Vermont Travel Notes

Two fall traditions in Vermont are foliage "leaf peeping" and antique shows. There are other activities as well this busy weekend so let's get started:

(Quick aside: the weather this weekend will be very nice: mostly sunny and day time temperatures in the upper 50's F. The evenings will be cool with temperatures in the high 30's F. Bring some warm clothes especially if you plan to spend time at upper elevations.)

FALL FOLIAGE

The next two to three weeks you can see some incredible color on the mountainsides and valleys. I have talked with a large number of people here and read in several VT blogs that this year's foliage display may be one of the best ever. I am very surprised at the large amount of red leaves I'm seeing. All the colors are bright. I'm sure we'll be talking about this year's Vermont foliage for years to come.

A fun way to to see the foliage is to get out of the car and into the fresh air on a ski area chair lift. It's an exhilarating experience that you will remember for a long time. Many ski areas offer this service. Just ask your innkeeper where the nearest ski area is that's offering rides - they are located all over the state.

Vermont's largest ski area, Killington is offering foliage chair rides, a Brewfest on Saturday, and hosting ABC's Good Morning America live broadcast on Sunday.

The 13th Annual Killington Brewfest features displays of microbreweries and craft breweries from Vermont and other New England states. It starts at 1:00 pm and goes to 6:00 pm.

Good Morning America LIVE from Killington Peak will start broadcasting Marysol Castro's weather reports and Vermont feature segments from 6 am to 9 am. You can take a free ride on the K-1 Gondola and get a FREE CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST atop Killington Peak. They are encouraging people to attend so they will have an enthusiastic background audience just as they do in New York City. In fact, bring your homemade cardboard signs, jump up and down, and see if you can get on national television. It's a great way to see foliage, get entertained and fed, all for free. The view from Killington Peak includes five states and Canada on a clear day.

ANTIQUE SHOWS

There are two antiques shows in northern VT this weekend and a bunch in southern VT.

The New England Antiques Show formerly presented the antiques show at the Champlain Expo fairgrounds but it has moved this year to Burlington Sheraton Exhibit Center. I don't know the politics behind this move (looks like somebody got mad at someone else) but now there are two major antique shows in Burlington on the same weekend.

The Champlain Valley Exposition and Vermont Public Television are presenting the Vermont Antique Expo and Sale October 4 and 5. The weekend will feature sales, seminars and exhibits on a wide array of antiques and related topics. Located at the Champlain Valley Exposition , 105 Pearl Street in Essex Junction, Vermont. They are expecting about 60 dealers.

The New England Antique Show is being held Saturday and Sunday at the Burlington Sheraton, 870 Williston Road, Burlington, VT. It's easy to find: just take Exit 14W (make sure it is West exit, not the East exit) from I-89. The Sheraton is the large building on your right.

The WESTON ANTIQUES SHOW is being held at the Weston Playhouse in the middle of the village. As they point out, there have 220 dealers and four other antique shows within a 20 minute drive the same weekend. This is their 50th year. I like their slogan too: "Go green...collecting and using antiques is the ultimate recycling." Weston is also home to the Vermont Country Store where you can find modern versions of a lot of antique products - the kind of items you did not think were made any more.

The OKEMO ANTIQUES SHOW is being held at the Okemo Mountain Resort in Ludlow VT . The Preview is Friday from 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm and the show is Saturday 10am to 5pm.

A few minutes away, the 44th annual LUDLOW ANTIQUES SHOW is being held at the Black River High School with the from Preview Friday, 7 - 9 pm and the show Sat 10am - 5pm.

The 31st annual BROMLEY MOUNTAIN ANTIQUES SHOW will have 30 country dealers at the Bromley Ski Area Base Lodge on Route 11, Peru VT
Preview Sat 8 - 10am, Show Sat 10am - 4pm, Show Sun 10am - 4pm.

The 24th annual ANTIQUES IN VERMONT show will be at the Riley Rink, Route 7A North, Manchester Center VT Sat Preview 8 - 10am and Sat Show 10am - 4pm.

