OCTOBER 2020
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Grafton Getaway An iconic inn with a storied porch
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Autumn Is for Apples Five ways to enjoy a fruitfall fall
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A New Leaf
O CT O B ER 2020
We’re entering the season for which Vermont is world-famous. “When autumn visits Vermont, there might not be a prettier state in America,” writes Travel + Leisure. Yet when was the last time you took a gondola ride up a mountain to appreciate fall foliage? If that sounds like something only tourists would do, it’s time to reconsider how you experience your home state. This year, a global pandemic has turned the travel industry on its head. But when staying close to home is advisable, why not take the opportunity to see your state with fresh eyes? Go on, do what the tourists would — if only they could. October’s Staytripper steers you to classic autumnal activities: apple picking, foliage hikes, pumpkin patches. But we also encourage reaching deeper during your explorations, whether it’s contemplating America’s racial reckoning while visiting Hildene, the Lincoln family home in Manchester, or paying tribute to our frontline medical workers at this year’s Great Vermont Corn Maze in Danville. 2020 has brought unexpected detours, but here’s to falling for Vermont all over again.
HEART OF THE TOWN............... 6
— CARO LY N FOX , E DITOR
The iconic Grafton Inn is a gateway to southern Vermont’s charm BY CANDACE PAGE
AN APPLE A DAY ......................... 10 Celebrate apple season from orchard to glass BY JORDAN BARRY
HISTORY LESSON ...................... 12 10
Hildene, the Lincoln family home, offers insight into America’s past and present
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BY KRISTEN RAVIN
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South Hero
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VERMONTING ............................20 Burlington
Three close-to-home travel itineraries BY MARGARET GRAYSON & SALLY POLLAK
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SPIRITED AWAY.......................... 23 Halloween haunts to explore this spooky season
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BY ALISON NOVAK
• Middlebury
Cornwall
Danville Montpelier
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Shelburne Huntington
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Rutland
DESTINATIONS Fall hikes ......................................... 27 Foliage lift rides ................................ 29 Forest canopy walk ........................... 31
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St. Johnsbury
Barre
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Waitsfield 20
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Stowe
Woodstock
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Proctor
Exploring the state?
31 Quechee
Follow the pins to find the fun in this issue.
KIDS’ ACTIVITY PAGE ............... 30 Word search, coloring, maze and more!
12 Manchester
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Bennington ON THE COVER: AERIAL VIEW OF ROUTE 9
6 Grafton
Brattleboro
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SEVEN DAYS STAYTRIPPER OCTOBER 2020
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Heart
The iconic Grafton Inn is a gateway to southern Vermont’s charm
of the Town
INFO The Grafton Inn, 92 Main St., Grafton, 843-2248, graftoninnvermont.com
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couple of years ago, Grafton resident Joanne Boswell was dining at the Grafton Inn and heard two people from Maine chatting at the next table. “I said, ‘Excuse me — Maine is so beautiful; why do you come here?’” she recalled. “And the man said, ‘Because there’s no place like Grafton.’” People have been saying that about this southern Vermont village and its quintessential inn since Rudyard Kipling met up with friends on the
BY CANDACE PAG E
broad, columned porch more than 100 years ago. The 45-room hostelry is the centerpiece of a tree-shaded Main Street lined with Greek Revival homes. As a neighborhood gathering place, nonprofit enterprise and Grafton’s largest employer, the rambling inn and its outbuildings serve as the heart of the town. Grafton is an unusual place, a community of fewer than 1,000 people that, thanks to a 20th-century benefactor and the town’s distance from an interstate highway, has maintained much of
its 19th-century appearance without becoming a museum. The benefactor was Dean Mathey, a New Jersey financier who summered in Grafton and had an abiding interest in colonial architecture. He created and endowed the nonprofit Windham Foundation in the 1960s, not simply to conserve the town’s appearance but to give it new economic life. In addition to the inn, the foundation operates Grafton Village Cheese and the Grafton Trails & Outdoor Center.
The Innkeeper’s Suite
The spacious living room in the Innkeeper’s Suite PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE GRAFTON INN
The Grafton Inn
It has also helped conserve land on the approaches to town. “That is what makes Grafton special,” said Elizabeth Bankowski, a member of the foundation’s board and its former CEO. “You didn’t go by a strip mall or an out-of-scale housing development to get there. This is the rural landscape — when we imagine what Vermont looks like, we imagine Grafton.” The foundation rebuilt the inn as its first project, converting it from a comfortable but modest waystation
Outdoor dining at the Grafton Inn
into a gracious, antique-filled hostelry that attracts guests looking for a getaway. Today, guests are housed in rooms furnished with four-poster beds in the main inn and in one of several whiteframe homes nearby. Like all of Vermont’s lodging places, the inn has spent much of this year adapting its hospitality to forestall the dangers of COVID-19. That has included offering takeout from the inn’s dining room (including quarts of housemade ice cream, some of the proceeds benefiting Grafton Fire and Rescue) and from a more informal pub housed in a barn behind the main building. Most radically, innkeeper Angela Comstock said, she removed the line of front-porch rocking chairs beloved by guests. “I’ve got 27 [dining] tables scattered around the property — in the courtyard, on the front lawn, on the front porch,” she said. “We could never do that because of the rocking chairs. That’s our sacred place — don’t move the rocking chairs! But we needed to be a little creative, and now guests love eating there.” Room rates, which range from $199 to $400 a night during foliage season, include the inn’s copious breakfast and the chance for an early-morning dip in the pond hidden behind one of the inn’s guesthouses. As a COVID-19 precaution, the guesthouses are being rented this fall to single parties of family or friends. As the weather chills, the inn will offer distanced dining in a heated tent in the courtyard, as well as indoors. (The inn will be open seven days a week through October 25, then five days a week). Though Grafton is not on the road to anywhere in particular, its peace and quiet have drawn a stream of well-known visitors, including some who were regulars. “I personally saw Paul Newman ask Alex Haley for his autograph,” recalled Bill Toomey, who served as assistant innkeeper for 30 years. Despite its rocking-chair ambience, the inn is a good base for exploring southern Vermont, including on a recommended covered bridge driving tour of about 100 miles. For those not inclined to get in their cars, Toomey suggests strolling the village to enjoy its classic streetscape, with a stop at the brick meeting house recently restored by the Grafton Historical Society. HEART OF THE TOWN SEVEN DAYS STAYTRIPPER OCTOBER 2020
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COURTESY OF THE GRAFTON INN
When we imagine what Vermont looks like, we imagine Grafton. ELIZABETH BANKOWSKI
Heart of the Town « P.7 Also on Main Street, history buffs will find a kiosk telling the story of Alexander Turner, a formerly enslaved Black man who fought in the Civil War and later settled in Grafton, where he and his wife raised 13 children. The Windham Foundation serves as steward of the family’s homestead site in the nearby hills, a stop on Vermont’s African American Heritage Trail. Guests looking for an active getaway can hike or bike at the Grafton Trails & Outdoor Center, which connects to a larger network of trails through the region’s rolling, forested terrain. More trails can be found in the three state forests in Grafton. Outdoorsman and selectboard member Allan Sands recommends a hike up Bare Hill, so named because it was denuded
in the days when 12,000 sheep grazed Grafton’s hills. The town park’s Red, White and Blue trails climb a bit but are easy enough for families, he said. Boswell, the Grafton resident, first came to town 45 years ago when she and her husband stumbled upon the inn while touring Vermont from their home in Massachusetts. It was foliage season, and when they inquired about having brunch, they were told the dining room was full and that some diners had made reservations a year in advance. Nevertheless, the Boswells had fallen in love. They returned to the inn at least once a year thereafter until, five years ago, they bought a home in town and moved to Grafton for good. Recalling that first, unsuccessful attempt to enjoy the inn, Boswell said, “Every time we stayed, we made reservations for the following year — we were not going to be turned away again,” she said. “It is a piece of heaven in Vermont.”
