Front Row Travel Guide: A Fall Escape to Vermont
Photo: Twin Farms
Presented by Bespoke Opulence
If you’re dreaming of a picturesque fall escape to the New England countryside, few places get it quite right like Vermont. Beautiful fall foliage begins to arrive in September, transforming the state’s eclectic little towns into scenes worthy of a postcard, or perhaps the backdrop for Hallmark’s next movie.
For the first edition of the Front Row Travel Guide, I’m showing you how to enjoy all that the Green Mountain State has to offer, with a little touch of elegance, of course.
Where to Stay
The recipient of two MICHELIN Keys and set across 300 acres of Vermont countryside, Twin Farms is a private, adults-only, all-inclusive luxury resort located just 90 minutes from Burlington International Airport.
Guests have a variety of accommodations to choose from for their temporary home away from home, including the Main House, the Lodge, the Farmhouse at Copper Pond, ten cottages, and the resort’s newest addition, eight treehouses. Hovering between 14 and 20 feet above the ground, the treehouses pair modern finishes with custom, hand-carved wood details throughout, offering a decidedly more elevated take on sleeping among the trees.
Photo: Claude-Simon Langlois
The fabulous amenities continue across the property with the Shou Sugi Ban House, featuring a pristine 8,000-gallon, 104°F saltwater onsen. There’s also a nine-acre pond, where you can take to the water for canoeing, kayaking, or even paddleboard yoga, or simply enjoy the views from afar. Tennis and pickleball courts are also available for those who simply can’t leave their love of the game at home.
And if you need another reason to make a return trip, Twin Farms is set to debut Garden House in early 2027. The new 10,000-square-foot spa will feature six treatment rooms, a Finnish sauna, an indoor-outdoor mineral pool, and a mix of botanical treatments and wellness experiences.
Where to Dine
Before venturing beyond Twin Farms for dinner, consider the resort’s Chef’s Table Experience. Designed for just two to eight guests, the experience brings you inside the kitchen, where Culinary Director Nate Rich, Head Chef Sylvain Courbet, and their team prepare a multi-course seasonal tasting menu with reserve wine pairings selected from the resort’s impressive wine cellar. Home to more than 17,000 bottles, the cellar also gives the beverage team plenty to work with when creating pairings for lunch and dinner throughout your stay.
Photo: Claude-Simon Langlois
When you’re ready to venture off-property, located no more than a 15-minute drive from Twin Farms is Cloudland Farm, home to an on-farm restaurant offering a true farm-to-table dining experience. Chef Mike Borraccio uses ingredients from both Cloudland and other local farms to create elevated dishes, from grilled sirloin sourced from the farm’s own cattle and paired with seasonal vegetables to decadent desserts made with fruits and vegetables like rhubarb, cherries, and raspberries.
Other great restaurants within easy reach of Twin Farms include Simon Pearce Restaurant, which makes for the perfect combination of artisan shopping and dining, and 275 Main at The Pitcher Inn, where seasonal menus take inspiration from local farms, forests, and artisans.
Where to Shop
For a fabulous day of shopping, you’ll want to make the hour-long drive up to Stowe to explore the boutiques and specialty shops along Mountain Road. First up is Well Heeled, a small boutique housed in an antique farmhouse that offers a curated selection of designer brands, including Antonia Zander, Coclico, and Grenn Pilot.
Next is Archery Close, a clothing store carrying emerging brands for both men and women, followed by Stowe Living, where you’ll find everything from high-end copper cookware to furnishings that may require a little shipping back home to Charlotte.
The perfect way to round out a day of shopping is with a stop at Von Bargen’s Jewelry, a family-owned business specializing in ideal-cut diamonds, just in case your weekend escape happens to be celebrating a particularly special milestone.
