Wassail parade. Photo credit: Woodstock Chamber of Commerce

Woodstock, “one of the prettiest small towns in America” puts on a show each December. Join us for some Winter Wonderland Magic during Wassail Weekend in Woodstock from Friday December 13 to Sunday December 15, 2019. Complete with twinkling lights, yule-log, caroling, horse-drawn carriage parade, concerts, shopping, and so much more, this old-fashioned Christmas celebration is sure to enchant you.  The main festivities for Wassail Weekend 2019 are recapped below:

Friday, December 13

10 am – 4 pm: Christmas at Billings Farm & Museum

4 pm: Storytelling by Peter Mendes at Norman Williams Public Library

7:30 pm – 9pm: Yale University’s internationally acclaimed a capella group, The Whiffenpoofs, performs at Pentangle Arts Woodstock Town Hall’s Theater

Saturday, December 14

10 am – 4 pm: Christmas at Billings Farm & Museum

9:30 am – 2:30 pm: Annual Holiday House Tour – a once-a year opportunity to visit some of Woodstock’s historic homes along The Green and on Elm Street

10 am – 12 pm: Historic St. James Church open for tours and music

10 am – 4 pm: Craft Fair at the Masonic Lodge

11 am – 3 pm: Wassail Cafe on the Green, serving mac & cheese, chili, Wassail and more

12 pm & 1 pm: Reading of “A Child’s Christmas in Wales” by Ham Gillett at the Norman Williams Public Library

2PM: WASSAIL PARADE

3 pm: Yule Log and Memory Tree Lighting Carol Sing

3 pm: The Ten-A capella group at the Historic Congregational Church

3 pm: Wren Song performance at the Norman Williams Public Library

4 pm: Lighting of the Luminaries by the Woodstock Rotary Club

5:30 pm: Woodstock Inn Wassail Celebration Feast

7:30 pm: Cellist Eugene Friesen and singer/songwriter Elizabeth Rogers perform at at North Chapel Universalist Society

8 pm: CÒIG: A Celtic Holiday Concert at Pentangle Arts

Sunday, December 15

10 am – 4 pm: Christmas at Billings Farm

10 am – 2 pm: Craft Fair at the Masonic Lodge

3 pm: Movie “The Grinch” at Pentangle Arts

4 pm: Pentangle Arts’ 35th Annual Messiah Sing at Our Lady of the Snows Catholic Church

7:30 pm: Movie “White Christmas” at Pentangle Arts

Many families visiting Dartmouth College find it natural to book a room in Hanover, NH. Little do they know that right across the State line rests a picture-perfect Vermont village worth every one of the 30 minutes’ drive through rolling hills. Here are 5 reasons for Dartmouth parents to stay at The Woodstocker B&B in Woodstock, VT when visiting their student!

Reason #1 : A most beautiful village

Reason #2: A better experience for your student

Reason #3: Walk to Dinner Each Night

reason #4 : The Shops!

Reason #5: It’s more reasonably priced!

Enjoy Woodstock’s main Winter events:

Wassail Parade. Photo: Woodstock Chamber of Commerce

1- Wassail weekend

The 2^nd Saturday in December, the whole town comes together to celebrate the opening of the holiday season with a horse-drawn carriage parade in costume, historic home visits, caroling, concerts, food, wassail and good cheer throughout! Check out the program of the 2018 Wassail weekend for a better idea of what to expect!

2- Vermont Flurry

Woodstock’s Snow Sculpture Festival takes place during President Day’s weekend. Over the three days, watch the progress and cheer on teams as they compete to create large, stunning snow sculptures!

3- Maple Madness

Maple Sugar Open House week is in March. Maple syrup is boiled when the temperatures rise during the day but are still low at night, allowing the sap to flow up the maple trees. During Maple Sugar Open House week (typically the third week of March), participating sugar makers invite you inside their sugarhouses to experiences the sights, aromas and taste of pure maple syrup as it is being made.

Sleigh rides at Billings’ Farm

4- Visit Billings Farm:

Billings Farm & Museum is open weekends and holiday periods, 10 am to 4 pm, and stays in tune with the holidays:

Around Thanksgiving, discover how Thanksgiving was observed in the 1890 Farm House at the Billings Farm – preparations, menu, and entertainment. Holiday programs and activities; wagon rides.

