Four Steps to Savor the Last Days of a VT Summer
As summer rolls to a close, many of us find ourselves trying to squeeze all the fun we can out of the remaining days of sunshine, green grass and refreshing swim spots. To maximize the time, you might consider a day of activities that goes something like this:
Step 1:
Get up at a reasonable hour, before the midday sun has burned off the morning mists. I like to wake up slowly by sipping a cup of locally roasted coffee, as I browse Google Maps for potential excursions. First stop: breakfast. I’ll pick up a sausage, egg and cheese sandwich and another coffee at the quaint-yet-contemporary Barnard General Store on my way from central Woodstock to the northern part of Vermont; you might find your own local favorite for breakfast on the go.
Step 2:
Find a hike suited to your ability level that you’ve never tried before. On my summer adventure day, I scrambled up the Stowe Pinnacle—but whatever hike, run or bike that will get the heart rate up and provide some views or thrilling descents is a great way to take advantage of the blue sky and sun.
Step 3:
Ideally, you’ll be wrapping up your hike or bike just as the day reaches its hottest point. This means it’s the perfect time to make a beeline for the nearest swimming hole. In my case, that was the famous Warren Falls, right off route 100 in the town of Warren. Remember, if your swimming hole involves jumping off of rocks or cliffs, be sure to check the depth of the water before flying into it. After washing off the sweat from earlier and enjoying a massaging soak in a nature-made pool, with your back to a gentle waterfall, it must be getting to five o’clock (somewhere).
Step 4:
Find a brewery that serves food (or a winery, or even a distillery, if that’s more your speed). In my experience, breweries that have a food menu are careful to pick tasty bites that pair well with their hoppy and frothy offerings. I opted for Lawson’s Finest Liquids, just up the road from Warren. There, I washed down a delicious, beer-cheese-dipped soft pretzel and assorted charcuterie with a few taster-sized glasses of session ales and a crisp, dry pilsner. Sitting outside in the shade of a maple tree, sipping a cold beer and nibbling on chewy, salty, fatty, goodness, recounting the days adventures with good friends—there are not many better ways to wind down from a summer day in the sun, and not many better ways to celebrate the last days of summer.