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An Apple a Day Celebrate apple season from orchard to glass BY JORDA N B A R RY
Windfall Orchard
I
JORDAN BARRY
f it weren’t for all the maple and cows, Vermont might be best known for its apples. As summer turns to autumn, their reds, golds and greens peek through the leaves of trees along roadsides and weigh down branches in orchards across the state. As an undisputed flavor of fall, apples show up in pies and doughnuts, as well as ciders both sweet and hard. Celebrate the crisp air and changing leaves by heading out on an apple adventure to pick your own McIntosh, Honeycrisp or Westfield Seek-No-Further — or stop in at one of the state’s many cideries to consume them in liquid form. Here are five ways to enjoy a fruitful fall.
Apple Archipelago Allenholm Farm, 111 South St., South Hero, 372-5566, allenholm.com Hackett’s Orchard, 86 South St., South Hero, 372-4848, hackettsorchard.com
There’s a stretch of South Street in South Hero where apple trees line both sides of the road; it feels like you’re driving through the middle of 10
SEVEN DAYS STAYTRIPPER OCTOBER 2020
A perfect day for a cider slush at Allenholm Farm in 2019
an orchard. In fact, you’re driving between two orchards whose entrances are just two-tenths of a mile apart. Locals have their allegiances, but why not stop by both? Allenholm Farm is the oldest commercial apple orchard in Vermont; it’s celebrating its 150th year in 2020. The orchard is open for apple picking with COVID-19 protocols in place — following the state’s guidelines to ensure social distancing and proper sanitization. The farm store is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., selling apples, Vermont products, sweet cider, maple creemees and Papa Ray’s pies through a to-go window. Be sure to wander toward the animals for goat snuggles. Hackett’s Orchard is also open for pick-your-own, following the state’s COVID-19 guidelines. If you’re holding out for a specific apple variety, the website has a handy average ripening chart. (Expect Empire apples by about October 1; Northern Spy, October 20.) Both orchards serve a seasonal treat worth seeking out: cider slush. On a warm autumn day, nothing is better than a bit of brain freeze from slurping down an icy version of the sweet stuff.
JORDAN BARRY
Shelburne Orchards, 216 Orchard Rd., Shelburne, 985-2753, shelburneorchards.com
Apples and cider doughnuts from Shelburne Orchards
SALLY POLLAK
Drive-Through Doughnuts
Soup and Sips Windfall Orchard, 1491 Route 30, Cornwall, 462-3158, windfallorchardvt.com
Pulling into this orchard for the first time certainly feels like an unexpected piece of good fortune. Windfall boasts more than 80 apple varieties — several grafted onto a single tree, in some cases — and a panoramic view of the Green Mountains to boot. The orchard’s self-serve market is open every Saturday through October, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., selling homemade soup, wood-fired pizzas, fresh-picked apples and cider to-go. Looking to pick your own Chenango Strawberry or Yellow Transparent? The orchard offers PYO on Saturday and Sunday afternoons through October 17 on a first-come, first-served basis. Cider tastings are also available — be sure to try the syrupy, complex ice cider and the outstanding farmhouse perry.
The sprawling orchard near the shores of Lake Champlain has streamlined its offerings this year: A drive-through store sells apples, jugs of cider, cider vinegar, Dead Bird Brandy from the on-site distillery and, of course, cider doughnuts. “Just the essentials,” the website explains. But eager harvesters can still meander through the trees, searching for the perfect fruit. Prepaying is required for pick-your-own, but that means you don’t need to weigh out as you exit — and you can get home to devour your doughnuts that much quicker. Currently, food is not to be consumed on the premises. Check the website for the full list of changes and see what’s ripe for the picking.
Tallboys and Tunes Stowe Cider, 17 Town Farm Ln., Stowe, 253-2065, stowecider.com
Stowe Cider has transformed its backyard into a socially distant live music venue, and the outdoor fun will continue as long as the weather cooperates — complete with different food or snack options each week. Acts are currently scheduled through October 9, when Marble Eyes will serenade cider sippers. Reservations are required, with the sales going directly to the artists. More events are added weekly, so check online for an updated schedule. Once things move inside, the taproom will offer small bites and breakfast sandwiches to go with its crushable ciders, boozy seltzers and newly released craft teas.
Fermenting Fun
A bottle of Vinous Venus from Fable Farm Fermentory and late summer produce
What better way to slow down and settle into fall than with a drink that makes you think? At Fable Farm, cider is wine. There’s wine made from grapes, too — the new releases are exceptional examples of Vermont’s winemaking potential — and co-fermentations of apples and grapes. All represent the terroir of the gently rolling foothills that surround the farm and fermentory. On Saturday afternoons from 3 to 6 p.m., Fable Farm’s tasting room is open with a full range of fermented beverages available for tasting flights, glass pours and bottle sales, with simple cheeseboards for snacking. Online reservations are helpful but not required. To keep its summertime Feast & Field Market fun going, the fermentory plans to host occasional live music throughout the fall, as well. Grab a glass, take in the tunes and contemplate the meaning of “cider.”
COURTESY OF STOWE CIDER
JORDAN BARRY
Fable Farm Fermentory, 1525 Royalton Turnpike, Barnard, 234-5288, fablefarmfermentory.com
Live music in the garden at Stowe Cider SEVEN DAYS STAYTRIPPER OCTOBER 2020
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PHOTOS COURTESY OF HILDENE, THE LINCOLN FAMILY HOME
Formal garden
The ancestral home of Robert and Mary Lincoln
History Lesson Hildene, the Lincoln family home, offers insight into America’s past and present BY KR I ST E N RAVI N
W
hat if you could combine an enjoyable getaway with an opportunity to learn about America’s history and contemplate its future? Hildene, the Lincoln family home in Manchester, is a family-friendly and thought-provoking destination with attractions for visitors of all ages, including those invested in social and environmental issues. Situated on the Battenkill River between the Taconic and Green mountains,
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Hildene is the ancestral home of Robert and Mary Lincoln, the son and daughterin-law of Abraham and Mary Todd Lincoln. The estate’s 412 acres contain a slew of natural features — forest, field and wetland — as well as 14 historic buildings, including Robert and Mary’s Georgian Revival mansion. Robert built his family’s southern Vermont summer abode in 1905. It housed three generations of Lincolns until 1975, when the last descendant to live in the
home died and left it to the Church of Christ, Scientist. Three years later, local community members formed the nonprofit Friends of Hildene and purchased the estate as a memorial to the Lincoln family. Visiting history buffs no doubt drool over the artifacts inside the palatial mansion. The exhibit “The American Ideal: Abraham Lincoln and the Second Inaugural” is dedicated to president Lincoln’s second inaugural address, delivered near the end of the Civil War in 1865, two years after he issued the Emancipation Proclamation abolishing slavery. In it, he spoke of the North’s complicity in slavery and the country’s need for peace and healing. The exhibit includes a Bible owned by Lincoln, as well as a White House mirror. The looking glass, according to Hildene president Brian Keefe, “was possibly the last place where Abraham Lincoln saw his own likeness before he was killed.” And Honest Abe’s iconic stovepipe hat? There’s one of those too. Outside the main house, the formal garden is designed to resemble a stained-glass window and begs to be photographed. A quick search for
#hildene on Instagram yields snapshots of stylish users flanked by manicured flora. “Visited [Hildene] and tried to convince Matt we should move in,” reads the caption under one couple’s pic. Guests with children might swing by the Goat Dairy to observe the cheesemaking process. “The playful kid goats were a highlight for me,” wrote one Yelp reviewer last year. Or head down to Dene Farm, located on a 56-acre meadow below the home, to see sheep, ducks, pigs, chickens, rabbits, cattle and alpaca. Beyond the picturesque grounds, historical artifacts and natural features, a visit to Hildene may take on a deeper significance in light of nationwide protests against systemic racism. The exhibit “Many Voices” is the southernmost site on the Vermont African American Heritage Trail. It’s displayed alongside a restored 1903 executive railcar that was owned by the Pullman Company, of which Robert Lincoln was president from 1897 to 1911. “Many Voices” examines the complex history and legacy of the Black porters who worked for the company after the abolition of slavery.
