Trip to New England from TX on Oct 17-21st, where will t

[stacee]

Hello Vermonters!<BR>This will be my third trip to Vermont and the only one in which I am not driving straight for 36 hours from Texas! The plan is to fly into the area (in texas terms, that means withing 6 hours of VT)and drive to my favorite areas around Smuggler's notch and Stowe. I have been in July, August,very late October and November (did not take a coat...lesson learned, in the snow). Any recommendations on the best drive in. Will most likely catch the least expensive flight so may come in from Philly or Boston. Will be returning the last week of December and staying through the new year. Love Local spots, all suggestions welcome. Can't wait to be back in VT (almost relocated two years ago...scared off by the cold!) Plan to be there app Oct 17 through 21, where will I find the best foliage?<P>------------------<BR>SM

[Aleksh]

Hiya Texans!<P>Always happy to have visitors from the Lone Star State. <P>By the 21st most of the northern end of Vt. and NH are well past peak, but the southern end of the states should be in full spleandor. The best areas to visit down here are the Woodstock/Queechee area, the Okemo valley region with the picturesque villages of Chester and Grafton, and the Bennington/Arlington/Manchester Rift Valley corridor along Rte 7a. Both Okemo and killington offer foliage time tift rides.<P>As for skiing, Killington is the largest, with the most variety, and also by far the most crowded and confusing in its layout. Thcket is good at neighboring PICo also.<BR>Okemo has beyond a doubt the best snowmaking and grooming anywhere their terrain is interesting with very long runs, but there is no "extreme" terrain. Okemo does however have the largest halfpipes and the best terrain parks in the east. Three day or longer tickets are also Valid for a day of skiing at Sunnapee and Stratton.<P> Give us a call at 1-888-232-1089 if you have any questions at all. We offer Ski and stay packages with Okemo at prices that'll make you smileDon't take our word on Okemo's conditions though, check out reader's polls in Conde nast Traveller and Ski magazine for any of the last ten years. Snow conditions is Okemo's stock in trade.<P>Speaking of stratton, they have without a doubt the most visitor friendly lifting system with several "6-pack" detachables and a nice gondola. the mountain itself is intermediate, a little smaller than okemo, but not as interesting and Okemo's grooming is definitly superior.<P>For the most natural snow on a mountain with tremendous terrain and at a bargain price visit Jay Peak up near the border of the great white north (Canada). They have the only tram in the state. If you realy like Stowe, and are already booked there then you really do owe it to yourself to check out the "other side" and ski Smuggler's Notch. Not as "ShiShi" for sure but MUCH more of a Skiers Mountain.<P>My wife and I try to get in a hundred ski days a year and last year is the first uyear of several that we didn;t get the 100, only gettting in 94 for her and 89 for me.<P>------------------<BR>Aleks & Michiko Hunter<BR>Old Town Farm Inn <BR>665 Vt. Rte 10<BR>Chester, Vt. 05143<BR> <A HREF="http://www.otfi.com" TARGET=_blank>http://www.otfi.com</A> <BR>1-888-232-1089<BR>"Its not our Green Mountain state, its our Greem Mountain State of Mind" SM

[stacee]

Thanks for the suggestion. We will be sure to see the Quechee/Woodstock area on our trip! You may even see us at the Inn. Great website. We have not spent as much time in your area as we have in the Northeatst kingdom, but we will give it a shot this time around! Smuggler's notch is beautiful. We are not booked anywhere as of now. This will be my first ski trip, although my husband skis, but has not in 8 years (snow skiing that is, he does plenty water skiing-being in Texas you know!). I don't want anything to daring the first time around. we are looking forward to the fall, and seeing VT for the first time in winter this year too! Your suggestions will prove very helpful!

