Group Tours VT

Join Fort Ticonderoga on a Western New England Gardens Tour

2012-05-08T09:56:00.001-04:00

(Ticonderoga, NY) Famous estates, historic landscape gardens, a botanic garden and perennial nursery will be highlighted on a two-day, all-inclusive coach bus tour that begins at the historic King’s Garden then travels to western Vermont and Massachusetts, July 23-24, 2012. Fort Ticonderoga has partnered with Dr. Leonard Perry of UVM Extension and Charlie Nardozzi, a nationally known horticulturalist, author, gardening consultant and garden coach for this one of a kind experience. Participants will have the chance to network with and get to know other gardeners, find inspiration at superb gardens and have questions answered by expert tour hosts!

Passengers may depart from the Horticulture Research Center in South Burlington or from Fort Ticonderoga following a guided tour of the Fort’s gardens. While the vegetable garden is evocative of the military gardens of the 18^th century, the beautiful walled King’s Garden of perennials and annuals dates from famous designer Marian Coffin in the 1920s.

Additional stops include Robert Todd Lincoln’s Georgian Revival mansion, including a presentation on their famous peony collection, a guided tour of Edith Wharton’s gardens at the former home of the famous writer, the stunning gardens of a “quintessential country cottage of the Gilded Age” at Stockbridge’s Naumkeag, the popular Berkshire Botanic Garden, and finally scenic Equinox Valley Nursery for a chance to shop for unique and unusual plant selections.

Reservations are accepted through June 30 or until all seats are filled. Travelers registering before June 1 save $30. For more information on tour details contact co-host Heidi teRiele Karkoski, Curator of Landscape, at Heidi@fort-ticonderoga.org, 518-585-2821. A complete tour description and registration form is available on our website http://www.fortticonderoga.org/.

About the King’s Garden

The beautiful King’s Garden, one of North America’s oldest gardens and the largest public garden in the Adirondack-Lake Champlain region was originally designed in 1921 by leading landscape architect Marian Coffin. The formal elements – a reflecting pool, manicured lawn and hedges, and brick walls and walkways – are softened by a profusion of annuals and perennials, carefully arranged by color and form. Heirloom flowers and modern cultivars are used to recreate the historic planting scheme. Visitor favorites include the lavender border, towering hollyhocks, bearded irises, dinner plate dahlias and many types of phlox.

Outside of the nine-foot brick walls of the colonial revival King’s Garden, the Discovery Gardens include a children’s garden, military vegetable garden, and Three Sisters Garden. The restored Lord and Burnham greenhouse, charming gazebo, sweeping lawns and shady picnic spots invite visitors to explore the landscape at one of

America

’s oldest gardens dating to the French occupation of the Fort in the mid-18^th century.

The King’s Garden is open this year from June 1 through October 8, and is included in Fort Ticonderoga’s general admission.

FORT TICONDEROGA

America’s Fort

Located on Lake Champlain in the beautiful 6 million acre Adirondack Park, Fort Ticonderoga is a private not-for-profit historic site and museum that ensures that present and future generations learn from the struggles, sacrifices, and victories that shaped the nations of North America and changed world history. Accredited by the American Association of Museums, Fort Ticonderoga offers programs, historic interpretation, tours, demonstrations and exhibits throughout the year and is open for daily visitation May 18 through October 18, 2012. A full schedule and information on events can be found at https://mail.fort-ticonderoga.org/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=https://mail.fort-ticonderoga.org/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.fort-ticonderoga.org/ or phone (518) 585-2821. Fort Ticonderoga is located at

100 Fort Ti Road Ticonderoga, New York

Photo: Fort Ticonderoga’s Kings Garden

Group tours - Visit and be involved in bringing the garden displays to life at the King's Garden at Fort Ticonderoga

2012-04-26T14:34:00.003-04:00

Fort Ticonderoga’s King’s Garden Annual Spring Plant Sale Planned for May 19th

(Ticonderoga, NY) Just in time for spring planting, the King’s Garden will hold its annual pre-season plant sale, Saturday, May 19, from 10 am – 2 pm. Enjoy the first blooms of the season while browsing the many perennials available within the garden walls. Sharing perennials with gardening friends allows us to rejuvenate our plantings and make room for new varieties. Staff and volunteers will be on-hand to answer questions and dig your selections. There is no admission charge to attend the plant sale and visitors are encouraged to bring their own bags, boxes or bins.

