Town to spend a couple days on the way to Stowe,VT (camping, restaurants)

[G-fused]

Originally Posted by GeoffD

Depending on what kind of budget you're on, you may find that Killington has cheaper lodging options since it has all those beds sitting empty at the ski resort. Beyond that into Mendon/Rutland is even less inexpensive compared to Woodstock summer prices. Killington to Woodstock is 30 minutes. With infinite money, I'd do the Woodstock Inn.

Beware that Woodstock and Bridgewater are notorious speed trap towns with 25 mph zones. Do no exceed speed limit + 4 mph on any Vermont secondary road. I-89 in New Hampshire also has frequent speed traps. Speed limit + 9 mph is as fast as you want to drive on I-89 in New Hampshire or Vermont.

The Alchemist Brewery just moved to Stowe. I'm not a bitter American IPA fan but my beer snob friends have been doing the scavenger hunt to buy their rationed 6-pack or two for years. I imagine that the new brewery at Stowe with added capacity makes the beer more obtainable.

If you're a beer guy, the Long Trail Brewery is worth a stop. They have 4 or 5 small lot craft brews on tap above and beyond their high volume stuff.

Cabot in Quechee isn't a factory tour. It's a storefront in the antique mall that has a bunch of kinds of Cabot chopped up in sample-sized cubes to sample.

Oh man...thanks so much, you likely just saved me a ticket.

I'm not rich but do ok and we don't spend a lot on fancy things. I'm practical and somewhat frugal but on vacation, less so. Booked a place (room with a river view baby!) 1/2 mile from town center so we can walk in. I saw places that were a good deal cheaper if I go just 5 miles out but hey, I'm worth it (and the wife wanted the closer place). We'll only be there 2 nights before heading on to Stowe but we're excited about it all. Thanks again, everyone's suggestions were helpful.

[porterhouse]

Originally Posted by GeoffD

The Alchemist Brewery just moved to Stowe. I'm not a bitter American IPA fan but my beer snob friends have been doing the scavenger hunt to buy their rationed 6-pack or two for years. I imagine that the new brewery at Stowe with added capacity makes the beer more obtainable.

Eventually it should but not yet. We were in Stowe around the 4th right after the new brewery opened. It opens at 11a daily and the lot was full by 9:30a with very long lines. On top of that the local stores had their allotments suddenly cut when the new brewery opened so it was scarce at local retail outlets. I'm wondering if the new brewery is open for retail but the production is not online yet. We're not beer fanatics so we got our fill at the local restaurants, most of which had the vaunted Heady Topper. On the way out of town the place we stopped for gas happened to have just received a shipment so we brought some back for gifts. My stock definitely just went way up with my beer geek friends.

To the OP, we had some fantastic meals in Burlington and Stowe, the highlights of which included:

• Penny Cluse Cafe (Burlington): fantastic breakfast and lunch
• The Bench (Stowe)
• Idletyme Brewing Company (Stowe): The outside patio and bar is great for lunch or dinner
• Hen of the Wood (Waterbury): One of the pioneers in the farm to table movement and it really is fantastic. Both the food and location can't be beat. The setting in an old mill is one of the nicest dining environments imaginable.

Have a fantastic trip and make sure you get to the top of Mt. Mansfield. If you're a hiker, you can take the Sunset Ridge Trail up from the Underhill State Park (through the notch 20 min from Stowe). It is a relatively strenuous hike but the views are worth it, one of the most beautiful hikes anywhere. You could also drive up the Toll Road or take the Gondola and hike (a mile or so?) to one of the high points. We didn't have time, but the new zip line tour looked fantastic.

In Burlington the relatively new bike bath is awesome. It runs from South Burlington, through downtown along the lake and then a 2 mile causeway through the lake and over a cool bike ferry to South Hero island. Really don't miss it.

If I was you I'd take the extra time in Burlington and Stowe rather than stopping elsewhere. Enjoy your trip.

