Saturday, November 6, 2010

Bobcat Cafe

In the middle of Main Street in the quaint Vermont town of Bristol is the Bobcat Cafe.  This popular bar has quite the menu full of local fare.  For us, we sampled the Rockville Market Farm's Chicken and Butternut Squash Fricassee and the Vermont Venison and Chorizo Meatloaf.  Both were absolutely delicious!  In addition, they have many beer choices that they brew and even offer them in "sample" sizes to allow you to get the taste of a few without having to order pints.  This is a perfect place to stop on your way back to Burlington from the Green Mountains, but make sure you place a reservation ahead of time as it does get crowded and there is limited seating.  If you forgo the reservation, you may end up waiting 2 hours for a table.

Friday, November 5, 2010

Penny Cluse Cafe

We first discovered the Penny Cluse Cafe in Food Network Magazine.  Earlier this year they were running a special article on the best breakfasts in each state in America and the Penny Cluse Cafe won the award for Vermont.  The specific menu item mentioned in the article was the Ginger Pancakes, so of course we had to give that a try.  It was a wise decision as they were quite delicious and also very unique.  The restaurant is located right off of the Church Street Marketplace in Burlington, so it's very easy to get to.  If you stop for one place for breakfast in Burlington, this is the place to stop.

Thursday, November 4, 2010

Fort Ticonderoga

While our trip was to Vermont, we did make a slight detour at one point to New York.  There are various ferries that go across Lake Champlain between Vermont and New York, but the one we took was the Fort Ti Ferry, located at Larrabees Point in Shoreham, Vermont.  You can walk on here for only $1/person each way.  However, once you cross over, there really is no transportation for you.  Therefore, it's best to take your car across, which is $8 each way.  During the drive across, you get a nice view as well of Lake Champlain.

After crossing the lake, the main destination for most people is Fort Ticonderoga.  Here was the first victory during the Revolutionary War for America, so it holds quite a significance in our country's history.  Throughout the day, various tours are given and are included in your admission that discuss the history of the Fort.  There's even a ghost tour that is given once a day.  Be sure to check the schedule for the day before arriving if you want to be present for a specific tour.

In addition to the history of the Fort, it also offers absolutely beautiful views of Lake Champlain.  These alone are worth the admission price and the Ferry trip over.



Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Cold Hollow Cider Mill

The Cold Hollow Cider Mill is located just minutes north of the Ben & Jerry's Factory on Route 100 in Waterbury Center.  The hot apple cider they serve here is probably the best you've ever had.  They also specialized in cider dipped donuts that were astounding!


You can even watch them make cider there.  Unfortunately, we got there pretty late at around 6 PM and they weren't making any more cider at that point in time, so I'd recommend calling ahead to find their cider-making times before getting there if you'd like to see it.


Before you leave, also make sure you walk to the back of the parking lot to get a beautiful view of the mountains behind the store.

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Morse Farm Maple Sugarworks

On the outskirts of the state capitol city of Montpelier is the Morse Farm Maple Sugarworks.  We were actually able to sample their maple syrup earlier in the day at the Skinny Pancake in Montpelier, and it was just as you'd imagine...delicious!

Upon getting to the farm, you'll notice a model of the State House of Montpelier right in front that was made perfectly to scale.  Quite a nice model!


When entering the store, it has the classic "country store" feeling with great local gifts, including their maple syrup, and other items such as locally made cheese and crafts.

Unfortunately, the time of year we went (mid-October) wasn't conducive to giving tours of how they make their syrup, but if you go during the spring you can watch them make their syrup.

Monday, November 1, 2010

Montpelier

Montpelier has the honor of being the smallest State Capitol in America.  Some people may see that as a negative, but it also gives it the appeal of a small town with a population of only around 8,000.  The main street in town is lined with local restaurants and shops instead of chain stores.  It is actually the only State Capitol in America that does NOT contain a McDonald's!

We ate at the Skinny Pancake (which also has a location in Burlington), and it was quite delicious.  They specialize in crepes, but also make various other breakfast foods.  There is limited seating though, so try to get there during an "off" hour.

The State House is quite nice with it's gold dome, and is also the smallest State House in America.  They do offer tours of it during the week, but since we were in Montpelier on a Sunday, no tour was available.  While there isn't much to do directly in Montpelier, it is a nice town to check out if you happen to be passing near it on your way to other destinations, as we were on our way to Cabot.

Sunday, October 31, 2010

Church Street

Located centrally in Burlington is the Church Street Marketplace, which is a pedestrian only walkway.  Parking on the street around the area was pretty easy for us to find, even on a Saturday night, which is quite convenient for most tourists.

Here, you'll find many local restaurants and shops featuring all different types of food.  Our personal favorite was the Three Tomatoes Trattoria.  They use all local and fresh ingredients and made one of the best Chicken Piccatta's I've ever had.  There's also a Ben & Jerry's located here for you ice cream fanatics.  My favorite part of Church Street is that it isn't just a bunch of "chain" stores.  It really gives you that local flair which made us quite happy.  Honestly, who wants to go on vacation and eat the same thing they can get at home?

There are also street performers here, which are free of charge for their entertainment (although tips are obviously appreciated).  We saw one who did a comedy/fire show that concluded with him jumping through a hoop of fire.

If you're in Burlington, you definitely should spend some time on Church Street!