[Sierrajeff]

Originally Posted by tbdallas

Disappointed that I am too early for the foliage. I didn't want to chance arriving too late and missing it. We planned to pack light coats and hiking gear. Any suggestions on attire?

At that time there should be a fair bit going on in the White Mountains, Franconia Notch, the Northeast Kingdom of VT, and the northern Green Mountains. If you have time, drive from Stowe west through Smuggler's Notch (or vice versa) - high enough and north enough that you'll see good foliage, and it's a very quirky and scenic road.


And of course if you're headed through the White Mountains, you should also consider a drive up Mt. Washington! It's a little cheezy or cliché, but it's also pretty cool (literally!), and if it's clear it will certainly give you some amazing vistas.


Attire - LOL. Could be 70 and sunny, could be 35 and snowing. [EDIT: in the same day]. Plus it can be 60 in Boston, and 40 in Montpelier. Or, sometimes, vice versa. Basically you'll need to wait and look at the long-range forecasts when you're about a week out from your trip, and then subtract 5 degrees from the forecast lows and add 5 degrees to the forecast highs to allow for the inevitable changes. Bottom line: Layers. There's a reason people wear a t-shirt + flannel shirt / overshirt + fleece pullover or vest... you can adjust your layers as your activity level and weather exposure changes.

[quickdraw]

You never know when foliage will arrive, you need some luck. Last year, foliage was so late in the Burlington area that I thought we might not get one. When we did finally get it, the colors were actually quite beautiful, although some of the leaves had already fallen off. With this warm winter who knows?

Put me down as a big fan of Lenox to Great Barrington too.

[tbdallas]

New Question Everyone: I changed my reservation from Pittsfield to Rutland and I also have one for White River Junction. Which one should I keep?

[in_newengland]

My personal opinion is White River Junction. I've forgotten what the rest of your tour entailed but if it didn't cover that area, I would recommend it. Quechee Gorge, Hartford, pretty scenery. Unless it's changed in the past few years, Rutland didn't have much to offer. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

[tbdallas]

Originally Posted by in_newengland

My personal opinion is White River Junction. I've forgotten what the rest of your tour entailed but if it didn't cover that area, I would recommend it. Quechee Gorge, Hartford, pretty scenery. Unless it's changed in the past few years, Rutland didn't have much to offer. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

Thanks for your suggestion. I decided to ask because I believe I read about crime in Rutland as well that there were limited attractions but everything is beginning to blend so was not completely
sure :-).

[OhBeeHave]

Originally Posted by in_newengland

My personal opinion is White River Junction. I've forgotten what the rest of your tour entailed but if it didn't cover that area, I would recommend it. Quechee Gorge, Hartford, pretty scenery. Unless it's changed in the past few years, Rutland didn't have much to offer. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

I second this.

[tbdallas]

Originally Posted by OhBeeHave

I second this.

Thank you. It's official will cancel Rutland.

[CatwomanofV]

Another Vermonter with advice about going through Maine. lol. In Belfast along Route 1, please stop at Perry's Nut House. They have the BEST fudge-and you can sample ALL flavors if you want. (You can also buy off their website: Perry's Nut House of Belfast, Maine - Fudge, Nuts, Gifts & Toys


As for the WRJ vs Rutland, both have things to offer. WRJ, you are close to Quechee, but Quechee is very touristy. Lots of shops.

With Rutland, you are close to the lakes region-Lake Bomoseen, Lake St. Catherine, Glen Lake and other smaller lakes-not to mention if you go a little further you get Lake Champlain. Bomoseen & St. Catherine are the bigger of them (other than Champlain of course) but there are a lot of very beautiful spots that are a bit off the beaten path. You can get from Rutland to Lake Bomoseen in about 15-20 minutes.


On the other side of Rutland, you have Killington, Pico, and pretty much the spine of the Green Mountains. There is Kent Pond close to Killington.


Cat

[missionhill]

Originally Posted by CatwomanofV

Another Vermonter with advice about going through Maine. lol. In Belfast along Route 1, please stop at Perry's Nut House. They have the BEST fudge-and you can sample ALL flavors if you want. (You can also buy off their website: Perry's Nut House of Belfast, Maine - Fudge, Nuts, Gifts & Toys


As for the WRJ vs Rutland, both have things to offer. WRJ, you are close to Quechee, but Quechee is very touristy. Lots of shops.

With Rutland, you are close to the lakes region-Lake Bomoseen, Lake St. Catherine, Glen Lake and other smaller lakes-not to mention if you go a little further you get Lake Champlain. Bomoseen & St. Catherine are the bigger of them (other than Champlain of course) but there are a lot of very beautiful spots that are a bit off the beaten path. You can get from Rutland to Lake Bomoseen in about 15-20 minutes.


On the other side of Rutland, you have Killington, Pico, and pretty much the spine of the Green Mountains. There is Kent Pond close to Killington.


Cat

WRJ is close to Hanover, N.H., scenic college town with good bookstores, restaurants, art museum... You can take out a canoe on a scenic stretch of the Connecticut from the Dartmouth Outing Club in Hanover. 30 min downriver (by road) in the town of Cornish is the Saint-Gaudens national historic site, a beautiful memorial to the great late 19th-century sculptor with home, gardens, and exhibits. The covered bridge across the Connecticut at Cornish to Windsor, Vt, is the longest of the covered bridges.

If railroad buffs, by any chance, WRJ is an excellent spot for contemplating the rise and fall of the railroads in this country.

You can shadow the early career of Calvin Coolidge during this trip. Plymouth, Vt has his birthplace and boyhood home; Northampton, Mass is where he lived, worked and became mayor; and in Boston he served as Governor and earned lasting fame for firing striking policemen during the Boston Police strike of 1919.

[CatwomanofV]

Originally Posted by missionhill

WRJ is close to Hanover, N.H., scenic college town with good bookstores, restaurants, art museum... You can take out a canoe on a scenic stretch of the Connecticut from the Dartmouth Outing Club in Hanover. 30 min downriver (by road) in the town of Cornish is the Saint-Gaudens national historic site, a beautiful memorial to the great late 19th-century sculptor with home, gardens, and exhibits. The covered bridge across the Connecticut at Cornish to Windsor, Vt, is the longest of the covered bridges.

If railroad buffs, by any chance, WRJ is an excellent spot for contemplating the rise and fall of the railroads in this country.

You can shadow the early career of Calvin Coolidge during this trip. Plymouth, Vt has his birthplace and boyhood home; Northampton, Mass is where he lived, worked and became mayor; and in Boston he served as Governor and earned lasting fame for firing striking policemen during the Boston Police strike of 1919.

I'm not saying that the WRJ doesn't have anything offer. I'm just saying that Rutland area DOES have things to offer. And I believe Plymouth is closer to Rutland than it is from WRJ.



Cat