VT, NH, ME, MA - tell me you favorites!

Do you like beer, specifically IPA’s? If so, consider Tree House Brewing in Charlton, located on the Sturbridge Rd near Sturbridge. Great beer, fun atmosphere, food trucks.

Edit to add: do you like whiskey, especially rye bourbon? Whistle Pig has a tasting room in Quechee. Across the driveway is Simon Pearce restaurant and store. Lovely location, very good food, reservations strongly recommended.

Hi halfdozmom -
My first concern? We traveled Vermont for 10 days in October 2 years ago and had to make reservations for some locations WAY before now, if you've not done so already. Leaf-peeping season is VERY popular. IMHO, you have too many locations on your list for a 2-week trip so you'll need to be very selective.

We stayed in Montpelier, Manchester and Burlington, and enjoyed all but Burlington, although the hotel was really nice. Day trips from/ stops between Montpelier, Manchester and Burlington included Stowe ( OK but not up to the hype), Barre (Hope Cemetery is interesting), Waterbury (Ben and Jerry's), Woodstock, Bennington (Robert Frost is buried in the churchyard here), Shelburne (the museum there is great fun), and too many small villages to count. As above, Manchester and Montpelier were faves, as was Bennington.

Hotels: Manchester: we LOVED our stay at North Shire Lodge. It's a couple miles out of town but has comfortable rooms, super breakfast, a lovely view, and the best inn puppydog ever. Family owned. it's probably already booked for October but give it a shot.

Montpelier: Capitol Plaza Hotel, Tapestry by Hilton: right in the middle of this small town so walkable to restaurants and the capitol building (well worth a look at this most diminutive of US state capitols). We thought it was overpriced (breakfast not included; elevator constantly out of service; parking fee for outdoor lot) but the room was clean, quiet and comfortable.

Restaurants: we're not into fussy fine dining so our personal choices were pretty casual. In Manchester, Zoey's Double Hex and Seasons were good. In Montpelier, Three Penny Taproom. Langdon St. Tavern was also good but unfortunately has closed. LOL, if you enjoy a dive bar now and then (we do), you can't beat Charlie-O's World Famous on main street, Montpelier.

Kate - flights, car, hotels booked and ready to go, hence the request from locals or those in the know to suggest favorite restaurants, places to visit etc. We are just doing some fine tuning.

Another addition. For sandwich, there’s a great dive bar called the Whaleback. Excellent fish and chips, steamers and lobster rolls at a very reasonable price. Tree House also has a tap room in Sandwich. For a more upscale dining experience consider the Dolphin in Barnstable.

Flume Gorge is a nice little hike.

flights, car, hotels booked and ready to go

Ah, OK. You hadn't mentioned that in your first post, thus the recos.

New England is loaded with history, as well as scenic places (especially in Maine).

In Mass, Boston, do the Freedom Trail, See Old Ironsides and more history there.
Salem is worth a day, Cape Cod is nice.

Maine, do not miss Bar Harbor.
https://www.visitmaine.net/best-coastal-towns-in-maine/

Flume Gorge looks pretty cool -- thanks for bringing my attention to it. Doing a brief jaunt to New England Labor Day Weekend.

geovagriffith - thanks for the suggestions. Bar Harbor is a bit to east for us on this trip. Boston is the only city (and a few areas surrounding it like Cape Cod) we’ve been to in the past when hubby had a conference there. That’s why it’s not officially included on our list, although we will be flying in and out of Logan.