaica adventures, and there are also a ton of nearby camping areas, including the park itself. We always like to stop by Honey Pie for burgers and shakes, and you can never go wrong with a trip up to Stratton’s Village shops and restaurants.
With its picturesque lake and surrounding mountains, Lake St. Catherine State Park offers a serene and scenic retreat. Swim in the pristine waters, rent a kayak or paddleboard, or just take it easy on the sandy beach. The park also features hiking trails that provide panoramic views of the lake and the surrounding landscape.
Stay at this quaint cottage for lakefront living or enjoy the luxury of The Wilburton just a short drive away in beautiful Manchester. Satisfy your taste buds with farm-to-table delights at the rustic local favorite, Barn Restaurant.
For breathtaking views and scenic beauty, Mount Philo State Park is a must-visit destination. A short hike to Philo’s summit where you'll be rewarded with panoramic vistas of Lake Champlain and the Adirondack Mountains. The picnic tables and grills are ideal for a sunset outing.
Within the area, explore attractions like the Shelburne Museum or the charming town of Vergennes. Stay at the cozy Basin Harbor or head a bit farther north to the Hotel Vermont in Burlington. Starry Night Café has been serving up delicious dishes for years and is always the perfect treat. Similarly, you could head North on Rt. 7 to Fiddlehead Brewing Company where you can enjoy a wood-fired pizza from Folino’s and a pint or two from the eponymous brewery on site.
Tucked away in the picturesque Northeast Kingdom, New Discovery State Park offers a serene and secluded retreat. Don't miss the chance to spot wildlife, including moose and deer, during your explorations. They call the Northeast Kingdom God’s Country, and this gorgeous state park is certainly adding to the allure.
No summer trip to the NEK is complete without time spent on Kingdom Trails, so be sure to get in your mountain biking fix on the hundreds of single-track trails found here. For the best of it all, you’d be wise to stay at the Wildflower Inn, where many of the trails begin and riders and hikers alike gather for end-of-day drinks.
Vermont State Park Tips:
- Pack essentials such as sunscreen, insect repellent, hiking shoes, and plenty of water.
- Book accommodations in advance, especially during peak summer months.
- Respect the environment by practicing Leave No Trace principles and following park regulations.
For detailed information on all 55 of Vermont's state parks, be sure to visit the official State Parks website. It's your go-to resource for everything you need to know about these incredible natural destinations, including park amenities, activities, and directions.
