Manchester Vermont: What to Actually Do Here (Beyond the Outlets)
Manchester gets reduced to the outlets town in a lot of trip-planning conversations. But Manchester has more going on, and it's worth knowing about before you head down the mountain.
Hildene -- The Lincoln Family Estate
This is the real reason to go to Manchester if you haven't been. Hildene was the summer home of Robert Todd Lincoln and stayed in the Lincoln family until 1975. The house, formal gardens, and 412-acre property are now a museum and working farm. Tours are genuinely interesting -- not the stuffy kind. In winter, the grounds have groomed cross-country ski and snowshoe trails.
Open year-round. Admission runs about $25 for adults. Allow 2 hours minimum.
The Battenkill River
If you're in Manchester in shoulder season, the Battenkill is one of the most beautiful trout streams in the northeast. Orvis is headquartered here partly for that reason. The stretch through Manchester and Arlington has accessible pull-offs for walking the bank.
Dining in Manchester
- Spiral Press Cafe: A good coffee and breakfast stop. Reliably good espresso.
- The Reluctant Panther: Upscale Vermont dining in a historic inn. Excellent for a group dinner. Reservations recommended on weekends.
- Laney's Restaurant: More casual, local feel. Good for lunch or an early dinner.
Northshire Bookstore
Worth the trip on its own. One of the better independent bookstores in New England -- large selection, well-curated, and the kind of place where you walk in for one book and leave with four.
Far Away is a short drive from Manchester. Check availability or see the property.
