I finally was able to skip town for a long weekend in Vermont! I’m sure you’ve caught up on my Vermont musings in my summer guide, but I thought I’d pop back and tell you what I did in Vermont on a perfect fall weekend. I hadn’t been back during the foliage months in over eight (!!) years, so my quick jaunt to the green mountain state was super special.
Much like my summer trip, I spent most of my time around my parents house near Killington.
The first day was spent hiking in Killington, then grabbing breakfast with my gramps at the famous Sugar and Spice, a popular maple house that serves the best breakfast sammy in the world. It’s also conveniently located on your way up the mountain towards Killington.
Later in the day, my mom scooped me up and surprised me with blowouts at Five Elements. I highly recommend this incredible Vermont day spa. Drybar who?! These ladies do a fantastic job – and they even sell Aveda products, which I’m a big fan of. We followed up our mini spa afternoon with a quick happy hour drink in downtown Rutland (a small town near Killington mountain, considered the “city”). We had a crisp glass of Champagne at the farm-to-table restaurant, Roots. We’re always in celebration mode when we’re together, she’s just the best. Roots is opening a larger location soon if you happen to be in the area, and their fresh turkey sandwich is my all-time favorite.
After another Apple Cider mimosa with the fam, we all headed up to Preston’s at The Grand Hotel in Killington. Preston’s serves local meat and beers, high end wine, local cheeses, and other farm-fresh entrees. It’s owned my the mountain and always has a fun vibe, with locals and tourist about. It’s always a must-stop on my Vermont “tour”. Grab a glass of red wine for a night cap by the outdoor fire pits on your way out!
We spent the following day doing family things, and stopped at the famous Mendon Mountain Orchards. I’ve been visiting since I was little! An apple cider donut fix was a must. We love supporting local, especially while in small-town Vermont. This orchard is family owned and operated by three generations.
We finished our low key day at a hometown favorite, The Palms, a family run restaurant that’s been around for decades. They arguably serve the best Italian in town. I feel full just thinking about it..
Saturday was spent at the Rutland Farmers Market! Not without coffee, though. I stopped at the new cafe in town, Speakeasy, and was so happy to find Oatly Oat Milk lattes! Now my mom is hooked on them, too. The city does a fantastic job on this Saturday market located right in the heart of downtown Rutland. I always stop at the granola and pesto stand, and of course, stock up on Ana’s Empanadas for breakfast and Vermont cheese for a snack later in the day. After our market adventure, we popped in Juice Amour, another new business downtown, and I thankfully was able to get my green juice fix :).
In the afternoon, we headed up to the mountain to Killington Ski Resort for their annual Brew Fest! This was so fun, and it landed on the most beautiful fall day. We sipped local brews and cider, and I even got my favorite thing in the whole world…*The Waffle Cabin waffle*. So yum.
On my last day, we hopped in the car and headed towards the charming town of Woodstock, stopping at Long Trail Brewery for lunch (also on my summer guide!) I die for their cheddar ale soup on a crisp fall day. We stopped in Woodstock for a quick post-lunch cappuccino, then headed towards Quechee, about five miles outside of Woodstock, to the famous Simon Pearce store and restaurant. We shopped through the incredible glassware and had a cozy glass of wine looking out at the beautiful river view. On our way back, we couldn’t pass up stopping at Worthy Kitchen, which I’ve read so much about! The menu looks fantastic, and they offer almost only local food. I enjoyed a hard Vermont cider on the deck. We ended our quintessential Vermont Saturday at Woodstock Farmers Market, a thoughtfully curated local grocery store, and stocked up on dinner ingredients for a cozy fall night in.
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