Local growers and nurserymen will be on hand offering premium potted annuals, hanging baskets, shade-loving perennials, and vegetables, including many varieties of heirloom tomatoes. New this year is a large selection of herbs to round out your flower or vegetable gardens or choose mixed herb pots that are ready to go! Also new is the opportunity to purchase shrubs including blueberries and raspberries for edible landscaping. These expert growers will offer advice on selection, planting and care.

Nearly 5,000 plants are installed in the King’s Garden in late May and early June. If you would like to take part in bringing the garden displays to life, volunteer forms are available at the sale. Hours are flexible for volunteers and instruction is given.

About the King’s Garden

The walled King’s Garden was originally designed in 1921 by leading landscape architect Marian Coffin. The formal elements – a reflecting pool, manicured lawn and hedges, and brick walls and walkways – are softened by a profusion of annuals and perennials, carefully arranged by color and form. Heirloom flowers and modern cultivars are used to recreate the historic planting scheme. Visitor favorites include the lavender border, towering hollyhocks, bearded irises, dinner plate dahlias and many types of phlox.

America

’s oldest gardens dating to the French occupation of the Fort in the mid-18^th century.

The King’s Garden is open June 1 – Columbus Day, October 8, from 9:30 am to 5:00 pm. Admission to the King’s Garden is included in Fort Ticonderoga’s General Admission price.

For information about informative and hands-on 2012 King’s Garden programs visit http://www.fortticonderoga.org/visit/gardens/kings-garden-programs or call the Fort Ticonderoga offices at 518-585-2821.

FORT TICONDEROGA America’s Fort

Fort Ticonderoga welcomes groups and motorcoach tours:

A full schedule and information on events can be found at https://mail.fort-ticonderoga.org/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=https://mail.fort-ticonderoga.org/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.fort-ticonderoga.org/ or phone (518) 585-2821. Fort Ticonderoga is located at

100 Fort Ti Road Ticonderoga, New York

Photo: Gardeners select locally grown heirloom tomatoes at the King’s Garden Plant Sale. Photo courtesy of Fort Ticonderoga.

Group Tours - Experience the blockbuster exhibit OUR BODY: The Universe Within, Burlington, Vermont

2012-04-10T09:46:00.002-04:00

BURLINGTON, VT — ECHO Lake Aquarium and Science Center, at the Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, has gone through a transformation over the past few months, the results of which the public will be able to enjoy with the opening of the blockbuster exhibit, OUR BODY: The Universe within.

Our Body: The Universe Within is an exceptional exhibit of actual human specimens revealing the fascinating make-up of the human body by focusing on six systems: 1) Musculoskeletal 2) Head and Nervous, 3) Cardiovascular, 4) Urinary/Reproductive, 5) Digestive, 6) Respiratory. There will also be a prenatal exhibit component. Extensive information about the exhibit including videos created by the exhibit partners at the UVM College of medicine can be found at the exhibit website: www.echovermont.org/ourbody.

Using actual human specimens (full body specimens and organs), that have undergone a process known as plastination, the exhibit literally “gets under the skin” and reveals the fascinating scientific and biological systems of the human body and how they interrelate. “This exhibit has never been in a market as small as Burlington”, says ECHO Executive Director Phelan Fretz, “and now with our new expanded exhibit and programming space, we are delighted to be able to host such an exhibit and present this educational opportunity to the greater Vermont public”.

