| Sarah Blair — Positive News For You |
Fall is here and I have fallen in love with Vermont! Where I live, the leaves are already turning vibrant shades of red, orange and yellow. I live right in between Bennington, and Brattleboro, VT, in the beautiful town of Wilmington, VT. I live in a part of the Green Mountain National Forest. I have already begun to see leaf peepers coming up to visit. I honestly cannot blame them. There is nothing like autumn here. I grew up in Southern New Hampshire and autumn is beautiful there as well. But here, where I sit there are so many red maples to admire, local businesses to check out and more.
The Vermont brand is a matter of pride for Vermonters. When you buy something made in Vermont you know it is of the finest quality. People from all over the country come here for the Green Mountains and Vermont made goods. How about we add some of that Vermont made beer into the mix. Vermont was named the craft beer capital of the USA. We produce more beer per capita than any other state. It is not hard to find yourself a brewery in this state no matter how rural you are located. Southern Vermont is mostly rural. Wilmington, VT doesn’t have too many big-name stores most locally-owned shops and they like it this way. As do, I.
Wilmington, VT is just down the street from Mount Snow and is where the famous route 100 and route 9 meet. If you follow route 9 you can go from New Hampshire to New York. Traveling through the famous Molly Stark National Park. If you follow the famous scenic drive of route 100 you are going to find your way to the top of the state or perhaps you are driving down; then you will find your way to Massachusetts. No matter which way you are going Wilmington is the heart of it all.
“Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower.” – Albert Camus
If you are coming up this way for the vibrant foliage which I do recommend that you do. I have a few routes for you all. With some must-see places along the way.
If you are coming from my old stomping grounds in Cheshire County NH. You do not have far to travel but there is so much to see, you are going to have to choose the path that works best for you, or make a couple of trips out.
The route I am choosing today is route 9 from Brattleboro to Bennington, VT. I have the advantage that I take this road all the time. I can tell you the mountains on the way up that first time are breathtaking. There are a lot of places you are going to want to pull over to snap a picture of.
While in Brattleboro, VT stop in and see Whetstone Station Brewery and Restaurant. Sit and enjoy the view of the Connecticut River while you sip on your craft beer, wine or cocktail if you prefer. I recommend the Wetstoner brew. The team over at Whetstone will truly delight. If you are a fan of sour ales I recommend Hermit Thrush Brewery, try the Rowdy Munk! (if it is still available) This brewery is known for its American Sours. Everything is made with local ingredients. The staff is knowledgeable and willing to help you find a brew for your pallet.
If you are not a fan of beer then pop into Saxtons River Distillery.
Sites you must see:
- Vermont Country Deli – Right at the start of route 9W. Get the Mac and Cheese trust me!
- Hike the Retreat trail and find the old Asylum tower. – Easy hike, Walk is less than 5 minutes from the road.
After you are done exploring Brattleboro and you start heading up route 9W towards Bennington, VT Things are going to start to look a lot more country. There will be a pull-off for photos as I have mentioned. One of the best pull-offs is going to at the top of Hog Back Mountain where you have the 100-mile view. Stop in and visit the gift shop there but make sure you visit Beer Naked Brewery. You can now order a pizza there. Our friend Andjez’s Polish Kitchen is still there and you can sip your brews while surrounded by a One of Kind View. Not a fan of a beer, stop in the Vermont Distillery next door. They offer cocktails made to order. Delicious. Here is where the old ski resort used to be. It shut down back in 1986. The land has been replenishing its self for 33 years. There are several hiking trails that lead to this stop. You could hike Mount Olga and make your way to the fire tower for a bit of a better view.
Only about 5 more minutes of driving until you are in my neck of the woods. Wilmington, VT. We only have one set of street lights but our town is full of Vermont charm. There are plenty of places for fall foliage photos here. Wilmington Flea Market which is open every weekend through mid-October and sits on the corner of Route 100 to Whitingham. You can take a ride over to Harrimans Reservoir the largest lake that solely resides in Vermont. This lake has a lot of history to share. It was once an old logging mill. Some of the local parks have some of the old foundations you can find. (Find those as you head towards Bennington.) Visit our Flames Stable where you can take a scenic horseback tour along some of the trails along this lake. Nothing like becoming one with nature to get those pictures and create some memories. After visiting them, you could take a detour and ride about 15 minutes to J’Ville brewery and Honora Winery in Jacksonville, VT. This area is a beautiful site to see. While you are out that way you might want to take route 8 to Bennington, and circle back to Route 9 for your trip back. This will just add to your experience foliage wise.
