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Play Hard / Kick Back - Woodstock
NOTE: the following material from Play Hard, Rest Easy: New England, does not comprise the entire contents of the book. This abbreviated content shows the breadth but not depth of coverage you'll find in the book.
Foul weather or positively pooped muscles need not put a damper on your trip to Woodstock. The list of laid-back and weather-proof activities in the area is limited only by the amount of time remaining in your vacation. In addition to the following activities, Woodstock's village center bustles with year-round activities and special events, so make a point to stop by the Town Crier blackboard at the intersection of Elm and Central streets to see what's happening during your stay.
Antiquing
There are more than 20 antique dealers within a 30-mile radius of Woodstock, making this region a hotspot for items from yesteryear. Within walking distance of the center of Woodstock, several shops stand out.
The following options for antiquing are described in the Woodstock chapter:
Wigren and Barlow, 29 Pleasant Street, (802) 457-2453, is a large shop filled with formal, elegant furniture, country furniture, antique decorative accessories, gates, and items for the garden.
Polo Antiques, 47 Central Street, (802) 457-5837, is another large shop carrying fine, 18th- and 19th-century furniture, art, china, pewter, silver, and clocks.
Also on Central Street, American Classics, 71 Central Street, (802) 457-4337, carries exceptional Americana from the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries.
West of the village green, Church Street Antiques, 4 Church Street, (802) 457-2628, features a number of fine decorative pieces, including furniture, mirrors, porcelain, art, crystal, and quilts.
To browse through more than 10,000 individually selected antiquarian books on all subjects, head to the two floors of Pleasant Street Books, 48 Pleasant Street, (802) 457-4050.
Just east of town on Route 4, you'll find 450 antique and collectibles dealers under one roof at the Quechee Gorge Village, Route 4, Quechee, (802) 295-1550. Everything from fine glass to toys awaits the antiques browser in this complex, which also houses a country store, craft center, and several specialty shops.
The 150-vendor Antiques Collaborative, on Route 4 in Quechee, (802) 296-5858, is a large center showcasing furniture, silver, and quilts, just to name a few of the items.
West of Woodstock, on Route 4 in Bridgewater, the Bridgewater Mill Antique Centre, (802) 672-3049, is another cooperative with two floors of antique furniture and collectibles, and with a third floor dedicated to crafts.
Art Galleries & Craft Shops
For a village its size, Woodstock boasts a large number of fine art
galleries and craft shops, which reflect the sophisticated tastes of
the town's residents and visitors.
The following options for antiquing are described in the Woodstock
chapter:
On the village green, the Gallery on the Green, (802) 457-4956,
www.galleryonthegreen.com, occupies a former stagecoach inn and shows
the work of more than 40 New England artists in six galleries.
The Grayson Gallery, 43 Central Street, (802) 457-1171, also showcases
the paintings, sculpture, prints, and glasswork of Vermont artists, in
addition to the work of other American and European artists. Nationally
known impressionist painter Robert Caulfield displays his
impressionistic oil and watercolor paintings of New England at the
Caulfield Art Gallery, 42 Central Street, (802) 457-1472.
Stephen Huneck showcases his animal-themed furniture, wood sculpture,
wall reliefs, and jewelry at the Stephen Huneck Gallery, 49 Central
Street, (802) 457-3206.
You'll appreciate gallery owner Wojtek Pilczynski's sophisticated and
eclectic taste at the Polonaise Art Gallery, 71 Central Street, (802)
457-5180, www.artpolonaise.com. This unique gallery features a wide
variety of paintings, from abstracts and nudes to classical portraits
and creative landscapes, as well as sculpture, pottery, and handcrafted
furniture.
Just south of the green, Woodstock Artisans, 4 Mechanic Street, (802)
457-1298, makes and displays stoneware, porcelain, and hand-crafted
jewelry, and visitors are welcome to stop by for a demonstration.
The grand poohbah of all large craft operations in the area is the
hand-blown glass and pottery factory, Simon Pearce, at The Mill in
Quechee, (802) 295-2711, www.simonpearce.com
Arts and Culture
The following arts and culture options are described in the Woodstock
chapter:
Woodstock's Pentangle Council on the Arts, 1 High Street, Woodstock,
(802) 457-3981, owns the historic Town Hall Theatre, a renovated
400-seat venue, where it sponsors a variety of staged productions,
including theater, dance, film, and music.
Each July and August, the Killington Music Festival, (802) 773-4003,
www.killingtonmusicfest.com, presents a series of chamber music
performances.
