Fall time is that one time of year we always seem to look forward to. From the softening light to the milder temperatures, fall always seems to put a bit of magic in the air. The East Coast is well known for a “Leaf Peeping” Season, as the leaves are beautiful and the weather is perfect. We love traveling all year round, but its always exciting to see the leaves change and being able to take our Pup, Kody Rae with us, makes it even better! This year, we will be making our way to New England to experience Apple Cider and beautiful weather.

The great thing about New England is that it is so close to New York City. You can be in Vermont within just a few hours which is incredible! In order to truly escape the hustle and bustle of the NYC life and relax in the mountains, we have some great suggestions.

STAY:

One of our favorite places to stay in Vermont is Manchester. Manchester, VT is such a beautiful, quaint New England town with a lot to do and see! The Equinox Hotel is something worth experiencing. Located just on the edge of town, you are close enough to walk to the stores and restaurants, but far enough away to escape. The Equinox Hotel is a Starwood Hotels property, a company we love! What makes this hotel even better is that it is very DOG FRIENDLY!

Through HALTTravel’s partnership with Starwood Premiere Guest, we have access to amazing discounts, the lowest rates and can offer value added amenities to make your stay unforgettable!

Activities: 

If you’re like us, you like to focus your fall trip around outdoor activities. We truly enjoy really getting after it during the day, as it makes the relaxing, eating and drinking in the evenings all the more enjoyable.

Mountain Biking- Manchester and the surrounding areas have some great trails for both XC and DH. The cross country trails in the region have that famous Vermont soil, moist with epic traction. If it rainy you can also experience some of the famously challenging slippery rocks and roots in the Vermont forest. For lift access downhill riding, there are a few amazing options close by.

Hiking- In and around Manchester there is an incredible amount of hiking trails and many are not to be missed. If you’re feeling very adventurous take a hike all the way to the top of Mt. Equinox, passing through the 2 distinct ecosystems on the way up. You will most likely see a variety of wild animals on this hike, including deer, moose, bobcat, eagles, falcons, fisher cats and maybe even a black bear. Transitioning from the thick forest to rocky alpine is a fun feature on this trail.

Driving- The Land Rover Driving Experience School is located in town and offers some amazing opportunities to learn amazing driving skills offroad! If you’re a less adventurous type or don’t think you can handle the driving, they offer packages where you can just be a passenger as well. But don’t worry, the program is set up with instructors helping you through the course, polishing the skills of even the most experienced off-roaders. The driving experience can range from a few hours to an intensive few days and is really a unique experience. HALT Travel’s very own Max Hoener, took a few of the driving instructors from this school to Telluride, CO to film a promotional web series. See the videos here, although we must warn you, it may be hard to resist the driving experience after watching this footage!

Skyline Drive: This paved road will take you to the summit of 3,838ft. Mt. Equinox, the mountain that looms large behind the Equinox Hotel! If you didn’t make it to the top on your day hike, take the opportunity and head up this road in the evening (last car up at 4PM, closes at 5). As this is a privately owned road it does cost $15 for your car and 5$ for each passenger, however the breathtaking view from the summit is definitely worth the admission cost (Guests of the hotel have access to the private park). There is an easy hiking trail off the summit, to stretch your legs after the drive

Fishing- Manchester is home to a very iconic brand in the flyfishing world (Orvis of course) and home to the American Museum of Fly Fishing, so surely there is some great fishing nearby? Well you guessed it, the fishing in this part of Vermont is pretty incredible and another activity that is not to be missed. You can learn right at Orvis, and get outfitted in some iconic gear at the same time.

Anything else you could possibly want to do outdoors is also availiable around Manchester. Let us help plan your getaway to Manchester today, just tell us what you want to do and see while you’re there!

Shopping:

In fitting with our outdoor theme on this post, Manchester has a pretty incredible outdoor outlet mall! They have many popular stores, all with very large selections and as a bonus you get to enjoy the outdoors as you walk between the stores, in Manchester’s idyllic downtown. This outlet is very well stocked FYI, and you wouldn’t be the first person who headed to Manchester just for the shopping!

Orvis- Orvis Flagship Store and American Museum of Fly fishing

We can’t forget about Orvis, surely a highlight to any trip and an excellent activity for after hitting the stores downtown, or maybe to fill a rainy afternoon. Right across the street from this iconic New England brand is a rather excellent museum of fly fishing.

Eat:

Morning- Up For Breakfast is a little hole-in-the-wall breakfast spot that really shouldn’t be missed. They have some incredible locally sourced menu items, healthy options and even gluten free options for all you celiac’s out there. When in Vermont, it is really a sin to miss local blueberry pancakes, with Vermont syrup in the morning.. (or whatever local fruit your heart may desire for that matter)

Snack/Dessert- A new offering in Manchester, Roundabout Fro-Yo is great for the health concious, or anyone who likes to layer a million toppings on their frozen treats.

Ben and Jerry’s is also in town, serving up fresh local Vermont ice cream.

For more of our favorite spots in Manchester, including lunch and dinner, you’ll just have to contact us!