As I mentioned last week, Christian and I spent a weekend in Vermont recently. I'm used to going every Summer on our camping trips so it was a nice change to go in Fall! This wasn't a camping trip but we did sleep in our car at a campsite as purely a money-saving tactic. We were visiting Woodstock, VT (and surrounding areas) and hotels are notoriously expensive up there. We spent $54 on 2 nights at the campsite vs at least $200 a night at a hotel. Sheesh!
We stayed at Quechee State Park for the weekend and it just so happened to be the final weekend of the season for camping. So if we ever go back in the Winter (which we plan to) we'll have to deal with hotels on that trip. The campsite was nice, but we didn't explore enough to form a full opinion. My quick one is I prefer our usual spot in Jamaica, VT better.
We only had one real day to explore as half of our next day was spent at the King Arthur Baking School and then traveling home (After a quick stop for Christian to get a few drone videos at a location we saw the day before) so this is going to be a super quick "what we did" guide with some notes on what we have on our list for next time.
South Woodstock Country Store
This was the first stop on our trip. We came for breakfast and almost turned around thinking we were at the wrong location because there were hardly any cars in the parking lot. We had no cell service so I couldn't double check the address, we sat for a few minutes and decided to go in anyway because we figured it was probably still cute. Turns out we made it right before the rush. The front of the shop has some souvenirs and towards the back there's a small cafe where you can get breakfast and lunch! I had french toast and Christian had a sausage breakfast sandwich.
Downtown Woodstock/Village Center
We spent our morning walking around Downtown Woodstock exploring the different shops. Be sure to check out F.H. Gillingham & Sons, The Yankee Bookshop and any other little shops. For clothes you can check out Encore Designer Consignment and The Vermont Flannel Co. A lot of the shops were still closed while we were exploring so we didn't visit
everything this trip. We also happened upon a school bake sale and got some goodies.
This is also where you'll find the Woodstock Middle Bridge, one of Vermont's many covered bridges. There is a sidewalk going through it so you can walk on it without worrying about cars. Of course people were still walking under the main bridge, which made it awkward for drivers, so don't do that!
Another must-see in downtown Woodstock, VT is The Woodstock Inn, a beautiful hotel inside and out. We only walked into the lobby as they were limiting restaurant reservations to guests staying at the inn. We'd love to stay here at some point, but it's understandably pricey.
Sugarbush Farm
One of our favorite stops was Sugarbush Farm, the best part - it's free! The road to get here was beautiful (See most photos in the next section for proof) and there is a good amount to do here. They have a sugarhouse where you can learn how they make maple syrup as well as a maple walk through the trees to see how they tap the trees to make maple syrup! Finally they have their shop where you can test various cheeses and maple syrups before making your purchases. My favorite part was the GORGEOUS views of the rolling hills and colorful autumn trees. We could have easily spent all day taking in the views.Just Drive Around
One of our favorite parts of the trip was driving on the roads on our way to different places. The views were gorgeous, especially with the Fall leaves. I can only imagine them with a dusting of snow! Be respectful when pulling over to take and photos, we saw so many people trespassing on property or stopped in the middle of the road to get a photo. Very disrespectful in my opinion. Christian and I stopped on the side of the road once in a pretty open area so we weren't a nuisance to homeowners.
King Arthur Baking Flagship Store, Cafe and Baking School
As mentioned, the kickstart to our trip was taking a class at the King Arthur Baking School in Norwich - check out my recap! I highly recommend trying one if you have even the slightest interest in baking. Their cafe also offers delicious treats and you can walk around the store for any baking supplies you may need. They've got everything!
Quechee Gorge
Most of or time in Quechee was spent at the campground sleeping, but we did walk a trail from the campsite to Quechee Gorge, which is a must-see! The hike was a little long, considering we cold have walked from the front of the campsite to the gorge in a much quicker span of time, ha ha. (I much prefer the trails at Jamaica State Park that lead somewhere you can't get to as easily.)
The gorge is 165 feet deep and is the deepest gorge in Vermont. You can get great views of it from a bridge. There is a very tall fence along the bridge so you don't fall but it has rectangle holes so you can get photos without annoying fencing in the way. There's a welcome center, gift shop and ample parking for those that drive to see the gorge.
What We Still Want To Do
Now for the nice big list of what we want to do on our next visit!
The Ransom Tavern at Kedron Valley Inn
This spot is next to the South Woodstock Country store and they offer take-out and table service for Neopolitan pizza. We were almost going to go here for dinner our first night and decided against it because we would be eating a LOT of pizza the next day with our King Arthur Baking School pizza class.
Simon Pearce Showroom and Restaurant
We just missed out on visiting because they closed at 5pm and we weren't finished with our other stops in time. Next time we'll definitely make time to stop here AND I'll plan very far ahead so we can get a dinner reservation at the restaurant. When I checked on October 13th the earliest reservation they had was for November 6th - WHOA!
Billings Farm & Museum
We opted not to stop here because we didn't feel like spending $17. We went to Sugarbush Farm instead. But if you have kids who love farm animals this could be a great stop to see them. You can walk from the village center of Woodstock or there is ample parking. They also have a cafe and gift shop.
Vermont Institute of Natural Science
Another spot we skipped to avoid an entrance fee was the VINS center. We read that it's a great spot, especially for kids, but we didn't have enough time to make the ticket cost worth it. Outdoor exhibits: Raptors, Songbird Aviary, Adventure Playscape, Nature Trails, and the amazing Forest Canopy Walk. Indoor exhibits: Birds Are Dinosaurs, Forest Exhibit, and Reptile Room.
Kelly Way Gardens (open May-October)
Saw on JessAnnKirby's blog and it looks so pretty! "We offer a range of guided tours, tasting events and weekly gardening classes highlighting seasonal cut flowers, sensational produce and "soil under the nails" know how. Please stop on by to enjoy the vivid sights, tastes and smells of the gardens, while chatting with the gardeners in the field. Moseying encouraged."
Mangalitsa
This farm to table restaurant was closed for renovations on our trip so we have it on our radar for next time! It's pricey but I love their mission of knowing exactly where the food comes from and serving in-season produce. It's right in the center of Woodstock so a perfect location for a day of walking around town.
Farmhouse Pottery
I wrote this place down and then forgot to look out for it while we were driving around, so annoyed! I love a good kitchen/home store so I'm pretty bummed we missed it.
Cloudland Farm
If you want a super fancy meal, try to get a reservation at Cloudland Farm. You can also buy farm fresh meat here. We didn't have the time, or pre-planning, to get a reservation here but we may try in the future. The website says to book 3-5 weeks in advance! WHOA! It's pre-fixe and right now the prices are all around $56 each person.
"Chef Mike Borraccio prepares dishes made from ingredients that are grown right here at Cloudland and from other local organic farms. Absolutely everything we serve is made from scratch! All meals will utilize seasonal ingredients and will include beef, pork, chicken or turkey grown at Cloudland. If a member of your party requires a vegetarian entree or has other dietary restrictions, please mention that when making your reservation. All meals are fixed price, and Chef’s menu selection for each meal will be posted here by Tuesday of each week."
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