St. Paul, MN to VT in early October
My parents have decided to take a 10-day road trip to Vermont. They live near St. Paul, MN. I would like to give them ideas on where to go, where to stay, and what to do.
They know they want to end in VT but no idea what town. They'd like to see the best the state (road trip) has to offer for fall colors. They plan to leave in early October. Perhaps, this is too late?
They enjoy gambling but vow they are going to stay out of the casinos. I think a visit for one day is more realistic, if there are any en route. They enjoy thrift sales, auctions, flea markets, and antiques. They like animals and visit zoos gladly. Theyre not too big on "culture" -theater, museums, etc. My dad likes watching sports, esp. football, baseball, and NASCAR. My mom likes crafts. They hate big cities, esp. driving in them. I'm just not sure what else they like to do.
They are older (mid 60s), diabetic, overweight, and out-of-shape.
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Do you have a better suggestion for their time frame as to where to go - NOT West. They've "been there, done that".
Getting There (and Back) Will Be (More Than) Half the Fun
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With only 10 days to get to Vermont and back, this trip is going to be mostly about the road, not Vermont. So more on that in a moment. I would suggest that they aim for almost anywhere in the Burlington to Montpelier area. That will put them within easy range of both the Green Mountains and Lake Champlain. Some of my favorite 'attractions' in the area include Ben and Jerry's, the von Trapp Family resort in Stowe, Smuggler's Notch, Hope Cemetery in Barre (yes, a cemetery!), Shelburne Farm, Pearl Street in Burlington, the ferry across Lake Champlain and back, and of course the fall foliage and the covered bridges.
Now, as I mentioned, your folks will actually be spending most of their time on the road rather than in Vermont and so they should make the most of that journey. Along the way there's the museums of Chicago, Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Niagara Falls, the Erie Canal, and Adirondack Park just for starters. They might also want to consider, if their passports are in order going through Canada on either the drive out or back and seeing such sights as Montréal, Ottawa, Algonquin Provincial Park, the Soo locks, and the UP.
AZBuck
