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.

I have spent a lot of time in New England over many decades ( just back from a week in Massachusetts ) so based on your request, are a few possibilities . NEWBURYPORT- from Boston , Rt 95-128 , to Cape Ann . Begin in Gloucester and drive Rt 133 via places like Rockport , Essex , Ipswich , toward Newburyport. The area encompasses a 25,000 acre salt marsh, filled with natural beauty. Numerous Clam shacks along rt 133 ( the winner here is Essex Seafood ) just outside of Essex . In Gloucester , the Cape Ann Museum is a must and if you're in the Salem area , skip the witch garbage , and spend time at The Peabody Essex Museum. Holyoke- This is The Pioneer Valley ,and Northampton , Amherst , and Historic Deerfield , are well worth time . As you mention Bennington, a short drive south on Rt 7 will take you to Williamstown, Massachusetts, home of the Williams College campus, and The Clark Art Institute. The Clark campus is stunning , and joins a fine collection with a gorgeous setting .

https://www.markkurlansky.com/books/the-last-fish/ Also if you can, read this wonderful book before you go. I read this in 2010 , as I love Cape Ann , and it further illuminated my first trip to Cornwall, UK .

One further thought - If you visit The Clark in Williamstown, try to at least poke into the magnificent Manton Research Library while there . My wife and I are art fanatics and often during the winter months, on a visit to The Berkshires, we will spend a whole day there. A huge resource collection, one of the best we have ever seen.

VT -
Bookfield, Stowe, Waterbury, Montpelier, Peacham, Warren, Waitsfield, Manchester, Norwich, Quechee, Woodstock, Windsor, Weston, Bennington

OK for the Norwich, Quechee,Woodstock, Windsor part ofyour trip:
I am guessing you are hitting Norwich for King Arthur Flour but if there on Sat the Farmer's Market is the longest running market in the state. IN addition, there are 3 (at least) individual farmstands in town you can visit: Crossroads Farm, Honeyfield Farm, and Sweetland Farm. Most of the stands are open 7days/wk. All have websites. Also in Norwich is the iconic general store-Dan and Whit's. Best breakfast sandwich around and if you go, venture down behind the "big green door" to get a feel for what a real general store is like.

If in the area on Wednesday nite, travel down Rt 5 South to White River Jct. Every Wed there is an acoustic jam session at the local bar, The Filling Station. if it's Friday, the Main Street Museum has piano music (player piano) as well as other scheduled activities. If you happen to visit on the first Friday of the month, many of the shops/galleries are open late. Also in White River is Northern Stage, bringing world class theater and NYC artists to VT. Several restuarants in town from barbeque to middle-eastern to modern american.

Venture across the CT River from Norwich to Hanover NH-home of Dartmouth college. Go to the Hood Museum or just walk around.

Going to Quechee, stop at the Quechee state park and hike down to the river-or just view the scene from the bridge. Quechee is also home to Simon Pearce glass blowers. You can actually view the employee blowing glass. Also is VINS (VT Institute of Natural Science) for canopy walks, talks on raptors, etc.

Windsor-the coverd bridge is the longest coveredbridge in the US. On the Cornish NH side is St Gaudens national historic site. Beautiful grounds. St Gaudens designed manyof the historic monuments in DC. It was a thriving artists colony. On the VT side is the Precison Museum-an ode to american manufacturing.

There is so much happening around here during the summer/fall. It's difficult to recommend specifics. Really depends on what you like to do.

Thanks everyone!! Fun stuff! Would still love more restaurant recommendations 😁

A strong second for The Precision Museum and The Saint Gaudens site if you're in that area.

In Plymouth, MA, the Plimouth Museum 17th century English village with interpreters who stay in character. When we were there decades ago, I asked one about Charleston, SC and she said are you talking about the Spanish in St Augustine? Plymouth was founded 50 years before Charleston.

In Sandwich, I highly recommend the Heritage Gardens and Museum, which you may already have on your sightseeing list. There is a glass museum in Sandwich, too. We always stop for lunch at Seafood Sam's in Sandwich on the canal. They have awesome lobster rolls! My husband says they have the best fried chicken! All their seafood is fresh and delicious but I am partial to the lobster rolls.

BTW, Sebago Lake and Bridgton are in Maine, not NH.

We love Lost River in North Woodstock, NH. We always eat lunch at the Woodstock Inn Brewery when in the area. They have a lovely outdoor dining area.

Norwich has a wonderful bookstore, and we enjoy poking around the general store Dan and Whits. Their motto is "If we don't have it, you don't need it." We love having drinks and appetizers on the Norwich Inn porch. We have been a bit disappointed in their restaurant.

If you have the time, you can drive to Hanover, NH, (about a 10-minute drive), home to Dartmouth College. It's a very attractive town with some very good restaurants and nice shops.

White River Junction, about 15 minutes from Norwich, has a nice selection of restaurants, including a great barbecue place. But I can't remember the name. We also like Tuckerbox.

In Stowe, we've eaten twice at Piecasso, and we were never disappointed. Was just there recently. They have delicious pizzas!

If you do get to Hanover NH and Dartmouth , Stop in the Berry - Baker Library to see the Orozco Murals " The Epic of American Civilization " A brief descriptive video here - https://youtu.be/AcObxr2NGs8?si=rteYUp-z0pKAT5ix

In White River Jct-Elixir, Redcan, Thyme or Tuckerbox are good choices. The BBQ place is Big Fatty's also good. You can bring your BBQ across the parking lot to the brewery and hear some bluegrass on Sundays (Bluegrass brunch).

