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Southern Vermont
Take a driving tour through
beautiful Southern Vermont and New Hampshire, and enjoy its
quaint villages and the beautiful scenery of its mountains and
valleys.
Getting Around
Although you can get to Vermont by plane, train, or bus, you’ll
need a car to get around this beautiful state. Interstates 89
and 91 are the major highways; with a few exceptions, state
highways are two-lane, double yellow line affairs, winding
through narrow mountain valleys. Even though Vermont is one of
the smallest states in the United States, allow plenty of time
to get to your destination, and enjoy the trip!
When to Go
Vermont has five seasons: Spring, summer, fall, winter and mud.
Spring is beautiful, short, and can be a bit buggy. Summers are
gorgeous and relatively undiscovered, when the state’s eponymous
mountains are covered in lush green. (Vermont = green mountain).
Starting in late September and typically peaking around October
10-15, fall
foliage is a must-see. Brilliant red, yellow and orange
leaves turn the Green Mountain State into a sea of vibrant
color. Leaf-peepers clog the roads, so get out of your car for
some spectacular walks and hikes. Winter snow brings cross
country and downhill skiing season (annual snowfall averages
between 60 to 100 inches, depending on elevation). With
spring-time warmth, the sugar starts to flow; Vermont is
America’s largest producer of maple syrup. Vermont’s fifth
season, “mud,” is great for bargain hunters, since rates tend to
be the lowest of the year.
Sights & Activities
Outdoor
activities:
Warm-weather favorites include hiking, road and mountain biking,
all water sports, golf and tennis. Ask your innkeeper for local
recommendations, and be sure to check the
Vermont
State Parks website for details on ones in the areas you’ll
be visiting. A favorite in southern Vermont is
Jamaica State Park with Hamilton Falls, a 125-foot cascade.
Many of Vermont’s ski areas are
as
busy in summer as winter, offering music festivals, climbing
walls, championship golf, tennis schools, alpine slides,
specials children’s programs, and much more. For more
information, contact these individual southern Vermont ski
resorts:
Ascutney,
Bromley,
Killington,
Mt. Snow,
Okemo, and
Stratton. The historic village of Dorset is well known for
having the oldest
marble quarries in the country. All around the area you will
find marble sidewalks and doorsills, and yesterday’s quarries
are today’s swimming holes.
Food and
shopping:
Shopping opportunities in Southern Vermont range from handmade
pottery, to locally made goods, to designer duds.
Bennington Pottery has been making stoneware mugs, dishes
and serving pieces since 1948.
The
Manchester Designer Outlets offer more than 30 stores with
brand-name goods such as clothing, cosmetics and shoes.
The
Vermont Country Store has two locations--Weston and
Rockingham--filled with "a
huge assortment of practical and hard-to-find merchandise you
can't find anywhere else."
Each village in the area has its own assortment of craft fairs
and shops with products from the region.
Ye Old
Tavern in Manchester comes highly recommended, with a nice
menu plus delicious standby foods. Jonathan's Table, in
Arlington, is small, intimate and casual with a great menu that
ranges from some traditional Italian dishes to classic American
choices.
Museums and culture:
Hildene,
the Lincoln family home, was built in Manchester in 1905 by
Robert Todd Lincoln. Today it serves as an event venue and
museum and hosts education programs. The
Weston Playhouse is Vermont's oldest
professional theatre, offering shows during
the summer
months and outreach programs throughout
the year.
The
Dorset Theatre Festival presents award-winning professional
theatre mid-June through mid-September.
For more
information, visit the
Vermont Attractions Association or
Vermont Vacation.com.
B&Bs
and Inns
Southern
Vermont has scores of wonderful B&Bs and inns. Associate editor
Rose Ciccone stayed at the ones she’s described below; you can
read her complete reports on our
message boards; click “United States” and then “Vermont” and
“New Hampshire.”
We’ve listed the inns alphabetically by city; any of them would
make a great weekend or vacation destination, or alternatively,
plan a circular itinerary. For example, you could start in the
southeast with the Chesterfield Inn, just six miles from I-91 in
Brattleboro, VT, then head north via Routes 30 and 100 to
Jamaica and Weston. To get to the west side of the Green
Mountains, follow Route 11, and visit your choice of inns in the
Dorset, Manchester and/or Arlington area.
More Southwestern Vermont inns...
More Southeastern Vermont inns...
More Southern New Hampshire inns...
Three Mountain
Inn, Jamaica, VT
Arlington
Inn at Covered Bridge Green:
As you drive
through the covered bridge that crosses the Battenkill River,
the former home of noted American artist Norman Rockwell sits
before you. Now the Inn at Covered Bridge Green, this lovely
home is run by innkeepers Julia and Clint Dickens. Guest rooms
are spacious and comfortable with period antique pieces. Beds
have lovely quilts, comfortable mattresses and excellent bedside
lighting. Book the Spooners Room, and you’ll enjoy what was once
Rockwell’s master bedroom. A separate building that was his
original studio accommodates those wishing for more privacy. The
large living room in the main house has several sofas and deep
comfortable love seats with ottomans; be sure to notice the
family photos of the Rockwell family. Breakfast is served at a
communal table, and Julia’s offering of a fresh vegetable
scramble served with bacon and toast was outstanding.
