Trip to VT & NH 10/5-10/7

[Hearts99]

My husband & I will be coming to Vermont on Tuesday 10/5 and will be leaving North Conway on Friday 10/8 Please let me know what you think of our itenerary and routes that I have listed. If you have any other suggestions or ideas I would greatly appreciate it. This is our first trip. We will be arriving in Boston on 10/4 and traveling all the New England States and leaving from Boston on 10/17. Well this is what I have in mind.

Tuesday leaving Hancock Shaker Village in Pittsfield on Route 7 and picking up 7A in Bennington up to our nights stay at "Suttons Place" in Manchester Center on 10/5. Any suggestions on what to stop off and see & take photos???

Wednesday 10/6 we will take Rt. 30 over to Jamaica to see a Waterfall. We will go back to 100 and take 100 north to 155 and take 55 up to Rt.7, then take Rt. 7 up to East Middlebury to pick up 125 over to 100 (stopping off to see Texas Ralls and Falls of Luna). Take 100 N up to Waitsfield to see a few more Waterfalls and hopefully covered bridges. Then head back South on Rt 100 to Rt 4, take Rt 4 over to Woodstock for our next nights lodging at "The Gristmill Inn" on south 106.

Thursday morning going back up to Rt 4 over to one of these routes ....1) Take I-91 up to St. Johnsbury & pick up I-93. Take I-93 down to Rt. 112 (Kancamaguis Hgwy) and take that over to Rt. 16 up to North Conway for our nights lodging at "StoneHurst Manor" or choice #2) is taking 89 over 10 Rt. 10 in NH and taking route 10 up to Rt. 117 and go thru Sugar Hill and over to I-93 and taking that down to Rt 112 and up to Rt 16 to North Conway. We would be stopping off to see the flume and possible gondola ride and taking in waterfalls. Here are my questions:

1) Any suggestions for Waterfalls
2) Any suggestions for Covered Bridges
3) Which Route from Vermont to North Conway
would be the best (most scenic and/or
quickest)
4) Would you think that we can do this in the alloted times (Tuesday leave Pittsfield, Ma & reach Manchester Center and then Wednesday leave Manchester Center and end in South Woodstock. Then on Thursday leave South Woodstock and arrive in North Conway.
5) How long do you think it will take on our drive from South Woodstock over to North Conway.
6) Has anyone stayed at our choices of loging?
Sutton's Place, The Gristmill Inn & Stonehurst Manor
7) How will the foliage colors be in these areas from October 5th-8th?

Thanks for any and all help/suggestions that you can give!! Places to stop off at just to take in the views or to EAT! Not really into shopping just being outdoors and enjoying the views!

[pwt54]

Your trip from Manchester will be a long one. There will be good color in the highlands of southern Vt and great color north to route 125. There is a covered bridge in Warren Village of route 100 and one in Waitsfield on Bridge Street. There is one on Roure US 4 in West Woodstock. There is one in Taftsville on the left side of Route US 4. Also, on your trip from Woodstock to Conway, go to Windsor, Vt. and check out the longest Covered Bridge in the USA. Take I-89 to I-91 south. Get off exit 9 and turn left to get to Windsor. Lokk for Bridge Street on the left at the second traffic light. It shouldn't take more than a half hour and I believe you will have the time.

[Hearts99]

Thanks PWT! We plan on leaving Manchester around 8:30 and hope to arrive in South Woodstock by 6:00 pm so is will that give us enough time to make our journey as plannded? Also on this day we want to make sure we stop in Killington for a Gondola ride! Also how long do you think we should allow for our trip from Woodstock (with making our stops to the flume etc.) to North Conway? We hope to leave our B&B (The Gristmill Inn) by 8:30 also. I wanted to take the Conway Scenic Railway train ride but the last train leaves at 2:30 in the afternoon so I don't think we will have time to drive there with all the stops we want to make and make this last train for the day.What do you think?

