# Where is your favorite New England trip.....



## mdurette (Apr 30, 2021)

It is no secret my favorite is the White Mountains in New Hampshire.   Lincoln is my first choice....followed by Bartlett.

But, my thoughts today are with Newport, RI.     I think this is such an underrated area and with the summer sightings I have recently posted I'm thinking about it.

To me (just my opinion) I think it outranks the Cape for a summer destination.
Still get New England oceans.  Many restaurants, shops, tours are all within walking distance from the resorts.
Day trips to Boston, Providence and Connecticut are easy commute.


So, all you New England fans.....what is your favorite area?


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## nerodog (May 1, 2021)

I love Vermont ! All the little villages and pretty scenery. Northern Vermont is majestic and Lake Champlain area.  The little villages of Newfane and Woodstock, Stowe  are lovely. Manchester is always fun to shop. 

Also enjoy coastal Maine,  the Kennebunkport  area, Ogunquit , York and Southern coast and always like a visit to Stonewall  Kitchen.
A friend has a place in Southern NH in Spofford Lake and always enjoy a summer day there  too.


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## hjsweet2002 (May 1, 2021)

We love Newport and the Berkshires (Bentley Brook) the most.  We love traveling to Boston, Cape Cod and Maine.  Most of New England is great


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## Brett (May 1, 2021)

I like the White Mountains in New Hampshire and the St. George peninsula in Maine


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## e.bram (May 1, 2021)

Newport Overlook in Jamestown, RI and Surfside Resort in East Falmouth, MA.


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## jme (May 1, 2021)

1. Vermont...... particularly the small town of Woodstock.....(Woodstock Inn!) .....but frankly, most anywhere in Vermont.
2. New Hampshire, anywhere in the White Mountains.....(Bretton Woods/Omni Mt. Washington Hotel).
3. Maine..........small coastal town of Ogunquit.....or anywhere on the coast.
4. City of Boston.......too much to tell, but it's definitely our favorite big city in USA (Custom House)....warranting 6 visits in last 8 years.
5. Newport, RI....wonderful place, just a beautiful area.

And, we love to go only in mid-October (foliage season is glorious) or early December (Merry Christmas to us!!)......

Wife unwittingly called the last year+ the "pandammit" instead of the pandemic...a true Freudian slip.
So, we'll be ecstatic when this pandammit is over, such that we feel safe in getting back to our beloved New England, and especially Boston!
(funny thing is that she never utters a curse word....guess it just slipped out.)


*1. Woodstock, Vermont*










*2. New Hampshire (Bretton Woods)......Mt Washington Hotel*






*3.  Ogunquit, Maine*










*4. BOSTON*
First stop is ALWAYS at James Hook & Co. on Atlantic Ave,Boston..."on the hahbah".....
When we deplane we RUN to this place!!!!!



			https://www.google.com/maps/uv?pb=!1s0x89e3707e40e4f63b%3A0xc0e6695e6179ea71!3m1!7e115!4shttps%3A%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipN-TsOeE3v81UaPt6qWW6ExUcLN_91ct4HLJR0Y%3Dw246-h320-k-no!5sjames%20hook%20and%20co%20-%20Google%20Search!15sCgIgAQ&imagekey=!1e10!2sAF1QipN-TsOeE3v81UaPt6qWW6ExUcLN_91ct4HLJR0Y&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjbvY-g7ajwAhXidc0KHZNxAsAQoiowJ3oECGgQAw
		













*5. Newport, RI


*


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## missyrcrews (May 1, 2021)

I generally only travel in New England.  Funny...Laney was talking the other day about places/states we haven't been, and RI came up.  I hate, despise, DO NOT DO urban areas.  Boston/Providence, etc are not places I'd ever go....so I haven't looked closely at Newport.  It may warrant a second glance after this post!

Our favs:

1) White Mountains.  We love either side of the Kancamagus.  We've never stayed in a place we didn't enjoy!  Pollard Brook, Village of Loon Mountain, Eastern Slope, Attitash, Cold Spring...we enjoy them all!

2) Vermont, #2 only because it's a bit of a drive for us.  Smuggs is our favorite, but we've done Jackson Gore and the Grand Summit at Mount Snow, too.  All were great!

3) Samoset in Maine.  This one is just up the road...about an hour away.  It's a favorite because of proximity to home.  We don't golf, I don't drink, nobody likes to be out on the water, and we're not big restaurant people.  But we love to sit and watch the ocean any time of year, and you can't beat the amenities this place offers.  (Audrey gives Samoset the "best gym" award!) I've already made reservations here for Christmas 2021 and Christmas 2022!

