Tomgirl’s Picks of the Week: March 9, 2010

Maybe it's the onset of spring (at last!) here in New England, but we're in a Vermont state of mind this week...

People and Places

Shelburne Farms is a scenic celebration of both agriculture and New England’s history. A working farm and National Historic Landmark, this gorgeous spot with a mission: to cultivate a conservation ethic. The center includes walking trails, a children’s farmyard, an inn, a restaurant, and, of course, working farmhouse.

Northern Lights Rock and Ice at the Essex (home base for our Green Mountains Escape), is a great spot to challenge yourself and have a blast. Features include and outdoor rock and ice climbing walls and rock climbing pinnacle and dual 450 ft zip wires. Best of all, they have adventure activities for any fitness (or courage!) level.

Media

The Adventure Life gorgeous, fabulous site featuring gear, photos, destination information, and even the weather! An informative must-read for the adventure junkie.

Vagabondish "The Travelzine for Today’s Vagabond". From what to pack and what to read, to gorgeous photos and travel news. Love!

From Tomgirl Tours

If our people and places have you, like us, aching for the next trip to Vermont, join us for an upcoming Green Mountains Escape getaway. We have four dates for this tour in 2010, the next being May 2-5. Hope to see you then!

It's Official! Tomgirl Has a New Tour Package for 2010: Gorgeous Vermont!

As I’m sure you could tell from all our posts about the trip to Vermont, we absolutely loved the Essex resort, the area, and, especially, the adventure experiences. So, I’m happy to announce that Tomgirl Tours has officially included a Green Mountains Getaway to our 2010 menu of tours (check out our website for details on this and all our 2009 and 2010 tours)! We hope you’ll join us for the ropes course, the zip-line, the hot air ballooning, the Segway experience, the phenomenal New England scenery and, of course (this is a Tomgirl tour, afterall!): the amazing culinary experiences, top-flight spa pampering, and immersion into the local culture. Speaking of those last items, here’s a few photos from our trip last week—both of the incredible spa at the Essex and of the postcard-perfect villages and countryside in the area.

First, the spa at the Essex: the décor sets the immediate tone for this relaxing and luxurious environment, providing the perfect end to a perfect few adventure-filled days at the Essex. The colors, the aromas of the incredible products and relaxing music put me into the right frame of mind for a great signature massage... My only complaint? That the 80 minutes flew by like 10! (I definitely plan to spend more time in the spa during my next trip!)

Now onto the other gems we discovered (and will share with our Tomgirl guests on the Green Mountain Getaway tours): Shelburne Farm, a beautiful and historic former Vanderbilt estate, is situated on Lake Champlain and serves as the home of our wine and cheese tastings during the Green Mountain Getaway tours in 2010.

Finally, on the leisurely drive back to my home in Rhode Island, we had the good fortune of traveling through gorgeous Woodstock, Vt. The incredible two lane roads with picturesque views were like stepping back to a simpler time - this beautiful, quaint covered bridge punctuated the area’s charm.

As we drove through the center of Woodstock, I had to stop and photograph this quaint building with their fences covered in beautifully blooming flowers of all colors.

Indeed, the drive was almost as much fun as the adventure tour... almost.

Videos from Vermont... Check Out the Action!

We've returned from our fabulous Vermont adventure (and are still savoring the fun!). Here's a peek at Carol and I in action the past few days at the Essex in Burlington...

My Segway trip through the park near Lake Champlain, what a great way to enjoy a fantastic day in beautiful downtown Burlington Vt.

Carol rope climbing and making her way to the top platform at Northern Lights (no easy task!)

Carol takes a break and bursts out laughing – she is so happy to be back on stable ground (42 feet in the air on a platform, that is)!

Then it was on to the next part of the adventure, where Carol took her first zip line to the base.

Lori makes her way to the top on the ropes while posing for photos for Charlie King, the summer resident photographer at The Essex.

Greetings from Gorgeous Vermont and the Essex Resort!

What a beautiful summer day in gorgeous northern New England! Today, I traveled with friend and tour operator Carol Conley from Rhode Island to Vermont to check out a possible 2010 Tomgirl tour at the Essex resort and spa, in the Burlington area. The scenery along the way was amazing. (check out the Vermont countryside we witnessed along the way):

At our destination, the Essex, we were warmly greeted by business development director at the resort, Dave Hakins. Here are some pictures of the resort (though, really, photos don't do justice to the experience of generous hospitality and an utterly relaxing vibe at this resort):

Soon, we met Christine, the owner of Northern Lights Rock and Ice, and were whisked away by Tommy and Frank, our guides for the afternoon "ropes" adventure. (Below: Carol with our guides):

What a wonderful day! Stay tuned tomorrow for more from the rope and wall climb, hot air balloon photos and vids, and more!

Join Me in Vermont to Check Out a Possible 2010 Tomgirl Tour!

We've been busy planning our 2010 tours and tomorrow I'm off to Vermont for a few days to investigate the Essex, a culinary resort and spa in lovely Burlington, Vt. On my itinerary as possible elements of a 2010 Tomgirl tour: a ropes and rock climbing course, a tour of Lake Champlain, a hot air balloon ride and a sampling of the resort's spa offerings. The mix is right up our alley: outdoor adventure, fine cuisine (the Essex is home to the New England Culinary Institute), upscale accommodations, beautiful surroundings, and a touch of girly pampering.

Stay tuned for some action blogs the next few days as I report back on this possible tour. If you have any thoughts, do share; as always, I love hearing from you!