The dining room set for Thanksgiving
“It shows the evolusocial distancing. tion of the Pullman State and federal porters and the recommendarole that they tions and played in the Centers labor union for Disease movement, Control and the civil rights Prevention movement and guidelines inform Abraham Lincoln’s [their] pathway to the Hildene’s COVID-19 policies, stovepipe hat middle class,” Keefe explained. which are listed on its website. However, “It was not a straight Also on the website is this path, and it was not an easy path,” he statement: “Hildene exists to carry the continued, noting that these freed slaves values of Abraham Lincoln to future worked long hours for very little pay. generations by educating and inspiring Regarding America’s continued racial others to put those values into action.” reckoning, said Keefe, “We very much To this end, Keefe said, the nonprofit think that we are a place where these is raising money to build a year-round discussions can and should be had.” venue for civic discourse. Along with fostering civil civic He explained, “We want to be a place discourse, another of Hildene’s key actions where people can come and talk about is conservation. The grounds provide a some of the greater issues that face our pollinator sanctuary, and eco-conscious nation and the world right now.” tourists can savor 12 miles of walking trails, multiple gardens free of synthetic INFO pesticides and a 600-foot floating boardwalk through the Battenkill River wetland. Hildene, the Lincoln Family Home, Hildene’s al fresco attributes make 1005 Hildene Rd., Manchester, the estate conveniently conducive to 800-578-1788, hildene.org
We want to be a place where people can come and talk about some of the greater issues that face our nation and the world right now. BRIAN KEEFE
The “Many Voices” exhibit SEVEN DAYS STAYTRIPPER OCTOBER 2020
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SHOP SAVVY AND KEEP VERMONT STRONG.
Shopping from home? Take a break from the big guys and support local first. Vermont merchants have faced mandatory store closures and other challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. Even as some open back up, others operate online only. All need your support.
WITH GENEROUS SUPPORT FROM:
PICTURED: COMMON DEER, 210 COLLEGE ST., BURLINGTON, COMMONDEERVT.COM (JAMES BUCK)
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Visit the Register for all the info on area shopkeepers who are selling their products online for local delivery or curbside pickup. Browse by categories ranging from jewelry to electronics, outdoor gear to apparel. Whether you need something for yourself or that perfect gift for a loved one, shop savvy and keep Vermont strong. SHOP T HE R EGIS T E R .C OM
9/1/20 12:57 PM
FILE: JEB WALLACE-BRODEUR
Falling for Montpelier
Looking for a day trip that combines outdoor recreation with COVID-safe shopping, delicious food and drink, a side of history, and small-town charm? Try Montpelier.
W
ith a population of about 7,500, Montpelier is the nation’s smallest state capital. If you haven’t been there since your fourth-grade field trip, this fall is the time to return. The pandemic may have shut down the Statehouse, but it’s opened up new outdoor dining options — and freed up parking spaces — downtown. And it’s coincided with the completion of six more miles of mountain biking trails at nearby North Branch Park. That’s in addition to 10 miles of trails in city-owned Hubbard Park and the 3.7-mile riverside Siboinebi Path, formerly the Montpelier Bike Path. In short, there’s enough to do downtown to keep you busy, but enough space to make you feel safe. Three Penny Taproom general manager Jay Bothwell offers this advice: “You just get out and walk, and there are lots of little interesting things to do and discover.” We did some research and checked in with
locals, including Bothwell, to compile this list of suggestions for an ideal autumn outing.
Learning From the Past Montpelier became Vermont’s capital in 1805, and the layout of the city hasn’t changed all that much since, according to Victoria Hughes, the Vermont Historical Society’s museum and education manager. If someone could time travel from the 19th century, she says, “they would recognize the streets.” Many of those quaint streets are lined with houses and office buildings built more than a century ago. In fact, Montpelier is home to the state’s largest National Register of Historic Places district. Visitors can explore the city’s yesteryears at the Vermont History Museum, located in the Pavilion Building on State Street, next to the Supreme Court and the Statehouse lawn. Pro tip: This is also a convenient place to use the public restroom,
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located just inside the building’s entrance, before the admission desk. The museum experience has changed somewhat because of the pandemic. Playful signs on the doors instruct visitors to keep “one catamount apart,” a nod to the famous stuffed mountain lion that’s part of the collection. A Plexiglas barrier separates the masked staff member on duty from visitors preparing to enter. Hughes notes that the interactive exhibits have been altered, as well. For example, vintage dressup clothes are now affixed to a mirror instead of available to try on. Kids can position themselves in front of it to see their reflection. She also points out that history buffs can find lots of material online at the society’s website. A page called Vermont History Outside aggregates information about walking tours throughout the state, including four in Montpelier. A museum intern wrote and recorded three of the four Capital
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explore
ARTISANS HAND: Find prints, photographs, pottery, wearable art and jewelry made by more than 120 local artisans at this nationally recognized gallery, a reliable source for unique gifts. 89 Main Street, Suite 8. 17
HUBBARD PARK: A walk out of town and into the woods on these winding trails allows you to engage in the restorative practice the Japanese call “forest bathing.” Says Eric Bigglestone: “You can walk into Hubbard Park and feel like you’re in the Northeast Kingdom.” Access off Court Street behind the Statehouse. 22
BEAR POND BOOKS: One of Vermont’s finest independent bookstores — and winner of the Seven Daysies award for best bookstore outside Chittenden County — this downtown shop has been a fixture in Montpelier since 1973. 77 Main Street. 15 THE BOOK GARDEN: Gamers and comics fans gravitate to this indie shop, which sells graphic novels along with board games, dice and supplies for Pokémon and Magic: The Gathering. 50 State Street. 20
Find more options at goodtogovermont. com. Check websites for hours of operation, which are subject to change. For breakfast and coffee BIRCHGROVE BAKING: Get fresh pastries, take-and-bake treats, and custom cakes from this longtime local eatery. 279 Elm Street. 11 BOHEMIAN BAKERY: Pick up pastries and coffee drinks from the step-up window of this bakery that Alec Ellsworth calls “super delicious.” 78 Barre Street. 10 CAPITOL GROUNDS: If you’re downtown and need a cuppa joe, this is where you go. 27 State Street. 4 For a bigger meal BUDDY’S FAMOUS: Montpelier doesn’t have a McDonald’s, but it does have this awesome old-school burger and malt shop. 15 Barre Street. 9 MAD TACO: Call to order your tacos and enchiladas made from ingredients grown on the owner’s Fayston farm, then pick up at a table by the front door. 72 Main Street. 5 PHO CAPITAL: Get Vietnamese specialties from this eatery just down the block from the Statehouse, and eat in the outdoor seating area. 107 State Street. 1 SARDUCCI’S RESTAURANT AND BAR: This Italian eatery is now serving its fresh dishes in an outdoor parklet seating area. 3 Main Street. 8
Vermont History Museum