4) A big surprise last summer was Vacationland Estates.  (Kids are actually clamoring to go back!) It's in the middle of god-forsaken NOWHERESVILLE.  But it had a beautiful view of Mt. Katahdin, we shopped at Amish farmstands at least as much as the grocery store, and the pool was great.  I'll be watching for a getaway from II to try to go back another year.

So many places we've enjoyed over the years.  It's hard to pick!  And there are still so many to try! Looking forward to using my new-to-me Acadia Village week this summer!


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## nerodog (May 2, 2021)

missyrcrews said:


> I generally only travel in New England.  Funny...Laney was talking the other day about places/states we haven't been, and RI came up.  I hate, despise, DO NOT DO urban areas.  Boston/Providence, etc are not places I'd ever go....so I haven't looked closely at Newport.  It may warrant a second glance after this post!
> 
> Our favs:
> 
> ...


Agree!!! One thing.. I hadn't  been to Providence in years and went to a play there.  I have to say the little city was very impressive  and worth a longer visit. I was really  surprised  how much I enjoyed  it !!  Speaking of Rhide Island,   Watch Hill is always a fave place  for a beach day.


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## nerodog (May 2, 2021)

L


jme said:


> 1. Vermont...... particularly the small town of Woodstock.....(Woodstock Inn!) .....but frankly, most anywhere in Vermont.
> 2. New Hampshire, anywhere in the White Mountains.....(Bretton Woods/Omni Mt. Washington Hotel).
> 3. Maine..........small coastal town of Ogunquit.....or anywhere on the coast.
> 4. City of Boston.......too much to tell, but it's definitely our favorite big city in USA (Custom House)....warranting 6 visits in last 8 years.
> ...


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## tonyg (May 4, 2021)

Been a long time since the TUG meeting (and wrestling match vs Fletch) at the Custom House. Very nice place, but a bit on the small side. My favorite places are: (1) NH White Mountains - Pollard Brook, (2) Maine- Acadia National Park area, (3) Cape Cod - Mid Cape area and mostly to eat.


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## HikerBiker (May 13, 2021)

We live in Maine and have vacationed in all of the New England states except  Connecticut.  Though we probably have vacationed on the Cape a dozen times, our absolute favorite place is Stowe, VT where we own two timeshares.  There are bike trails in the area, lots of hiking, several craft breweries (husband’s favorite is Alchemist beer), great restaurants, a Farmer’s Market, several shops, (all of these are within walking distance of one of our timeshares), art studios, and a quintessential downtown.  We have always used one of the weeks we own instead of trading it.  The 4th of July fireworks are fantastic and are viewable from the resort. 
I, also, have to say that Ogunquit is fabulous.  We live within 20 miles of it and go often for the day when not in high season.  We call it “our mini vacation” and are truly awed by its beauty.  Google “Marginal Way” to see a video which doesn’t begin to do it justice.


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## okw1 (May 13, 2021)

Doing research for a New England driving trip.  I’ve really appreciate all of your great ideas.  I have always wanted to go to Maine.  Do we need to go all the way to Bar Harbor or can we have a great experience staying further south like Oqunquit.  I want to do Newport, White Mountains in NH and Vermont. We’ve been to Boston and Cape Cod and don’t need to go back.  One last thing has anyone been to the Hudson Valley in New York and is it worth the detour?  Thanks in advance.


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## missyrcrews (May 13, 2021)

Ogunquit is beautiful.  But it's my thought that getting further north will give you more of a flavor of our state.  Rockland is a nice area, and has Samoset, which trades in both II and RCI.  Good luck planning your trip!


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## nerodog (May 14, 2021)

okw1 said:


> Doing research for a New England driving trip.  I’ve really appreciate all of your great ideas.  I have always wanted to go to Maine.  Do we need to go all the way to Bar Harbor or can we have a great experience staying further south like Oqunquit.  I want to do Newport, White Mountains in NH and Vermont. We’ve been to Boston and Cape Cod and don’t need to go back.  One last thing has anyone been to the Hudson Valley in New York and is it worth the detour?  Thanks in advance.


Freeport is always fun to visit and Rockport.


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## escanoe (May 14, 2021)

HikerBiker said:


> There are bike trails in the area, lots of hiking, several craft breweries (husband’s favorite is Alchemist beer), great restaurants, a Farmer’s Market, several shops, (all of these are within walking distance of one of our timeshares)



Mind saying which timeshare for those of us reading the thread and thinking about planning possible trips? Thanks!


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## HikerBiker (May 14, 2021)

escanoe said:


> Mind saying which timeshare for those of us reading the thread and thinking about planning possible trips? Thanks!


