Fall in Vermont and Smuggs

Best Things Nearby:
The absolute best place to be is at Smugglers Notch State Park which is about 4 miles from the resort. Also, Mount Mansfield and the Toll Road. If you enjoy hiking and nature this is the place to spend your days.

Best Things About the Resort:
The unit was very spacious and they have an indoor pool which opens on September 20. The hot tubs are great after a day of hiking. There is also a nice store onsite which has very reasonable pricing on hiking and outdoor clothing.

Resort Experience:
I never realized autumn could be so beautiful. Smuggs (as they call it) is a very central location for exploring Vermont. Stowe and Jeffersonville are great for dinner choices and there were other options closer, which we did not sample. Smuggs has some limited organized activities at this time of year, but Mother Nature offered the best entertainment. If you like the outdoors and the weather cooperates there is so much to see and do that the days are just not long enough.

• Unit Type: 3 Bedroom
• Activities: Very Good
• Amenities: Excellent
• Unit Satisfaction: Excellent
• Family Friendliness: Excellent
• Service: Very Good

Make sure you make your reservations before you leave home, especially if you are going during a popular time. I imagine the view is spectacular, but in the fall it gets dark early, so we missed that experience. The menu is expensive, but it was very memorable. The service was attentive yet friendly. The appetizers and entrees were outstanding. Mussel soup, duck confit, venison, lamb, scallops, lobster. Everything was done to perfection. The desserts, by comparison, were good but more ordinary. The Maple Creme Brulee was very good but I have had better. If you are going to cut corners, I would omit dessert and order another appetizer.

We ate here for lunch and breakfast. The food is surprisingly upscale although the prices are very reasonable. The portions are very generous. If you want lunch, be sure to get there before 3pm. After that, only dinner is available and you have to go upstairs.

The chowder was excellent, full of clams and cream, but yet still light. They have big sandwiches-try the maple wheat bread! The blueberry pancakes at breakfast are loaded with fruit. Everything is great. I don't think you can order a bad meal there.

Mostly uphill. At the end, there is a pretty, large pond where you can relax and have a snack. It takes about 45-60 minutes to get up there - a little less to get down. Although many people were complaining that going down was worse. Sure-footedness is a definite plus.