Every Season, Every Reason at
Stratton Mountain Resort
The Stratton area gets it right - and once you visit, you'll understand why people keep coming back. Winter means waking up minutes from 670 acres of some of Vermont's best skiing, where you can hit the slopes before the crowds and still make it back for a hot tub session by lunch.
But here's the thing: this place works year-round. Summer transforms the mountains into a golfer's dream, with Stratton's 27-hole championship course and trails that wind through forest so green it doesn't look real.
Come fall, and you're smack in the middle of peak foliage country - the Long Trail and Appalachian Trail sections explode in color, and every back road feels like a postcard. Manchester's just down the mountain with Orvis, designer outlets, and restaurants that remind you why Vermont's farm-to-table scene has earned its reputation.
The real magic? You're staying in actual homes with space to spread out, not cookie-cutter hotel rooms. This is the kind of area where weekend trips turn into annual traditions.