The resort is The Village Green and it’s with RCI.  It is a basic resort, most units are two levels, very limited WiFi access, and could use some updating.   However, it is clean, roomy, has indoor and outdoor pools, ping pong, friendly and helpful employees, and an excellent location.  The MountainSide timeshare is also in the same area.  We also own at Trapp Family Lodge and that is a resort with lots of activities and beautiful views.  My husband and I love it there, but our children and grandchildren prefer The Village Green.


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## Bwolf (May 15, 2021)

We stayed at the Village Green a few years ago.  Basic is an accurate description.  I hope by now they have updated the mattresses.

We have also stayed at Mountainside Resort, which is right next door to the Alchemist.  Much better mattresses, but a maintenance issue we didn't need and a lax attitude toward fixing it.

We much prefer the updated Guest Houses at Trapp.

Also, in my opinion, the Alchemist's reputation is undeserved.  The beers at Trapp are of varying quality, but I find the poorest to be better than the best Alchemist.  Your mileage may vary (YMMV), but at least give both a try.


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## heathpack (May 15, 2021)

HikerBiker said:


> The resort is The Village Green and it’s with RCI.  It is a basic resort, most units are two levels, very limited WiFi access, and could use some updating.   However, it is clean, roomy, has indoor and outdoor pools, ping pong, friendly and helpful employees, and an excellent location.  The MountainSide timeshare is also in the same area.  We also own at Trapp Family Lodge and that is a resort with lots of activities and beautiful views.  My husband and I love it there, but our children and grandchildren prefer The Village Green.



I just booked Trapp Family Lodge for July 2022 through II.  We are in California, Mom is on Long Island.  We were thinking of bringing her on this trip but she is mobility challenged and can’t do stairs.  We’re in a guest house.  Looking at pics, it looks like the guest houses might have 6-8 steps to access the unit?  If so, that will be a deal breaker.  Do you by any chance know the answer to this question?


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## Bwolf (May 15, 2021)

heathpack:  Two of the units in Bldg 1 are easy access.  Bldgs 25-28 have units with fairly easy access.  Call Owner Services, explain the situation, and ask, politely, if there is anything they can do for you.  They will do the best they can to help out.  They will act as if it is their mom and do the best they can.  And, please get back to us and let us know how it goes.

BTW, most units have way more than 6-8 steps to access the unit.


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## klpca (May 15, 2021)

Any thoughts about staying at Killington for a week in early Oct? I booked a week at the Killington Grand Resort for Oct 7-14, 2022. We have never been to New England before. I also set up an OGS in II for a week before or after in Maine (I know it's a drive but it's a bucket list thing for me). We are avid hikers and history buffs, mostly planning on sightseeing. We aren't shoppers and will spend most days outdoors if possible. I'm still within the 24 cancellation time. Any advice would be appreciated!


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## HikerBiker (May 15, 2021)

heathpack said:


> I just booked Trapp Family Lodge for July 2022 through II.  We are in California, Mom is on Long Island.  We were thinking of bringing her on this trip but she is mobility challenged and can’t do stairs.  We’re in a guest house.  Looking at pics, it looks like the guest houses might have 6-8 steps to access the unit?  If so, that will be a deal breaker.  Do you by any chance know the answer to this question?



BWolf is absolutely right; they will do everything they can to accommodate you so talk with them,  and yes, lots of steps for most units.  A beautiful place with lots of activities at the resort. Highly recommend.


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## HikerBiker (May 15, 2021)

klpca said:


> Any thoughts about staying at Killington for a week in early Oct? I booked a week at the Killington Grand Resort for Oct 7-14, 2022. We have never been to New England before. I also set up an OGS in II for a week before or after in Maine (I know it's a drive but it's a bucket list thing for me). We are avid hikers and history buffs, mostly planning on sightseeing. We aren't shoppers and will spend most days outdoors if possible. I'm still within the 24 cancellation time. Any advice would be appreciated!



We stayed in Killington many years ago, but not at that resort.  My understanding is it is a very nice resort.  As I remember, we visited the Calvin Coolidge Homestead and found other areas of interest along with doing some hiking. 
That is usually peak foliage time for Maine, so it may be difficult to get an exchange, so keep us posted, and then we will make suggestions based on the area where you are.


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## heathpack (May 15, 2021)

@HikerBiker do you call yourself HikerBiker because you are a cyclist?  I will probably want to mountain bike while in Stowe, possibly road bike.  If you have any insights, I’d like to hear them.


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## mdurette (May 16, 2021)

klpca said:


> Any thoughts about staying at Killington for a week in early Oct? I booked a week at the Killington Grand Resort for Oct 7-14, 2022. We have never been to New England before. I also set up an OGS in II for a week before or after in Maine (I know it's a drive but it's a bucket list thing for me). We are avid hikers and history buffs, mostly planning on sightseeing. We aren't shoppers and will spend most days outdoors if possible. I'm still within the 24 cancellation time. Any advice would be appreciated!



