Staying in the Berkshires a while? Take a day trip north to Vermont
Posted by Reservations Yankee Inn on Tue, Feb 21, 2012 @ 09:35 AM
Adventures with Gram: The Vermont Voyage
Mick Huska
This past Sunday my grandmother and I decided to trek to Vermont. Why? Well, when visiting Vermont you never need a reason. There’s always something fun to do. Anyhow a few days prior I had spotted something about a general store in the town of Pittsfield, VT. The drive was two hours and we said what the heck. We decided we’d maybe do shopping in Rutland on our way then head over to Pittsfield. On the way back we’d stop for dinner in Bennington. Sounded like a good plan.
So we headed out around 9 AM on Sunday. Around 11 AM we arrived in Rutland. Rutland to me is like a jello dessert: good in theory, but always disappointing. It’s pretty commercialized with strip malls and doesn’t really have that quaint charm that one associates with Vermont. After not bothering to stop we followed the GPS past Killington and into Pittsfield.
Unlike Pittsfield, MA this Pittsfield is a town of about 450 people. When we initially arrived we could still see some damage from hurricane Irene. Many temporary bridges, washed out embankments and even a few condemned houses off their foundations were seen. Fortunately, the The General Store was spared. The general store was everything you think of when you imagine a typical New England general store. There were lots of handmade, local goods ranging from canned food, to crafts and even dog treats. They also had a nice little restaurant in there. The sandwiches we bought we were reasonably priced, delicious and not overly filling. We also purchased some locally made canned beets and pickles. We also had to pick up some treats for the dogs as well.
Eventually we had to wave goodbye to Pittsfield and head back home. Much to our chagrin, both the restaurant at which we wanted to eat and the bakery we wanted to visit was closed on Sundays. If you are staying at the Yankee Inn and want to take a day trip to Bennington, I recommend paying a visit to Lil' Britain Fish And Chips for some authentic British style fish and chips. Finally (if you’re not too stuffed), I recommend taking a walk to Crazy Russian Girls Bakery for some tasty chocolates and pastries. Bennington is an hour ride from the Berkshires and worth the visit. Take the ride up route 7 and enjoy some of the beautiful scenery of The Berkshires on your way to Vermont after your stay with us.
