5 winter outings in and around bristol, vermont
whether you are coming for a stay from just down the road, or from all the way across the country- there aren’t many places that are quite as cozy as our inn and restaurant in the winter months here in vermont. while our property itself is quiet and nestled up against the woods, there are countless adventures to be had well-within 30 minutes of any direction of our doorstep. here are a few ideas for some winter itineraries you may enjoy! better yet, stay for a few days and give yourself enough time to do it all!
1. SKI DAY
whether you came to ski, snowboard, or cross country ski- we are about 30 minutes from many wonderful ski areas. grab a handmade scone from our complimentary breakfast spread to-go on your way out…or have a leisurely breakfast by the fire and then head out for a peaceful ski through the woods in the afternoon.
for downhill: sugarbush // middlebury snowbowl // mad river glen // cochran’s (great for young children!).
cross country skiers have just as many options: rickert’s outdoor center // blueberry hill // sleepy hollow // camel’s hump nordic ski area.
backcountry: we are right in the heart of some incredible backcountry routes. check in with mad river backcountry coalition for group tours, the catamount trails association for information on the area, and as always…properly prepare and educate yourself on safety before going out.
if snowshoeing is more your pace, or some folks in your group would rather explore on foot, many of these ski areas also have beautiful snowshoe trails. mad river even has weekly naturalist-led snowshoe tours saturday and sunday (rentals available)…some of the skiers in your group may even be jealous of what you’ve learned!
our local-centric restaurant with a family-style menu is open wednesday thru sunday from 4:30-8pm, and your cozy room awaits you right upstairs…no need to venture outside your place of stay to have a nourishing and festive meal.
for room choice- book north country (sleeps 4), where you can spread out across the two connected zones, has a gas burning fireplace, beautiful bathtub for soaking, and a king bed…the perfect après room // other rooms that have tubs include corrina (for 2), mimi’s room (for 2), outerlands (for 3), and keepsake (for 4).
2. LAKE CHAMPLAIN VIEWS, SLEDDING DOWN A MOUNTAIN, AND LUNCH AT THE OLD BRICK STORE.
a beautiful 30 minute drive west of us will take you to mt.philo state park in charlotte (pronounced char-LOT)- vermont’s first state park, founded in 1924. there is a trail through the woods, and a paved road that winds its way up to the top of this 968’ mountain. while it’s a lovely walk any day, on a clear day you will get a spectacular view of the lake champlain valley and over to the adirondacks in new york. the best thing about the road in the winter, is that it becomes a ski and sled trail when snow covered. nothing is more fun (at any age!) than sledding down the 2.7mi road! you will see people skinning up, cross country skiing, carrying sleds or vermonts’ own jack jumper in hand! be ware, you may want spikes or snowshoes, as the road can get slick walking up. you can look at the parks’ all trails to plan your (relatively short) ascent. the park is well-traveled, so a great hike for those looking for something that isn’t too remote or advanced.
after you get back down to the parking lot, head over to the old brick store for lunch- which is about 5 minutes away. they are open wednesday thru monday and have a beautifully stocked pastry case, excellent lunch menu, and an incredibly chosen assortment of pantry items, apothecary goods, cards, books, pottery, and other home wares.
3. REST AND RELAXATION
the tillerman is a lovely place to visit if you are looking for a quiet, restorative stay- maybe alone, or maybe to unwind with a few friends. every detail of our space is thoughtfully put together, while still feeling like home. we have organic saatva mattresses in each room, ursa major bath products, 100% natural fibers- from our wool rugs to cotton and linen bedding, and each of our unique en suite bathrooms have recently been redone- beautifully tiled with tubs in many of the rooms. our coffee and tea bar is open 24/7 and a complimentary breakfast is always included in your stay.
stay cozy inside and unwind, or you can book services with some of our favorite nearby practitioners:
- a private yoga session with ayurveda and yoga practitioner yoga grace (3.4mi away)
- a sauna session followed by a massage with touch vt- couples packages also available! (3.5 mi away)
- book the sauna at savu’s gorgeous waitsfield location- where you can cycle between cold and hot in the snow or the swimming hole. (18.3mi away)
-be. skin clinic in shelburne has many different facials to choose from (21.7mi away)
our rooms that have tubs include corrina (sleeps 2), mimi’s room (sleeps 2), outerlands (sleeps 3), north country (sleeps 4), and keepsake (sleeps 4). each room also has at least one cozy chair to settle into.
our parlor (common area) is a comfy and warm place to unwind during the day- bring a craft to work on, a book, a puzzle, or whatever way you like to unplug. we also have a collection of beloved books and board games in our library (for all ages!) that are available to guests.
book a table at our local-centric restaurant, which is right downstairs from your room. No need to venture out in the dark to have a truly special meal. we have bar seating or two dining rooms for you to choose from.
4. CITY BY DAY (…and ski by night!?)
while our inn sits on a quiet piece of land nestled by hilly woods on one side, and a calming creek on the other-we are located between burlington and middlebury if you are craving a city adventure during your stay. below are some favorites in both.
burlingon
food & coffee shops: poppy cafe (best sandwiches around!) // zabby & elf’s stone soup // onyx tonics coffee // café hot // rogue rabbit // shy guy gelato
shop: barge canal market // crow books // kish // rackk and ruin // daydream art supply // the vault collective vintage
art: burlington city arts // uvm fleming art museum // soapbox arts // karma bird house often has interesting events
kids: the echo center is a wonderful science and nature museum dedicated to lake champlain // indoor rock climbing at petra cliffs (perfect for a rainy/bitter-cold day) // oakledge park playground (vermont’s first universally accessible playground) and bike path.
other: book a facial with ritual skincare or a lymphatic massage with wood pigeon wellness // if you are looking to work remotely, hula offers day passes to their state of the art coworking campus.
middlebury
food & coffee shops: little seed coffee // haymaker bun company // taste of india // the mad taco // middlebury bagel // middlebury natural foods co-op // sabai sabai thai
shop: vermont bookshop // sparrow art supply // stone leaf teahouse // green mountain adventures (they also have summer/winter gear rentals and lead private guided fishing, hiking, climbing, and paddling trips in the summer) // stone mill public market
art: vermont folklife // middlebury college museum of art // henry sheldon museum
kids: the henry sheldon museum often has great kids workshops and exhibits // the middlebury college museum of art has a few outdoor installations that are fun to explore around // playground at the mary hogan elementary school
other: the historic marquis movie theater (first opened as a movie theater in 1936!) // the middlebury farmers market happens every saturday from 9-12:30pm year-round
for the ultimate vermont day, the middlebury snowbowl is small ski area 37 minutes from us, offers night skiing! each week, wednesday thru friday they open up for night skiing from 4 to 8:45pm.
5. REMOTE-WORK WEEKDAY GETAWAY
for those looking for a workweek escape, we have lots of comfy nooks to work remotely during the day. as always, we have a complimentary breakfast spread and a coffee and tea station in our common area available to our guests 24/7.
two of our rooms have desks (corrina (sleeps 2) and keepsake (sleeps 4)), but there are also comfy chairs in each of the rooms, and lots of seating in our parlor (the common area)- where you can set up on the couch or one of the many tables, beside a crackling fire and watch the sparkling snow outside.
for the ultimate vermont day, the middlebury snowbowl is small ski area 37 minutes from us, and offers night skiing! each week, wednesday thru friday they open up for night skiing from 4 to 8:45pm.
unless otherwise specified, photos of other busineses were sourced from their respective website.