OTHER VERMONT EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES

If you are looking for some non-shopping activity, how about apple picking at Shelburne Orchards . There are 80 acres of apple trees, including 10 acres of organic apple trees. It is located a little south of Burlington VT on Orchard Road off Route 7.

There is a large Craftsproducers Festival at Hildene VT October 3, 4, and 5 that will have 200 artists and artisans displaying and selling their products, all made by the artists - no imports in other words. The show is in heated Camelot tents.

Along with the crafts, the festival has fresh food and live entertainment. The VERMONT CHEESE, BEER, AND SAUSAGE TENT will be the center of a food festival within the craft festival. More than a dozen micro brews will be available, plus a variety of Vermont cheeses, sausages, and wine will be available.

The nearby town of Manchester is full of designer outlet stores and it is the home of Orvis, the American Museum of Flyfishing next to the Orvis store, and the famous Battenkill River.

The QUECHEE VILLAGE 18th Annual Fall Foliage Crafts Fair will be October 4 and 5.

Nearby in Woodstock VT is the Billings Farm & Museum, a great place to take the kids. It has events year around. The one this weekend is the annual Pumpkin and Apple Celebration on Saturday and Sunday, October 4 & 5, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. There will be an apple taste test, hands-on apple pressing to make cider, pumpkin and apple ice cream, apple races, pumpkin bowling, apples-on-a-string, pumpkin Legos® (what do you suppose that is?), making apple butter being in the farmhouse kitchen, and more. The pumpkin display includes white, blue, and striped pumpkins with explanations about this "hearty, nourishing, and versatile vegetable, first cultivated 9,000 years ago." Horse-drawn wagon rides are included with admission. Your kids will love it and you will be impressed with the quality of this facility. I highly recommend this event for families.


Billings Farm and Museum, Woodstock VT

(c) 2008 Jeff Connor Grunberg Haus inn

I was saddened to hear today that Paul Newman has died. I never met him but our paths crossed, or nearly crossed, a few times.

The first time was when my wife and I took the kids on a driving vacation around New England about 20 years ago. We were on our way north to Quebec and stayed for a night at the North Hero House Inn. The owners had a photo album on display at the front desk. One of the photos showed Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward in an old VW beetle convertible at the inn. They had stayed there sometime before we were there but I don't remember how long before.

I know the North Hero House has different owners now but if you ever get to travel there (very nice place by the way), you can ask if they still have that photo album. I doubt they do - I'll bet the previous owners took it with them. But at least you can say you stayed the same place Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward stayed.

The drive up Route 2 through the islands is OK enough. Most people think more of it than I do. The islands looks better from the water I think. Rent a boat while you are there and see for yourself. It seems to me that the islands are like flat farmland most anywhere and they don't compare at all to the mountains a short distance away. Most of the time you are on Route 2 you cannot see the water except for a few exceptions like North Hero House

That's just one person's opinion. Travel to Vermont and look at both the mountains and the islands, and you can then write to tell me I'm right or wrong.

The other times I saw Paul Newman were at sports car races at Watkins Glen NY. My brother was racing and Paul Newman had the pit garage next to my brother's team a couple of times. The last time I saw Newman race was a few years ago when he was in his late 70's. He was an excellent driver and when I was watching practice sessions, I was very impressed with how much speed he was carrying through the corners in his car. It would have been impressive to see anyone going that fast but to see someone almost 80 years old hustling a car that hard was inspiring!

Godspeed, Paul Newman. I hope you enjoyed your visit to Vermont.




(c) 2008 Jeff Connor

Most all the Vermont locals I have talked to agree that the fall leaf colors this year are much better than average. I am seeing more red than any year in recent memory. We had a very good foliage season last year and I think this will be better.

On Thursday, my wife and I drove down to Manchester VT in the southwestern part of the state. We saw a lot of good color already and those areas are just getting started. It seems like the eastern side of the state is a little ahead of the western side. We saw more color on Route 100 than we did on Route 7. Wherever you are, you will only need to drive around to find good color. Check with your innkeeper for their favorite drives and local reports on foliage color progress.

