It feels like it’s been awhile! We stayed put for Christmas. And my work trips were so busy I had barely a second to myself. But after two weekends in Wilmington, VT, I feel prepared to put the “pen to paper.”
We spent New Year’s in Wilmington with dear friends and the intentions of doing more outside, but -12 F temperatures (before the wind chill!) kept us mostly indoors. James had to reschedule his snowboarding lesson and here we are again, a month later.
Both times we stayed at an AirBnb with our friends Dan and Hannah. The first weekend here the AirBnb was truly awesome (second time around we had less to chose from and while super convenient wasn’t quite as amazing). We stayed here the first weekend and definitely recommend it.
Wilmington is a super cute town. So when Dan and James went off snowboarding at Mount Snow, Hannah and I had the opportunity to get acquainted with the local Vermonters.
We enjoyed lunch at The Village Roost – a funky coffee shop on the main street area, with tons of seating and lots of choices. They have gluten free and vegetarian friendly options. A wide array of sandwiches. And best of all? Freshly cut and cooked fries. Heaven.
Before and after our lunch, we strolled around the main street area, popping into shops, and even venturing down a walking path that would have definitely been more enjoyable if we had snow shoes, or there was no snow/ice. That said, tons of beautiful scenery around.
In the afternoon, Hannah and I headed to Michelle’s Nail Spa. This is a one woman run shop – pedicures, manicures and waxing. So while definitely not conducive to groups, a pair works totally fine if you are willing to wait. It took about two hours for us to both have mani/pedis. Michelle’s work is really good. And the prices range depending on if you are visiting on the weekend (combo is $70) or weekday (combo is $50). Definitely recommend checking out if you’re in the area!
For dinner we went to the Hermitage Inn. Initially we tried to get into the Cask and Kiln, and had even put our names on a waiting list (which we did get a call back!). The Hermitage Inn was described to us as “Vermonty” and Cask and Kiln as “Manhattany.” Thus we made our choice. The food was decent. You will be seated in the main dining room, but do have the option to order off either the fine dining or tavern menu. Most of us got the braised short ribs with polenta.
The real highlight of our trip occurred after dinner – a surprise that Hannah and I had planned while James and Dan snowboarded all day. We booked a sleigh ride through the mountains up to a log cabin for hot chocolate and warmth. The sleigh rides are run through the Adams Family Farm. Because we were on the night ride, it was nearly impossible to get any photos or videos, but what a truly magical experience. The stars were out in full force (and luckily it was a clear night!). We were drawn up the mountain by some very powerful horses with the snow crunching under foot and the trees flying by us.
The cabin was incredibly warm – heated by an old fashion range and wood stove – and a welcome after the very cold journey up there. After about 20 minutes or so, we boarded the sleigh and headed back down to the entrance. You can book your sleigh ride here.