PDA

View Full Version : Vermont and New England Vacation



Scott Loven
06-06-2007, 2:51 PM
Will be in New England with my wife for a drive around vacation from 7-4 to 7-10 and am looking for interesting woodworking and other sites to see. We are flying into/out of Boston. She is interested in scenic small towns and antiques and not historic sites (go figure). I am looking for places like this http://www.tablelegs.com/Default.aspx . Any ideas would be welcome.

Scott

Dave Anderson NH
06-06-2007, 3:10 PM
If you value your pocketbook, don't let her get near antique alley on US Rte4 between ConcordNH and NH Rte125. One stretch has about 30 shops in 5 miles of highway.

jeremy levine
06-06-2007, 3:27 PM
Be afraid be very afraid ( this is just southern Vermont )

http://www.vtliving.com/antiques/sout.shtml

http://www.bowlmill.com/cgi-bin/bowlmill/tours.html

I have a vaction planned there in August so I have a lot of sites book marked.

Rob Russell
06-06-2007, 3:55 PM
Sturbridge Village is a good day trip.

Scott Loven
06-06-2007, 4:26 PM
Thanks for the heads up guys! She usually dosent buy anything, and if she does she dosent like to spend much. I thought this place looked interesting. http://www.bowlmill.com/cgi-bin/bowlmill/bowls1.html

John Shuk
06-06-2007, 4:36 PM
Cabot cheese factory is pretty good too.

Tim Morton
06-06-2007, 6:30 PM
Not sure when you'll be in my fair state...but if its toward the end of the trip and you like classic cars.
http://www.manchestercarshow.com/

Also maybe catch a red sox game? or if you find yourself up in rutland vermont there is a steve miller band concert some time around that time.

For woodworking...if you are into turning there is a wood turning school right down the road from me to check out.
http://www.woodhat.com/

There is also another wood studio here in town but the name escapes me. I will find it for you if you are interested.

Here is IMO the best craftsmen in vermont...you might give him a call for a tour of his shop.

http://www.holmanstudios.com/

if you need anything else please ask.

Oh best dinner around here would be
http://www.equinoxresort.com/dining/marsh_tavern.cfm

Jerry Clark
06-06-2007, 8:39 PM
Don't forget to take a tour of the coverd bridges in Vermont:rolleyes: -- some of the best.:D

Mark Singer
06-06-2007, 8:41 PM
Simone Pearce is great !

http://www.simonpearce.com/CSTM_restaurantsQuechee1.aspx

http://www.shelburnefarms.org/comevisitus/inn.shtm

There is a petting zoo and a woodworking shop at Shelburn Farms

Ryan Myers
06-07-2007, 12:16 AM
My inlaws live in Bradford, VT. My wife and I travel to VT several times a year, I always enjoy exploring VT and NH.

I'll second Mark's suggestion of Simon Pearce in Quechee. They have an excellent gourmet restaurant. But they make glassware in the basement, which you can go down and watch. We were just there in May and had my daughters' handprint cast into glass.

Quechee gorge in itself is pretty cool too.

Woodstock, VT has a lot of shops and very old homes that are neat to see. I believe there is a few antique stores there.

Traveling north in the state you can take a tour of the Ben & Jerry's factory in Stowe or ride a cable car up the side of Mt. Mansfield. They have a restaurant at the top too.

If you make it over to NH, you can take the auto road to the top of Mt. Washington. I did this last October, it was amazing, but its not for those afraid of heights.

VT and NH have alot of little roadside shops everywhere.

Carl Eyman
06-07-2007, 8:02 AM
You'll find some large scale woodworking there. Such as shipbuilding. They have a carving shop where they make figureheads for ships, small boatbuilding, etc. & etc.

I second the idea of Sturbridge Village also. On a trip to NE a few years ago we did Mystic one day and Sturbridge the next.

Also consider Hancock Village in western Mass. Norm finds lots of furniture for NYW there.

Al Weber
06-07-2007, 8:56 AM
Flying into Boston and traveling to VT leaves you with two driving choices, western MA or a drive through NH. If you are going to Matt Burak's place, a nice way to do it is to drive north from Logan into southeastern NH, along the short coast line, then east to west through many scenic small towns, etc. Route 2 runs through northern NH into VT (Classic Designs is in St. Johnsbury on Route 2), then you can go south toward Manchester (VT) and circle back to Boston. Certainly western MA can be interesting but you will see more New England in NH and VT.

Greg Cole
06-07-2007, 9:54 AM
I lived in VT for 26 years and all of my fam-damily is still there. Will always refer to myself as a Vermonter.
Depending on where in the state you are going... here are some typical touristy places.
Weston Country Store, Queechee Gorge & Woodstock area. Simon Pearce.
Take a ride on the Spirit of Ethan Allen (retired ferry boat) on Lake Champlain. Walk up n down Church Street in Burlington while you are there.
Orvis, if you are inclined to fish especially fly fish.
Shelburne Farms.
Sheblurne Museum, and I recommend you take a full day for it if you go.
Drive over MT Mansfield-Smugglers Notch.
Take a tour of the Crowley Cheese Factory, 100% hand made the old fashioned way. Cabot is the "big" name, but Crowley is the oldest cheese factory in the USA.
If you go to NH, check out Tuckerman's Ravine/MT Washington.
Covered bridges abound.
There are tons of small lakes, rivers etc for all types of recreation.
Avoid the interstate 89 & 91 if you can. Pick the rural routes if you want a look at the smaller towns, quaint farms (very few left anymore).
Let me know if I can answer any questions etc......

