Ok, I'm booked for Fall 2009!!!

[ctyanky]

I am very excited for my Vermont 2009 Fall Excursion! It took a lot of planning - perusing inns and mapping routes, but at least I know where I am staying and it’s a big relief. I'm trying to cover areas where I have never been before, as well as revisiting my favorite locations.

Thursday, October 1st I will be arriving in the Burlington area and staying in Shelburne at a restored farmhouse. I will be touring the area with bm from the forum, and weather permitting, a chance to take a cruise on Lake Champlain and then shopping and dining in Burlington’s waterfront area. I’ve never been to Burlington and am looking forward to visiting Vermont’s largest “city” and the surrounding areas, Charlotte, Monkton and Hinesburg. I hope to visit Shelburne Farms during my stay if time allows.

Friday and Saturday, October 2nd and 3rd will take me to Hyde Park where I am staying at a beautiful inn, circa 1797. This is one of my favorite areas in Vermont that I discovered last fall. The areas include Eden, Belvidere, Hyde Park, Johnson and Morrisville. I will also get my chance to go back to Belvidere Pond in my endless search for moose! The best part is that PWT is touring me around the Fairfield, Fairfax and Bakersfield areas on Friday, and while he is driving, I will take notes for the forum post on the highlights of our trip. Saturday is our SOV 2nd Annual Reunion to Lewis Pond (hopefully it will navigable) and Sunday will be a revisit to the Danville's Autumn on the Green annual foliage festival - one of the best fall festivals I’ve ever been to. I’ll be meeting up with Abby and her husband at the festival before we head home. There is a chance I may stay in Danville another night at a farm that takes in guests so that I can return to Peacham the next morning before I return home. Peacham is always a must on my itinerary, that town is so peaceful and enchanting, I can’t resist it!

So there you have it! Hope you all are thinking about what areas of Vermont you would like to visit in the next couple of months. One of my inns is booking like crazy for the first weekend and week in October, so it is never too early to start planning! Have fun!

[ctyanky]

http://www.autumnonthegreen.com/

The date for the Danville Autumn on the Green event has just been posted. Hope many of you can attend this wonderful fall festival on the green in beautiful Danville, Vermont! First Sunday in October, 10/4.

Carol: I look forward to meeting up with you there after Saturday's SOV reunion at Lewis Pond! Busy weekend!

[ctyanky]

Hi bm: I'm looking forward to touring with you as well in Burlington on October 1st! I hope the weather and foliage cooperate again this year! I really want to take that cruise on Lake Champlain.

This morning I booked my farm stay in Danville and I am so excited! This way I will be able to take my time at Sunday's Autumn on the Green Fall Festival and then head to Peacham for the afternoon. I'll be back in time for milking at 5:00 to relax and enjoy the farm scene. I haven't done a farm stay since Liberty Hill Farm two years ago.

So I'll see you again Monday morning and we'll tour Danville and Barnet which I have not yet had a chance to do. Maybe your family reunion will be the following weekend and you'll be able to join us for the Lewis Pond excursion! If things work out, I'll stay another night at the farm!

I can't wait to see where you grew up and all that you know about the area. It will be a real treat!

[amyflavored]

hello all,
Wow, some great trips planned here. I may have to look into some of your ideas as I had no idea where to stay before---thanks.

So one should really go in October, or is late September good as well? I know the fair is in Oct, but won't the leaves be turning in Sept too? I like the sound of those quaint older inns, any more ideas for ones like that?

[pwt54]

The last week of September is good in the northeast section of VT.

[ctyanky]

Hi Amy: Over the years, I've split my time between working farms, B&B's and historic inns. I stayed last year in Waitsfield at the Wilder Farm Inn (route 100) and totally loved it. Luke and Laura - the innkeepers - are awesome:

http://www.wilderfarminn.com/

I stayed at this place, the Donomar Inn, in Jeffersonville (just outside of Stowe on 108) last year as well and it was super:

http://www.donomarinn.com/

My favorite thus far has been the Inn at Mountain View Farm on Darling Hill Road in East Burke in the NEK. It ain't cheap! But top of the line in my opinion and the views and grounds were magnificent.

http://www.innmtnview.com/

If you can tell me in which section of Vermont you are staying, north, central or southern, perhaps I (or others) can help you out with old inns. They are tend to be more on the expensive side.....

Also, Tim the webmaster of the SOV site, has a lodging section that is excellent so do check it out as well.

[ctyanky]

I've just added another couple of days to my trip! I may never return home at this point! I couldn't resist the call of Waitsfield so I am staying at another old inn. The draw was the chance to ride the Icelandic horses into the mountains and fields that I missed last year because I tried to get reservations and was too late! The trailrides are very popular. I'm hoping to go for a couple of hours. You can look at the photo gallery and see these gorgeous animals. They take riders of all abilities but there is a weight limit! What a great website! If anyone wants to join me you are most welcome! The date would most likely be Tuesday morning, October 6th!

http://www.icelandichorses.com/

If there is time I want to take the ski lift up the mountain again. I also hope to return to Common Road and Bragg Hill Road and take some photos with my G9 if I dare!!! (I could live on Common Road!) Lots of views and red barns! Warren is nearby, another favorite village of mine, so I'll probably stop in there as well. The Warren Store has great food and you can eat by the water in the back on their deck. A tad pricey but worth a stop! The Pitcher Inn is across the street. Amazing place!

[wentworth]

Wow--you guys book early--some interesting places to stay on this thread--This year,we'll be staying at the Von Trapp Family Lodge in Stowe on Sept 28, 29,30th--saw it for the first time last year,and its location is very close to our favorite road, Rt. 108 Smugglers Notch.

[ctyanky]

Hi Wentworth: that's a beautiful and classy place! On our SOV reunion last year we passed it and the scenery around there is breathtaking! They have a horse-drawn wagon ride from the lodge which looked wonderful! Good for you!

I book my inns early every year. Some of them I stay at have only two rooms. On others, I know exactly which room I want for various reasons and have to secure it early. Also, people book their places a year in advance right after they leave that same year which has cost me a spot in one place in particular. I'd rather spend time planning my routes and activities and having the lodging taken care of well in advance. I tried to get into one place in Shelburne and a bicycling group had the whole place taken for one October weekend and that was calling in January! Or sometimes it's a destination wedding that has the whole inn booked a year in advance.....

Great to see you back on the forum!

[ctyanky]

mmvt! Great to see you back on the forum! I was wondering where you were and if you were planning another of your awesome VT trips!

You've picked a great span of time to be in Vermont and 10 days at that! I can't wait to hear what you have planned and your house sounds very nice.

If you are in my areas of travel in VT, send me an email.

I am working on one more day in addition to my week long visit. I'm not sure it is going to work out. But I am planning on adding another adventure. Taking a wagon ride with Belgian horses from a farm located right on my favorite road, Common Road, in Waitsfield, as I am booked there at an inn in town. I saw the wagon ride from Trapp Lodge go by our reunion group last year and decided that's exactly what I want to do this year! The next morning is my trail ride on the Icelandic horses. Maybe I'll be too sore to drive home???

I will have leave at some point I guess...... The thought of it, ugh.

Hope to see you back on the forum before your trip which is in 2 months!

[pwt54]

Maybe we will cross paths this year,mmvt. Now that I've retired I can spend more time down in your area. I really would do more riding on routes 133 and 140 and the side roads off from them. CT, you won't be that sore. The Icelandic Horse is one of the smoothest riding horse in the world.