Four Chimneys Inn: A Weekend Away with My Sisters

Years ago at the age of 3 my parents took me to live in Connecticut for two years. Although we returned to Ohio, my earliest memories were formed in New England. Now as an adult I find that I have an affinity for its landscape and architecture, but not quite to the cold. 

It's worth it though. 

The weekend before Thanksgiving my sisters traveled up from New York City and the three of us met for our annual retreat. We like selecting different properties each time and this time were thrilled to stay in the Ice House at the Four Chimneys Inn in Bennington, Vermont. Coming from Boston we had about the same amount of time on the road - about 3 1/2 hours. I drove and they came by bus which conveniently dropped off about a 5 minute drive from the Four Chimneys Inn. 

While our schedules didn't allow us to see the fall foliage, our hostess Bethany assured us that we really hadn't missed much as it was so warm this season that the leaves weren't as stunning as they usually are. 

Still...

The property is beautiful.

The Ice House stands alone across from the main house and comfortably sleeps 4 in a rustic loft space. This is the view we were greeted with when we walked in:

I did a quick mini-tour too (and yes, those are snowflakes!):

The town of Bennington is very quiet and the perfect place for calm before the storm of the holidays season. We enjoyed shopping at local galleries, picking up a few small items, and playing some pinball while we were at it (I now want one in my house!). 

Breakfast was included in the main building's dining room each morning, but it was a nice adventure to head out for lunch and dinner each day. 

Here's a list of places we visited in Bennington:

To Eat:

• Madison Brewing Company - I don't drink beer but there are plenty to choose from here; my sister Ariane and I warmed up here with a delicious cup of soup while waiting for Lauren to arrive

• Mt. Anthony Country Club - try one of their delicious stuffed sandwiches by the cozy fire
• Bennington Station Restaurant - the decor from a bygone era will warm you as you enjoy a hearty dinner; my sisters and I loved that the salad bar is well stocked, fresh and is included with your meal!

To See:

• Old First Church & Robert Frost's gravesite

• Walloomsac Inn - the pictures in this blog post perfectly captures the eeriness (and yes, someone still lives there!)

• Spot the remnants of Moosefest - the one located at the Four Chimneys Inn was the creepiest because it looked so real! My favorite was at the Mt. Anthony Country Club:

To Buy:

• The Village Chocolate Shoppe - get the Mud Puddles. Trust. Me. (and yes, they ship 'em too!)

• Bringing You Vermont - a one stop shop for all things local (especially maple syrup!)

• Fiddlehead at Four Corners - the pinball machine will suck you in, but pull yourself away to check out the stunning pieces by local artists. I picked up these fun earrings:

(Oh and there wasn't any Heady Topper to be found for hours - sorry Mr. Lovebird!)

I look forward to returning with my family to stay at the Ice House - they tend to put families there and even have a gate to keep little ones off the stairs! 

Curious about staying at the Four Chimneys Inn? Visit their website and be sure to follow their Facebook page too. 

What's your experience visiting New England?