Vermont Vacation

Last weekend, Naomi and I spent four days vacationing in the Green Mountain State, Vermont. It was the first time there for both of us. Naomi had registered to run the Mad Marathon, so we made a long weekend trip out of it.

We flew Southwest Airlines to Manchester Boston Regional Airport, New Hampshire, on Friday, and after lunch in Manchester drove to the Seasons Resort in Warren, Vermont. The Seasons was a quiet and convenient location to base our Vermont explorations. It is just 10 minutes driving from the start and finish of the marathon in Waitsfield, Vermont, and an hour or less from the other locations we visited.

The Seasons Resort, Warren, Vermont

The Seasons is about half a mile from the Warren town center, so after check-in we went to see the town. Warren has all of 1,705 residents, per Wikipedia, and the town center is, proportionally, a quarter-mile stretch along which one finds the real estate agency, the general store, the inn and restaurant, the post office, the fire station, the town hall, and one church. No stoplights. Very peaceful, and I enjoyed morning runs along the main street and through the adjacent residential streets twice during our vacation.

On Saturday, we went to Waitsfield (population 1,719, also no stoplights, but does have a busier and denser central business district) for packet pick up, where the race staff gave me some tips for the best spots to spectate, and the Waitsfield Farmers Market, which is also a craft fair and had samples.

That afternoon, we went a little farther up the road to Waterbury, Vermont, where we saw our first stoplight in 24 hours and visited the Green Mountain Coffee store and museum at the Waterbury Amtrak Station.

Sunday was race day! As an aside, the forecast had called for lots of rain over the weekend, but we had very little. A short shower here and there, but none during the race morning. After seeing Naomi off, I enjoyed driving around to the various spectator points and joining the other runners' friends and family members to enjoy a beautiful morning in the mountains of the Mad River Valley.

She's off!

3 mile mark!

In the afternoon, we went back to Waterbury to visit the Ben and Jerry's Factory, and have some ice cream. After, we went to Montpelier to stroll the main street and have dinner at the Positive Pie. I had a delicious burger and also decided who I would vote for in the next elections.

Ben and Jerry's Factory, Waterbury, Vermont

The party of deliciousness

On Monday morning, we went to Burlington, Vermont's most populous city, and the least populous city that is the most populous city of a state (Montpelier is also the least populous state capital city). We strolled the main outdoor shopping district and then walked over to and along the Burlington shore of Lake Champlain. Lunch was at New Moon Cafe, an indie version of the Panera Bread concept.

Lake Champlain, Burlington, Vermont

Tuesday we cleaned and packed and checked out and headed again to Montpelier to get coffee and tour the Vermont State House, which allowed self-guided tours.

Vermont State House

Then we were on the road back to Manchester for lunch at the Portland Pie Company and then over to the airport for our flight home. It was a great vacation! I highly recommend Vermont if you have never been.