While you are still in Wilmington however make sure you take a village stroll and check out some of our local merchants such as OPA! The local kitchen store. Get all the things you need for your home to enjoy a good drink and a great home-cooked meal. Make sure you visit the 1836 Country Store just a little bit down the street. This country store still has the original hardwood floors and cobblestones from when it was first built. Inside find lots of Vermont goods including homemade chocolates, fudge, and cheese. This is a family-friendly location with lots of goodies for the kids. Next door to the country store you will find Ratu’s Liquor and Market. Ratu’s owner Christian is a proud Vermonter. He has a wide variety of Vermont made liquor, wine craft beer and more. He is an extremely knowledgeable person of the area willing to share.
A visit to Wilmington is not complete without stopping into Dot’s of Wilmington the local dinner with a lot of history A history that includes how the town didn’t want to see it go after the massive flood of Hurricane Irene. Now here is a secret that only a local can give you… If you choose to do the village stroll, I highly recommend that you walk the whoot, toot and whistle trail to the lake. It is not a very long trail. I think it is about 1.5 miles maybe 2. But it is beautiful. If you park on South Main street in the free parking “Park and Ride” for the town. You can walk from the parking lot down Shafter/Mill Street. Follow the blue arrows. BUT! Across the parking lot on the corner of Shafter street is a little bridge. Walk over to that bridge and take a peek in the trees. See if you can find the chair. That chair has been there since the flood. That is a local secret. But it really puts into perspective how high the water got. Another way to know about the water levels is on Main Street on the Police station the town has marked the water levels of the two major floods we have faced.
Another must-see while you in town is Wheeler Farm. Stop in and get yourself of Maple Syrup. This local dairy farm has a lot of MAPLES that are ready for their photos. This farm is also part of the Cabot Co-op. They are on the Cabot cheese trail. While you are in town you might want to pop in and take a peek. Cheese, Syrup, and foliage. All in one stop. There is a whole lot more I could share with you about my town but sadly this is an article and not a novel. I need to make room for the other amazing places nearby.
Before you head out here is where you have the option you can continue route 9W or you can take 100N towards, Mount Snow. Route 100 has a lot to offer you if you are planning to take it the whole way up. Today’s article I am focusing more on the Molly Stark byway. While you are in the area you might want to pop over to West Dover, Vermont. Visit Mount Snow and take the scenic chair lift ride. Now I am deathly afraid of heights and I can tell you I have done it once. Three years ago now. It was worth the trip up. The view is so beautiful. I would do it more if I was not so afraid of heights. I could see all the places I am mentioning in the article and more from the top. Plus after you pop over there our friends over a Snow Republic Brewing are planning on opening in the next couple weeks. You can check out what they have been brewing up. Make sure you follow their social media feeds for updates on their opening.
“Two roads diverged in a wood and I – I took the road less traveled.”
– Robert Frost
Now that you are back on route 9w you should be heading into Bennington, VT. Bennington is full of history. I highly recommend that you visit the Bennington Monument. It was built for the Revolutionary war. It is the tallest building in the state of Vermont and if you think you have seen some incredible views you are going to see something else at the top of this. You could visit Robert Frost in Old Bennington while you are there. Robert Frost was a famous American writer who shared a passion for New Hampshire and Vermont that I have. Other things you might want to check out are the old covered bridges. There are plenty to go around here in Bennington, VT. I am actually curious about who has more Bennington or Swanzey, NH. Bennington’s are closer together I know this. A few of them sit on top of some beautiful waterfalls with parks where you can picnic. Worth checking them out. After you are done exploring the history of the area you might want to wash it all down with a brew. You have two great options. You could go to Harvest Brewery a nano brewery within Bennington with a small menu of light fair options. This little brewery knows how to craft up some fun. Just down the road from them is Madison Brewing Company this brewpub has a large list of brews to try and a menu that will delight. Either option will not disappoint you. I mean since you are in the area you might want to check out both. All I ask is that you drink responsibly.
Most of the breweries I mentioned can be found on the Vermont Brewers Association. This beer trail is listed on their maps. The Route 9 Molly Stark trail is also listed on the Vermont Byways map. What is not listed on there is the locals perspective. I love my area and I hope that you fall in love with it too. I want you to be safe and drink responsibly when you are out leaf-peeping. Next year if you want to join me for our Brewtiful views tour you can sip on your brews and enjoy the views. I will drive. For more tours visit countrybrewtours.com.
Till our next adventure friends. I hope you enjoy the area’s most beautiful views and have a Hoppy Fall Y’all! Cheers Friends.
-Sarah E. Blair