During December weekends, experience the traditions of a 19th century Vermont Christmas. Visit the authentically decorated farmhouse and the dairy farm for interactive programs, farm life exhibits, holiday programs and more. Sleigh or wagon rides are offered (conditions allowing).

Hit the Outdoors!

View from the summit of Killington Mountain

5-     Ski or snowboard

Suicide Six, a 10-minute drive from Woodstock, VT, offers 24 trails, with a nice balance between beginner, intermediate and advanced slopes. The base lodge is warm and welcoming with its large fireplace and view of the mountain.

Killington is the largest ski resort on the East Coast with its 155 trails. It’s a 30 minute drive if you want to go all the way to the base lodge, but why bother? The Skyeship Gondola right on Route 4 puts The Beast of the East just 20 minutes from The Woodstocker.

6-     Snowshoe or Cross Country Ski

Bring your own equipment or rent from the Nordic Center. There are several groomed trail options that will take you to Mount Tom or Mount Peg  with nice views of the Woodstock countryside.

The Nordic Center offers groomed trails for cross-country ski, fat bike and snow shoeing

7-     Ride a Fat Bike

Rent a fat bike at the Nordic Center and head off for some wicked fun on their groomed trails!

8-     Go Ice skating

No winter getaway would be complete without some ice skating! Union Skate Arena in Woodstock is open to the public several times a week!

9-    Take a Snowmobile Tour

Choose between a one-hour mountain tour through the woods on groomed ski trails, or a 2-hour backcountry tour on 25 miles through the Coolidge State Forest. Ride your own snowmobile or ride as a tandem! Book directly with Snowmobile Vermont.

10- Have Some Fun Tubing

Friday evenings (4-7pm) and weekends from 10am to 7pm, grab some fun at Killington’s tubing park. Warm up at the nearby Club House in between rounds!

11- Try Indoor Rock Climbing

Learn or practice at Green Mountain Rock Climbing. A mere 10 minutes from The Woodstocker, this is Central Vermont’s tallest indoor climbing experience! With 24 top ropes, 14 lead lines, and bouldering available, you are sure to have a great time. Private lessons, clinics and more available.

12- Shop ‘til your drop!

Gillingham’s General Store – photo credit: Woodstock Chamber of Commerce

Woodstock

An easy stroll from The Woodstocker B&B will take you to the stores on Central and Elm streets, and there: shop ‘til you drop! From clothing, home décor, jewelry, art, and so much more, you could easily spend a whole day in downtown Woodstock – all within walking distance of The Woodstocker. From the general store, Gillingham’s (in the same family for over a century), to Yankee Bookshop (Vermont’s oldest continuously operating bookstore), to clothing boutiques such as Phlox, Sudie’s, Footprints, 37 Central, Encore, Vermont Flannel, high-end sports apparel boutiques Elevation Clothing or Woodstock Sports, jewelries NT Ferro or Zayas, gift shops Unicorn, Red Wagon Toy Co, or Clover (the latter now offering CBD products and worskhops), home décor RT Home and Danforth Pewter, and art galleries Woodstock Gallery,  Gallery On The Green, Collective – The Art of Craft, Fossil Glass, there is an incredible variety of quality shopping in which to indulge.

Stop for lunch, tea or coffee at Mon Vert Café, Soulfully Good Café, Mountain Creamery, or Bentley’s!

Or, jump in the car and hop to:

Quechee

Visit the Simon Pearce glass blowing and restaurant, and browse through the many shops of the Quechee Village right off route 4, including the Antique Mall, Vermont Spirits, Whisper Hill Bath & Body (where we source all our bath amenities), Deirdre Donnelly’s creative studio, Cabot Cheese Tasting Station, and so much more.

On the way, be sure to stop at Andrew Pearce bowls.

Bridgewater

Visit and shop at Shackleton Thomas, then head to Long Trail Brewery for a beer tasting a light fare or to Ramunto’s for pizza.

Pomfret

For the beautiful drive, and stop at Artistree for an art exhibit or a class, and at Teago General Store

Windsor

Specifically, Artisan Park, home to Blake Hill preserves (where we get all our jams), Silo Distillery, Harpoon Brewery, and Vermont Farmstead Cheese Co.

