Winter Holiday in Manchester & Stratton Mountain, Vermont
Staying in Manchester and playing at Stratton Mountain, Vermont is an awesome winter vacation. In Manchester you can enjoy relaxing at the spa, shopping the Manchester outlets, and dine at delicious Vermont restaurants. Stratton Mountain has all the fun family ski-trip activities you could want from a winter destination including skiing, snowboarding, sledding, snowmobiling, snow-shoeing, or ice skating.
Driving from Manchester to Stratton Mountain takes about 25 minutes and is a scenic drive through town and up into the snow covered mountains. Our first day going skiing, the snow was falling. It had snowed the week leading up to our trip, making for a beautiful winter wonderland landscape.
Ski School at Stratton is so much fun for the kids. Their upbeat instructors and well organized program, complete with snacks, and lunch, makes a great beginner or first time ski school experience. Also, the Gondola at Stratton takes you to the top and there are beautiful beginner green trails you can take to the bottom with kids while they are learning.
Coming off the mountain as the sunset colors the horizon with beauty, it's fun to look forward to an apres-ski casual dinner at Gringo Jacks. This cozy Southwestern hot spot is great for kids and is filled with a lively dining room, delicious guacamole, tacos, and a generous margarita menu.
Manchester is a Vermont Ski town, so you can really go anywhere after the slopes. If you want a fine dining experience we recommend these aptly named restaurants; The Reluctant Panther (at the Reluctant Panther Inn), The Crooked Ram, or the Copper Grouse (at the Taconic Hotel).
Speaking of Hotel options the two we return to are the Equinox; a historic inn with charm (and soon will be going through a renovation) with its spa and indoor pool (photo below). Next door to the Equinox is the Taconic (Kimpton Hotel) which offers a boutique hotel vibe, with updated rooms and a slightly more modern feel, yet abound with that cozy Vermont charm.
In the morning, the best coffee and pastry was from the cafe at The Crooked Ram. The best farmhouse style breakfast was at the Little Rooster Cafe. For lunch we recommend Depot 62, which is a furniture store which has a Mediterranean Cafe inside the store with truly delicious food.
Manchester and Stratton Vermont; we will keep coming back to. We still have a lot to explore here. When we arrived, snow was falling on this beautiful Vermont mountain. Over the next few days the skies were blue and the mountain offered sun and snow to delight in. Skiing is one of those amazing, feel good sports, where you can just be at one with the outdoors! Here in VT, the combination of cold weather sports with warm cozy lodges and yummy restaurants is soul warming good!