CAPITOL STATIONERS: Stop for a journal, souvenir hat or T-shirt at this family-owned shop. 65 Main Street. 13
Three Penny Taproom
eat
NORTH BRANCH PARK: This 200acre city-owned park offers extensive multiuse trails, as well as access to biking and mountain biking routes. Ride there on Route 12 or park at the North Branch Nature Center or in the parking area on Poolside Drive. 27
THE SKINNY PANCAKE: Sample sweet or savory crêpes at this local chain with locations in Burlington, Quechee and Stowe, among other towns. Outdoor seating available. 89 Main Street. 6 THREE PENNY TAPROOM: Get a fourpack or a crowler to go from Montpelier’s finest gastropub. But if you want to sample one of the best selections of Hill Farmstead brews in the state, you’ll have to do it inside or in the new outdoor seating area. The burgers, salads and wraps are yummy, too. 108 Main Street. 7 WILAIWAN’S KITCHEN: This no-frills, hole-in-the-wall Thai joint is only open from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on weekdays and Saturdays. And it only offers three entrées, which change weekly — and which may sell out if you wait too long to order. The crowd you encounter while waiting to pick up your food from the walk-up window may be the biggest you find downtown. 34 State Street. 3 For cocktails on the fly CALEDONIA SPIRITS: Conveniently located along the Siboinebi Path, this distillery on Gin Lane is closed to tours during the pandemic, but its bartenders will happily prepare craft cocktails to-go. Made from Barr Hill Gin, Tom Cat Gin or Barr Hill Vodka, these drinks come packaged in an adorable stoppered bottle that travels well in a knapsack if necessary. 116 Gin Lane. 12 JULIO’S CANTINA: Bartenders here are now mixing their famous margaritas to-go — a silver lining of the pandemic. Julio’s serves food, too, in an outdoor eating area. 54 State Street. 2
NOTION FABRIC & CRAFT: Opened in 2019, this whimsical boutique offers an array of high-quality knitting, sewing and embroidery items. 68 Main Street. 14 ONION RIVER OUTDOORS: If you’re planning an outdoor adventure around town, Kip and Jen Roberts can offer tips and get you geared up. Want to rent a bike? Be sure to call in advance. 20 Langdon Street. 21 THE QUIRKY PET: Animal lovers, don’t miss an opportunity to stock up here on a lovingly curated selection of chew toys, grooming supplies and sundry other products — all made in the USA. 5 State Street. 18 WOODBURY MOUNTAIN TOYS: Legos, dolls, trains, puppets, science kits, razor scooters, lava lamps — this beloved local toy store has it all. If you walk by with small children, they will not be able to resist entering. 24 State Street. 19 ZUTANO: Speaking of small children, find snuggly baby booties, clothes and hats for them at the Zutano outlet store. 79 Main Street. 16
Turn the page for a map of these locations.
MORSE FARM MAPLE SUGARWORKS: Savor a maple creemee, feed the goats and enjoy the view at this family farm a short drive from downtown. 1168 County Road. 26 SCULPTURE GARDEN: Between the offices for the Vermont Arts Council and the Capital Region Visitor’s Center on State Street is a small public art exhibit titled “The State of Sculpture … an Overview of Vermont Sculptors.” Pause here to contemplate three large yellow spoons dangled from a tree — “For a Spoonful” by sculptor and puppeteer Ria Blaas — and “Converse,” three stark posts of carved cedar by multimedia artist Clark Derbes. 136 State Street. 24 SIBOINEBI PATH: This 3.7-mile trail named for the Abenaki word for “river water” winds along the Winooski River. Access via Dog River Recreation Area or Granite Street. 25 VERMONT HISTORY MUSEUM: Open to the public Wednesday through Saturday, this museum offers an engaging overview of the people and events that have shaped the state. 109 State Street. 23
City audio tours over the summer. They include maps marking notable sites. The most obvious of these is the Statehouse, with its standout golden dome, topped by a recently rebuilt statue of Ceres, the Roman goddess of agriculture. Also to be found on the Statehouse grounds: a statue of Ethan Allen, a plaque on one of the entrance pillars that indicates the water line from the disastrous 1927 flood, and a historical marker recognizing the 2000 passage of legislation creating civil unions — making Vermont the first state to legally recognize same-sex couples. Though lawmakers aren’t gathering there at present, Montpelier is still a proudly political city, evident from the handmade signs in front yards and hanging from apartment windows. On Fridays, visitors arriving between noon and 1 p.m. might encounter some sign-toting activists in front of the post office. They’ve been gathering there weekly since 1994, according to Montpelier resident Ann Burcroff. The protests started out as being anti-war, she says, but “now there are all kinds of issues we all care about.” On a recent Friday, for example, the placards focused on economic inequality and racial justice. The signs echoed the message that civic-minded volunteers painted earlier this year in large gold letters on State Street: Black Lives Matter. But more than political protests take place around the Statehouse, notes Hughes. Its lawn, next door to her office, “really is sort of a public park, and people use it like that,” she says. “There’s plenty of space to spread out.” Travelers, take note: The grassy expanse in front of the Capitol is a great place for a picnic.
Buying Local Just blocks from the Statehouse, Montpelier’s lively shopping district offers a downtown experience reminiscent of an earlier era. In fact, some of the stores have been there for quite some time. Eric Bigglestone’s grandfather opened Capitol Stationers in 1950; his father, Don, ran the business and expanded it for a time in the 1980s. The Main Street store, now owned by Eric and his brother, Kent, celebrated its 70th anniversary in May. The inventory has shifted somewhat over the years. Shelves once filled with office supplies now also include souvenir T-shirts, sunglasses, cookies shaped like maple leaves, and Lake Champlain Chocolates. The store still stocks a good selection of moleskine journals and greeting cards, too. Those haven’t gone out of style. “You don’t text Grandma to thank her,” observes Bigglestone. “You send her a thank-you card.” Capitol Stationers was closed during the early spring coronavirus shutdown. Like most local stores, it reopened with a see-through barrier between customers and the cash register, and with hand sanitizer available at the entrance. Bigglestone says the city’s business owners work together and try not to step on each other’s toes. A new children’s clothing and toy store, Minikin, is expected to open in October, but he points out that its toy offerings will be a bit different from what shoppers
FILE: JEB WALLACE-BRODEUR
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Mountain biking at North Branch Park
might find at Woodbury Mountain Toys two doors down. “We try to complement one another,” he says. That sense of community is part of what makes Montpelier special. “People are really conscious of what we have here,” Bigglestone says. Residents and visitors alike will celebrate that community spirit during Montpelier Alive’s Montpelier Madness event, Thursday through Saturday, October 15 through 17. Organizers decided to forge ahead with a combination of outdoor and physically distanced in-person events this year, including sales, restaurant specials, pop-up entertainment and giveaways. Bigglestone encourages those who appreciate Montpelier’s Main Street vibe to visit and shop downtown. “It’s easy to click one button online, or get something for a dollar,” he says, but for stores like his to survive during this challenging time, “now, more than ever, we need Vermonters to support Vermonters.”