Woodstock is the ideal place to escape the city for a Vermont weekend getaway, whatever the season. And there is so much to do, that our guests always wish they had stayed longer! So on your next visit, plan on staying at least 3 nights with us for a refreshing and relaxing time.

Here’s what your next Vermont getaway could look like:

Your arrival to Woodstock and the Woodstocker B&B
Arrive between 3pm and 7pm — drop your bags at the B&B and walk to town. River Street will take you alongside the Ottauquechee River, through the covered bridge, right on the Green!
Take in the scenery of this picture perfect New England town, with private houses and public buildings representative of late 18th to late 19th century architecture. Stroll down Central Street with its independent shops (more on these later), then circle back on Elm Street and head to The Prince and The Pauper for cocktails and an unforgettable dinner in one of Woodstock’s oldest and Vermont’s most famous restaurants. Reservations recommended (we’ll handle that for you).
Tip: Book our Romance in Woodstock Package, and get a $100 gift certificate to spend at The Prince and The Pauper

Day 1: Forget your car and hit the outdoors, then discover Woodstock
After a solid breakfast (think cheddar omelet and local whiskey fennel sausage, side of roasted potatoes, intro’ed by hearty country bread and homemade brioche), hike Mount Tom right outside our B&B. There is a trailhead on Faulkner Park, right behind The Woodstocker. It’s a smooth, healthy walk up most of the way, with switchbacks that make the hike easy, until you hit the last 100 yards. There, a few rock outcrops make the last stretch a little more challenging, but ropes are there to help you through it. Once atop Mount Tom, take in the breathtaking view of Woodstock (selfies are encouraged!). Then, continue on a smooth path through the most picturesque countryside towards the Pogue, a lake favored by turtles. Then choose the long easy way down towards Route 12 and Billings Farm. Once at the bottom there’s an option to visit the Rockefeller mansion, or head right onto Route 12 and stroll downtown through Elm Street.
Get some rest with lunch at Mon Vert Cafe or Soulfully Good Cafe. Both offer wonderful foods, trendy and cozy decor, and sidewalk seating.
The afternoon will fly by on Central and Elm streets, lined with independent stores such as Yankee Bookshop, Vermont’s oldest independent bookstore; Gillingham’s General Store, family-owned since its foundation in 1886 (check out their antique Otis elevator, and grab a bottle of wine to enjoy later); art venues such as the Woodstock Gallery, the Gallery on The Green, the Art Collaborative, or Fossil Glass; gifts shops Unicorn and Clover (the latter also now offers CBD products); Danforth Pewter; clothing boutiques — enter at your own risk… these shops (in no particular order) have simply amazing stuff: Phlox, 37 Central Clothiers, Sudies, Footprints, Who is Sylvia (Vintage clothes), Encore (high end consignment store), Elevation Clothing and Woodstock Sports for top notch sports clothing; and last but not least The Vermont Flannel Company, because everyone needs a flannel!
Back at the B&B, you’ll take your bottle of wine or beer out to our fire pit or the library and enjoy with the munchies we put out in the afternoon (think hummus, soppressata, or chocolate melt).
Dinner at Mangalitsa, the new and exceptional farm-to-table restaurant no one should miss when visiting Woodstock. Reservations are required, and this gem of a place fills up fast, so as soon as your room is secured with us, let’s make sure you have a dinner booked there as well! We’re happy to assist you with that.

Day 2: Hitting the farms
Billings Farm and Museum hugs Woodstock on its North side, right beyond the Ottauquechee River. More than just providing the town with a most bucolic backdrop, it is an intrinsic part of Woodstock’s identity. The farm, a working farm and museum with Jersey cows, sheep and draft horses, is deeply steeped in land conservation and environmental protection. After viewing the award-winning documentary A Place in the Land recounting the estate’s history over a century and a half, you will walk around the different buildings and the grounds, partake in the activities scheduled throughout the day, and visit the restored 1890 farmhouse. Mostly, you’ll be talking to the people who maintain this incredible place and they will open up your perspective.
Next, you’ll continue alongside the Ottauquechee River, on oh-so-Vermonty dirt roads, up on the hills north of Woodstock and unto Sugarbush Farm. There, you’ll take a walk through the sugar maple woods and learn how the sap is collected, then turned into syrup in their maple house. You’ll taste the different grades of maple syrup. You’ll discover how aging affects the taste of cheddar cheese and find out which is your favorite. You’ll buy a bunch of Vermont products made right there to take home with you. Before leaving, you’ll be sure to say hi to their – huge – Belgian work horses.
You’ll keep the evening casual and quality-driven with dinner at Worthy Kitchen. You will hop in the car for – literally – 5 minutes and cross town to this hip place featuring an amazing selection of craft beers, creative dishes and a quality approach to classic, comfort foods. There is outdoor seating and live music on certain evenings. Order at the counter and take a buzzer with you.