OUR BODY is presented in cooperation with the University of Vermont College of Medicine. They have been providing medical expertise during this planning phase and will continue to provide special educational programming for both the student population (middle and high school) and for adult visitors during the ECHO After Dark evening events (six successive Thursday evenings beginning April 19) and during days throughout the run of the exhibit. Some of the display cases will have information provided by the experts at UVM College of Medicine to draw attention to the research and development the college is engaged in.

Our Body: The Universe Within is sponsored by the UVM College of Medicine, Revision, and Dealer.com. Media sponsors are Free Press Media, Hall Radio group and WPTZ.News Channel Five.

For more information call (toll-free) 1.877.324.6386 or visit www.echovermont.org/ourbody.

****************

ECHO Lake Aquarium and Science Center is located at the Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, on Vermont’s Burlington Waterfront. ECHO features 70 live species, more than 100 interactive experiences, changing and permanent exhibits and seasonal events — all exploring the Ecology, Culture, History, and Opportunity for stewardship of the Lake Champlain Basin. The 2.2 acre Leahy Center environmental campus is also highlighted by the Lake Champlain Basin Program Resource Room, UVM’s Rubenstein Ecosystem Science Laboratory, Lake Champlain Navy Memorial, ECHO’s Eclectic Gift Shop, and ecology-themed café featuring food prepared by Sugarsnap. Open year-round, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; closed Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve & Day.

ECHO Lake Aquarium and Science Center welcomes group tours. Contact groups@echovermont.org to make your reservation to visit.

For more information visit echovermont.org, call (toll-free) 1.877.324.6386, or write to ECHO Lake Aquarium and Science Center, Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, One College Street, Burlington, VT 05401.

Group tours - Try Cabot's award winning cheddar! Waterbury, Quechee and Cabot Vermont

2012-03-22T10:38:00.000-04:00

Cabot® Vermont Cheddar Named ‘World’s Best’

Cabot 50% Reduced Fat Cheddar Also Earns Bragging Rights at 29th biennial World Championship Cheese Contest

Cabot, VT (March 9, 2012) - The results of the 2012 World Championships are in and the farm family owners of Cabot Creamery Cooperative are smiling proudly. Cabot Vintage Choice Cheddar, one of the cooperative’s signature Vermont cheeses, was named “World’s Best” at this year’s 29^th biennial World Championship Cheese Contest held March 5-7 in Madison, Wisconsin.
Cabot’s Vintage Choice entry in the “Cheddar Aged Two Years or Longer” class captured the gold medal on Tuesday, and then went head-to-head with the other 82 gold medal winners to emerge as one of the 16 cheeses judged best in the world this year.
This year’s competition featured a record of 2,503 entries in 83 cheese and butter classes. An international panel of 40 expert judges from 17 nations and 10 U.S. states evaluated the entries during the three-day competition. The entries came from two-dozen countries from Argentina to New Zealand, as well as from thirty U.S. states and six Canadian provinces.
Cabot’s 50% Reduced Fat Cheddar earned a 3^rd place ribbon behind two Dutch cheeses, establishing it as the “Best Reduced Fat Cheese in the U.S.” Because the Dutch Cheeses were not cheddars, Cabot also lays claim to the title of ‘Best Reduced Fat Cheddar in the World.”
In addition to Cabot’s “Best in the World” results, several other Cabot products also performed well en route to four total ribbons. Cabot Cottage Cheese won a 3^rd place ribbon. In a dominating Aged Cheddar performance, Cabot took both 1^st and 3^rd place in the “Cheddar Aged Two Years or Longer” category and had two entries in the Top Ten in the “Cheddar Aged One to Two Years” class. Rounding out the amazing run, Cabot 83 European-style Unsalted Butter, Cabot Garlic & Herb Cheddar and Cabot Clothbound Cheddar all finished in the Top 10 in their respective classes - one of the strongest overall showings in the cooperative’s 93-year history.

