I’ll be taking a couple of weeks vacation to drive from Boston to Montreal and back to get to know Vermont and nearby areas. Does it make a plesant drive, and where should I not fail to visit on such a trip?
You’ll pass through Burlington. Go to Al’s French Fry’s.
The Head-of-the Charles Regatta.
There is nothing like it in all the world.
October 22-23, 2005.
That was going to be my suggestion as well.
I noticed when you quoted me I used an apostrophe for a plural! I feel so dirty!
scrubs away
The dirt won’t come off!
Go to Salem, Mass. and watch the annual hoopla over Halloween and witches. Oughtta be good this year, what with the new “Bewitched” statue and the new Hawthorne/Poe Museum.
The Ben & Jerry’s factory tour just off I-89, on Route 100, between Montpelier and Burlington.
If you’re in Montreal between the 2nd and the 8th, you can join me for a beer. I’ll be around the Queen E carrying an uber-cute Babyrian.
I’m bad at weekends, but if you’re going to be in Boston on a weeknight, and are looking for food, this might be an opportune time for a mini-Dopefest. Say, at Durgin Park. I’ve been looking for an excuse to go there.
Ever been to Montreal before? Check out the Biodome, the Botanical Gardens (Jardins botaniques), and the Old Montreal quarter (Vieux-Montréal); take a ride on the subway (métro) if you can swing it. I know matt_mcl will be along soon to help you out more with this. 
Er, there’s a lot to do, and it’s certainly a nice time of year to be up this way. As folks have said, go through Burlington (which is en route to Montreal anyway). There are great hikes, restaurants, shopping, music, really whatever.
It’s quite a gorgeous drive up 89 through VT. I’m not sure what the lower portion of 89 is like this year; but the upper portion’s been undergoing major repaving which is all pretty much done, so it’s a smooth ride too. If you enjoy micro-brews, there are a zillion places to stop. Waterbury (exit 10 on 89 in VT), which is where the Ben and Jerry’s factory is (which is a less exciting thing to see than it used to be, IMHO), has a great new brewpub, The Alchemist. Burlington has The VT Pub and Brewery (whose sister-brewery, 7 Barrels, is in NH on 89 as well). So, yeah, plenty of great beer, if that’s your thing.
It really depends on your interests, and how much you like driving ‘off the beaten path,’ so to speak. There are a lot of nice things to do and see, but a lot of them will take you away from the highway a ways. But, I guess if you’re taking a few weeks then you wouldn’t mind that; the drive from Boston to Montreal is only 5 hours.
Feel free to e-mail me for other suggestions and such. Or, if you want a Doper tour of VT I’d be happy to show you around some things.
Oh, and Bippy, there’s a plan in the works for apple picking in NY State on Saturday Oct 15th (details to be found here). I’ll be heading down for the day (3.5-4 hours each way) and it should be fun, if you’re interested.
If your going to be in the area of Ben-n-Jerry’s anyway… I recommend stopping at Dakin Farms… They are a little farther north on the same route. They’ve got some of the best ham, and other smoked products I’ve ever tried… and are quite adept at packing the goodies to survive a long car trip. I recommend the ham summer sausage… yummy
I would also recommend Cold Hollow cider mill, they have superb fresh cider… and wonderful cider donuts… and the cabbot cheese outlet (all in the same general area).
Thanks for all the great ideas. And thanks also for offers about meeting up, but my itinerary will be quite random so I can’t arrange to be anywhere at any given time. I’ll definately check out Burlington.
We had a ton of fun in Montreal. If you’d like, you’re more than welcome to borrow my Lonely Planet city guide for Montreal. It’s loaned out right now, but I’ll ask for it back and send it to you. It was a great guide and the person to whom I loaned it and her co-workers really got a lot of use out of it.
Drop me a line and let me know and I’ll arrange for you to get it.
Well, King Richard’s Faire (In Carver) is a bit south of Boston but is worth the trip.
Sturbridge Villiage is beautiful in the fall.
When I went to Montreal from Worcester, I took the Mass Pike to 91 North. 91 North to whatever that highway in Vermont is. Then, we caught the ferry to Plattsburgh NY. Lake Champlain is a great thing to see no matter the season. AFter getting off the ferry, you’ll be in Cumberland Head (in Plattsburgh). If you follow it around - go to Gus’ Red Hots and get a Michigan. Totally worth the kinda roundabout trip.
Once in Montreal - the Botannical Gardens and the Casino were both cool.
Other random things to see on the trip (if you take the trip west of Boston and up through Vermont):The Freedom Train, Children’s Museum, New England Aquarium (even though it smells funny), The Science Museum - all in Boston. Higgins Armory in Worcester (full of armor - very cool), The Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield. Burlington is a beautiful city. I don’t know if it will be open but the Shelburne Museum is also very cool.
So, New England, Upstate New York and Montreal are great places to visit any time of year. Fall is especially nice because of the foliage. The drive will be beautiful and most likely, the weather will be crisp and fresh and will feel very clean.
Of course, we could also have 6 feet of snow one day and torrential downpours the next - followed by a week of 95° temperature and 100% humidity.
Eat a carmel apple and fresh donuts and wash it down with apple cider at a farm stand along the road for me. I really miss fall in New England. Or find a place with pumpkin pie ice cream
I thank you all (and bounce the thread to perhapse capture the attention of some weekend dopers).
What foods not yet mentioned should be sought out in this area?
Anything and everything maple. It’ too bad you’re not going in maple season, nothing like freshly boiled syrup…But, maple syrup, maple candy, maple whatever is good year round.
But, of course, being fall, you need to get some apples. My favorite orchard is Boyar’s Orchard in Monkton, VT. They not only have apples, they press their own cider with an antique press that you can see in action, you can pick your own, they gots pumpkins, concord grapser, vegetables, even their own bee hive in an old tree with a window cut in it. You can also get a fresh honeycomb. Oh, and HOT cider donoughts! Made across the street in the owner’s kitchen! And AMAZING Cabot private stock cheese. It’s so sharp it’ll cut your tongue!
Thanks all,
I got to eat at al’s French Fry’s, also had Poutine in Canada which is really good. Drove all arround Lake Ontario…
Have to say if anyone gets a chance to go to Toronto and likes high class restaurants you must visit Susur on King Street. It is a truely world class restaurant yet I didn’t need to book months in advance, just turned up at the door and got in.