No thoughts on the actual resort - but that should right around prime fall foliage for the area, your hikes will be beautiful!  This particular week is the highest demand fall week in New England, you were lucky to obtain it!   It covers Columbus Day weekend which can be insanely busy and if anything like NH that weekend, parking will be an issue at the trailheads Sat/Sunday....do something else those days.     A second week before or after in Maine or any other part of New England should be doable.


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## klpca (May 16, 2021)

mdurette said:


> No thoughts on the actual resort - but that should right around prime fall foliage for the area, your hikes will be beautiful!  This particular week is the highest demand fall week in New England, you were lucky to obtain it!   It covers Columbus Day weekend which can be insanely busy and if anything like NH that weekend, parking will be an issue at the trailheads Sat/Sunday....do something else those days.     A second week before or after in Maine or any other part of New England should be doable.


Thank you. I figured that there will be some traffic so our plan is to do most of the hiking during the week. I was honestly shocked to see this just sitting there in in open inventory! I wasn't committed to doing this trip so I had not yet set up an OGS, but I have been casually looking for the past month or so and everything that I saw was either the first week of Oct (which I assume would be fine as well) or much later in October. The resort reviews are fine enough (I am not super fussy about the resort as long as it's clean) but since I am unfamiliar with the area I just wanted a bit of reassurance that the location would work and the answer seems to be a yes, so I am going to keep the week. Thanks for letting me tag in on this thread. It actually inspired me to plan this trip. 



HikerBiker said:


> We stayed in Killington many years ago, but not at that resort.  My understanding is it is a very nice resort.  As I remember, we visited the Calvin Coolidge Homestead and found other areas of interest along with doing some hiking.
> That is usually peak foliage time for Maine, so it may be difficult to get an exchange, so keep us posted, and then we will make suggestions based on the area where you are.


I just mentioned your post to my husband. We are hooked, lol. Anything historical is a draw for us. I have my fingers crossed for Maine. If we don't get an exchange we will just add some time at a B&B. We are pretty excited for this trip now!


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## missyrcrews (May 16, 2021)

klpca said:


> Thank you. I figured that there will be some traffic so our plan is to do most of the hiking during the week. I was honestly shocked to see this just sitting there in in open inventory! I wasn't committed to doing this trip so I had not yet set up an OGS, but I have been casually looking for the past month or so and everything that I saw was either the first week of Oct (which I assume would be fine as well) or much later in October. The resort reviews are fine enough (I am not super fussy about the resort as long as it's clean) but since I am unfamiliar with the area I just wanted a bit of reassurance that the location would work and the answer seems to be a yes, so I am going to keep the week. Thanks for letting me tag in on this thread. It actually inspired me to plan this trip.
> 
> 
> I just mentioned your post to my husband. We are hooked, lol. Anything historical is a draw for us. I have my fingers crossed for Maine. If we don't get an exchange we will just add some time at a B&B. We are pretty excited for this trip now!


YES...the Calvin Coolidge homestead is interesting.  We were in that area for April break, so it wasn't open...but the drive to Plymouth Notch is beautiful.  And the cheese from Plymouth Artisan Cheese is great as well.  (Trips to VT for the Crews family mean creemees, cheese, and fudge.)  You are going to have fun!


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## nerodog (May 16, 2021)

klpca said:


> Thank you. I figured that there will be some traffic so our plan is to do most of the hiking during the week. I was honestly shocked to see this just sitting there in in open inventory! I wasn't committed to doing this trip so I had not yet set up an OGS, but I have been casually looking for the past month or so and everything that I saw was either the first week of Oct (which I assume would be fine as well) or much later in October. The resort reviews are fine enough (I am not super fussy about the resort as long as it's clean) but since I am unfamiliar with the area I just wanted a bit of reassurance that the location would work and the answer seems to be a yes, so I am going to keep the week. Thanks for letting me tag in on this thread. It actually inspired me to plan this trip.
> 
> 
> I just mentioned your post to my husband. We are hooked, lol. Anything historical is a draw for us. I have my fingers crossed for Maine. If we don't get an exchange we will just add some time at a B&B. We are pretty excited for this trip now!


Killington  is a beautiful  area and quite central to other places in Vt.  Check out  Quechee Gorge area,  Simon Pearce Mill. There's a hike to Killington  Peak.Get a free vacation guide. Gives you lots of ideas.


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## klpca (May 16, 2021)

nerodog said:


> Killington  is a beautiful  area and quite central to other places in Vt.  Check out  Quechee Gorge area,  Simon Pearce Mill. There's a hike to Killington  Peak.Get a free vacation guide. Gives you lots of ideas.


