Luxur  Bake Tours
Featurin the Best cenery __
of the Waite Mountains ' '
and eastern Vermont.
Cycling along Gentle Paths,
Hiking to Waterfalls and
Kayakin along
Trout-fified Rivers.
Gourmet Picnic Lunches and Fabulous
Candlelight Dinners. Stunningly LOW R3165

 

Go A Lot Fu,¢],e,~ Route 117 at Lovers lane
TravelA LotLz'ghter SugarHi11» NH 03585
603.823.8840

  
 
 

1.888.343.2220

vvww.foxgloveinn.com
 5;: Foxglove

A Country inn

Elegance High Atop
Sugar Hill

full kitchen, large pool, private veranda.

Villas Margarita

a welcoming destination in the tropics

Privacy, seclusion and fabulous scenery in 
the rainforest near beaches, snorkeling, 

sailing, kayaking, hiking, nightlife, etc! 

5 PO Box 70005, Suite 343
 Fajardo, Puerto Rico

§ 00738-7005

 787/889-2098
 margarita@pinacolada.net

TREE HOUSE VILLA: New, 2-bedroom,

$700/wk per couple

2o charming Rooms

‘Es
‘H1 lands ‘Inn

Po. Box 118

Bethlehem, NH 03574
603-869-3978
1-877-LES-B-INN (537-2466)

A LESBIAN PARADISE

100 Acres-Pool
Hot Tub-Trails

wwmhighlandsinn-nh.com
vacationféhiglnlandsinn-nh.com

/

‘-I
333
3:3.
1
'1!
3/

Telemurk Ale
covered Bridge IPA
Ox Pull Stout

Sup Brew

World's Fair Special
Winter Expedition Ale

LIZ TROTT 0 JANICE MORAN
PO BOX 837

S0. ROYALTON, VT 05068
802.763.7539

\

TOURS BY APPOINTMENT

J

I

I

I

I

I

I

I

I

I

I

I

I

I

I

I

I

I

I

I

I

I

I

I

I

I

I

I

I .

I

I

I

I

I

I

I

I

I

I

I

I

I

I

I

I

I

I

I.

| Manchester,
I
I
I
I
I
I
I

IIIIIIIBII SDIIIIIGIII GBIIIS
IIIIISBI aml MBIIBIIBSIBI.

BY TIM EVANS

he state of Vermont has
I countless hills and val-
leys hiding little secrets
just waiting to be discovered.
White church steeples, towns,
villages, inns, shops, and coun-
try roads dot the old mountains
and hills. Four distinct seasons
each offer colors and textures of
their own — Mother Nature’s
background for the traveler in
Vermont.

The state is also divided into
fairly distinct areas: the popu-
lated northwest, the rural and
rugged Northeast Kingdom, and
the gentle rolling hills of the
center and south. With so much

of Vennont’s population con-
centrated in the ‘northwestern
Chittenden County area, it is
sometimes easy to forget that
there is so much more to this
wonderful state. But Vermont is
small enough that tourists can
reach any area within a 2 or 3
hours of driving, making it easy
to find a day or a weekend of
fun and adventure.

One town that is worth
exploring in any season is
Dorset in the southern part of
the state. Located on Route 30,
just five miles north of the more
populated and sprawling
this delightful
town is the quintessential
Vermont village. Tree-lined
streets and white clapboard
houses make for a picture-post-
card scene. With an excellent
summer theater, popular inns,
and an array of outdoor activi-

ties, the town has a quiet, artsy
ambiance and charm.

Long known as a writers’
and artists’ resort, the village is
home to the Dorset Playhouse;
established in the 1920s, the
structure is still rented each
summer to the professional
Dorset Theater Festival. The
Colony House on Church Street
provides lodging for the actors
during the summer and is avail-
able to writers and playwrights
at other times of the year.

Another landmark in town is
the Dorset Inn, which can be

. found on the comer of Church

Street and Route 30. Built in
1796, it is Verrnont’s oldest con-
tinuously operating inn.

photo Max Stroud

Boasting 35 guest rooms all in
one building, there is also a sit-
ting room with fireplace, an
excellent restaurant with chann-
ing décor, and a reasonably
priced tavern. The inn, along
with many other buildings in
downtown Dorset, is on the
National Register of Historic
Places. '
Also of note is the Marble
West Inn on Dorset West Road.
It is an informal yet elegant bed
and breakfast off the main road.
There are eight comfortable
individually decorated gue-
strooms, each with a private
bath. A spectacular view of
Green Peak and Owl’s Head
Mountains, a relaxed atmos-
phere and nearby outdoor activ-
ities are the Marble West’s
attractions. We stayed there two
years ago and found it tasteful
and comfortable, loaded with

  

   
 

oto Max Strou

interesting antiques and pieces
of furniture. A library and a
grand piano round out the warm
atmosphere.

Another interesting attrac-
tion in nearby Manchester
Village is Hildene. Built in 1902
as the summer home of Robert
Todd Lincoln — Abraham
Lincoln’s eldest son — it is rich
with history as well as architec-
ture and incredible gardens.
This spectacular home and the
surrounding 412-acre estate are
truly worth a visit; there are for-
mal guided tours of the house
and visitors have freedom to
roam the grounds. In winter,
Hildene operates a cross-coun-
try ski touring center offering
rental equipment and a warming
hut.

Manchester and Manchester
Village offer the visitor a con-
trast in styles.

Manchester Village is locat-
ed within the municipality of
Manchester and takes pride in
its historical preservation.
Similar in look and feel to
Dorset, it boasts a main street
listed in the National Register of
Historic Places and has laws
governing home designs in the
village.

Manchester, on the other
hand, is suffering growing pains
due to its more touristy appeal.
Critics say Manchester is an
example of uncontrolled
growth, with its growing num-
bers of factory outlets, specialty
shops and lights. Otherssay it
has the best of both worlds,
allowing economic growth
while keeping its Vermont
charm. Bottom line: if you’re
into power shopping or scenic
strolls, you can find both in the
quiet village and the resort town
of Manchester.

Nothing Ruins
Spontaneity like a
No Vacancy Sign

If you’ve got a specific spot
in mind, it is wise to check for
up-to-date phone listings,
addresses and operational
details of inns and lodgings
before traveling, especially dur-
ing the peak foliage season. Be
sure to check out the Vermont
travel guides that abound at
most bookstores. (The local
library probably has a few also.)
One particularly useful guide —
especially for the facts and fig-
ures in this article — is An
Insiders Guide to Southern
Vermont, edited by Margaret
Bucholt. V ‘

d'I

 

.l