Cabot Vintage Choice Named World’s Best Cheddar – 2
“We’re thrilled to be recognized again as makers of the “World’s Best Cheddar,” says Cabot CEO, Dr. Richard Stammer. “The results of this year’s World Championship Cheese Contest clearly show the breadth of quality and craftsmanship that goes into all our products, and is a testament to the hard work and care that our farm family owners and our master cheese makers put forth to make Cabot products the best in the world.”
Several friends of Cabot performed well at the World Championships. Sister brand McCadam Cheese’s Medium Cheddar posted a Top 10 showing. Agri-Mark members Doug and Deb Erb of Landaff Creamery in Landaff, NH, won a 3^rd place ribbon for their eponymous Landaff cheese in the “Open Class Semi-Soft Cheeses” category. This cheese, like the Cabot Clothbound Cheddar, is a collaborative effort with The Cellars at Jasper Hill in Greensboro, Vt. Jasper Hill won a blue ribbon for their new Harbison cheese in the “Open Class Soft Cheese” category.
Historically closed to industry outsiders, the World Championship Cheese Contest has grown in recent years to become a “must-see”, ticketed event for cheese lovers the world over. This year’s contest sold out almost immediately as 400 ticket holders not only witnessed the competition, they were able to sample this year’s best 16 cheeses, including Cabot Vintage Choice cheddar, while mingling with attendees and the international panel of judges.
The World Championship Cheese contest is hosted by the non-profit Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association with assistance from dozens of industry volunteers. Since its inception in 1957, the contest has grown rapidly and is now the largest international cheese and butter competition in the world.

2012 World Championship Cheese Contest Highlights

Cabot Award Winners

Cheddar, Aged Two Years or Longer
Cabot Vintage Choice Cheddar
Best of Class (99.10 out of 100 possible points)
Also, 3^rd Place Award

Reduced Fat Hard Cheeses
Cabot 50% Reduced Fat Cheddar
3^rd Place Award

Cottage Cheese
Cabot Vermont Style Cottage Cheese
3^rd Place Award

Cabot Vintage Choice Named World’s Best Cheddar – 3

Additional Cabot Top Ten Finishes

Cheddar Aged One to Two Years
Cabot Reserve Aged Cheddar
Cabot Seriously Sharp Cheddar

Cheddar, Sharp (6 months to 1 year)
Cabot Sharp Cheddar

Flavored Hard Cheeses
Cabot Garlic & Herb Cheddar

Bandaged Cheddar, Sharp To Aged
Cabot Clothbound Cheddar

Unsalted Butter
Cabot 83 European-style Unsalted Butter

ABOUT CABOT CREAMERY COOPERATIVE
Cabot Creamery Cooperative has been in continuous operation in Vermont since 1919, and makes a full line of cheeses, yogurt, sour cream, cottage cheese and butter. Widely known as makers of “The World’s Best Cheddar,” Cabot is owned by the 1250 dairy farm families of Agri-Mark, the Northeast’s premier dairy cooperative, with farms located throughout New England and upstate New York. For more information on Cabot, visit: http://www.cabotcheese.coop

Group tours are welcome!
The Vermont Annex: 2657 Waterbury-Stowe Rd (Rt 100), Waterbury Center, VT 05677
annex@cabotcheese.coop, http://www.cabotannex.com/
Cabot Creamery at Cabot Visitors Center: Route 215, 2878 Main St., Cabot, VT 05647
vctr@cabotcheese.coop, http://www.cabotcheese.com/
Cabot Queechee Store at Quechee Gorge Village: Route 4, Quechee, VT 05059
quechee@cabotcheese.coop, http://www.quecheegorge.com/

TRAVEL -- REAL AND IMAGINED – THEMES FOR SHELBURNE MUSEUM 2012 SEASON

2012-03-15T13:49:00.001-04:00

SHELBURNE, VT (March 15, 2012) – Travel, whether real or imagined, is a theme that figures into several new exhibits at Shelburne Museum for the upcoming season, which opens on May 13.