Getting Out Bigglestone’s other big recommendation? Check out the mountain biking trails at North Branch Park, which he calls “a great asset” to the city. Designed by a professional trail builder and funded by the Montpelier Area Mountain Bike Association, the new trails are a short ride from the center of the city. Onion River Outdoors co-owner Kip Roberts recommends riding there from downtown via the bike lane on Route 12, which takes about five to eight minutes, he says. Mountain bikers of all levels can spend an hour or two on the flowy, machine-built trails without having to complete “a heinous climb,” he says. The routes wind through forest paths, offering thrilling terrain and varying levels of difficulty. Roberts calls the park a
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“one-stop shop” for biking enthusiasts, and adds that the trails turn into fat-bike trails in the winter. Mountain bikers interested in continuing the adventure can keep going and link up to the Sparrow Farm trail in East Montpelier. Those looking for a less strenuous outing can opt for the Siboinebi Path, named for the Abenaki word for “river water” and pronounced “see-bo-WE-nah-bee.” It parallels the Winooski River and passes by the Caledonia Spirits distillery. More interested in a nearby day hike? Roberts’ wife, Jen, co-owner of Onion River Outdoors, can recommend one; she literally wrote the book on the subject: AMC’s Best Day Hikes in Vermont. Copies are available for sale at their store. Montpelier Parks and Trees director Alec Ellsworth spends more time in the city’s other 200-acre escape: Hubbard Park, a wooded area accessible from behind the Statehouse that he calls “a semi-hidden gem.” Ellsworth actually lives there, with his wife and two children, in a house on the property. Ellsworth is looking forward to showing off the park on Friday and Saturday, October 9 and 10, during the annual Enchanted Forest event, when the paths are lit by candles and adorned with pumpkins. Tickets are available in advance and sell out every year, he says. He suggests starting a day in Montpelier by finding a place to park near the Statehouse, then walking up to its right and accessing the foot path that leads to Hubbard Park’s stone tower. Built between 1915 and 1930, the tower looks out over the Green and the Worcester mountains. Camel’s Hump is clearly visible in the distance. One thing you can’t really see from there: Montpelier itself. Ellsworth recommends following the park paths and emerging on Corse Street for a good view. A huge metropolis Montpelier is not, but right now, it’s got everything you need. ■
The Stone Tower in Hubbard Park
Montpelier Itineraries LEFT: JEB WALLACE-BRODEUR; RIGHT: BEN CARPENTER FOR MONTPELIER ALIVE
Siboinebi Path
On foot 1.
Park in a city-owned public parking lot, the Stonecutter’s Way parking lot, or find free parking on nearby residential streets.
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2. Walk to the Statehouse and peruse the grounds. 3. Follow the trail behind the Statehouse to the tower at Hubbard Park.
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4. Follow the trails in Hubbard Park and emerge on Corse Street. 5. Get lunch downtown. Eat outdoors or picnic on the Statehouse lawn. 6. Stop by the Vermont History Museum. 7.
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Pick up a few souvenirs.
8. Return to your car and drive to Caledonia Spirits to pick up a couple of cocktails to-go for later.
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9. Drive to Morse Farm Maple Sugarworks to get a maple creemee and feed the goats. 26
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By bike 1.
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Park near Onion River Outdoors.
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2. Grab your bike and ride to North Branch Park via the bike lane on Route 12. 27
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3. Spend an hour or two on the trails.
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4. Bike back to town and stop for lunch. Eat outdoors or picnic on the Statehouse lawn.
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5. Pick up a few souvenirs. 6. Bike back to the car, stop for a maple creemee at Morse Farm Maple Sugarworks — and feed the goats — on the way home. 26
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Vermonting Three close-to-home travel itineraries BY M A RGAR E T G R AYS ON & S A L LY POLL AK
E
very week through midOctober, Seven Days presents “Vermonting,” a column of curated excursions in all corners of our great (but not so large) state. Indeed, Vermont’s diminutive size makes a multitude of short trips accessible, whether for a few hours, an overnight or a longer getaway. Find three sample itineraries below, and read more detailed travelogues at sevendaysvt.com. Before you hit the road for any of these destinations, read up on their current COVID-19 policies. And visit SEVENDAYSVT.COM/ VERMONTING-MAPS to download a map of these locations straight to your mobile device!
Wander Through Land
scape Art in Woods
tock Woodstock’s 500-acre Ma rsh-Billings-Rockefeller Na tion al His encompasses one of the old torical Park est planned and scientifical ly managed forests in the nation — possibly the oldest, according to the Na tional Park Service. The site is a living laboratory of land stewardship and env ironmental conservation characterized by for est plantations that date bac k to 1880. With 20 miles of forested trails and a sculpture garden, the nat ional historic park and its surrounds offer mo re than might fit into a sin gle day trip. STOP FOR SANDWICH ES AT
THE HISTORIC
BARNARD GENERAL STO established in 1832. Call-i RE, n orders are encouraged for deli fare such as the Barnardino: tw o fried eggs, crispy prosci utto, provolone, Sriracha mayo and avocad o on a toasted English mu ffin. PICNIC AT SILVER LAK E STATE PARK, directly across
from the general store. Silver Lake is a per fect place to stop for a sw im on a warm-weather road trip: Just pull over and jump in. In the off-season, the park is a popular site for ice skating and ice fishi ng. WALK THROUGH MARSH -BILLINGS-ROCKEFELL ER NATIONAL HISTORIC PARK in Woodstock. Th
e trails are free and open year-round, with paths winding throug h forests established in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Don’t miss the “Hudson on the Garde n” sculpture exhibit in a grassy alleyway behind the garden. SAY HELLO TO A HEIFE R AT BILLIN
GS FARM & MUSEUM in Woodstock. The outdoor history museu m and operating Jersey dai ry farm welcomes guests to explore some of its barns, pastures, garden s and walking trails. TREAT YOURSELF AT TH
E WOODSTOCK
PHOTOS: SALLY POLLAK
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From top: Sculpture in the “Hudson on the Garden” exhibit; mansion at Marsh-BillingsRockefeller National Historical Park; Silver Lake State Park
SEVEN DAYS STAYTRIPPER OCTOBER 2020
FILE: CALEB
REST UP AT THE WOOD STO
CK INN & RESORT. Claiming to be “Vermont’s most beautiful address,” the elegant hotel was established by Lauran ce and Mary Rockefeller. Kick back and relax, wheth er it’s at the activity center or the spa.
KENNA
FARMERS MARKET. The Bakehouse here coo ks up an ever-changing arr ay of old-fashioned desserts, such as apple pie with str eusel topping. If you need a pumpkin or local beer, the market has that, too.