Back Roads Touring
One of the first things you'll notice about Woodstock is that a short
drive in any direction puts you in the middle of gorgeous Vermont
countryside. With that in mind, it's possible to grab a road map, fuel
the car, and hit the two-lane blacktop to enjoy a scenic journey
without a destination in mind.
Here≠s an example of a back roads tour from the Woodstock chapter:
If you head south from town on Route 106, you'll pass through rural
South Woodstock and by the Kedron Inn, a former stage coach stop. When
you reach Brownsville, take Route 44 to Route 44A which brings you to
the Mount Ascutney summit road. For a nominal fee, you can drive the
3.8-mile, vista-loaded road to just below the summit of this 3,144-foot
mountain. Mount Ascutney is a classic monadnock, or mountain that
stands alone, and from the top of the fire tower, you'll be awed by the
panoramic views. You may catch sight of a hanglider or two since
Brownsville Rock, one of New England's most popular hang gliding launch
spots, is just beneath the summit. If you continue on Route 44A, you'll
come to Route 5, which you can take north to cross the Windsor-Cornish
Covered Bridge, the longest operational covered bridge in the country.
The bridge crosses the Connecticut River into New Hampshire.
Continue north on Route 5 to White River Junction and take Route 4 west
to Quechee Gorge. While it's been called the Grand Canyon of the East,
folks who've seen the real thing will say, "I know the Grand Canyon,
and you're no Grand Canyon." But is it a sight to see? Oh, yes. This
168-foot, glacially-carved gorge is so narrow, it only sees sunlight in
the middle of the day. The Route 4 bridge spanning the gorge is 125
years old, but you don't want to think about the age of the concrete as
you peer over the rail to the Ottaquechee River below. This is a
popular tourist stop, so it may take a minute to find parking on either
side of the bridge, but make the effort. If it's pleasant, you may want
to hike down into the gorge. [See Dayhiking.] Continuing on Route 4,
you pass through 611-acre Quechee Gorge State Park before returning to
Woodstock.
Farms
Here≠s an example of a farm description from the Woodstock chapter:
One of Woodstock's chief attractions is The Billings Farm & Museum,
Route 12 and River Road, (802) 457-2355, www.billingsfarm.org, a
working dairy farm, historic site, and museum. You can learn all about
the past and present of Vermont dairying at this farm, which is among
the nation's finest Jersey dairy farms. Frederick Billings, one of the
country's first conservationists, established the 270-acre Billings
Farm in 1871 and set out to make it a model dairy operation. By
Billings' death in 1890, the farm had expanded to almost 1,000 acres
and was home to a prime Jersey herd, as well as Southdown sheep and
Berkshire hogs. Start your visit with a 30-minute documentary film that
traces the evolution of the farm and adjacent Mount Tom Forest, then
tour the exhibits that show farm life in the 1890s including dairying,
plowing, harvesting, making cheese and sugaring. On a self-guided tour,
you can visit the horse barn, milk room, calf nursery, and dairy barn.
There are daily educational programs and activities involving the
livestock, such as the 3 P.M. milking of the herd. Open daily, 10
A.M.√5 P.M. There's a nominal admittance fee. (Note, the farm is on the
property of the Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park,
and you may wish to combine visits. See Historic Sites and Homesteads
below for more information.)
Also in Woodstock, the 580-acre Sugarbush Farm, 591 Sugarbush Farm
Road, (802) 457-1757 or 1-800-281-1757, www.sugarbushfarm.com, is one
of the last family-owned and family-run farms in the area.
Historic Sites and Homesteads
Here≠s an example of a historic site description from the
Woodstock chapter:
Woodstock has done an outstanding job of preserving its past
through the efforts of the Woodstock Historical Society, 26 Elm Street,
(802) 457-1822, which is located in the 1807 Dana House. There's a
permanent multimedia exhibit presenting the town's past and a nice
collection of antique furnishings, fabrics, and toys. Open daily, May
through October. To take a self-guided walking tour of Woodstock's
history, pick up the free pamphlet, Woodstock: A Walking Guide,
available from historical society, the Woodstock Chamber's information
booth on the village green, or from one of the local bookstores. The
guide presents the history behind a number of the well-preserved homes
and public buildings in town. The chamber has also prepared the
pamphlet Passport to the Past, a free map and guide to four historic
sites in Woodstock and several beyond town.
Other historical site descriptions in the book include:
Historical buffs and poli-sci majors will enjoy the President Calvin
Coolidge State Historic Site, Route 100A, in Plymouth, (802) 672-3773,
about 15 miles from Woodstock, where you can visit the birthplace and
childhood home of the United States' 30th president, and the only one
born on the 4th of July.
Opened in 1998, the Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park
Route 12 North, Woodstock, (802) 457-3368, www.nps.gov/mabi,is the
nation's newest national park and the only one focused on conservation
history.