Time Machines: Robots, Rockets, and Steampunk sets the tone with a fanciful exploration of visions of the future. The exhibit explores the Golden Age of sci-fi, the 1930s-1950s, when travel into space happened only within the realm of the imagination. Characters like Flash Gordon conquered the universe, and robots, space stations and rockets entertained us with the possibilities promised by science. The exhibit also includes an exploration of steampunk, the contemporary neo-Victorian trend that melds a 19^th century aesthetic with 21^st century technology to create gadgets, costumes and gear that evokes the past, but mashes it up with the future.

Time Machines opens on June 16 and runs through October 28.

Travel over snow is the theme of a new exhibit of vintage and contemporary snowmobiles entitled Snow Mobiles: Sleighs to Sleds. The exhibit showcases snowmobiles from the early experimental days of motorized snow travel, when snowmobiles were mostly conceived as work vehicles, to the heyday of recreational riding in the late 60s and 70s through today’s high-powered racing sleds. Many of the sleds are on loan from pioneering members of the Vermont Association of Snow Travelers, the group who established an extensive statewide trail system. Also on exhibit are the vehicles that predated snowmobiles – horse-drawn sleighs from the museum’s permanent collection. Snow Mobiles is open May 13 through October 28.

From travel to exotic places to the use of novelty such as trompe l’oeil, How Extraordinary! Travel, Novelty, and Time in the Permanent Collection explores the world of travel and imagination in 18^th and 19^th century American and European paintings and prints. Included is the Rip van Winkle series by Albertus del Orient Browere, executed around 1880, which explores time travel. Seal and Polar Bear, an unsettling depiction of an attacking bear, by Charles S. Raleigh, is one example of several in the exhibit that conjures places or scenes the artist has not witnessed but imagines. On view June 16 through October 28.

Other exhibit highlights for 2012 season include (all on view May 13-October 28):

Man-Made Quilts: Civil War to the Present. Quilts made by leading contemporary male quilters alongside early works, including a quilt made by a Civil War soldier recuperating from injury. Includes innovative approaches to the traditional form – digital quilts, sculptures of quilts and even a motorized quilt are among the works on exhibit.

Elizabeth Berdann: Deep End. Contemporary artist Elizabeth Berdann paints emotionally touching portraits of mythological sea creatures in her latest series of miniature watercolors on prehistoric mammoth and pre-ban ivory.

Circus Elephants. Burlington, Vermont-based sculptor Kat Clear was commissioned to create the museum’s first exhibition of outdoor sculpture. She will create a parade of elephants – nearly life size – extending from the 1901 Round Barn to Circus Building, where the museum’s popular collection of miniature circus figures is on view. The three elephant sculptures will be made entirely of recycled metal forms such as heating fuel tanks, wheelbarrows, trivets, and more.

The Alphabet of Sheep by Patty Yoder. Hooked rugs by acclaimed contemporary rug hooker Patty Yoder (1943-2005) from her masterpiece series The Alphabet of Sheep that celebrates family and the beloved sheep raised on the family’s Black House Farm in Vermont. The exhibit is the first to be on view in a new gallery devoted to hooked rugs in Hat & Fragrance Textile Gallery.

Lock, Stock and Barrel: The Terry Tyler Collection of Vermont Firearms. Held over a second season due to its popularity, a rare collection of 107 Vermont firearms made from 1790 through 1900. Hunting rifles, target rifles, pistols and military guns.

About Shelburne Museum: Shelburne Museum in Shelburne, Vermont is one of North America’s finest, most diverse and unconventional museums of art, design and Americana. Over 150,000 works are exhibited in a remarkable setting of 37 exhibition buildings, 25 of which are historic and were relocated to the museum grounds. The museum’s collection includes works by the great Impressionists Claude Monet, Edouard Manet and Edgar Degas as well as a prized collection of folk art including trade signs, weathervanes and quilts. Shelburne Museum is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday from May 13 through October 28. On Thursdays from June 21 through August 9, the museum is open until 7:30 p.m. Admission is $20 adults, $10 children. Vermont residents are $10 for adults and $5 for children.