Above: Lake Dunmore; a bridge on the Trail Around Middlebury; a bun and coffee from Haymaker Bun
CUTLINE
Welcome Autum n With
Art and
Apples in St. John Cultural institutio sbury ns such as the St. Jo hnsbury Athenaeu Museum & Planetar m , th e Fa ium and Catamount irbanks Arts make this rem Kingdom town a de ote Northeast stination. But until recently, St. Johnsb many food and beve ury didn’t have rage choices to serv e hungry travelers. years have altered The past few that situation, and now there are plen including a distille ty of options — ry, a taproom and a Filipino restaurant spent in this part of — to fuel a day the NEK. In the fal l, the trek here alo St. J has earned a sp ne is worth it; ot on many a foliage -peeping guide. VIEW ART AT TH E ST. JOHNSBUR Y ATHENAEUM, a stunning 18 that hous
Hike and Eat Your Way Around Middlebury Need a place for reflection and recreation? You’ll find both on the Trail Around Middlebury, a roughly 19-mile path that traverses public and private lands as it runs through woods, along and over Otter Creek, at the edge of meadows, and even on city sidewalks. The first sections of the TAM, as the trail is nicknamed, were built in 1989; “the loop has been expanding and improving ever since,” according to Jamie Montague, executive director of the Middlebury Area Land Trust, the nonprofit steward of the trail. Take a stroll, then continue exploring Middlebury for delicious sustenance. TRAVERSE THE TRAIL AROUND MIDDLEBURY. The trail is well marked
and beautifully maintained, offering expansive views of farm fields and meadows.
HIT THE BRAKES AT THE A&W, the iconic roadside restaurant on Route 7
south of Middlebury. You can smell the burgers and onion rings as you approach, and the car-side service is conducive to social distancing.
PICNIC AT LAKE DUNMORE in Salisbury. The lake at Branbury State Park
is ideal for a waterfront lunch. The park offers plenty of space to play on the beach and spread out.
GET A PICK-ME-UP FROM HAYMAKER BUN, a café on Middlebury’s
Bakery Lane. It recently added lunch service, but a wildly creative sweet or savory bun made by Caroline Corrente is a must.
es the public library 71 building , a lecture hall, and with a sizable colle a gallery ction of primarily 19th-century paintin The focal point: Al gs and sculptures. bert Bierstadt’s “T he Domes of Yosem ite” (1867), which takes up the entire back wall. GET LUNCH AT PI CA-PICA FILIPIN O CUISINE, poss ibly Verm restauran
ont’s only Filipino t, opened by George Sales in 2017. The fo try a classic dish, ch od is excellent; icken adobo, featu ring tender marinat and a salty, vinegar ed meat y broth poured over rice.
WANDER THE GR ASSY HILLS OF DO G MOUNTAIN, ho by the late Verm me to a galle
ont artist Stephen ry of work Huneck, a pristine dedicated to dearly white chapel departed dogs, and 150 acres where wa and their canine co lkers mpanions are free to roam.
STOP FOR A SNAC K
AT SW
EET SEASONS FA RM & ARTISAN CO just up the dirt road NFECTIONS, from Dog Mountain . The farm offers pi apples in varieties ck-your-own such as Mantet, Bu rgundy and Norland treat, such as a choc . Grab a unique olate-covered blue berry bar, from the farmstand. ROLL ON AT LAMO ILLE VALLEY RAIL TRAIL. St. Johnsb 93-mile bike ury
is at one end of this path through north ern Vermont. The along the Lamoille fo ur -se ason trail snakes River and through woods, farmland an d villages. TUCK IN FOR TH E NIGHT
AT KINGDOM FA RM LODGE in Ea The renovated cattl st Burke. e barn, opened in 20 14, strives to offer aff accommodations th rough an array of di ordable fferently sized sleep with names such as ing quarters — Milkhouse, Horses tall and Hayfield.
SNAG AN ADVENTUROUS SPIRIT AT APPALACHIAN GAP DISTILLERY.
Preorder Espresso Liqueur, Mythic Gin or Papilio (an agavemaple syrup spirit) for pickup at the solar-powered distillery. SETTLE IN FOR THE NIGHT AT THE MIDDLEBURY INN,
which has overlooked the scenic town green since 1827. Expect rooms with elegant historic details and fresh, farm-to-table fare at Morgan’s Tavern. PHOTOS: MARGARE
From top: The St. Johnsbury Athenaeum library; apples and apple cider bars at Sweet Seasons Farm & Artisan Confections; the Dog Chapel at Dog Mountain
N
T GRAYSO
Find more information on Vermont day trips and adventures from the Vermont Department of Tourism and Marketing at vermontvacation.com/staytripper.
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Wilson Castle 2708 West St., Proctor, wilsoncastle.com
This 32-room, 19th-century estate bills itself as one of Vermont’s most haunted places and offers 45-minute historical tours Friday through Sunday. The structure, which boasts 84 stained-glass windows and 13 fireplaces, was built in the 1860s by Vermont doctor John Johnson to impress his aristocratic English wife; it later sold to AM radio pioneer Herbert Lee Wilson, whose family still owns and operates it. The castle has been the target of multiple paranormal investigations over the years, and it offers several spooky overnight events in October.
Halloween haunts to explore this spooky season BY ALI SON NOVAK
I
n the 1920s, a University of Vermont medical student named Henry, thoroughly exhausted after taking his final exams, climbed to the attic of Converse Hall and hanged himself. In the near century since, UVM students have reported encounters with Henry’s ghost, seeing chairs mysteriously stacked on top of a dining table, shoes lined up across the floor and a lamp flying across the room. That’s just one of the spooky scenarios described in Thea Lewis’ Haunted Burlington: Spirits of the Queen City. The 2009 book tells of dozens of haunts, in Burlington and beyond, that have been visited by ghostly spirits. Its
cover features that UVM dormitory’s foreboding Gothic exterior, which Lewis likens to “an off-kilter nunnery.” In normal years, Lewis — a native Vermonter who released a new book, Lakeview Cemetery of Burlington, Vermont, in September — leads spooky guided walking tours through her company, Queen City Ghostwalk. But this fall, COVID-19 has put a crimp in her plans. Though her offerings are limited, she intends to host both in-person and virtual pop-up events in the weeks before Halloween. Reservations are required. Visit Queen City Ghostwalk’s Facebook page for updates. You could also take your own Halloween-inspired tour of the Green Mountain State by visiting the sites below.
Hope Cemetery 201 Maple Ave., Barre
This 65-acre property, opened in 1895, is the final resting place for more than 10,000 souls, many of whom are memorialized with intricate gravestones carved from Barre gray granite mined in local quarries. Sadly, a number of the headstones list a death date of October 1918, when an influenza pandemic infiltrated Vermont and killed some 1,700 people in mere weeks. Other gravestones feature remarkable statuary, including a soccer ball, a miniature biplane, an armchair and a replica of a race car commemorating local driver Joey Laquerre Jr., who died in a snowmobile accident in 1991 at the age of 28. One reviewer wrote on Tripadvisor: “While it feels a little strange walking around a cemetery and taking pictures, that’s exactly what I did.” Also try: Green Mount Cemetery, Montpelier
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Also try: Exterior of Converse Hall, University of Vermont, Burlington
Emily’s Bridge Covered Bridge Rd., Stowe
Stowe’s singlelane, 50-footlong covered bridge, built in 1844, goes by a few names: Gold Brook Bridge, Stowe Hollow Bridge and Emily’s Bridge. The last references a local legend that the bridge is haunted by the ghost of a young woman who died 100 Emily’s Bridge years ago. Stories vary; jilted teen Emily is variously thought to have hung herself from the bridge’s rafters, jumped off the bridge into the brook below, or perished in a speeding carriage crash after being stood up by the man she was supposed to marry. Since then, visitors have reported vehicles and horses being mysteriously clawed while crossing the bridge, and ghostly figures, strange lights and orbs have shown up in photographs of it. The site was featured on the Travel Channel’s “Most Terrifying Places in America” series in 2018. © SEAN PAVONE | DREAMSTIME.COM
Spirited Away
COURTESY OF BARBARA IAMS KOREIN
COURTESY OF WILSON CASTLE
Wilson Castle
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Also try: The site of the covered bridge — which is no longer covered — on Chicken Farm Road, East Corinth, featured in the 1988 movie Beetlejuice Hope Cemetery
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HAVE YOU VISITED
DOWNTOWN ST. ALBANS LATELY?
