Issues → October 2006 → Travel →
Weekend: Woodstock, Vermont
One of New England's most picturesque villages
by Katrina A. Yeager
Among the villages in New England that beg you to park your car once and return to it only when it's time to go home, Woodstock is without rival in its variety of outdoor and indoor treats within a short walk of its center.
Across the village green from the stately Woodstock Inn & Resort, a honey-colored covered bridge spans the Ottauquechee River. The brilliant fall colors reflect in the cold, clear waters. Follow guide Marty Banak behind the Colonial and Federal homes and down the steep banks for a fly-fishing lesson. A cast plunks a tiny, dressed fishhook on the surface of the knee-high waters. The fly bobs along with the current. The trout stays hidden behind the small boulders. It's only until the trout is nearly at your feet that you see it. The light-pink streak down its side is a striking contrast to the mats of garnet and ochre leaves along the pebbly bottom.
Just a few steps away, people cast for other pleasures in the stores and art galleries downtown. Central and Elm Streets are home to a mix of shops that includes bookstores, a general store, and boutiques with designer clothing, high-end home decor, and furnishings. When you're busy shopping, however, it's easy to miss the town's most unique feature: The power lines in this district are buried. It's one of many improvements funded through Laurance and Mary French Rockefeller, whose largess has helped preserve the town's historic architecture and rural heritage.
In 1968, when the town's inn needed updating, the Rockefellers stepped in. An entirely new inn was built just behind the existing building, which was then razed. Today, the Woodstock Inn's 142 guest rooms feature an upscale country look, many with elegant dark-wood four-poster beds and marble tiling and sunflower shower heads in the bathrooms.
How to spend the next morning? Let's count the ways. Rent a bike and tour the country roads where maple trees arch overhead. Tee off at the inn's Robert Trent Jones-designed golf course. Hike up Mounts Tom or Peg, two small mountains with vistas, the trailheads of which are both less than six blocks away. Explore the Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park and the abutting Billings Farm & Museum. Twenty miles of paths lead from the carriage barn, which is also the national park's visitors' center. A guided tour takes visitors through the property's mansion, the Rockefellers' home until 1992. The first floor of the brick Victorian Queen Anne is filled with exquisite architectural details such as Tiffany stained-glass windows and parquet wood floors, as well as a notable art collection. The tour then continues outside to the gardens.
At the bottom of the hill is Billings Farm, another gift of the Rockefellers. The farm opened to the public in 1983 and is run as a working dairy farm. Nestled in the Ottauquechee Valley, it's one of the loveliest places to take in the fall color. Russet-tinged foothills roll into mature lowlands. Children laugh as they run across the lawns, sheep bleat in the grazing pasture, and the cows moo from the milking barn. It's a place where you wonder upon arrival, "How interesting could this be?" but by the end of the day, you are inspired to start a small farm.
Back at the inn, unwind at Richardson's Tavern. On Friday and Saturday nights, this cozy wood-paneled pub hosts live jazz. Often, people stand in the doorway just to hear the music. When you can snag a table, order from the tapas-style menu or choose an entrée from the inn's dining room.
When it's time to depart from Woodstock, days after having not gotten in your car, will you remember where it is parked?
Shop Here
ClearLake Furniture
Beautiful pieces handmade from sustainable-growth forest wood. [DETAILS]
F.H. Gillingham and Sons
A circa 1886 rambling general store that has everything from artisanal food, regional books, and high-end kitchenware to beer, tools, and cleaning supplies. [DETAILS]
Gallery on the Green
Classical art, plus antique decoys. [DETAILS]
Thistle Bath and Body
Natural spa products, particularly soaps, made by hand on-site. [DETAILS]
V Gallery
Contemporary and modern art. [DETAILS]
Out and About
Vermont Fly Fishing School and Wilderness Trails
Focus on fly-fishing, canoeing, kayaking, and mountain biking (rentals available). Open daily. Call or visit Web site for rates. [DETAILS]
Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park
The only national park dedicated to telling the story of conservation and land stewardship in America. [DETAILS]
Billings Farm and Museum
Exhibits, tours, and programs explore 19th-century farm and domestic life. [DETAILS]
What the Locals Know
River Road is a don't-miss. It parallels the Ottauquechee River from Woodstock to Quechee -- perfect for a run or a bicycle ride. Often, you're so close to the water it feels as if you are on a boat. See fish rising and swallows swooping. Look for the old cemetery, the Taftsville covered bridge, and the turn-off to a farm that sells cheese and maple syrup made on-site.
Where to Eat
Richardson's Tavern
Enjoy the refined yet casual atmosphere. Entrées: $6.95-$10.95. [DETAILS]
Bentleys
The town’s unofficial meeting spot for 30 years. Entrées: $14.95-$22.95. [DETAILS]
Osteria Pane e Salute
A delightful trattoria. Fixed-price menu: $36.50. Entrées: $8.50-$18. [DETAILS]
Prince and the Pauper
An elegantly rustic restaurant that is chef owned. Fixed-price menu: $45. Entrées: $25-$35. [DETAILS]
Where to Stay
Woodstock Inn and Resort
Full-service lodging with three dining options. Rates: $149-$664. [DETAILS]
Lauren, A Village Inn
A luxury B&B. Rates: $169-$375. [DETAILS]
Shire Riverview
Many rooms overlook the river. Ask about the guest house suites. Rates: $78-$300. [DETAILS]
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