Wells, Vermont • 802.325.2829 |
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285 Five Star Reviews • 100% Guest-Focused • 53% Repeat Guests Last Year
Don't Just Read the Story, Become the Story!
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Hello Everyone!
This may be a little bit of a nostalgia trip—sharing a few of our favorite destinations. We always like to share where we are going and what we are doing, and we absolutely love when our guests make new discoveries of their own. This past weekend our guests visited The Sagamore for cocktails and dinner, others took the Lake George Steamboat Cruise, and together we all dined at Dancing Ewe Farm Saturday night for another spectacular farm-to-table dining experience—twenty-two or more of us will be back at the farm in early August!
All our best – Kay & Glenn
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We’re in the 2023 Summer Travel Guide, Best of New England, 15 Reasons to Visit Vermont, page 108, and we’re in the first position! But the real story is that we have over 160 photographs on our website with over 160 “things to do”, many of which we have personally experienced. Our top picks are #1 Shelburne Museum, #2 Fort Ticonderoga, #3 Saratoga, #4 Hildene, and #5 The Clark.
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Former New York Giants head coach, Bill Parcells, was with our neighbor, Paul Heon, at the Saratoga Race Course last year... A few minutes after taking this photo, Bill’s horse, Let’s Go Big Blue, won the sixth race!
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A witty, realistic, and revealing World Premiere comedy about how people change... or don't. Thirty years ago, Helen and Mark broke up, but they never completely forgot about each other. When they meet for dinner to catch up, the flame is rekindled... but Mark is running for Congress, and Helen has a secret that could derail his bid. Our group is going... July 21 - August 5—hope to see you!
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Air Power History Tour
Albany International Airport
June 14 -18
The centerpiece of the show is the most advanced bomber of World War II. "FIFI" is the World's Most Famous, Flying, B-29 Superfortress—designed to fly higher and faster than enemy fighters and brought an end to the war. Other attending aircraft are; B-24 Liberator Diamond Lil, P-51 Mustang Gunfighter, RC-45J Expediter, Boeing Stearman, and T-6 Texan.
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Visiting Our Coffee Roaster...
We recently visited our coffee roaster in Norwalk, Connecticut and met one of the owners—Jeff, one of three brothers that run this impressive fourth-generation coffee business. We learned that Brazil is still the largest coffee producer in the world with over 63 million acres, but Vietnam has quickly become the second largest producer with 29 million acres, followed by Colombia, Indonesia, and Ethiopia. Also, we collaborated with T.M. Ward on an exclusive Pond Mountain Inn blend that we’ve been serving for years that’s available for purchase directly from T.M. Ward. We serve the finest cup of coffee available, thanks to Jeff, and their team at T.M. Ward Coffee!
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A Crooked Barn Charcuterie
Rupert, Vermont
Look what we found… Smoked Kielbasa. We’re always on the hunt for new and exciting products for our guests and friends. We spoke with Pete, the owner, last week—he is gracious and incredibly dedicated to making the finest handmade artisanal sausage and charcuterie using fresh locally sourced ingredients and traditional recipes. Less than 15 minutes from us, his products are available in many of the farmers markets in the area—Dorset and Manchester are the closest. We’ll be talking more about new breakfast additions in the weeks ahead…
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Brookfield Floating Bridge • Brookfield, Vermont |
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Summer Destination & Beautiful Summer Photo…
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Definitely off the beaten path, The Brookfield Floating Bridge or The Sunset Lake Floating Bridge is a bridge that carries Vermont Route 65 across Sunset Lake. The floating bridge is a 318' pontoon bridge that was originally built in 1820, and has been rebuilt eight times since… and, is one of only two floating bridges in the United States. Last time we were here was for the Annual Brookfield Ice Harvest. It's a few hours from Pond Mountain Inn, but well worth the drive, only if you're combining the trip with other activities. We can’t wait to return this summer!
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The Smithsonian of New England... Shelburne Museum
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Our #1 Vermont Destination...