In 2013 Shelburne Museum will open a new center for art and education with space for galleries, a classroom and auditorium that will open the museum year-round for the first time. For more information please visit: www.shelburnemuseum.org

IMAGES ARE AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD IN PRESS ROOM AT: www.shelburnemuseum.org

Caption for image above: Flash Gordon Jigsaw Puzzle, 1951, Milton Bradley, United States, anonymous lender. Image courtesy Shelburne Museum.

Shelburne Museum welcomes motorcoach and group travel.

6000 Shelburne Rd, Shelburne, VT 05482

Dates of Operation: Mid-May-October: Monday-Saturday 10am-5pm; Sundays 12-5pm

Group Policy: For group rates and private tours, see information below.

Group Tour contact: Bruce Andrews, Group Sales Manager, 802-985-3348 x3389; bandrews@shelburnmuseum.org

Vermont Quilt Festival - Plan for your group tour visit to this ABA Top 100 Event for 2012

2012-03-06T11:21:00.000-05:00

Vermont Quilt Festival
June 29-July 1, 2012, July 28 evening.
Location:
Champlain Valley Expo, Essex Junction VT

New England's largest and oldest quilt event showcases more than 400 contemporary and antique quilts that offer visitors a visual feast of color and design.

Festivities include the popular Champagne and Chocolate preview on Thursday evening, lectures, free gallery talks and vendor demonstrations, and fabulous classes with renowned teachers. Shop the bustling merchants mall, bring your quilt to be appraised, and experience Vermont's best during Festival days!

Group policy and rates: Tour groups are encourage to contact the festival office in advance to make arrangements. Air-conditioned, free and convenient parking and handicapped accessible.

General Admission: $12; seniors and group rate (25 or more) $10; children under 14 free. Driver and group leader complimentary.

Contact: Vermont Quilt Festival, 802-872-0034. info@vqf.org, http://www.vqf.org/

Group tours sit down to home-cooked meals at The Vermont Country Store, Weston

2012-03-06T11:04:00.000-05:00

Food that's simple, home-cooked and downright delicious - The Bryant House Restaurant & Mildred's Dairy Bar at the Vermont Country Store, Weston, Vermont.

Satisfy those hunger pangs at our restaurant and dairy bar, located next door to the Vermont Country Store in Weston. Enjoy a sit-down meal of uncommonly delicious comfort food in The Bryant House's charming 1827 eating rooms and 1875 tavern. Vermont's own Wilcox ice cream and creemees along with made-to-order burgers, hot dogs and more await you at the outdoor window of Mildred's Dairy Bar, named for Mildred Ellen Orton, co-founder of The Vermont Country Store.

Dates of Operation: The Bryant House Restaurant, Open 7 days; hours subject to change seasonally. Closed Thanksgiving and Christmas. Mildred's Dairy Bar, Open 7 days, Summer-Fall

Group Policy and Rates: Groups welcome anytime; reservations for The Bryant House required. Ample motorcoach parking in The Vermont Country Store parking lot.

Contact: The Bryant House (802) 824-6287 Vermont Country Store - The Bryant House

New Vermont tour ideas for Motorcoach/Group Tours

2012-01-26T12:15:00.000-05:00

You'll find contact & group information for these businesses on this website. For a printed Tour Manual, to plan your group tour to Vermont, contact Karen Ballard, kballard@vtchamber.com

Bennington Museum (Bennington) NEW for 2012. 11 galleries, extensive Grandma Moses and one of the oldest "stars and stripes in existence. Southern Vermont, http://www.benningtonmusem.org/

Brattleboro Downtown District NEW for 2012. Lively downtown. National Historic District. Flourishing arts community. http://www.brattleborovt.org/

Burlington Farmers' Market (Burlington) NEW for 2012. Visit this fun and festive market on Saturdays year round and shop directly from Vermont farmers and artisans. Northern Vermont, http://www.burlingtonfarmersmarket.org/

