Steve and I embarked on a trip to Vermont prior to our annual excursion to the cabin in Maine. Adding Vermont puts my 50 state bucket list grand total to 37. Our drive from home was approximately 400 miles and took us about 8 hours. Initial segments of our drive were on the interstates. This was followed by driving on scenic farm roads where we saw many windmills, solar panels, corn fields, cows farms, etc. We spent two nights in Stowe, Vermont.Settling into our Stowe hotel was a challenge. We had a beautiful four-poster bed, but it was so high that I was unable to even get into it! I requested a stool; the clerk told me that it was not an unusual request (I guess I’m not the only vertically challenged tourist). After settling into our hotel, we took a walk in the downtown Stowe area getting acclimated and in search of a place to have dinner.
I discovered that Vermont is called the “Green Mountain” state. I also realized that Green Mountain coffee is made here. The Green Mountain coffee brochure suggested we take a tasting tour of the Stowe area. We thought this was a great idea!
We started our day at Cold Hollow Cider Mill. They had a small factory and museum, which depicted the process used to make cider. They had an extensive gift shop of fun items. They are also famous for apple cider donuts. They were yummy and a great way to start our day.
Our next stop, which completed our breakfast, was a trip to the Green Mountain Visitor Center (site of an old train station) and Café. They had a museum depicting the coffee brewing process. They also had a retail store of coffee products as well as a coffee shop. You could taste test various coffees prior to making your purchase.
Our next stop was a key reason that I wanted to visit Stowe – Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream. We took a tour of the factory, which ended with taste testing. They were giving out free samples of Americone Dream, which was inspired by Stephen Colbert and is now the #10 top selling Ben and Jerry flavor. It contains vanilla ice cream with fudge covered waffle cone pieces and a caramel swirl.
The ice cream sample turned out to be our appetizer. We decided to have ice cream cones for lunch. We both had large waffle cones. I got Tonight Dough (made to honor Jimmy Fallon and his 100th taping of the Tonight Show. This ice cream had caramel and chocolate ice cream with chocolate cookie swirls and gobs of chocolate chip cookie dough and peanut butter cookie dough). Steve got Chunky Monkey, which was banana ice cream with fudge chunks and walnuts.
Our next stop was the Cabot Creamery. We sampled some fun cheddar cheese flavors. My favorites were everything bagel flavored cheese, horseradish flavored cheese, and a Parmesan flavored cheese. We also stopped at Lake Champlain Chocolates, but it was difficult to get excited about chocolate when I couldn’t even finish my chocolate covered ice cream cone earlier in the day.
After our tasting tour, we set out to find The Trapp Family Lodge. It is a 2,400-acre, four-and-a-half-star resort located in Stowe, Vermont. In the early 1940’s, the von Trapp family toured the United States as the Trapp Family Singers & eventually settled in Stowe, Vermont. They chose to settle in an area of mountain views that reminded them of their beloved Austria.
After the Trapp Family Lodge, we visited Mount Mansfield, the highest mountain in Vermont. We considered riding the ski lift gondolas to the top of the mountain, but they were already done running for the day. We ended our touring in Stowe with a visit to the Smuggler’s Notch resort.
After two nights in Vermont, we traveled to New Hampshire. Although this wasn’t a new state for me, it was a new location. We spent the day visiting Mount Washington. Mount Washington is the highest peak in the Northeastern United States (6,288 ft.) and the most prominent mountain east of the Mississippi River.
We ascended the mountain via the Cog Railway on a biodiesel engine train. We had a 3-hour guided tour. The views included the mountains and valleys of New Hampshire, Maine and Vermont, north into Canada, and east to the Atlantic Ocean. We were even able to have our photo taken at the summit marker.
We stayed at the Omni Mount Washington Resort in New Hampshire. This grand hotel opened its doors in 1902. During this time, The Mount Washington catered to wealthy guests from Boston, New York and Philadelphia. As many as 50 trains a day stopped at the area’s three railroad stations. One of these stations, Fabyan’s, is now one of the resort’s dining establishments (we ate there). The hotel has been host to countless celebrities, including Thomas Edison and three U.S. presidents.In 1944, The Mount Washington hosted the Bretton Woods International Monetary Conference. Delegates from 44 nations convened, establishing the World Bank and International Monetary Fund, setting the gold standard at $35 an ounce and designating the United States dollar as the backbone of international exchange. In 1986, the United States Department of the Interior recognized the historical and architectural significance of The Mount Washington Hotel with a National Historic Landmark designation.
Of the following photographs, the first two are upon our arrival at the resort. The last two are the resort at sunset.
We left Mount Washington for a scenic drive through the White Mountain National Forest and through many small towns across southern Maine, ending on the coast at Boothbay Harbor.
We are now spending a week at the cabin in Boothbay Harbor, Maine, courtesy of the dear Ballo family. The cabin, the company, and the scenery are sheer perfection! My favorite lobster roll was accompanied by lobster beer this year!
kdneas 