Perfect! I'm so relieved to hear that it is a good location. Luckily we have plenty of time to plan, lol. Only other timeshare fanatics will understand booking out this far!


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## HikerBiker (May 16, 2021)

heathpack said:


> @HikerBiker do you call yourself HikerBiker because you are a cyclist?  I will probably want to mountain bike while in Stowe, possibly road bike.  If you have any insights, I’d like to hear them.



Changed my avatar, so yes we are bikers and hikers, but mostly hikers now as we are seniors ++.  One of the reasons we like Stowe is because there are easy off road bike trails.  The Stowe Recreation Trail is very popular for walking and biking.  It is paved and about six miles one way.  Years ago we biked some great road trips in Stowe.  We had met someone who had a map of the rides, and she gave it to us.  Maybe the visitor’s center would have something like that.  We are going to Stowe the first week of July and I will try to check then.  Also, I think it is there that there is a group that meets once a week and bikes and it is posted in the paper.  Trapp Family has mountain biking trails, a rental center, and our son really liked them and found them challenging.  He also found some trails near town.  Burlington (about 30-40 minutes from Stowe, has a paved bike trail that goes along Lake Champlain.  We still do that one as it goes onto the causeway in Colchester and you can take a bike ferry (takes about 10 minutes) to continue the trail in South Hero and then road biking.  I don’t remember the cost of the ferry, but it was very inexpensive.  The Burlington Bike Trail is 17/18 miles one way, I think.  With COVID, we didn’t bike in Burlington last year, but love this bike ride: Lake Champlain and mountains in the distance: beautiful! There is another bike trail that we access in Morrisville (about ten miles beyond Stowe): Lemoille Valley Rail Trail (lvrt.org), the longest trail in New England, 93 miles.  There are several trail heads and ,obviously, we bike sections of it.  Oh yes, Stowe is one of our favorite US vacations!!


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## silentg (May 16, 2021)

We have a week booked for June 2022. Our first Timeshare was in Warren, Vermont, but we have not been to Killington, looking forward to going back to Vermont.


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## GrayFal (May 17, 2021)

For TUG members this thread has inspired me to post II New England Sightings for next spring and summer. Go get ‘em!


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## Dollie (May 17, 2021)

Another history location to visit is Hildene, Robert Todd Lincoln's Vermont home in Manchester, VT just over an hour away from Killington.


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## missyrcrews (May 17, 2021)

Dollie said:


> Another history location to visit is Hildene, Robert Todd Lincoln's Vermont home in Manchester, VT just over an hour away from Killington.


Ah, the goats!!  I took my kids to Hildene several years ago.  And all they remember is the goats.


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## HikerBiker (May 17, 2021)

silentg said:


> We have a week booked for June 2022. Our first Timeshare was in Warren, Vermont, but we have not been to Killington, looking forward to going back to Vermont.



We’ve stayed in Warren and enjoyed exploring both Warren and Waitsfield. Enjoy your trip to Killington.


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## nerodog (May 18, 2021)

klpca said:


> Perfect! I'm so relieved to hear that it is a good location. Luckily we have plenty of time to plan, lol. Only other timeshare fanatics will understand booking out this far!


You will  love it. Vermont is such a beautiful  state that you can certainly  branch out on interesting day trips.  I spent a lot of time skiing at  Killington  and if you golf, there's a real nice course. It's a quiet more remote setting but easy to get around.  The foliage is spectacular


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## nerodog (May 18, 2021)

missyrcrews said:


> Ah, the goats!!  I took my kids to Hildene several years ago.  And all they remember is the goats.


Super place!!! Love it.


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## jme (May 18, 2021)

One of the best trips of our many travels was in OCTOBER of 2019.
Stayed 3 nights in Woodstock VT (Woodstock Inn), then drove next to the New Hampshire White Mtns (Omni Mt. Washington Hotel) for 3 more nights.
We took the famous Kancamagus Highway----the foliage was peaking and was beyond spectacular.
I've never seen glorious foliage like that and perhaps never will ---stunningly beautiful.
Anytime is great, but October is special!
That was the last trip we took prior to the pandemic, but the memories still inspire us to hit the road again as soon as we can.
Absolutely nothing like New England in the Fall!    Vt, NH, RI, ME......amazing!
(Next time we're in Woodstock VT we'll drive down to Hildene to see the Lincoln House. Thanks for that!!!)