Hop Diggety Dog
If you like your hops, start hopping because the Woodstock area
has its own fine brewery. The Long Trail Brewing Company, at the
junction of routes 4 and 100A in Bridgewater, between Woodstock and
Killington, (802) 672-5011, www.longtrail.com, brews the award-winning
Long Trail ale and a host of other delectable selections.
Museums
The Woodstock branch (there are also sites in Manchester and
Montpelier) of the Vermont Institute of Natural Science, 27023 Church
Hill Road, (802) 457-2779, www.vinsweb.org, works to protect Vermont's
natural heritage by bringing visitors in contact with the natural world
around them. There are educational exhibits featuring a variety of
animals from frogs and turtles to tarantulas. There's also the
outstanding Vermont Raptor Center, which is home to more than 20
species of birds of prey, including eagles, hawks, owls, and falcons.
SIDEBAR
Maple Love
There's nothing quite like pure Vermont maple syrup spilled liberally
on top of pancakes or waffles. Why not, the next time you're pouring
that liquid gold first thing in the morning, fascinate your family and
friends with intricate details about the maple syrup production process
from tree to breakfast table? You can learn about the procedure at the
New England Maple Museum on Route 7 in Pittsford, (802) 483-9414, about
an hour's drive from Woodstock. View murals depicting the history of
maple sugaring, watch as candy is made, and sample the different grades
of syrup to pick a favorite. Open daily, March through May, 10 A.M.√4
P.M.; and June through October, 8:30 A.M.√5:30 P.M. Closed January and
February. Nominal admission fee.
If you're one who cares for the product but could care less how
it's made, swing by one of the local sugar houses to purchase syrup in
a variety of sizes. It's far cheaper than you'll find at home and makes
an excellent gift. In Woodstock, visit Sugarbush Farm, 591 Sugarbush
Farm Road, (802) 457-1757 or 1-800-281-1757, www.sugarbushfarm.com. In
South Woodstock, head to Kedron Sugar Makers in the barn at Kedron
Valley Stables, Route 106, South Woodstock, (802) 457-1480.
Shops and Stops
There are so many unique and fun boutiques in this town that some
visitors spend their entire vacation listening to cash registers whir.
If you're a pro, you probably have a methodical approach to scouting
the values. If not, rest assured one isn't needed. You can park in the
free municipal lot on Pleasant Street and wander past the endless array
of retailers.
Here≠s an example of a shop description from the Woodstock chapter:
Set in a former blacksmith shop built in 1826, The Vermont Workshop, 73
Central Street, (802) 457-1400, sells furniture and decorating
accessories made by Vermont craftsmen, plus a wide variety of
needlework supplies.
Other shop descriptions include:
The Unicorn, 15 Central Street, (802) 457-2480, for unique toys,
crafts, hand-blown glass, and unusual greeting cards.
Russian Renaissance, 61 Central Street, (802) 457-9478 or
1-888-448-5535, www.russianart.com, imports and sells fine Eastern
European products, like porcelain, lacquerware, amber, dolls, linen,
crystal, and more.
Music lovers, take note of Noteworthy, 71 Central Street, (802)
457-1944, www.giftsofmusic.com, a unique music boutique offering music
boxes that can be personalized, CDs, cassettes, sheet music, and a
symphony of gifts related to music and the performing arts.
Get creative with your kitchen in Aubergine, 1 Elm Street, (802)
457-1340 or 1-800-458-1340, www.purple-eggplant.com, a kitchenware,
gifts, and gourmet food shop marked by a sign with a purple eggplant.
There are three great bookstores to browse through in town. The Yankee
Book Shop, 12 Central Street, (802) 457-2411, offers a large selection
of paperback and hardback books with a special selection of Vermont and
New England titles, as well as books by local authors.
Pleasant Street Books, 48 Pleasant Street, (802) 457-4050, has a fine
collection of used and rare books.
Shiretown Books, 9 Central Street, Woodstock, (802) 457-2996, is a
small store with a selection of adult and children's titles.
For a genuine Vermont country store experience, visit Gillingham's, 16
Elm Street, Woodstock (802) 457-2100 or 1-800-344-6668,
www.gillinghams.com. Owned by the same family since 1886, Gillingham's
sells a wide variety of items, including specialty foods, wines,
housewares, books, toys, and much more. Another great stop just outside
town is the Taftsville Country Store, on Route 4, Taftsville, (802)
457-1135 or 1-800-854-0013, an historic 1840 brick store that sells
fine cheeses, specialty foods, maple syrup, homemade jams, and a whole
lot more
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