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Thursday, November 19, 2020

The Perfect Fall Getaway: Two Nights in Manchester, VT

This is one of the best times of the year! When I think of Fall I think of the sound of crunching leaves, the feeling of the crisp air, cozying up by the fire with some apple cider, and admiring all of the beautiful colors of the leaves. My husband and I were in need of a little getaway and thought it would be perfect to head to Vermont to enjoy all that Fall has to offer! We went during peak for leaf peeping and it was magical. Keep reading to hear more about where we stayed, what we did, and of course to see the beautiful foliage pictures!

Where We Stayed 

We did a lot of research before going on this little trip. We wanted to stay somewhere we felt comfortable and wouldn't be around many people. We looked into an Airbnb but had little luck since we had booked so late. While doing my research I stumbled upon Barnstead Inn and instantly fell in love with its charm and the fact that they had so few guest rooms. I personally love the Inn vibe and it was definitely perfect because we had our own private entrance to get into our room as well. Barnstead Inn is located just two blocks from Manchester Center so you can walk to the shops, restaurants, and cafes. We stayed in the Stratton Suite and it was beautiful (if my room at home could look like it I would be thrilled!) My favorite part of our room was the fireplace as it added such a cozy touch to our stay. 

Hat // Top // Shorts // Mug 


Another great thing about Barnstead Inn is that they include a farm to table breakfast every morning. The morning we were leaving we had the most delicious poached eggs on toast with Vermont Cheddar. Let's just say I still think about that breakfast! We also loved that they had a little bar area where you could grab a drink and some small appetizers, definitely try the spinach dip and charcuterie board! 

This was the delicious breakfast on our last morning!

The Inn has a little tavern where you can get a cocktail and local brews. 

What We Did

Since this was a quick trip and our first post-quarantine, we wanted to have a nice balance of relaxation but also adventure. We wanted to see the beautiful foliage and soak in all that Manchester has to offer. We arrived in Vermont around noon on our first day there and since check-in wasn't until 3, we figured we would do some exploring. When planning our trip I knew I wanted to visit the beautiful Equinox Pond. Now let me tell you, it is no easy feat getting to this spot. I figured you would just walk right up to it, but that is not the case. From what the locals told us, you used to be able to walk right up Equinox Pond Road however, this has been closed off to the public as it is a residential street and they do not allow outside traffic through. Some nice gentleman working by the high school gave us the tip about parking near by and walking through but we did not feel comfortable and of course wanted to respect those that live there. To get to Equinox pond you can park at one of the two parking lots for the trails. To get to the pond you follow the yellow trail (there are little colored posts you can follow). Fair warning, it did take about 45 minutes to hike to the pond so definitely bring good hiking shoes/sneakers and be prepared for a decent walk. The trail was very easy to navigate and the foliage was absolutely spectacular (the pictures almost look like a painting!). It was worth the hike for sure! 

Hat // Poncho // Jeans // Boots 


This is an unedited picture straight from my camera! It literally looks like a painting!

Our second day in Manchester we decided to take the drive up Skyline Drive. This beautiful scenic drive takes you all the way up Mount Equinox which is the highest peak in the Teconic Mountain range.  When you arrive, head into the building and they will provide you with instructions as well as a token to get through the gate. I believe it was a 20$ fee, however you can take as much time as you need to do the drive, soak in the views, and make your way back. There are many overlooks and stops along the way so that you can rest your breaks as well as soak in the beautiful views. Be sure to bring a jacket because it is much colder up there than it is at the bottom! Be warned, if you go around the time we did you will not see as much foliage when you get to the top because of the temperature difference (the leaves change up there earlier). Regardless, the mountain views were absolutely stunning! 

This is what the road looks like heading up! Prettier in person!

The view from one of the overlooks

It was so windy that my tripod fell over not 1 second after this picture was snapped!

After our drive we decided to explore downtown a little more and snap a few pictures before heading to dinner! Definitely explore downtown and grab yourself a maple latte from one of the coffee shops. They were delicious! 

Hat // Sweater // Skirt // Boots (similar, mine are from last year)

Where We Ate

After our day of exploring, we had probably one of the best meals I have ever had in my life! We ate at The Copper Grouse which is located in the Kimpton Taconic Hotel. We ate outside and although it was a bit cold, they had heating lamps in the ceiling and the views from the porch were stunning!

 They gave us a champagne toast at the start of our meal and we opted for the Mac n Cheese for our appetizer. Honestly it was THE BEST mac n cheese I have EVER had. To this day I think about that mac n cheese  almost daily! I am still trying to figure out how I can replicate that recipe at home. It was gooey, creamy, and so flavorful! It is definitely true that Vermont Cheddar is the best! 


For our main course, I opted for the butternut raviolis and my husband opted for the beef tenderloin. I tried a bite of my husbands too and my gosh both meals were outstanding! They were both perfect Fall meals and oh so delicious! For dessert we decided on the pumpkin bread pudding. The flavor was delicious, but it was a bit dry. Overall I did enjoy it though! 


Overall I highly recommend having a meal at The Copper Grouse. It is definitely on the pricey side but it was worth it. My only regret was getting a margarita. Although it was good, I wouldn't say it was worth what we paid. The drinks were not worth the price in my opinion but the food and atmosphere definitely made up for it! 

Let's Wrap it Up

I am so glad hubby and I got to take this quick trip to Vermont together. I definitely recommend Manchester if you are looking for beautiful foliage and a romantic little place to get away. We adored the Inn we stayed in and definitely plan to go back next Fall if we can! I do wish we had one extra day because the weather ended up being pretty bad on our last morning. It was raining very hard so we ended up changing our plans of hanging around for part of the day and just headed out at checkout time.  We did want to explore a little more too, so one more day would have been perfect! I guess that is vacation though, you always end up wishing for just one more day! As always feel free to DM me any questions on instagram, I would be more than happy to answer! 

I do want to put a disclaimer that you should read up on your states travel restrictions as well as your destinations restrictions before planning a trip. We did a lot of research before going to make sure we weren't going to be putting ourselves or anyone else at risk. This trip took place when numbers were lower and we followed all guidelines.  Please do your research before traveling and make sure you are respectful to the guidelines and restrictions that your destination has in place. Let's keep each other safe and healthy!

xoxo
-Nicole 


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