Kancamagus Hwy:




__





						kancamagus scenic byway - Google Search
					





					www.google.com
				




Woodstock Inn:




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						Google Travel
					






					www.google.com
				




Woodstock VT:




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						woodstock vt - Google Search
					





					www.google.com


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## silentg (May 18, 2021)

HikerBiker said:


> We’ve stayed in Warren and enjoyed exploring both Warren and Waitsfield. Enjoy your trip to Killington.


Where in Warren did you stay? We owned a week at Seasons at Sugarbush.


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## jme (May 18, 2021)

nerodog said:


> Killington  is a beautiful  area and quite central to other places in Vt.  *Check out  Quechee Gorge area*,  Simon Pearce Mill. There's a hike to Killington  Peak.Get a free vacation guide. Gives you lots of ideas.



Great advice!
Took this photo Oct 9, 2019 from the bridge overlooking the Quechee Gorge (Ottauquechee River)....
gorgeous, and one of Vermont's iconic views!!!! Could have stayed there for hours!


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## nerodog (May 18, 2021)

jme said:


> Great advice!
> Took this photo Oct 9, 2019 from the bridge overlooking the Quechee Gorge (Ottauquechee River)....
> gorgeous, and one of Vermont's iconic views!!!! Could have stayed there for hours!
> 
> View attachment 35769


What a beautiful  photo!! I love the colors. I can't wait to be able to visit Vermont  this fall!!!!


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## mdurette (May 18, 2021)

jme said:


> , then drove next to the New Hampshire White Mtns (Omni Mt. Washington Hotel) for 3 more nights.



Ah...the trips to The Mt Washington hotel.  We had so many of them back in the day.   I remember so well when they first started opening again in the winter.   $199 for 2 for the night and included a massive breakfast buffet, dinner in the main restaurant and lift tickets to Brettonwoods.   They didn't have the heat right in the rooms yet and it would be February and we would sleep with the windows wide open!    In the fall we would take the motorcycles up and ride all over the place.     Over time....we have been spoiled with time shares and cost.   Hasn't made much sense to stay there anymore since I can get a 2BR TS for the week for the price of a couple night stays at the hotel.    But, we still go there for lunch or a cocktail out on the back deck when we are in the area.    

Anyone remember the elevator attendant they had around 20 years ago.   Wow, he was the perfect fit for the place.   Welcoming and creepy all at the same time.

A definite stop for anyone in the area.  Even if it to just to look around.


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## HikerBiker (May 19, 2021)

silentg said:


> Where in Warren did you stay? We owned a week at Seasons at Sugarbush.



We stayed at Seasons at Sugarbush.  It was a basic resort but gave us access to Waitsfield, Stowe, and Burlington.  Our bedroom overlooked a beautiful pool in a peaceful setting.


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## tonyg (May 20, 2021)

I remember that from the time of the old Sunday night TUG chats.


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## rickandcindy23 (May 20, 2021)

We have five nights to use in a Marriott.  I am considering Vermont because of this thread.


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## silentg (May 20, 2021)

tonyg said:


> I remember that from the time of the old Sunday night TUG chats.


Those were fun


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## Bxian (May 20, 2021)

We are living a fun New England trip right now:  4 nights on the Cape (Cove at Yarmouth), 7 nights at Pollard Brook in the White Mountains, and 3 nights at the Omni Mount Washington.  We got great deals on the first 2  via Tripbeat-3 nights at the Omni is costing us the same as the 11 nights at the Cove and Pollard Brook combined.  I hope to do a couple of TUG reviews, and also hope to post our itinerary after we get home.  Moving from Pollard Brook to the Omni tomorrow. We have had a great time.  We had friends stay with us for 2 nights at the beginning of our Pollard Brook stay, and they were not sure that we would find enough to do here for 7 days.  We definitely have! My sister and BIL have been to Pollard Brook 4 times-they love it here.


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## Bxian (May 29, 2021)

Here is my Cape Cod trip report.  I will post resort reviews in the resort review area.

We spent 4 nights at the Cove at Yarmouth.  I crowd sourced ideas from several people we know that love the Cape and visit often.  I had not been in about 30 years.  This is what we did:

Incoming day:  lunch at Seafood Sam's in Sandwich (a long time Cape casual seafood place); afternoon at Heritage Gardens and Museum (beautiful grounds with interesting vintage car museum and a fun temporary exhibit about toys), hit Whole Foods and Trader Joe's for drinks to keep in the unit and did takeout quesadilla dinners from Sam Diego's in Hyannis.  The road leading into the Hyannis rotary/traffic circle has the Cape Cod Mall, Whole Foods, Trader Joe's and Shaw's grocery, as well as multiple restaurants. We also got delicious ice cream from Cape Cod Creamery.
First full day: a huge and tasty breakfast at Grumpy's in East Dennis.  Drove to P-Town and browsed for an hour or so. They have a great puzzle and game store.  Hopped into Art's Dune Tours-a driver takes you driving on the sand dunes in the Province Lands, part of Cape Cod National Seashore.  Highly recommend!  Had lunch in P-Town at the Lobster Pot-great food, gracious service and nice views.  On the way back, we stopped at the Massachusetts Audobon Nature Sanctuary in Wellfleet and walked about 3 miles.  Even if they are closed, you can still walk the trails and walk down to the beach. We saw tons of hermit crabs. Had leftover quesadillas from Sam Diego's for dinner as our Lobster Pot lunch was pretty filling. 
Second full day: Breakfast at Good Friends Cafe in West Dennis (great grilled muffins and incredibly friendly service).  Drove to Chatham to browse. Helped the local economy by making purchases at Marion's Pie Shop, Chatham Candy Manor (they have an oops-type section with bags of chocolate almost past their sell date at good prices), and Where the Sidewalk Ends bookstore. Drove to North Truro and visted Chequesset chocolates (artisinal candy bars),  North Truro vineyards (nice outdoor set-up with Adorondack chairs-white wines were not bad), and Atlantic Spice Company (great prices on bulk spices, vanilla and teas).  Zoomed back to the Chatham area for a great lunch at Cooke's. Went back to the Cove for a while and then went out  a very nice dinner at Ocean House, which is right on the ocean's edge in Dennis Port.  
Third full day-breakfast from Hole in One Donuts (a dear friend hounded us to make sure we got there....he was right).  Rented bikes at Idle Times bike shop in Eastham and did an easy 8 mile ride which combined a portion of the Cape Cod Rail trail and a portion of the Cape Cod National Seashore).  Drove back and stopped at the Brewster store and drove along beautiful Route 6A until tunring off to the Hyannis area.  We drove through downtown Hyannis-roads were ripped up and being worked on. We skipped lunch and had a nice quiet dinner at Fin in Dennis.   
Departure day-breakfast at Keltic Kitchen in Yarmouth-friendly service and good food. 

I loved the Cape and would go back in a heartbeat-only late in the summer or in the off season, though.  Next time, I woud like to stay in the Falmouth area and spend a few days before and after the Cape on Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard. We did not have enough time to get to the islands this time.  The Vineyard is beautiful from what I recall from my trip 30 years ago. The Cove at Yarmouth was very convenient for covering a large swatch of the Cape in a relatively short period of time.


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## Bxian (May 29, 2021)