Dorset
Inn at West View Farm: Located in a restored 1870s
farmhouse, this white clapboard building complements its
historic past with fine dining. Welcoming guests for nearly a
century, the restored inn offers large, comfortable guest rooms
decorated with antiques and period reproductions, as well as
pretty wallpapers and lovely bed coverings. The living room with
its comfortable sofas is a wonderful spot to read, enjoy the
fireplace in season, or socialize. Innkeeper Christal Siewertsen
and her husband, Chef Raymond Chen, have received several
awards, including the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence.
Raymond’s culinary background, which includes working with
Jean-George Vongerichten for many years at Jo-Jo and the Mercer
Kitchen in New York City, highlights contemporary American
cuisine with a French influence.
The dining room has an extraordinary bow wall of windows with
spectacular mountain views. The fabulous dinner options include
a wild mushrooms with mascarpone ravioli appetizer; lobster
served in a champagne and lobster broth; or braised beef short
ribs with baby vegetables and a potato puree. A favorite
breakfast entrée consisted of eggs scrambled with goat cheese,
served on a toasted English muffin with pesto.
Jamaica
Three Mountain Inn: Beautifully decorated rooms and
wonderful amenities are complemented by whirlpool tubs,
fireplaces, soft music, and comfy robes. The romantic ambiance
is created by welcoming owners Jennifer and Ed Dorta-Duque.
Candlelight dinners in the inn’s award-winning restaurant
feature Vermont fresh products and cuisine. Nearby Stratton
Mountain has excellent downhill and cross-country skiing in
winter; and hiking, mountain biking, golf and tennis in warm
weather. Bromley, Mt. Snow and Magic Mountain ski resorts are
also close. The tiny village of Jamaica boasts the wonderful
Elaine Beckwith Gallery in addition to several small shops, a
coffee house, and Astas, a Swiss-themed restaurant; it’s about
halfway between Brattleboro and Manchester on scenic Route 30.
Manchester
Inn at Manchester:
Innkeepers Frank and Julie Hanes have brought their Southern
charm to Southern Vermont. We especially enjoyed the artwork –
all the paintings and pieces throughout the inn are from Frank
and Julie’s personal collection. All rooms have private baths
and are air conditioned; some
have fireplaces and/or separate sitting rooms. The historic and
restored carriage house boasts four rooms and is located
adjacent to the pool area. The new mattresses were extremely
comfortable; beds are triple sheeted, and the hand-pressed bed
linens added to our restful night’s sleep. The pub, with a cash
bar, comfy seating and a plasma TV, is the place to hang out.
Frank and Julie join their guests in the pub, providing snacks.
Coffee awaits early risers along with fresh baked sweet bread.
Fruit and an entrée are served in the dining room at a variety
of tables that seat two and more.
Newfane
Four Columns Inn:
Located on the green in Newfane Village, a National Historic
District, this Greek revival home and barn were renovated in
1969 to become the Four Columns Inn. Innkeepers Debbie and Bruce
Pfander, their staff, and longtime Executive Chef Greg Parks
delight their guests with beautifully appointed guest suites and
an award-winning dining room. The inn’s 150 acres include a
private mountain with hiking trails and a running stream,
enhanced by a pond an d
perennial gardens. Rooms range from traditional to luxury
suites, and all but four have fireplaces; several have spa tubs
for two. Rooms overlook the gardens, mountainside or the village
green, and additional seating is available so you can kick back
and relax. Dinner by candlelight is delicious, and breakfast is
also served in the charming dining room. A buffet of freshly
baked muffins, scones, yogurt, fresh fruit, cereal and juices is
set out, and the daily entrée is served to your table.
Weston
The
Inn at Weston: This charming inn is located just a short
walk from the village green, shops and the famous Vermont
Country Store. Innkeepers Bob and Linda Aldrich, along with
Scott Hendricks, are wonderful hosts, and their graciousness and
warmth extend to all the staff we encountered during our visit.
The expansive grounds offer river views, a beautiful gazebo and
Adirondack chairs for relaxing. Guests are treated to afternoon
tea and refreshment upon check-in, fresh flowers in the
guestrooms (including orchids from a greenhouse on the
property), and beautifully decorated common areas. Be sure to
make dinner reservations at the inn’s restaurant, where Chef
Michael Kennedy’s dishes are innovative and delicious; the
award-winning wine list is excellent. Live piano music
accompanied dinner, which added to the inn’s romantic ambiance.
Chesterfield, NH
The Inn at Chesterfield:
Skip across the border to New Hampshire to enjoy breathtaking
views of the surrounding mountains and gardens from the inn’s
living room and dining room; most of the guest rooms have these
same vistas. Rooms are large, and each has a sitting area. The
comfortable beds are triple sheeted with good bedside lighting.
Fresh flowers and live plants are a nice touch. Dinner includes
appetizers such as Asian barbequed shrimp with grilled pineapple
salsa and smoked salmon on wild rice blinis with sour cream and
caviar. For the main entrée, enjoy pan-seared sea scallops over
fresh egg noodles with a tomato, saffro n
and fennel broth, or beef tenderloin with shiitake mushrooms and
whole grain mustard sauce. For breakfast, a menu is available so
that you may select your juice, entrée, sides and breads; we
loved the strawberry pancakes.
The inn is conveniently located just off I-91 and easily
accessible to attractions in southern Vermont, northern
Massachusetts and southern New Hampshire. Innkeepers Judy and
Phil Huber have owned the inn for over 18 years and, along with
their staff, know how to make their guests comfortable.
If you see this button
on an inn's listing, click it to book your room directly from
BedandBreakfast.com!
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