There is always something new!
And, yes, we are open during Covid-19! Restaurants, cafes, shops, salons, galleries and more! In-state, out-of-state, everyone is welcome to visit Franklin County and check out Downtown St. Albans!
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o w n WHAT?
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STAY SAFE, STAY ACTIVE Please feel welcome to visit our Downtown Visit www.downtownsaintalbans.com to see what we have to offer! 24
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The Seven Days team has reenvisioned our weekly Notes On the Weekend newsletter to include creative, constructive and fun ways to spend your time from a safe social distance. From drive-in movies to delicious recipes to day trips, there is something for everyone asking, “NOW what?”
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The Quincy Hotel OF ENOSBURG FALLS
Great Vermont Corn Maze/ Dead North 1404 Wheelock Rd., Danville, vermontcornmaze.com
FALL FEELS
COURTESY OF MIKE BOUDREAU
Spirited Away « P.23
Get All Your
Lined with six- to eightfoot cornstalk walls and featuring 100 feet of bridges, this 24-acre You need a post-quarantine change of maze is the biggest of scene. Walk or bike along the Missisquoi its kind in the state. It Valley Rail Trail, relax in our clean & 8 SO. MAIN STREET, takes roughly two hours ST. ALBANS comfortable rooms, airy balcony, porch to complete, though and lounge or take a kayak on the river. 524-3769 there’s an emergency MAKE YOUR RESERVATION TODAY! exit if you get imposRAILC IT Y M ARK E T V T.CO M quincyhotelvermont.com Great Vermont Corn Maze sibly lost. Due to the pandemic, advanced online reservations are 12v-TheQuincyHotel082920.indd 1 8/5/20 ST12v-RailCityMarket092320.indd 10:35 AM 1 9/17/20 4:11 PM required to visit. This year, the maze pays tribute to the frontline workers who have kept communities running since COVID-19 hit. Owners Mike and Dayna Boudreau designed • • it in the shape of a caduceus symbol — two snakes winding around a winged staff — that’s often used to symbolize the medical profession. A shorter scenic maze provides an option for visitors looking for an easier jaunt. • Sh o p in - store : open 7 d ay s a we e k The site hosts Dead North: Farmland of Terror! on October 3, 9 and 10, featuring a mix of animatronics and live, hands-off haunters. A time slot for one to eight • S ho p onl ine 24/7 : www .phoenixbook s.b iz people can be purchased for $240. • Fr e e sh ipp ing for or ders over $ 20 Also try: Peck Farm Orchard Corn Maze, East Montpelier, peckfarmorchard.com ( al l ot hers sh ip for $4 ) COURTESY OF MARY WHITCOMB
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Whitcomb’s Land of Pumpkins
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• Curb si de p ick-up avail able
• C al l u s t o or d e r b y p h on e or fo r re commen dati ons
347 Fay Lane, Williston, whitcombslandofpumpkins.com
Itching to create your own jack-o’-lantern scares at home? Find gourds, squash and pumpkins of all sizes and shades at Whitcomb’s. The six-acre, familyowned farm is open for picking every Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Coronavirus precautions include mandatory face masks and increased width between pumpkin rows. Visitors can also search for checkpoints in a four-acre corn maze, which include fun facts about dairy that assist in a word scramble.
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THE TIE DYE SHOP One of a kind items. From t-shirts to tablecloths, we’ve got you covered.
COURTESY OF MEREDITH BAY-TYACK
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7/23/20 8:49 AM
Also try: Cedar Circle Farm, East Thetford, cedarcirclefarm.org
Whitcomb’s Land of Pumpkinds
More Frightful Fun
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Winooski plans to hold a scaleddown version of its annual FESTIVAL OF PUMPKINS in Rotary Park. Visit downtownwinooski.org for more information closer to Halloween. On weekends in October, Billings Farm & Museum in Woodstock hosts Festival of Pumpkins HARVEST AT THE FARM, with activities including cider pressing, leaf rubbing and pumpkin bowling. Its FAMILY HALLOWEEN event on October 25 includes costume parades at noon and 2 p.m. See billingsfarm.org.
263 South Main Street • Alburgh, VT 10-4, M-Sa • 796.4694 • newdye.com 6h-tiedyeshop0720.indd 1
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Fleming staff reflect on the collection and our current moment
your staycation
“This painting reminds me of a maze— which is exactly how this time in history feels to me. We are navigating uncharted territory in so many ways . . .” —STEPHANIE GLOCK, business manager
The Fleming Museum of Art has reopened for the Fall 2020 season with a suite of protocols in place for your safety. No reservations are needed. Please visit https://www.uvm.edu/fleming/visiting for our COVID-19 Visiting Policies Thanks to a generous gift from the 1675 Foundation, admission is free this semester. Ernst Benkert (American, 1928-2010), Half-Inch Grid, 1962 Oil on canvas. Museum purchase 1972.2 © The Estate of Ernst Benkert, courtesy D. Wigmore Fine Art, Inc.
61 Colchester Avenue, Burlington / Hours: Tues.–Sat. 10am-2pm WWW.FLEMINGMUSEUM.ORG
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Destination FOLIAGE HIKES
WATERBURYâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S FAVORITE CAFE!
Green Mountain Clubâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hike VT roundups, greenmountainclub.org
When the fall air turns crisp and sweet, Alicia DiCocco heads to Little Rock Pond, an offshoot of the Long Trail in southern Vermont. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a Open for online ordering and takeout pretty easy trek, she said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;and the foliage is just beautiful.â&#x20AC;? DiCocco knows her hikes â&#x20AC;&#x201D; sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s director of development and comcoffee, espresso drinks, munications for the Green Mountain Club, which has been maintaining breakfast, brunch, lunch, the Long Trail since 1910. This year, Vermonters can benefit from salads and smoothies tried-and-true tips from the entire GMC staff: In June the organization See our menu and updated hours: launched Hike VT, a weekly campaign sharing suggestions for easy, moderate, difficult and accessible hikes. Also included: nearby food and WWW.STOWESTREETCAFE.COM drink stops, because GMC knows the importance of that après-hike 29 Stowe St. creemee. Waterbury â&#x20AC;&#x153;When COVID started, we were looking for ways to give back to the Village community and provide some inspiration during what was obviously 882-8229 a really challenging time,â&#x20AC;? DiCocco said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We wanted to give people a mechanism to go explore their state and really have fun with it.â&#x20AC;? Routes have ranged from Raven Ridge Natural Area (a boardwalk from which hikers might spot a bobcat) to Wheeler Pond Trail (which ST12v-StoweStCafe072920.indd 1 7/24/20 leads to â&#x20AC;&#x153;a stair-like waterfallâ&#x20AC;?) to Baker Peak (a difficult trek with views of marble quarries). Hike VT will continue rolling out recs through mid-October, and all posts will remain on the GMC website for future reference. Be sure to bone up on the clubâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s COVID-19 Trail Etiquette before hitting the ground. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We put a lot of our marketing resources into this. It was kind of like, Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s forget about everything else, and letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s look at what the world needs,â&#x20AC;? DiCocco said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a lot of people who are just happy to be outside.â&#x20AC;?
