Old World Elegance, New England Style
by Dr Howe Sim
Gentle rolling fields
with grazing Holsteins, covered bridges, white-clapboard towns arranged around
a common green, and rocking chairs on wraparound porches. These, and other
icons of rural America as it once was, still exist in the Green Mountain State.
As one of the last bastions of a back-to-basics existence, Vermont clings to
simpler times and values, perhaps more than any other state. However it relies
heavily on tourism dollars from its neighbors, and therefore also offers
sophistication and creature comforts to those in search of quality
accommodation, dining, and activities.
Iconic Covered Bridge
Even though the drive
from Toronto to central Vermont takes approximately eight hours, we decided to
go this route (rather than fly) to enjoy the mid-October foliage. The weather
was perfect: we enjoyed warm Indian summer days and crisp cool evenings. The
first of our three stops was the village of Middlebury, the center of the lower
Champlain Valley. Nicknamed the ‘Land of Milk and Honey,’ this mid-western area
of Vermont is the state’s premiere dairy region. Chartered in 1761, Middlebury
later became home to the liberal arts Middlebury College and a booming marble
and slate industry. Today most of the mill buildings and marble sheds
surrounding the town’s Otter Creek have been converted into trendy eateries
such as Tully & Marie’s with its fusion cuisine and shops such as the
popular Frog Hollow Vermont State Craft Center.
Fall Colors, Lower Champlain Valley
Being a college town,
there’s no shortage of housing for visitors. These include several elegant
historic inns, such as the centrally located Middlebury Inn, the Swift House
Inn, and the Waybury Inn (made famous by its appearance on the Bob Newhart Show). We had the distinct
pleasure of staying at the Inn on the Green, one of the town’s designated
Historic Landmark buildings. This quaint yet graceful inn has been meticulously
renovated and updated since its original construction in 1803. Free high-speed
wireless Internet is available in all of its 11 rooms, as is the delectable
continental breakfast-in-bed that’s served every morning. For us, however, the
main reason to stay here is its exceptional personal service; nowhere else in the
state we were treated as graciously or hospitably as at this inn.
Inn on the Green
The central location of
Middlebury in the lower Champlain Valley makes it a perfect base from which to
visit the nearby towns of Vergennes, Brandon, and Lincoln. As you’re driving
around the countryside, you’ll also encounter various working farms open to the
public – a fun and educational treat for city folk. You may have the
opportunity to milk a cow, wander among fields of llamas and alpacas, and
sample maple syrup at a sugar house. Just a few kilometers north of Middlebury
is the renowned University of Vermont-operated Morgan Horse Farm, home to the
famous line of Morgan horses.
Residents at the Moonlit Alpacas Farm
If you still have a
half-day left to spare while in the lower Champlain Valley, consider a visit to
the Shelburne Museum, 45 minutes north of Middlebury. This unconventional
museum of Americana is sprawled over a 42-acre park, with exhibits housed in 39
different buildings. Many of these structures – such as the blacksmith shop,
jail, stagecoach inn, covered bridge, and the 220-foot-long Ticonderoga
steamboat – were relocated here from their original settings. The museum is
open from mid-May to the end of October, and purchase of a full-price ticket
allows for admission on two consecutive days.
Ticonderoga Steamboat, Shelburne Museum
Our next base of
operations was the village of Manchester, just under two hours south of
Middlebury. An early gateway to settlement in this state, this part of Vermont
was one of the earliest regions to develop a serious tourist industry. Just
north of Manchester Village is Manchester Center, where you’ll find impeccably
groomed streets lined by name-brand outlet stores, each housed in its own
clapboard-style building. As you continue to drive south, Manchester Center
morphs into Manchester Village, home of the upscale Equinox Resort, several
other distinguished inns, and beautiful mansions. The sidewalks here are made
of marble, and the atmosphere in the hotels and shops is equally upper crust.
Equinox Hotel, Manchester Village
Surprisingly our room
at the Equinox was reasonably priced, as was the Marsh Tavern dining room,
where I enjoyed a sumptuous meal of roasted Cavendish Farms quail and
cider-brined pork chop. Many visitors indulge in the rejuvenating treatments of
the spa or a dip in the 75-foot indoor heated swimming pool. The resort is also
home to the British School of Falconry, where you have the rare opportunity to
learn how to handle and fly a Harris Hawk. This school is the first of its kind
in the USA, and only one of a few currently in existence in the country.
Harris Hawk, British Falconry School
Those interested in
truly getting off the beaten path can take the Land Rover Driving School, one
of only two off-road driving schools in the United States. Here you’ll learn
new skills in off-road driving at a specially constructed 80-acre course
featuring steep climbs, drop-offs, and sharp side tilts. Those preferring to
keep their feet squarely on the ground can tackle one of the hiking trails in
and around the 1,100-meter-tall Mount Equinox, which rises steeply behind the
resort. Some trails lead to the mountain base, others accessible via an
8-kilometer drive to the mountain summit yield breathtaking views of the
surrounding mountain valleys.
Mount Equinox
A 10-minute drive from
the Equinox Resort is the Hildene Estate, former home of business magnate
Robert Todd Lincoln – son of Abraham Lincoln. Built in 1905, this 24-room
Georgian Revival mansion was restored to its former glory in 1980 after the
last Lincoln who lived there died. It features Abraham Lincoln’s famous
stovepipe hat, a functioning thousand-pipe 1908 Aeolian organ, and a beautiful
formal garden overlooking nearby Battenkill Valley. The estate is open
year-round and guided tours are available.
Hildene Estate, Manchester
Our final stop on our
whirlwind tour of Vermont was the quaint village of Woodstock, which has been
called the the “prettiest small town in America.” Originally settled in 1768,
Woodstock is arranged around an elliptical-shaped green formerly used to graze
cattle and whip thieves. The town of 3,000 retains much of its rugged yet
charming American antiquity: a covered bridge runs off the middle of town, the
general store sells everything from groceries and gardening supplies to wine
and children’s toys, and there’s even a tiny 10-stool diner housed in a dingy
modular home that still serves meals for a couple of dollars.
We stayed at the
centrally located Woodstock Inn, one of the town’s main hotels. Less
pretentious than the Equinox Resort, it nonetheless boasts a four diamond-rated
Main Dining Room, a 41,000-square-foot Racquet & Fitness Club, and a
challenging 18-hole golf course nestled in the beautiful Kedron Valley.
Woodstock Inn
Woodstock prides itself
on a long history of environmental conservation and land stewardship. To better
understand its historical roots, tour the Billings Farm & Museum and
adjacent Marsh-Billings National Historic Park. Arguably one of the country’s
finest Jersey farms, The Billings Farm also features a fully restored 1890
state-of-the-art farmhouse, a working milk room and calf nursery, and two
floors of exhibits depicting the lives and activities of Vermont’s 19th century
farm families.
Heifer, Billings Farm
The immediate areas
surrounding Woodstock can be easily explored in a couple of days. Popular stops
include nearby Quechee (with its Gorge lined by hiking trails), the former
railroad town of White River Junction, and the village of Norwich. Whichever
routes you decide to take in and around Woodstock, be sure to slow down and
take your time, for it is Vermont’s relaxed and peaceful ambience that defines
its essence and endless appeal.
Quechee