Inn at Pollard Brook trip report (review of resort in Resort reviews):
Arrival Day-drove up from Cape Cod and arranged for a private tour of Cantebury Shaker Village (they were closed for the pandemic, but you can book a private tour).  Beautiful, serene spot with the heady scent of apple blossoms and lilacs.  Stopped In at Fox Country Smoke House in Canterbury and picked up an assortment of smoked cheeses and a couple of bacon varieties. Checked into Pollard Brook after stopping at Price Chopper in Lincoln. Picked up a pizza at GH Pizza in Lincoln which was surprisingly decent and waited for the arrival of friends who were visiting us for the weekend. 
Day 1-Had a delcious breakfast at Polly's Pancake House in Sugar Hill, where you can try several flvors of mini pancakes.  Their maple bacon biscuits were amazing.  After breakfast, we stopped at the Garnet Hill outlet store and I bought a t-shirt.  We continued on to Franconia Notch State Park where we hiked the Flume, a series of waterfalls that was incredibly pretty.  We followed our Flunme visit by a walk up and down the main street of Littleton and browsed.  After that, we drove over to Bethlehem and had coffee at a great little spot called Maya Papaya. Amazing whoopie pies there. Drove over to the Omni Mount Washingto-our friends wnated to see it, and we got a preview of our stay later in the week. We went back to Pollard Brook and vegged for a while until heading to nearby Woodstock for dinner at Woodstock Brewery.  Food and beer there were just Ok.
Day 2-Breakfast at Arnold's in Woodstock.  The quintessential small town diner in a tin can with warm service and great food.  Looked like a real nighborhood hangout-the kind you don't see much anymore.  Our friends headed home after breakfast.  I checked the weather for the Cog Railway and discovered it was clear at the summit-so we booked tickets online and made a beeline over there.  Barely made it, but had a great trip.  The views are amazing, although the railroad is a bit pricey. Had leftover pizza for dinner and hung out on our beautiful balcony overlooking Loon Mountain.
Day 3-Attended the morning orientation breakfast hosted by Jack, the Pollard brook activities director.  It was very well done-no pressure to sign up for anything or buy a timeshre week. Pollard Brook has a nice activitie schedule.  We went for a brief walk on the walking path by Pollard Brook and across the street and vegged the rest of the day.  Had dinner at LaVista in the RiverWalk complex which was very good.  They had a wood burning pizza oven and an interesting pizza list. We did not try the pizza, but a woman at the Pollard Brook front desk said that people raved about them.
Day 4 Drove the length of the Kancamagus Highway-a beautiful drive with several secenic overlooks and a few short hikes-walks.  We did 3 short walks.   The Sabbaday Falls hike was particularly pretty.  We continued into Conway and North Conway, stopping at the outlet center and at Zeb's General Store.  We looped around through Bartlett and drove on the Bear Notch Road to do a litle shortcut back to the Kanc.  We had dinner at Black Mountain Burger in Lincoln, which was quite tasty. After dinner, we joined the Pollard Brook Sunset Tour-highly recommend-we saw a beautiful sunset and heard lots of interesting stories about the area from Jack, the Pollard Brook activities director. 
Day 5 We walked around at the resort and vegged before having dinner at the Common Man in Lincoln.  We had a great dinner and loved the fact that our waitress told us what to avoid on the menu!  After dinner, we joined the Pollard Brook Sunset Tour-highly recommend-we saw a beautiful sunset and heard lots of interesting stories about the area from Jack, the Pollard Brook activities director. 
Day 6 We went back over to Franconia Notch State Park and visited the Bowl-also hiled a portion of the Basin Cascade Trail which is very pretty, with a series of waterfalls.  A fair amount of roots and rocks, though.  Pollard Brook had an afternoon hike to a beautiful spot that is on private land, so you can't go without Jack.  I was disapponted-we could not go because I had committed to an online volunteer commitment which conflicted.  We had a lovely dinner at the Adair In in Bethlehem.  Good food and warm service, with a nice atmosphere. 
Day 7-Had another fine breakfast at Arnold's Diner and then checked out the Christmas Loft and the General Store in Woodstock-i decided that I did not need any more Christmas stuff, and the General Store dd not have a lot of merchandise.  We left the Lincoln area and drove the the Frost Place in Franconia, which is Robery Frost's former home.  The museum at the site is closed, but you can sit on the front porch and soak in the scenery.  There is a pretty trail behind the property which has Frost poems on posts throughout the trail-I walked a portion of it.  We also drove back to Bethlehem and stopped in at the Wren Cooperative, which operates a non-profit designed to show rural women how to start home-based craft busineses. I bought a couple of cnadles there, and grabbed a book at the used bookstore down the way.  Also made another stop at Maya Papaya for a coffee drink. We then set out for the Pondicherry Audobon refuge-but wound up on a dirt and jagged gravel road and finally  gave up without finding it.  We continued on to the Omni Mount Washington, where we had booked a 3 night stay.  We were upgraded to a larger room and were gifted with a lovely bottle of champagne and a large charcuterie plate in honor of our 25th anniversary.  We had dinner in the main dining room at the Omni-it is very pretty, with beautiful views of Mount Washington.  However, the food is overpriced.  My husband enjoyed his fliet mignon, but I would have needed tweezers to loacate the lobster meat in my lobster pot pie.  After dinner, we went outside for a while and sat on the Omni's beautiful sweeping veranda,
Day 8-Had breakfast at the Omni main dining room-they ended up comping both of our breakfasts after I demonstrated that you would have needed a hacksaw to cut the English muffin of my Eggs Benedict.  After breakfast, we did a 4 mile hike on the Omni property alongside a lovely stream with granite rocks and waterfalls.  After the hike, we grabbed 2 of the Adirondack chairs on the Omni lawn and rested/took in the scenery, which is breathtaking.  Our dinner was at the Notchland Inn, about a 17 mile drive from the Omni.  Wonderful food at a great price, with the bonus of a loveable inn dog named Mia who will come out and greet you during dessert.
Day 9 The Omni buffet breakfast was better this time.  We wandered around the property and also watched a beautiful Hindu wedding from the veranda and from our room.  There were 7 weddings at the Omni that weekend!  No chance of getting a spa appointment as a result.  Since it had cooled off, we discovered a place to read indoors with amazingly comfortable chairs and great views.  We spent the bulk of our day there before heading to Stickney's pub at the Omni for dinner.  Food was just OK. 
Day 10-time to head home!  Stopped and had lunch with beloved nephew (a Manchester resident) at the Firefly bistro, which had great food.  The drive home from NH to NJ was a bit nighmareish due to construction in Connecticut and again in the Bronx.
The White Mountains of New Hampshire are beautiful-we hope to go back some day.


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## Bxian (May 29, 2021)

Sorry for the typos-my grammarly program typically picks them up for me, but did not do so in the reviews above.  I have corrected them in the resort reviews version of my summary.


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