[karielaw]

Fellow Texan here with the same idea you have. This will be my 6th year in a row to visit Vermont in the fall. The first year I flew into Boston, but the drive was a bit long, so the next 4 times we flew into Manchester, NH. It was an inexpensive way to go, and the drive to the north portion of Vermont is only a few hours. This year we are flying into Burlington (flight was only $40 more than Manchester NH). We are staying at Smuggler's Notch also, so the drive should only be about 30 minutes from Burlington. My first time to go to Vermont we went the week you are going. I learned that if you go much past Columbus Day you miss a lot of the color. Columbus Day weekend tends to have the most fairs and festivals. The best color on the dates you are going will probably be in the south. Manchester, Vermont is always a great see with shopping and beauty. If you like Antiques there is a great antique mall in Queechee. If you decide to fly into Boston, one good thing is the color will be nice in that area the dates you are going. One more word of caution, even though Boston is really nice, it is an awful drive to get out of that city. We got lost and it took us 2 hours to get out of Boston. The drive from Boston through Mass. and into Vermont will be beautiful, but long (although not as long as your drive form Texas). <BR>Have fun<P>------------------<BR>KL

[stacee]

Thanks fellow Texan!<BR>Hard to find a state as great as ours, but VT is definitely competition and they have a FALL!! You will love smuggler's notch we were there last year, lots of great local sites around Jeffersonville. That is my favorite area of VT. We found this great local pizzaria on a little side road, tiny with some outside tables, but basically a one room shop with a fireplace in it. I can't remember where exactly it was, but great atmosphere, very casual..open later than most places in Vermont. IF you stumble on something matching the description let me know! Burlington is fabulous, a "small austin", it is my second favorite city! I would love to hear your local favorite spots. Happy foliage hunting! I agree, that Boston trafiic wow! Makes Houston look like a dream. I hadn't thought of Manchester for flight options, but the dallas flight was 188 from Boston, however we have decided to fly from austin (hometown)so things will change. We drove all over the New England and east coast states for 21/2 weeks last summer, but we always drive straight from Austin to Burlington stopping only for bathroom breaks and gasoline! Picnic and hard core driving (with our 3 kids were are only now 4,5,6. They hadn't realized snow was cold! They found that out as they trick or treated in layers!)I would love to swap trip stories staceeminer@yahoo.com, Have you been to the area in other seasons?<P>------------------<BR>SM

[karielaw]

Road trip straight through with 3 kids sounds like torture. At least there was a great treat at the end. Thanks for idea about the pizza shop around Smuggs. It is the word of mouth places that end up being the best. I am anxious about staying in Smuggler's Notch this year (first time). Our first year we did the Vermont over to Maine (Kennebunkport, also wonderful in fall) trip in 5 days. I thought it was too much so we concentrate on Vermont now. Other places we have stayed in Vermont are Stratton and Ascutney Mountain Ski Resorts. They were both nice (Ascutney better) but I needed a change. It is hard staying somewhere that is far from towns where you can have dinner after dark, because as you know after the sun goes down there is not much to do. <BR>My favorite places (over and over) are Manchester for outlet shopping and the tour of Hildene (Lincoln's descendant). Queechee for the Gorge and a large antique shop (usually a craft fair on Columbus weekend). Tour of Lake Champlain, Visit the Trapp Family Lodge in Stowe. I like the flea markets in the small towns but they are hard to find. My favorite dinner spot is Thatcherbrook Inn in Waterbury (where Ben and Jerry's is located). <BR>We have not been to Vermont other than fall. I would like to try around Christmas one year. <BR>Thanks again for some insight into the back roads of Vermont. Let me know anything else that is a "must see".<BR>Have fun!

[Aleksh]

Finding small events is pretty easy actually. Contact Chambers of Commerce and they'll be happyt to let you know what's going on. Also if you stay at an owner operated inn the innkeepers are usually gold mines of information that you wont find anywhere else. The places and events not in the "tourist " brochures.<P>------------------<BR>Aleks & Michiko Hunter<BR>Old Town Farm Inn <BR>665 Vt. Rte 10<BR>Chester, Vt. 05143<BR> <A HREF="http://www.otfi.com" TARGET=_blank>http://www.otfi.com</A> <BR>1-888-232-1089<BR>"Its not our Green Mountain state, its our Greem Mountain State of Mind" SM

[karielaw]

Thanks for the tip about the chamber of commerce. I don't always know the names of the small towns that have the flea markets and smaller fairs. <BR>I will try a few towns and see what they have to offer.<BR>Thanks