[Hearts99]

Just wondering if this route/schedule looks okay and if anyone knows if it is possible the way that I have planned our journey? Is it possible to leave Manchester village at 8:30 a.m. and arrive in South Woodstock by 6:00 p.m and do all the stuff that I mentioned up above in my schedule. Also, how long does anyone think that it will take us when we leave South Woodstock to journey over to the White Mountains and stay in North Conway (and do all our stops in between). Should we just scratch the Conway Scenic Railroad trip since the last train leaves at 2:30..... Help! Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

[4sneau]

I have stayed at the Grist Mill Inn...twice. The innkeepers Peter and Carol are great. Peter is a marvelous storyteller and a great breakfast cook! The Kendron Valley, where the inn is situated, is gorgeous (horse country) and is worth a lingering look around. You will have to share a bathroom with the other boarders, but everyone seems to be thoughtful of others sharing the facilities. There's a great story about the "dent" in the floor of the Miller's room.
Your itinerary, if I'm reading it correctly, seems to circle around quite a bit from south, to north, to south again, to north again. Perhaps you might consider traveling from Manchester to the Killington/Woodstock/Taftsville/Quechee area the first day, and then heading North on 12 from Woodstock, to 107, to 100 and then on to New Hampshire. I don't think you'll make the train trip...but Sugar Hill and the Flume are well worth missing the train for. There's a lot to see...I don't think you'll regret taking it a little slower.
As you can see below, I'm from California, so keep that in mind...I'm not an "expert". I have driven these routes often, however, and think you'll appreciate them more if you don't try to pack too much into your schedule. They take longer to drive than they seem on the map.

[ixl]

Hi Hearts...

Phew. You are like me ... you try to pack a lot into your vacations!

I think your first day and third day look busy but okay. But your second day may really be pushing things a bit... assuming you want to have time to enjoy yourself and not just rush from one spot to the next.

My first suggestion would be to move the Hamilton Falls visit to your first day; do it on your way up from Mass. This leaves more time on your second day for exploring central/northern VT. If you do this, take route 8 instead of route 7. Follow it all the way up to route 9. This is a nice road that has a pretty viewpoint over the Deerfield Valley about a mile (roughly) before hitting route 9.

Other things to consider doing on the way up from Mass using your original route... you will be going through the Berkshires, so if you wanted you could go up Mt. Greylock, the tallest mountain in the Berks. Route 7A between Bennington and Manchester also features Lake Shaftsbury, which is quite pretty, and the Skyline Drive up Mt. Equinox.

You could also take the Kelly Stand Road across from Arlington to Stratton to get to Jamaica.

Woodstock is only an hour from the western Whites and two from the eastern Whites, so you should be fine there. Be SURE to stop at Sabbady Falls on the Kancamagus, it's one of the best. --c

[pwt54]

I've reviewed your Manchester to South Woodstock trip again. You will not have time for the Gondola and if you go up and do all the falls and route 125. It's going to depend on the weather. If it's a bright beautiful day, do the gondola. If's cloudy or very hazy, do the falls and bridges. The rest of your trips are good.

[Hearts99]

Thanks everyone for such great suggestions! I now have my map out and going over all your tips. I only wish I was there now! Do you think I should invest in a Gazetter? I only have an atlas and it doesn't list all the side off the beaten path roads. Also What should I bring to wear???Sweatshirts or just long sleeve shirts?

[ixl]

I am very glad I got my atlas. It's SO much better than one of those folding maps.

Looking at the weather... appears our first real cold snap of the fall is due next week. Could be looking at highs in the 50s and lows in the 30s, maybe even 20s up north and up high. --c

[pwt54]

If you plan to go to the top of Killington you'll need both a sweatshirt and a good jacket. If you plan to come back to Vt. in the future then a good Vt. atlas by Delorme, Northern Cartagraphic, or the easier to read Jimmapco would be helpful to find the hidden Vt. You can find one or all of these in bookstores or supermarkets like Shaws or Hanafords. Better yet buy one of the Delorme or Rand McNally software atlases. You can map out any State in the USA. They have the names of most of the side roads. I use the Delorme but if you plan to do Canada, Rand McNally is better.

[Hearts99]

You guys are great!! We have received so much wonderful information on this forum. We cannot wait till we arrive in Vermont on Tuesday 10/5. We wont be too late will we? Just checking. Like stated earlier we will be coming up from Pittsfield MA on Tuesday around noon and staying our first night in Manchester Center. Hope to check in around 6-7:00 p.m. Where should we eat dinner? How are the leaves going to be looking on Wednesday 10/6 around Killington area and up north as far as rt 100 & Rt 125? That is as far north as we will be going I believe. If anyone could answer my last minute questions I will now go and start packing something warmer as it looks like you guys are predicting a "cold snap".
So :p excited :p :p