Valerie427

Hi All, thanks for the good advice, we had a great trip. We started off on a monday morning, and drove to west stockbridge, and went to the Rockwell Museum via taking a scenic drive up the taconic then small roads through millerton, ny, and lakeville and salisbury, ct., after the museum (and a nice lunch at a small place in stockbridge...we bypassed the red lion inn as it was getting late in the day anyway) we headed to the Windham Hill Inn in southern vermonth for two nights which was lovely. During our time there we did a six mile hike up Bromley, drove through all the great towns--dorset, grafton, etc., and the second day, we did more driving--to manchester, and down south through bennington then over a beautiful moonlit mountain pass, had dinner in a ski-area sort of town, wilmington, then back up to the Windham Hill Inn. After check out on the wed. morning, we drove up and checked out the home of the vermont country store (that was more fun than I anticipated) and more towns, then over to Woodstock where we strolled, shopped, etc., then a bit further to White River Junction where we went to the David Pearce Glassware factory and shop, and ate in there fabulous restaurant over the waterfall by the covered bridge--it was really fun. then we drove on the local highway for a bit up to Norwich (home of the Stave puzzels), before getting on the bigger highway which was very scenic up to the Rabbit Hill Inn in Lower Waterford. We spent two nights there--first night dining at the Inn's great restaurant (just as we had done at the Windham Hill Inn) and second night into St. Johnsburry for dinner. Our first full day in that area, we went mountain biking in the fantastic northeast trails network out of E.Burke--at one point we went off the trail on Darling Hill Road past up to a place called the Wildflower Inn which looks loveley...just befoe that keep your eye out for a MAGNNIFICENT chapel (I think owned by them) it is beautiful up on a mountain with incredible views, as we biked up there, it was open...gorgeous stained glass windows on the sides, and a huge paladine window behind the alter with an amazing view...beatiful music was playing and not a soul in sight, it was an unexpected and fantastic find. We finished biking just in time for the one and only rainstorm we encountered (actually hail!) otherwise had gorgeous weather and warm. the day after our second night, we drove over to Littletown, NH and stopped by the famous Littletown diner (I had seen them on the food network) for some famous homemade corn-beef hash, then were on our way through the White Mountains. Our inn keeper mentioned an inn (Sise Inn) in Portsmouth, so I called ahead and was able to get a room, so we had a plan...we had a great drive through the Franconia notch/Pinkham notch area, then on route 16 past Mount Washington (was too cloudy so we didn't drive up it, as my boyfriend has done that before anyway), and we stopped in North Conway for some browsing of their general store, and some tax free outlet shopping. I really liked the town, the area has such a different feel then vermont so it was nice to see all this variety (past all the rustic lodges, etc.), we made it to Portsmouth about 8:30ish and checked in, the Sise was a perfect place to stay, had the Inn feeling, but has a lot of business travelers--we walked two blocks and had a fantastic dinner at some place called something Jays I think--really awesome seafood chowder. The next day we really enjoyed the vibe in Portsmouth and hung out, they have so many coffee shops, and cute boutiques, and still gorgeous weather, we almost didn't want to go...then we shot down to Newport and got there around 5 pm or so...we couldn't have been happier with the Francis Malbone House...that may have been my favorite of all the inns--I loved the decor, and thought it was a good value, the linens were gorgeous, and it had a beautiful courtyard for eating breakfast...and it was so conveneniently located. I think it looked better than on the website. We ate in Cafe Zeldas the first night (we didn't bother with trying to go to the Providence waterfires, there was too much going on in Newport so I think it would've been a waste), and walked around the harbor (too tired to go out really partying or to the blues club), the next day we went to the Tennis Hall of Fame --for the museum and for lunch which we loved (my boyfriend is an avid tennis player), it was great eating right next to the grass courts, really cool...then we did the cliff walk, and we drove down ocean drive near sunset and up to the Castle Hill Inn resort for drinks as the sun set, it was gorgeous. Our innkeeper had made us dinner reservations at a great restaurant called West Deck and that was great...it was a sunday night though, so quite a bit quieter than the prior night. The next day we went to the Breakers (I figured that was the one to see if we were only doing one), and drove back through central CT, route 44 the whole way (I didn't want the traffic of 95, even though I suppose that way we could've seen mystic, but we both have before), then to the hudson valley and dinner in Rhinebeck with some friends, and back home so I could work an event I was involved with Tuesday night. (as for the rest of the week we stayed close to home and then went to South Hampton for two days/one night, so we really packed a lot in the two weeks my boyfriend was here from scotland. Thanks to all for suggestions!
Valerie

dfrostnh

Sounds like a great trip. Glad you enjoyed the VT Country Store, Simon Pearce, Portsmouth etc. It's raining today so you had some terrific weather.