Agree about Norwich Inn food but the front porch is a great place to sip a beer and people watch.

Hanover, NH-Pine Restaurant. Also some great ethnic restaurants like Base Camp Cafe, Han Fusion, Tuk-Tuk Thai.

If you are looking for breadfast spots: Lou's in Hanover, The Fort in Lebanon NH, 4 Aces Diner in West Lebanon NH, Shryl's diner in West Lebanon NH.

Take the fas ferry from Boston to Provincetown - good chance you will see whales and great food in P'town. Art's Dune Tours are interesting and giant sand dunes in the fall are beautiful

in Concord, I like Merchants Row (restaurant). Or venture out to Waltham--Moody Street or Newton for what looks good to you. Love the deCordova sculpture garden very close by as well as Orchard House (if you like Little Women).

We stopped at a place called Maine Diner on the way to Kennebunkport (approaching from the south). I enjoyed it for breakfast!

We love the Louisa May Alcott House in Concord ("Orchard House") even though not such fans of Little Women et al. (But her notes on being a nurse in Civil War are vivid and fascinating.) Amazing family, too. Father was a deep thinking idealist; sister an artist who died tragically young. And Louisa...what a character. This all gets beautifully described in the house tour, "reservations recommended."

First time I've ever seen Holyoke, Massachusetts, described as a hidden gem.
This is not a place I would recommend to anyone looking for anything other than a niche experience visiting a once-thriving factory town, that's fallen into severe poverty, with all the issues (high crime rate, high homelessness, etc.) that come with that.
I'm wondering if this was a typo or you were thinking of another city in western Massachusetts.

Holyoke isn’t one of our hidden gems. 😂 Just a place we found as a good stop for the night along the way. Only looking for possible restaurant recs in the area.

Holyoke - The Delaney House is the best restaurant in the city, on Route 5 near the northern border of Holyoke with Easthampton/Northampton. Woodstone Tavern on Hampden St near Route 5 and I-91 in the Highlands neighborhood is also good. But I would not venture into downtown Holyoke, where moss’s description applies.

The dining scene is much more lively in adjacent Northampton (college town) and it’s a fun downtown to walk around. In Northampton, I’d recommend Homestead as the top, also Spoleto, Highbrow Wood-Fired Kitchen, India House, Gombo Nola, Osaka, Paul and Elizabeth’s, FitzWilly’s, or Northampton Brewery.

Would you consider staying in Northampton instead of Holyoke? The Hotel Northampton is very nice and centrally located in downtown. You can walk to all the stores and restaurants. If you are going to dine in Northampton, then it would make sense to stay overnight there, too. Much safer and prettier than Holyoke. I grew up in the area, so this is my firsthand experience.

I second the recommendation for Fitzwilly's and Northampton Brewery. Also recommend the Coolidge Park Cafe and Wiggins Tavern at the Hotel Northampton. And the Eastside Grill!

I grew up in in Southern Maine, went to college in NH, and live on Boston's North Shore so very familiar with most of the areas you are trying to hit. I could write too much but happy to answer any specific questions that may come up.

Newburyport - downtown is lovely, lots of shops & good eats. You could venture over to Plum Island to visit the Wildlife Refuge also great breakfast/lunch at Mad Martha's.

Kennebunkport - a visit to the Seashore Trolley museum is nice, obviously lots of lovely shops & restaurants in K'Port Dock Square and Ocean Ave. area and also into Lower Village, Kennebunk. I would venture over to the Rachel Carson WIldlife Refuge which has lovely walking trails in the marsh area. Also visit the Franciscan Monastery to walk the trails which head out to the ocean, lovely views. Food I suggest a lunch or dinner at The Arundel Wharf, view is amazing and I'm biased used to work here in the summers during college. Allison's is another great spot for a meal in Dock Square family owned for decades.

Sebago Lake, Sabbath Day, & Bridgton are all in Maine not NH. In the Lakes area (Sebago) head to Windham for Yolked Farm to Table for upscale meals in a rustic barn setting. Naples is kind of a central town for the lakes area. You could also do a tour on the Songo River Queen if still open then. Bridgton has a drive-in movie theater, may not be open when you go but it's rare to find those these days. Sebago Lake area is great if you want to rent a boat and get out on the water.

Lincoln, NH - A favorite of mine, I used to work at Gordi's Fish & Steakhouse for awhile when I was going to college nearby. Also we like the Woodstock Station (brewery & breakfast/lunch/dinner). If they are offering Gondola rides at Loon Mountain that would be great to check out. Lincoln is at one end of the Kancamangus Highway. The other end North Conway is lots of outlet shopping centers & restaurants. I would head into the downtown of Conway and visit Zeb's General Store, there's also a little train ride you can do that starts out of downtown Conway. So much great hiking to do in this area. And FYI if hiking Sabbaday Falls you do have different parts where you are crossing water so the rocks can be slippery.

Enjoy!

Sandwich: I would recommend the Fisherman's View restaurant which is right on the canal. Either before or after, take a walk on the path which runs the length of the canal. Also a little visitor's center which focuses on how the canal was constructed. If a nice day, also walk the boardwalk over the dunes out to the beach/ocean.
Sturbridge is the Public House restaurant-quintessential New England
NH: I enjoy the Common Man restaurants. It is a local chain and they have one in Lincoln.
VT: On way to Stowe is the Ben and Jerry's factory. In Quechee there is the Simon Pearce factory and restaurant which is lovely.
Enjoy your trip

Also in Boothbay Harbor they have a beautiful Coastal Maine Botanical Garden which is wonderful and has the troll figures.