We love to travel as a family and one of our favorite places to visit is Vermont's Addison County. It helps that it is where I call home, and we have lots of family to visit in the area. Whenever we talk with local families about our frequent visits to Vermont they assume we are headed to Southern Vermont due to it's proximity to the Boston area, but we travel a bit further into the heart of Vermont - the Champlain Valley and Addison County. While it is a longer drive from the South Shore, about 5 hours on average, than places like Brattleboro and Bennington it is a fabulous place for a family getaway. Whether you have a long weekend to explore or are planning a longer trip we highly recommend the family-friendly nature of this fabulous Vermont county.
Happy Valley Orchard
Family owned and operated Happy Valley Orchard is our family's very favorite fall destination in Addison County. Located on Quarry Road in Middlebury it is just a few minutes outside the quintessentially New England downtown. Don't expect hayrides, bouncy houses and other attractions here just really great apples, fabulous apple cider and the best cider donuts on the planet.
Grab a bag and a red wagon, check in the knowledgeable staff on where the best apples are and head out to explore the orchard. We recommend rainboots when visiting, and if you decided to head to the area their Ciderfest is coming up on October 20th in collaborating with Citizen Cider featuring live music, apple and hard cider tastings, cider press demos, cider donuts, food trucks, and more! We went last year and had a blast!
Downtown Bristol and Middlebury
Sit back and watch the Otter Creek plummet eighteen feet over the Middlebury Falls by the Historic Marble Works, eat the best Mud Pie anywhere at Mister Up's on the Otter Creek (grab a spot on the deck overlooking the creek if it's warm enough), learn about Vermont history at the Henry Sheldon Museum and so much more in the picture perfect town of Middlebury village. Sneak outside the downtown area just a bit and explore the Middlebury College Museum of Art, or catch a sporting event at the college, or check out the TAM (Trail Around Middlebury) to for a great hike!
Downtown Bristol is another gem in Addison County. Enjoy some time at the new playground in their adorable town common, stroll through local shops, grab a snack and some coffee at the very popular Bristol Cliffs Cafe, formally known as the Bristol Bakery, who has been serving the community for more than thirty-five years. If you have time enjoy a pint and a meal at The Bobcat Cafe and Brewery and don't miss Art on Main a non-profit, community-supported, artist-cooperative gallery.
Morgan Horse Farm
Located in Weybridge the Morgan Horse Farm "is home to the oldest, continuous Morgan horse breeding herd in the world". The farm is open to the public May through October and they are finishing out the season with Cavalry Day on October 20th which will include cavalry demos and reenactments and Day of the Morgan and Foal Raffle on October 27th. Admission includes a tour of the farm with some really interesting history on the breed, the barn and the current efforts to preserve this beautiful breed through education and breeding.
While there might not be time for a trip up this fall, but it's a must see for any horse lovers. Admission is just $5 for adult, $2 for kids and children under five are free making it a great bargain too! Plus, their horse themed gift shop is really cute and you can buy a ticket to win a foal for just $2 - they raffle one off every year!
Middlebury Bagel & Deli and the Middlebury Natural Food Co-Op
No trip to Addison County would be complete, in our opinion, without a stop at these two Middlebury Merchant's Row mainstays. Middlebury Bagel and Deli makes the best bagels and donuts around and has for years! No visit to the area is complete without one of their bagel sandwiches, or a donut and coffee. Our personal favorite is their apple fritter - yum!
Next, pop next door to the Middlebury Natural Food Co-op. Founded in the 1970s as a pre-order buying group the co-op, as it is referred to by locals, is open to everyone and has some fabulous local food choices for a meal while you are on vacation, or bringing home to the South Shore to enjoy. We highly recommend the cheese, spice, beer and wine sections, their housemade maple vinaigrette and ginger tofu! And our Jr Reporter says not to miss the Yolo popcorn!
Want to learn more about Addison County Vermont? Visit https://www.addisoncounty.com/.
Macaroni Kid South Shore Boston is a free weekly events calendar and website focused on fun family events and information in 13 towns on Boston's South Shore. We gather together all kinds of local family events and activities each week and add useful information about classes, family-focused businesses, book and product reviews, recipes, crafts, school and camp guides and more. We proudly serve families in Hanover, Norwell, Hingham, Cohasset, Scituate, Hull, Marshfield, Duxbury, Pembroke, Whitman, Hanson, Rockland, and Abington! Subscribe for free at ssboston.macaronikid.com/subscribe/.