Say you saw it in...
CAROLYN FOX
â&#x20AC;˘
(802) 649-3361 135 Route 5 South Norwich, VT 05055
KingArthurBaking.com
4:49 PM
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VERMONT STATE PARKS HIKING INFO, vtstateparks.com/hiking.html VERMONT DEPARTMENT OF FORESTS, PARKS AND RECREATION HIKING INFO, fpr.vermont.gov/recreation/ activities/hiking
9/18/20 9:58 AM
DRINK VERMONT BEER!
144 College Street in Downtown Burlington 802-865-0500 â&#x20AC;˘ vermontbrewery.com
NATHANAEL ASARO
View from Camelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hump
8AM â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 5PM
sevendaysvt.com
Also try: â&#x20AC;˘
OPEN DAILY
DINE IN OR AL FRESCO â&#x20AC;˘ WED-SUN, 11:30AM-9:00PM ST4T-VPB092320.indd 1
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Outdoor Gear Exchange EW
DISCOUNTED
USED
THE NORTH" ®FACEI
Jo prAna. fcotopaxi
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Flannels, Down Jackets, Socks, and More Cool Weather Necessities Just in Time for Fall!
n
Smartwool.i:l:i Go far. Feel good.-
9/21/20 12:19 PM
COURTESY OF MAD RIVER GLEN
Destination
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GOOD MOUNTAIN
TO-GO VISTAS
VERMONT
GET IT TO-GO!
6/22/20 5:59 PM
TAKEOUT. DELIVERY.CURBSIDE.
WE KNOW WHO’S OPEN!
Foliage Lift Ride at Mad River Glen
Check GoodToGoVermont.com to see what your favorite eatery is serving up.
Gondola SkyRide, Stowe Mountain Resort, 5781 Mountain Rd., Stowe, stowe.com Foliage Lift Rides, Mad River Glen, 57 Schuss Pass Rd., Waitsfield, madriverglen.com
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Foliage season makes for beautiful walks in the woods, paddles on rivers, and drives through country roads. But for the best views, it’s good to be up high. Really high. Vermont ski areas are home to at least six gondola and lift rides, many of which take visitors to the tops of mountains with stunning vistas of glorious color. With a picnic and a backpack in tow, nature lovers and hikers can make a day of it. At the Gondola SkyRide at Stowe Mountain Resort, groups of up to eight people can take the 10-minute ride — in recently refurbished cars — to Also try: the top of Mount Mansfield. At 4,395 feet, Vermont’s tallest mountain offers • SCENIC GONDOLA RIDE, breathtaking views. From there, visitors Killington Resort, can grab a prepackaged bite at the 4563 Killington Rd., Waffle House, lounge at picnic tables and Adirondack chairs, and access trails. Killington, killington.com Rides are offered daily through foliage • SCENIC CHAIRLIFT RIDES, Sunburst Six chairlift, Okemo season. If open-air travel is your preference, Mountain Resort, 77 Okemo Ridge Rd., Ludlow, okemo.com try the Foliage Lift Rides at Mad River Glen in Waitsfield. For three weekends each fall, the single-chair, 20-minute ride takes visitors up for “micro and macro views,” said Ry Young, the marketing and events manager. “On the way up, you get the micro view of leaves, individual trees and groups of trees,” he said. “But the best part is the macro view on the way down — the whole valley below and the mix of colors.” The summit is within feet of numerous hikes, including the Long Trail. Hike up and ride down, ride up and hike down, or ride both ways. The lift runs September 26 and 27 and the first two weekends in October; refreshments are available in tents at the base. Gondolas and lifts generally run four to six hours daily, online purchase of tickets is recommended, and portable toilets are available. Rides may be canceled due to high winds, so call before you head out.
5/26/20 4:08 PM
GOOD TO-GO VERMONT
ELIZABET H M. SEYLER
Stay Safe. Check out our offerings at the restaurant & food truck.
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Kidsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Activity Page
REV. DIANE SULLIVAN
COLOR ME!
Word Search
Find two of the same leaf.
Pick these apple varieties (and more!) at Hackett's Orchard in South Hero.
Cameo Crispin Empire Honeycrisp Idared Jonagold Liberty McIntosh Macoun Paula Red Red Spy Zestar
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H O L I B E R T Y H
N O J O N A G O L D
M P N C Q O Y S R C
C Z A E A U O C E R
I M E U Y M P O D I
SEVEN DAYS STAYTRIPPER OCTOBER 2020
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Destination
FILE: TOM MCNEILL
BIRD’S-EYE VIEW
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We’ve got you covered!
View of the Forest Canopy Walk from the ground
Vermont Institute of Natural Science, 149 Natures Way, Quechee, vinsweb.org
How often does a raptor swoop two feet above your head? At the Vermont Institute of Natural Science, visitors can experience this any day of the week. VINS offers environmental education, promotes field research and operates an avian wildlife rehabilitation clinic on its 47-acre campus in Quechee. Open year-round, it presents daily outdoor raptor programs with live owls, hawks, falcons and kestrels. Staff share information and anecdotes about their feathered friends while the raptors fly from one trainer to another for tasty treats. Some fly right over and between viewers’ seats! Large outdoor raptor enclosures near the education area provide closeup views of where all the raptors live, including ravens, vultures and eagles. “They live here because their injuries make it impossible for them to survive in the wild,” said lead environmental educator Anna Morris at a recent program. For a view of the world from a bird’s perspective, head into the woods. The newest addition to VINS’ nature trails, exhibits, picnic tables and play areas is the Forest Canopy Walk. The sturdy ADA-accessible boardwalk begins at ground level and extends out over a forest hill that drops away beneath. More than 900 feet long and 50 feet high, the walkway loops through the woods, connecting three human-made features. The most spectacular is the Tree House, where a circular stairway leads to a deck more than 100 feet in the air, above the treetops, where birds soar. Throughout the VINS campus, interpretive signs encourage people of all ages to see, hear, understand and appreciate nature in new ways. Though masks and social distancing are required and monitored, visiting VINS is a liberating venture into a magical world.
Check out the patio seating, take out or grab a picnic table in the City Green. Noted for our dedication to cooking from scratch, serving generous portions, and supporting local producers, we have been pumping nourishment into the heart of the Vergennes community and those who visit since 2007. Come by today!
Little City. Big Flavor. catering available
141 Main Street, Vergennes ■ 3squarescafe.com ■ 802-877-2772 6H-3squares090220.indd 1
8/31/20 4:57 PM
ELIZABET H M. SEYLER
Also try: • •
MONTSHIRE MUSEUM OF SCIENCE, 1 Montshire Rd., Norwich, montshire.org NORTH BRANCH NATURE CENTER, 713 Elm St., Montpelier, northbranchnaturecenter.org ST6H-oldspokes092320 1
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9/18/20 9:25 AM
“I SPY... SOMETHING DIFFERENT.”
FIND TRAVEL GUIDANCE, TRIP IDEAS TO INSPIRE, AND MUCH MORE.
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9/18/20 11:06 AM