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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT : The patio and pond view at Seesaw ’ s Lodge ; a foliage view of Manchester ; the luxurious common room at Seesaw ’ s Lodge ; tacos at El Banditos Grill ; Honeypie restaurant ; goats at North Meadow Farm ; the Treetop
Adventure Course at Bromley Mountain ; Abraham Lincoln ’ s top hat at Hildene ; the gardens at Hildene , the
Lincoln family home .
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a long drive , we ’ re ready for a good night ’ s sleep , but not until after a few heated games of Uno with the kids back at the cabin .
SATURDAY MORNING : We head to Bromley Market ( bromleymarket anddeli . com ) next door for an early morning on-the-go breakfast ( and Vermont souvenirs ). A quick stop fortifies our small crowd with hot coffee , bacon and egg sandwiches on Portuguese muffins , cinnamon buns and house-baked desserts for later . The shop also stocks Vermont maple syrup , maple candy , local cheese and smoked meats to bring a taste of Vermont back home . Next , we visit Hildene ( hildene . org ), the Lincoln family home perched on a hill overlooking mountains and a river (“ hil ” stands for “ hill ” and “ dene ” means “ valley with stream ”). Here , we learn about Abraham Lincoln ’ s son , Robert Todd Lincoln , and how he became president of the Pullman Company ( there ’ s a 1903 Pullman car on the property ). The home is filled with Lincoln family artifacts , including Abraham Lincoln ’ s top hat and mirror , and the mansion ’ s grounds include beautiful gardens , an observatory , an apiary , goat dairy and cheese-making facility and more .
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SATURDAY AFTERNOON : It ’ s off to Bromley Mountain ( bromley . com ) to ride the alpine slide and conquer the Treetop Adventure Course complete with ladders , balance beam crossings and zip lines through the tops of the trees on the mountain . Double Play Passes ($ 89 ) include two-and-a-half hours on the treetop course , followed by unlimited rides on the alpine slide and access to all the other Mountain Adventure Park activities , including trampolines , an inflatable spider climb , water slide and more . Youngsters under the fortyeight-inch height limit can ride the slide free , but must take the plunge with an adult who is eighteen-plus . Our passes are good for all day , so we head off-site for a late lunch .
Honeypie ( eatathoneypie . com ) in nearby Jamaica serves fried chicken sandwiches , burgers and fries , plus maple-flavored milk shakes and soft-serve ice cream twists . The former gas-station-turnedcounter-service restaurant has outdoor picnic tables and indoor counter seating . After eating our fill , we return to Bromley Mountain for a few more slide rides and an epic waterslide plunge . Be sure to pack bathing suits because you ’ ll get wetter than you think !
SATURDAY EVENING : We head back to the Butterfly cabin to hang clothes to dry ( my jeans are soaked !). Then we walk over to dinner at Johnny Seesaw ’ s ( seesawslodge . com / johnny-seesaws ). We sit on the porch and dig into PEI mussels mariniere ( order an extra side of Vermont bread with maple butter to sop up the sauce ). The kids devour steak and a burger , both served with fries , while the adults savor pan-seared salmon and roasted halibut served with seasonal farm produce , accented by cocktails made with Vermont ’ s otherworldly Barr Hill Gin . After dinner , we head down to the | | CONTINUED ON PAGE 158
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NUTS & BOLTS
Travel Time : Three hours and twenty minutes from Providence .
Miles : 183 miles .
How to Get There : I-90 West to I-91 North .
Best Season to Go : Fall , summer and winter ( avoid mud and sticks seasons ).
Bucket List for Next Time : Hiking on Bromley Mountain .
Worth a Detour : Hit up the Vermont Country Store in Rockingham or Weston , Vermont , on your way up to shop for Vermont foods and artisan-made goods .
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A passionfruit sour at Hermit Thrush Brewery in Brattleboro ; PEI mussels at Johnny Seesaw ’ s . ABOVE : The Vermont Country Store in Weston . |
PHOTOGRAPHY : JAMIE COELHO ( SEESAW ’ S PATIO , VERMONT COUNTRY STORE , BREWERY , TACOS , GOATS , TREETOP ADVENTURE COURSE , CHILDREN AT HILDENE ); GETTY IMAGES / C LOUIS CREATIONS ( MANCHESTER ); COURTESY OF SEESAW ’ S LODGE ( INTERIOR ); COURTESY OF HONEYPIE ; COURTESY OF HILDENE ( EXTERIOR ). |