Day 3: Take it outside the confines of Woodstock!
East of Woodstock: Quechee
On the way to Quechee, stop at Andrew Pearce bowls a few miles down Route 4, on the left. Andrew Pearce is known for wooden bowls carved out of a single piece of wood. Tip: Shop their seconds, they are spectacular and at softer prices!
Then, stop in Quechee for:
– A hike or a segway tour down the gorge
– Shopping at Quechee Village: don’t miss Whisper Hill, our amazing provider of bathroom products made with essential oils; Vermont Spirits, a great local distillery; Cabot cheese official tasting station; the Vermont Antique Mall
– Simon Pearce Glass and Restaurant in Quechee, right at the waterfall. Watch and interact with the glass blowers until 9pm every day on the lower level. Brunch or dine at the restaurant after a tour of the beautiful shop.
– Vermont Institute of Natural Science. VINS is an environmental education, research and avian rehabilitation organization set on 47 spectacular acres. Enjoy their live raptor exhibits, feeding times, visit with their reptiles, and more. Check their daily schedules! And don’t miss a hike on their grounds.
West of Woodstock: Bridgewater and Killington
On your way out, stop at the Farmers Market less than a mile out of town for some amazing local foods to bring home, including our own provider of maple syrup, Maple Crest Farm in Woodstock and some wonderful cheeses (We love Timberdoodle from Woodcock Farm). Other stops on the way:
– Farmhouse pottery on Route 4. The shop exudes luxurious simplicity, with most products in declinations of soothing whites. We love the adjacent potters’ workshop where you are invited to step in and chat with the potters while they are working.
– Shackleton Thomas in Bridgewater: furniture and pottery at an elevated form. We love the naked table project!
– Long Trail Brewery. Visit the brewery from an elevated platform, have a bite next to the river, sample some beers (or just plain have one) and buy a pack to bring back home! We love the setting and the decor.
– Killington, aka The Beast. The largest ski resort on the East Coast has a ton of things to do in the summer: downhill mountain bike, hiking trails, ATV, Segway, the Wrecktangle, and for golfers: the golfboard!

More options:
Outdoorsy? Rent a bike in town, pack a picnic prepared by your favorite innkeepers at the Woodstocker B&B. Warm up on the bike trail through town, down by the river behind Billings Farm, then ramp it up and explore the bike trails on Mount Peg. Later this summer, take it a notch up at Elemental Bike Park, scheduled to open at the Suicide Six Ski area late July: six miles of bike trails accessible by the resort’s new quad chairlift.
In the mood for some pampering? Try First Impressions, Splendid Chaos, or the Spa at the Woodstock Inn and Resort.
There is much more to do in Woodstock, but we think that’s a pretty solid start.

Woodstock, VT: your ideal getaway

March 2018 – Isabelle Chicoine and Karim Houry are thrilled to announce their purchase of The Woodstocker!
We became owners of this lovely B&B on March 5 and are hard at work putting our personal touches on the bedrooms and common areas. During our refresh, we will be closed to make progress as fast as possible. We will welcome you again when spring will be upon us! Our reopen date is May 7th. We would love it if you would follow our progress by subscribing to our blog and following us on Facebook and Instagram. See the changes to the rooms, learn about our take on breakfast, and discover the packages we are crafting will local folks!
A little bit about ourselves: we met as teenagers, over 35 years ago, and were together for 4 years. Then we went our different ways. Much, much later, our paths crossed again and we were still the perfect match. So here we are, newlyweds in our 50s! Once reunited, we came to realize that our corporate jobs were not fulfilling, and that we wanted to create something together. And so it is that the second best thing we have done recently (after getting married) was to quit our jobs, sell our house, and call Woodstock, VT and The Woodstocker B&B our new home!
We look forward to welcoming you at The Woodstocker!

#vermont
#woodstockvt
#smalltown

Karim and Isabelle