Two Days in Manchester, Vermont

The first stop on our Manchester visit was the Southern Vermont Arts Center (SVAC), which is an amazing arts complex with some fantastic changing exhibitions and sculpture park. We enjoyed packing a picnic lunch and sitting along the sculptures (and of course the mountains)!

We then headed to the Equinox Golf Resort & Spa, a timeless classic New England destination hotel nestled in downtown Manchester – built in 1853 by Franklin Orvis (if you're a fan of Orvis clothing and goods, definitely check out their flagship store, outlet and fly fishing school in town).

All of the staff at the Equinox were so welcoming and friendly. It was really a wonderful experience all around. The grounds and public spaces are beautifully maintained; the room was clean and comfortable and all the amenities are great! They even had a wedding going on that was gorgeous.

A must-do on any of our Vermont getaways is definitely a trip to the Battenkill River, but especially the Arlington Covered Bridge. We've been coming to this bridge ever since I was a child and before that when my mom was a child and she would visit her grandfather Pops, at his home in Arlington. It's a great spot to tube, swim or go jumping off the rope swing into the crisp cool water!

For dinner, we decided to eat at one of the Equinox's three restaurants, The Chop House. Their aperol spritz was delicious and the grilled wagyu burger with truffle goat cheese, fig onions, arugula and steak fries was to die for! They were even able to accommodate me being gluten free by offering gluten-free bread instead of the brioche roll. My mom had the vegetable napoleon (gluten free and vegan) which she said was spectacular!

We ended the night taking a walk over to the golf course and then a swim in the perfectly heated pool and hot tub. The pool was clean, so refreshing, and included towels, lounge chairs, noodles and equipment, and even a roped off lap area.

We began the day with what we came here to do…play tennis! There are three well-kept hard courts positioned on the outskirts of the hotel with spectacular views of the mountains. We couldn't have asked for a more scenic place to play. Courts are first come, first served, but we didn't have any issues.

While the hotel has breakfast available (and free coffee and tea), we decided to venture off and find a great spot, Bob's Diner, where I had delicious corned beef hash and gluten-free toast. Another great resource the Equinox offers is a list of restaurants and when they're open, what they offer and if they're walking distance from the hotel.

We then made our ascent up Equinox Mountain – the highest peak in the Taconic Range coming in at 3,855 feet elevation! You are only allowed to drive up Mount Equinox Skyline Drive by car or motorcycle, no hiking or biking. But it is such a beautiful ride up to the summit. Skyline Drive is only open from Memorial Day through October 31 as the weather can get tricky. Mount Equinox is also home to about 17 monks from the Charterhouse of the Transfiguration, America's only Carthusian monastery.

Now you can't visit Vermont without having or buying your fair share of maple products! My favorites are maple sugar candies and of course a jug of maple syrup for home use. We always stop at the Sugar Shack in Arlington. But especially because it has a small Norman Rockwell exhibition (he was from Arlington). My great great grandparents posed for many of Rockwell's paintings including "Homecoming" and most famously "The Gossips."

For our last dinner in Manchester we stumbled on a fantastic southern restaurant, Pearl's Place and Pantry, which was extremely accommodating for gluten-free diners and was absolutely delicious! The BBQ platter with smoked turkey, brisket, white cheddar grits, and brown sugar yams were to die for! And the peach and raspberry sweet tea with a touch of cardamom…forget about it! And dont forget the decadent flourless chocolate cake…lights out! They even had a cute country store gift shop.