One of the loveliest places to experience the quintessential fall season is in the heart of New England. To celebrate the fall season and enjoy the crisp weather, we decided to drive a few hours north to the eastern border of Vermont to “leaf peep” all of the gorgeous fall foliage, After some research on where exactly to explore, we settled on the Quechee/ Woodstock area and decided to make it a girl’s trip for the weekend! This area of Vermont did not disappoint. This was a perfect location for our group, who loved to explore by foot, shop for souvenirs in the quaint shops in the downtown area, and enjoy the scenery of the town.
F.H. GILLINGHAM & SONS
Located on Elm Street, this general store has been operating since 1886 and is a “must-visit” shop in Woodstock! They sell several goods including (but not limited to): maple syrup, Vermont cheese, specialty and baked goods, as well as retro toys and apparel. This is a true general store experience and they carry one of the largest collections of maple syrup and jams in the state of Vermont!
THE YANKEE BOOKSHOP
I could have spent hours in this quaint bookshop! Located on Central Street in the heart of the downtown of Woodstock, this shop carries an array of books as well as some stunning picture books about the local area of New England. The Yankee Bookshop is Vermont’s longest-running independent bookstore and has been open since 1935! I often find myself in bookshops just browsing through the different shelves, and whilst doing so, I found the book below titled “On Trails” by Robert Moor. After flipping through a few pages, I knew it would be an addition to my collection. Toward the back of the shop, I even found a rack of literary book cover socks! The classic Harry Potter ones were my favorite. This is the perfect place to pick up a souvenir for yourself or the book lover (or sock lover!) in your life.
While wandering along Central Street in downtown Woodstock, we saw Kedron Brook from the street above. Just past the RT Home shop, the park is accessible down a set of stairs. Of course, we took a slight detour to explore this area! This small park is known in town as “Teagle’s Landing,” named after longtime Woodstock resident Frank H. Teagle, JR. Such a beautiful spot to sit and enjoy the view of the water and the changing leaves!
MOUNT VERT CAFE
If staying in the Woodstock downtown area, the Mount Vert Cafe is a great place to stop for a bite to eat. Breakfast is served all day, and there are various options offered for lunch. Coffee and pastries are also served. The day we visited, the weather was exceptionally beautiful and perfect to sit outside and enjoy. The interior is two stories with quaint nooks and seating areas all around – for both groups and individuals. Expect to wait in line during peak times of the year!
Although we stopped at the Mount Vert Cafe for coffee, our group stopped at Soulfully Good Cafe for lunch. They have great soups, salads, and sandwiches on their menu, and they offer breakfast until 11:30 am as well! I ordered the ham, brie, and apple panini served with a side salad, and it was delicious!
Our favorite house in Woodstock! This house decorates their front porch every year in the fall with pumpkins and gorges. The home has their own Instagram account, @houseanddog. The owners ask to be tagged or mentioned when sharing images of their home. You might be able to see in the photo above, there is a large dog that sits at the front door of the home- hence house and dog.
Our group enjoyed very much just walking through the different local streets of Woodstock. All of the homes were so different and quintessentially New England, it was hard to not snap a picture of all of them!
WOODSTOCK INN AND RESORT
The Woodstock Inn and Resort is the place I would recommend a stay if visiting Woodstock. Rooms were completely sold out the weekend we visited due to a wedding at the resort, but one look at the grounds and lobby is reason enough to book a stay. There is even a church right across the street for anyone thinking of this resort as a potential venue! Even though we did not stay at the resort, we were able to explore some of the interiors and relax a bit by the fire in the lobby. The grounds are impeccably kept and each room is finely curated with quaint and elegant furniture.
For our time in Vermont, our group ended up booking a condo in Quechee, Vermont that was roughly 15 minutes away from the Woodstock downtown. Since we could not find availability for our group of six at any of the locations in Woodstock for the first week of October, Quechee was the perfect alternate location for us to stay and allowed us to explore the area of both Quechee and Vermont.
For more information on sights to see and places to eat in Quechee, check out my post: Quechee, Vermont
MIDDLE COVERED BRIDGE
As the only covered bridge in downtown Woodstock, the Middle Covered is a must-see, either by car or by walking. There is a pedestrian walkway to the side of the bridge that allows you to view the gorgeous view of the landscape. The bridge is one-way, meaning only one car can drive through at a time to their respective side of the bridge. One way leads into the heart of the downtown (right towards The Green and the Woodstock Inn and Resort) and the other way leads into the quaint residential neighborhoods of Woodstock. We spent some time driving through the neighborhoods before heading to our next destination- Sugarbush Farm!
SUGARBUSH FARM
After a day spent in Woodstock, we decided to drive about 13 minutes northeast to Sugarbush Farm to end our eventful day before heading back to the condo in Quechee. This local farm produces not only maple syrup but a variety of waxed cheeses as well! We bought the spreadable cheddar from the farm, and I am embarrassed to say that it did not even make it through the night. Back at the condo, we all shared some cut-up apples to eat with the spreadable cheddar. It was so good, we wish we had bought more!
On the grounds of Sugarbush Farm, you can visit the sugar house and learn how maple trees are tapped and the process of making maple syrup. The display is open year-round, and the maple syrup-making season is March- April of each year. There is also a nature trail through the maple sugar woods. The path leads through the woods and follows the path of the draft horses used in the spring to collect the sap from the trees. During the warmer months of the year, there are baby calves, goats, chickens, bunnies, and horses that visitors to the farm can view outside. Inside the gift shop, samples of Vermont jams, mustards, and maple spreads are offered for guests to the farm. There are refrigerators stocked with cheeses (this is where you can find the spreadable cheddar!), and there is an array of goods to shop and even ship your purchases home.
QUECHEE GORGE
On our way back to Route 89 and home, we stopped at the Quechee Gorge where the fall foliage was starting to peak through the evergreen trees. If in the area, this is a “must-see” stop to visit. As a part of Quechee State Park, views of the gorge can be seen on either side of the Route 4 bridge and there are hiking trails on either side of the gorge, one leading to the bank of the Ottauquechee River. There is also a snack bar located in the parking lot for the gorge with delicious meals and snacks!
Since this was a group trip, not all images were photographed by me.
Most of the more candid shots were snapped by my sister Lauren of the Aurigemma Collective.
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