I took a picture of the hillside across the street from us because it looked so good in person but it did not show up as well in the camera. The sky is overcast today which makes the colors pop even more. However, there is a bit of moisture in the air from the rain we got yesterday and the camera picks up the mist in the air that the human eye can look through I guess.

Below is a better picture showing our parking lot just to give you a taste of what it looks like around here. I hope to get out and drive around Sunday or Monday (we're very busy this weekend) and take some photos of all this great foliage. The foliage should last several weeks but we get so busy that I have to get out whenever I can.

Speaking of which, we are full the first two weekends of October, as are most inns around here, but there are rooms available mid-week. If you are thinking of coming here to see this year's unusually good display of fall foliage, I suggest doing it mid-week if you can. We have an availability calendar on our web site and you will find the same on many other inn's websites as well.


Grunberg Haus parking lot, Sept 27, 2008


(c) 2008 Jeff Connor Grunberg Haus Inn

The Vermont Fine Furniture and Woodworking Festival is being held this weekend, Sept 27 and 28, in the central Vermont village of Woodstock. Look for the high school on Route 4 west of the village. Very good directions are on the website too.

The website also lists about 45 Vermont furniture and wood craftsmen including links to their websites. There are some great looking furniture being made here in Vermont so stop by the show if you can or shop from home if you cannot travel to Vermont this weekend.

If addition to the furniture festival, you'll get to visit Woodstock VT which is not only one of the prettiest villages in New England, I think it is one of the best looking in the country. It is located a few minutes east of Exit 1, Interstate 89 near White River Junction VT.



Bed by Walt Stanley, Brookside Woodworking. He writes an interesting blog too.

(c) 2008 Jeff Connor Grunberg Haus Inn

This event is a good way to meet some friendly Vermonters

The Mount Snow Valley Chamber of Commerce and Vermont Life Magazine are hosting the Vermont Life Wine and Harvest Festival this weekend, September 26 - 28 in the southern Vermont towns of Dover, Wilmington, and Whitingham. The event is aimed at being a showcase for the best of Vermont wines, specialty foods, and artists.

Activities kick off with a Welcome to Vermont Bluegrass Party and BBQ on Friday evening at the Matterhorn Inn in West Dover. On Saturday the main festival runs from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm at juncture of Routes 9 E and 100 S next to the White House Inn in Wilmington, VT. There will also be live music including the Vermont Symphony Orchestra Brass Trio Fanfare and other bands, plus a Vermont Life food writers discussion panel with book signing opportunities. That evening there will be wine pairing dinners at some of the local restaurants (reservation required - most of them are already booked - see the website for details).

Sunday starts with an Indigenous Vermonter Breakfast sponsored by Vermont Smoke and Cure and hosted by the Deerfield Valley Sportsman Club in Whitingham from 8:00 to 11:00 am.

The Mount Snow Valley is popular destination for people visiting Vermont and this weekend will be a great time to see an extra dash of fall foliage to make it event better.

While you are in the area, also look for 25 "Vermonster" outdoor sculptures created by Vermont artists using new, found or recycled Vermont materials displayed around the area.

There is also a local scarecrow competition and a home tour of some of the area's finer country homes on Saturday.

(c) 2008 (except the photo from Mount Snow Chamber of Commerce) Jeff Connor

Right now, work is underway to convert Stowe's Jackson Arena municipal skating rink into a Bavarian village for this year's Oktoberfest, September 26, 27 and 28. It's one of the village's most popular events for both tourists and locals.

The entire family is invited. There will be lots of Otter Creek craft brewed beer, German foods including bratwurst and knockwurst, American foods such as hotdogs and chicken, live music and dancing, pumpkin and face painting, Saturday morning parade, raffles, games, craft booths, and general merriment.

(c) 2008 Jeff Connor Grunberg Haus