Nancy Laird
06-07-2007, 9:59 AM
Sturbridge Village is a good day trip.

I have to agree - I LOVED my day there. And, don't forget that Andy Hoyt is in Maine. Don't know exactly where, but I'm sure he'd like a Creeker visit.

Nancy

jeremy levine
06-07-2007, 10:11 AM
I lived in VT for 26 years and all of my fam-damily is still there. Will always refer to myself as a Vermonter.
......
Greg I am also going to Vt. this year I will be in the Mad River Valley area , I have three kids 10,7,and 2 any cool stuff for kids that you can thinks of ( railroads,museums ... )

Greg Cole
06-07-2007, 2:03 PM
Jeremy,
There used to be a railroad trip you could take from the Mad River area. The real old school choo choo kind... not sure if it's still in operation, but I thought that was pretty cool when I was a kid.
There are numerous "Alpine Slides" around too... don't know of any kid that doesn't think bombing down a hill on a sled with wheels is cool.
A day trip floating on the river or canoe trip is easy to find & fun... its not like the extreme white water rafting.
Take them on the gondola up Stowe and go to the top of MT Mansfield if it's a clear day.. you can see from the White Mtns in NH to the Adirondacks in NY. You can also do a hot air baloon ride or a glider. I always thought the glider would be awesome.
Burlington is very close to the Mad River area too (30 miles or so), there's a neat aquarium/museum on the waterfront. And for museums, I will re-iterate the Shelburne Museum... it truly is a gem-treasure. Shelburne Farms too, they have stuff going on all the time and it's all geared to the kiddies.
I'll ponder on this and see what else percolates from between the ears.....

jeremy levine
06-07-2007, 2:10 PM
Jeremy,
There used to be a railroad trip you could take from the Mad River area. The real old school choo choo kind... not sure if it's still in operation, but I thought that was pretty cool when I was a kid.
There are numerous "Alpine Slides" around too... don't know of any kid that doesn't think bombing down a hill on a sled with wheels is cool.
A day trip floating on the river or canoe trip is easy to find & fun... its not like the extreme white water rafting.
Take them on the gondola up Stowe and go to the top of MT Mansfield if it's a clear day.. you can see from the White Mtns in NH to the Adirondacks in NY. You can also do a hot air baloon ride or a glider. I always thought the glider would be awesome.
Burlington is very close to the Mad River area too (30 miles or so), there's a neat aquarium/museum on the waterfront. And for museums, I will re-iterate the Shelburne Museum... it truly is a gem-treasure. Shelburne Farms too, they have stuff going on all the time and it's all geared to the kiddies.
I'll ponder on this and see what else percolates from between the ears.....


Thanks... sounds great

Andy Hoyt
06-07-2007, 10:04 PM
Take a ride on Mad River's aging single chair while you still can. They're gonna build a new one, but the original from the 40's is a ride in paradise - skis and snow are optional.

Ben & Jerry's in Waterbury is a no brainer.

And as a native Bridgewater type, I can highly recommend Shurtleff's Gen'l Store; but don't buy the cheese. It's probably the same block of cheddar that was there back when Roland Palmedo built MRG's chair.

jeremy levine
06-08-2007, 8:54 AM
Take a ride on Mad River's aging single chair while you still can. They're gonna build a new one, but the original from the 40's is a ride in paradise - skis and snow are optional.

Ben & Jerry's in Waterbury is a no brainer.

And as a native Bridgewater type, I can highly recommend Shurtleff's Gen'l Store; but don't buy the cheese. It's probably the same block of cheddar that was there back when Roland Palmedo built MRG's chair.

Thanks Andy I've skied Mad River but that was many years ago, now that the single chair is going I might have to take one last ride 8-(.
I'll checkout, Shurtleff's Gen'l Store.

John Shuk
06-08-2007, 1:53 PM
Jeremy,
My wife and I took the boys to Smuggler's Notch last summer and had a great vacation. www.smuggs.com Very family friendly and low key. They have everything for kids right up to 18 including excellent day camps and multiple water park type pools and slides. It can be a bit pricey through the web site but we managed to hook up with someone renting their timeshare week and it was fabulous. We plan on going back for sure.

jeremy levine
08-20-2007, 11:00 AM
Back from my Vermont vacation. Thanks for all the help.
Great time , great weather.
Stayed on the mountain at mad river.

- Mad river single chair is NO more, but fear not they are as we speak installing a new single chair. ( which cost them 300K more then an equivalent double chair.

Visitied most of the places in the previous posts, thanks.
The view from the back door ( single chair , with no chair )
mad.jpg (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=70319&stc=1&d=1187621951)