Champlain Orchards (Shoreham) is now making ice cider and hard cider which is available at the Farm Market. Central Vermont, http://www.champlainorchards.com/

Commodores Inn (Stowe) NEW for 2012 holds model sailboat regattas weekly on their 3 1/2 acre lake. Northern Vermont, http://www.commodoresinn.com/

Cortina Inn (Killington) NEW for 2012 a resort for all seasons located in Rutland/Killington, close proximity to Killington/Pico ski areas, Woodstock and centrally located to many activities and attractions, http://www.cortinainn.com/

Champlain Valley Fair (Essex) is a 2012 Vermont Top 10 Summer/Fall Event. Northern Vermont, http://www.cvexpo.com/

Farm Way (Bradford) has added a wrap around porch to their Carriage Shed for customers to kick back and lounge. Central Vermont, http://www.vermontgear.com/

Fort Ticonderoga (Ticonderoga, NY) was named by US Travel News as #2 Best Things to Do" in the region and is just a short ferry ride or drive from Vermont. http://www.fort-ticonderoga.org/

Grafton Inn (Grafton) NEW - The perfect stop for lunches, special events, a visit to the Village, or overnight at the Inn. http://www.graftoninnvermont.com/

Green Mountain Coffee Roasters Visitors Center (Waterbury) is newly designed with a bright new look. http://www.waterburystation.com/

Hildene, The Lincoln Family Home's (Manchester) new exhibit houses a restored 1903 Pullman Car, Sunbeam, a special piece of rail history. http://www.hildene.org/

Holiday Inn Express, Springfield has installed a convenient waste removal connection station. http://www.vermonthi.com/

Johnson Woolen Mills (Johnson) NEW for 2012. World renowned woolen clothing company still makes the same popular items that have been bestsellers for nearly 50 years. http://www.johnsonwoolenmills.com/

Morse Farm's (Montpelier) newest sculpture is a granite "Very Important Cow" named Ilene, honoring Vermont Family Farms at their popular destination. http://www.morsefarm.com/

National Museum of the Morgan Horse (Middlebury) NEW , the art and history of the Morgan Horse and just minutes from the UVM Morgan Horse Farm. http://www.morganmuseum.org/

Award-winning Northshire Bookstore (Manchester) NEW - Beyond the Best in Books. http://www.northshire.com/

Okemo Mountain Resort (Ludlow) opened the Timber Ripper mountain coaster. http://www.okemo.com/

President Coolidge State Historic Site (Plymouth) will offer a major interactive multimedia exhibit in 2012. www.HistoricVermont.org/coolidge

Quechee Gorge Village (Quechee) welcomes Vermont Spirits distillery and tasting room. http://www.quecheegorge.com/

Quechee Hot Air Balloon, Crafts and Music Festival (Quechee) is an ABA Top 100 event for 2012. June 15-17 2012. http://www.quecheeballoonfestival.com/

Rock of Ages (Barre) popular Sandblast Activity now includes creating a granite wall plaque. http://www.tours.rockofages.com/

Shires of Vermont 17th Annual Garlic & Herb Festival (Bennington) is a 2012 Vermont Top 10 Summer/Fall Event. September 1-2, 2012. http://www.bennington.com/

Timbers Restaurant (Warren/Sugarbush) NEW - Summer on Mountain, slopeside dining at Lincoln Peak, Sugarbush Resort. Featuring seasonal, local and organic ingredients. http://www.sugarbush.com/

Southern Vermont Natural History Museum (Marlboro) NEW . One of the largest collections of natural history exhibits of birds in the northeast. http://www.vermontmuseum.org/

Vermont Artisan Designs (Brattleboro) NEW - Fine art and Contemporary American Craft in Brattleboro. http://www.buyvermontart.com/

Vermont Quilt Festival (Essex Junction) is an ABA Top 100 Event for 2012. June 29-July 1, 2012. http://www.vqf.org/

Vermont State House (Montpelier) NEW - Visit one of our nation's oldest and best-preserved state capitols. History, art and commanding the landscape of Montpelier, the smallest capital city in America. http://www.vtstatehouse.org/

New Vermont Tour Planning Manual available

2012-01-23T13:22:00.000-05:00

Tour Planners and Group Leaders - The Vermont Tourism Network 2012 Packaged Tour Manual is a one-stop resource for planning your tours to Vermont! Get your copy today!

