2023 Magnificent Maine & Vermont

Day 1

 Arrive Boston – Tour Begins

Settle into your hotel, perhaps exploring Boston’s lively North End before meeting our Tour Manager and fellow quilt-lovers at the evening Welcome Meeting.

Day 2

 Boston – Portsmouth

After breakfast (included daily), take a guided tour of Boston, with time for lunch and shopping at famed Faneuil Hall. Relax on the short drive to Lowell, Massachusetts, birthplace of the industrial revolution. Tucked into the textile mill buildings in downtown Lowell, is the New England Quilt Museum, where their collection of permanent collection of 19^th-century quilts can be admired side-by-side with the current traveling exhibition. Later, travel to the colonial port city of Portsmouth, on New Hampshire’s seacoast. Tonight, explore  the historic district and dine on your own at one of the many downtown waterfront restaurants. B

Day 3

Portsmouth – Weston – Stowe

Enjoy views of Mount Monadnock as you traverse southern New Hampshire, stopping at Night Owl Quilting Studio and Quilted Threads,  both eye-dazzling quilt and needlework shops brimful of brilliant fabrics. Cross into Vermont, admire the tranquility of the Green Mountains before visiting The Vermont Country Store for lunch and nostalgia. Savor mountain views and sample traditional Austrian dishes at the Trapp Family Lodge, home for the next two nights. B, D

Day 4

Stowe – Burlington

Tour the historic buildings at the open-air Shelburne Museum after exploring their exceptional collection of historic handmade quilts. Twenty-five structures, including a lighthouse and a steamship, have all been relocated to the museum grounds. Explore downtown Burlington‘s shops and waterfront before returning to Trapp Lodge for an evening at leisure. B

Day 5

Stowe – Waterbury – Freeport

Spend the morning exploring Trapp’s gardens, or hike to the stone chapel tucked away in the forest above the hotel. Travel to Waterbury to enjoy ice cream and visit the Flavor Graveyard at the incomparable Ben & Jerry’s before our scenic drive through New Hampshire’s White Mountains en-route to Maine. Later, arrive in Freeport in time to settle in for dinner on your own. B

Day 6

 Freeport

Get your creative juices flowing at Cotton Weeds Quilt Shop, a quilter’s dream of fabrics including hand-dyed batiks. Next, visit the flagship store of L.L. Bean where you can purchase slippers or duck decoys, all under one (massive) roof. Later, our scenic drive along Maine’s rocky coastline sets the stage for our customary New England Farewell Dinner. B, D

Day 7

Freeport – Kennebunkport – Boston – Tour Ends

Discover the seaside village of Kennebunkport for souvenir shopping and a last chance to enjoy a Maine lobster roll. Traveling back to Boston, swap addresses with new friends before arriving at the airport for the end of the tour. B