[magicshark]

In the general area of Quechee is The King Arthur Flour Company. It's a pretty cool stop if you have any interest in baking. http://www.kingarthurflour.com/visit/ If you are bringing kids there is a pretty nice science museum in the same town as King Arthur, Norwich, VT. http://www.montshire.org/

[G-fused]

Originally Posted by porterhouse

To the OP, we had some fantastic meals in Burlington and Stowe, the highlights of which included:

• Penny Cluse Cafe (Burlington): fantastic breakfast and lunch
• The Bench (Stowe)
• Idletyme Brewing Company (Stowe): The outside patio and bar is great for lunch or dinner
• Hen of the Wood (Waterbury): One of the pioneers in the farm to table movement and it really is fantastic. Both the food and location can't be beat. The setting in an old mill is one of the nicest dining environments imaginable.

Have a fantastic trip and make sure you get to the top of Mt. Mansfield. If you're a hiker, you can take the Sunset Ridge Trail up from the Underhill State Park (through the notch 20 min from Stowe). It is a relatively strenuous hike but the views are worth it, one of the most beautiful hikes anywhere. You could also drive up the Toll Road or take the Gondola and hike (a mile or so?) to one of the high points. We didn't have time, but the new zip line tour looked fantastic.

In Burlington the relatively new bike bath is awesome. It runs from South Burlington, through downtown along the lake and then a 2 mile causeway through the lake and over a cool bike ferry to South Hero island. Really don't miss it.

If I was you I'd take the extra time in Burlington and Stowe rather than stopping elsewhere. Enjoy your trip.

Thanks. Sounds like we'll have to take another trip - It all sounds so great. We already made reservations at Hen of the Wood so checked that box. Idletyme sounds good, outside patio would be great.

You guys/gals are all awesome.

[GeoffD]

Originally Posted by G-fused

Oh man...thanks so much, you likely just saved me a ticket.

Vermont lets towns keep 50% of their ticket revenue. Woodstock pretty much always has a town cop on the eastern edge of the 25 mph zone and occasionally hides them elsewhere on Route 4. Bridgewater rents a Windsor County sheriff and generates the most ticket revenue of any town in the state.

You also need to be aware on I-89 in New Hampshire. It's pretty unusual to drive the 60 mile length of it and not encounter a speed trap somewhere.

I got bludgeoned into submission years ago. I just use the cruise control and keep it under speed limit + 4 on the secondary roads and speed limit + 9 on the interstate highways.

[porterhouse]

The NH stretch of 89 is even worse than VT in my experience, the police are very aggressive. I set the cruise control in the same manner as Geoff.

[MikePRU]

Originally Posted by G-fused

MikePru - I haven't heard of heady topper but just looked it up - I am an IPA guy so will have to give it a try, or 6.

You can thank me by bringing me some back.

It's pretty much impossible to get outside of VT unless you're one of those people who are so in to beer that you trade with other beer snobs over the internet.

Originally Posted by magicshark

In the general area of Quechee is The King Arthur Flour Company. It's a pretty cool stop if you have any interest in baking. Visit us | King Arthur Flour If you are bringing kids there is a pretty nice science museum in the same town as King Arthur, Norwich, VT. Montshire Museum: Home

The Ben & Jerry's factory is also up in Waterbury. It's a fun tour and when I was up there a few years ago it was right down the street from the Alchemist Brewery. Although based on some of the posts in this discussion it sounds like the brewery might have moved.

[timberline742]

Originally Posted by MikePRU

Although based on some of the posts in this discussion it sounds like the brewery might have moved.

It did, but not too far.

[Soup Nazi]

The Jericho Country Store in Jericho Center gets it's Heady Topper delivery on Tuesday afternoons

[timberline742]

Originally Posted by porterhouse

Eventually it should but not yet. We were in Stowe around the 4th right after the new brewery opened. It opens at 11a daily and the lot was full by 9:30a with very long lines. On top of that the local stores had their allotments suddenly cut when the new brewery opened so it was scarce at local retail outlets. I'm wondering if the new brewery is open for retail but the production is not online yet.

It's online. The new place has been going awhile, it just wasn't opened to the public. They've increased their capacity about 1000% in the past 5 years.

Demand has just gone through the roof.