Motorcoach and group friendly businesses throughout Vermont are showcased in this resource, so you can easily enhance your itineraries with quality and memorable destinations.

The Tour Manual is separated into regions - North, Central & South. You'll find Attractions; Farm, Garden & Agricultural; Lodging; Restaurants; Shopping; Events; Historic Sites and so much more. Most important, all of the businesses featured in this publication are group tour friendly and very excited to show your clients a truly unique Vermont experience.

All of the tour components of the manual are also showcased on this website - VermontTourismNetwork.com

If you would like more information contact: Karen Ballard, kballard@vtchamber.com, 802-262-2129

The Vermont Tourism Network is a program of the Vermont Chamber of Commerce.

“Fort Fever Series” - Discover Fort Ticonderoga's landscape

2012-01-12T15:39:00.000-05:00

(Ticonderoga, NY) Winter is a great time to get outside, explore and learn at Fort Ticonderoga, America’s Fort! Join Fort Ticonderoga in the Fort Fever Series scheduled for February 12, March 25, and April 22.

The Fort Fever Series is one of several new education initiatives at Fort Ticonderoga in 2012! You can learn more about these new programs, including the Material Matters Seminar, the Garden & Landscape Symposium, and the Conference on Lake George and Lake Champlain, by visiting the Fort’s website at http://www.fort-ticonderoga.org/ and selecting the “Explore and Learn” button.

FORT TICONDEROGA

America’s Fort

Located on Lake Champlain in the beautiful 6 million acre Adirondack Park, Fort Ticonderoga is a private not-for-profit historic site and museum that ensures that present and future generations learn from the struggles, sacrifices, and victories that shaped the nations of North America and changed world history. Accredited by the American Association of Museums, Fort Ticonderoga offers programs, historic interpretation, tours, demonstrations and exhibits throughout the year and is open for daily visitation May through October. A full schedule and information on events can be found at https://mail.fort-ticonderoga.org/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=https://mail.fort-ticonderoga.org/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.fort-ticonderoga.org/ or phone (518) 585-2821. Fort Ticonderoga is located at

100 Fort Ti Road Ticonderoga, New York

Photo: Fort Ticonderoga’s “Fort Fever Series” begins January 22 with a Winter Landscape Snowshoe Trek.

Stowe, Vermont featured in Everyday with Rachael Ray magazine

2012-01-05T09:16:00.000-05:00

Stowe, VT and VTN member Stowe Mountain Resort and the Cliff House Restaurant are featured in the "Stolen Weekend, Sun or Snow" article in January/February 2012 edition of Everyday with Rachael Ray magazine.

"Stomp in the Snow" in Stowe, VT. Trek through the Vermont woods at Mount Mansfield. Snowshoe at Stowe Mountain Resort. Sip a bowl of curried maple butternut soup at the Cliff House, the timber-lodge restaurant that sits on the shoulder of Mount Mansfield.

Groups are welcome at Stowe Mountain Resort -- Inn at the Mountain and Cliff House Restaurant.
For more information contact Hospitality Sales at 800-253-4754. Stowe Mountain Resort, 5781 Mountain Rd, Stowe, VT 05672. http://www.stowe.com/

Welcome to Group Tours VT

2011-11-18T10:33:00.000-05:00

Attention Group Tour operators, this is the place for the most current news, announcements, events and happenings at Vermont's motorcoach and group friendly businesses. Please visit often and Welcome to Vermont!