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The most magnificent property in Vermont—this New England village-like setting of historic buildings and landscapes hosts a world-class collection of over 100,000 American artifacts. Often referred to as “New England’s Smithsonian”, it comprises the finest collection of American art, history and design in the United States. The art collection includes Rembrandt, Degas, Monet, Manet and Cassatt. The “Round Barn" and foundational stonework is alone worth the visit. You'll need 4-5 hours to see everything, and you'll be fully engaged the entire time... thirty-nine distinct structures on forty-five acres, each filled with beautiful, fascinating, and whimsical objects.
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Fort Ticonderoga & Mount Defiance |
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Our #2 Favorite Destination...
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Fort Ticonderoga is a major cultural destination, museum, historic site, and center for learning. With nearly 2,000 acres of exquisite landscape located on Lake Champlain that overlooks the Green Mountains of Vermont, it's an experience that will have you returning year after year...
It’s a visit through the reconstructed fort, a stroll overlooking Lake Champlain and the Green Mountains of Vermont. Off-shore, enjoy a 75-minute scenic boat cruise aboard the Carillon. Learn about Lake Champlain’s centuries of stirring maritime and military heritage. Sonar readings allow you to see underwater shipwrecks and other historic features. And, the King’s Garden should not be missed! (Abbreviated content taken from the Fort’s website.)
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#3 Saratoga Springs, New York |
Saratoga isn’t just about horse racing… If you ask someone who’s spent a lifetime in the northeast, they’ll tell you one of the Top Ten Places to visit in the summertime is Saratoga Springs, or simply – Saratoga. Saratoga Springs received the Great American Main Street Award (1996)—one of only 55 cities honored since 1998. American Heritage magazine conferred the Great American Place Award. See all the other reasons why Saratoga may be our best day trip.
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#4 Hildene, The Lincoln Family Home |
First, the peonies in the formal garden should now be in full bloom this week! Robert and Mary Lincoln built Hildene as a summer home at the turn of the 20th century. Robert first visited Manchester as a young man in the summer of 1864, some forty years later he returned to purchase nearly 412 acres of land to build what he would call his ancestral home. At the time, Robert was president of the Pullman Company, the largest manufacturing corporation in the country.
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Upcoming Events & Insightful Features |
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#5 The Clark Art Institute
Edvard Munch Exhibition: Trembling Earth
June 10 – October 15, 2023
The Norwegian artist Edvard Munch (1863-1944) is best known for his vivid depictions of love, anxiety, and death. Raised in a strict religious household, one impacted by the early loss of his mother and sister, Munch once poetically stated "sickness, insanity, and death were the black angels that guarded my cradle." One of the most impressive museums in the northeast where Renoir, Rodin, Monet, Gauguin, Pissarro, and more all come alive at The Clark.
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#6 The Coolidge Homestead
There’s just something very special about this place—the historic village of Plymouth Notch largely appears much as it was during Coolidge’s lifetime. The homes of the Coolidge family, their relatives, and friends edge the small village green, joined by the 1840 church, 1890 school house and cheese factory, pre-1835 store with post office and dance hall, and historic agricultural structures and barns. The bucolic image is completed by the 1924 Summer White House office and the tourists’ cabins constructed in 1927 for the first of many visitors.
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#7 & #8 are in Woodstock, Vermont
Woodstock is another great day trip destination. #7 Billings Farm and Museum is the gateway for interpreting Vermont’s rural culture and agrarian heritage offering diverse, interactive programs that focus on rural life, work, and land stewardship as reflected in the traditions and values of 19th century farm families. The Museum features the farm of the historic Billings estate and serves as the agricultural counterpart to #8 Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park across the street. Do not miss the thirty-minute historical movie.
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Enjoy the pleasantly languid start to each day, then let adventures still unwritten take you further…
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Check Availability
802.325.2829
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Pond Mountain Inn Bed and Breakfast
1955 Saw Mill Hill Road, Wells, Vermont 05774
802.325.2829
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