Food Fun Family

Chippokes State Park: The Founders District

Lolli — Thu, 27 May 2021 12:32:07 +0000

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of The Founder’s District. All opinions are 100% mine.

Living on the East Coast for the last 25 years has been a fascinating journey for me. I grew up on the West Coast and learned about missions and the Gold Rush and the Oregon Trail in school. Early American history seemed so “foreign” to me that it might as well have taken place in another country.

It has been interesting to raise my own kids in a totally different part of the country, with new-to-me things to discover and explore. I have come to love this area – the DMV (DC-Maryland-Virginia) as locals like to call it – and the rich history that this land is home to.

Just this past year, I was thrilled to discover that I have ancestors who lived in Jamestown in the early days of American history.

Years ago, when my mom was visiting us in Maryland, we drove down to Virginia to visit Historic Jamestowne and the surrounding sites. Little did I know during that first visit to Jamestown Settlement that there was so much more to explore right in the same area. In fact, there are eight amazing destinations in The Founder’s District, each with something unique to learn and enjoy.

Jamestown Settlement
Colonial Parkway/Colonial National Historical Park
Historic Jamestowne
James County Marina
Chippokes State Park
Jamestown- Scotland Ferry
Hog Island Wildlife Management Area
Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail

Today, though, I want to feature Chippokes State Park, which is at the top of my list for places I want to visit with my family.

Chippokes State Park is one of the oldest continuously operated plantations in the nation. Established in 1619 by English Captain William Powell, a Lieutenant Governor of Jamestown, this 1,400-acre farm located opposite Jamestown Island, has been the site of an active agricultural operation for nearly four centuries. Powell named the plantation after Choapoke, an Algonquian Indian Chief who was friendly to the English settlers in Jamestown.

Since moving to our farm in Maryland a year and a half ago, I’ve become even more fascinated with the type of farming that built our country. I also love being outdoors and exploring the beauties that this area has to offer.

At Chippokes State Park, families can take advantage of modern recreational activities (like an Olympic-sized swimming pool, hiking, biking and horseback trails, and gift shops) as well as enjoy a glimpse into life in the colonial days. The park has a campground and four overnight cabins that allow visitors to stay on the historic grounds.

So pack a picnic for a day trip or grab your tent and sleeping bags for a family weekend getaway and see all that Chippokes State Park and The Founders District has to offer.

Snowland at Great Wolf Lodge: A True Winter Wonderland!

Lolli — Sun, 16 Dec 2018 05:26:44 +0000

My family and I were invited on an expense-paid FAM trip at Great Wolf Lodge Williamsburg at the beginning of the month. Although our accommodations and activities were covered, all thoughts are our own. I’m happy to answer any questions about staying at Great Wolf Lodge – there were so many things that didn’t make it into the post (I could just go on and on!).

I’ve always been curious about Great Wolf Lodge, but we’ve typically been the type of family that takes vacations to visit family and friends out of state. Somehow we just never made it to Great Wolf Lodge, which is just a couple of hours south of us in Williamsburg, Virginia. Now that we’ve experienced Great Wolf Lodge, we are counting the days til we can go back. It was an unexpected hit with the whole family!

I was initially worried that my kids would be a little too old to appreciate Great Wolf Lodge (my last 3 kids at home are 13, 15, and 17), but I was surprised to discover that there are a ton of engaging activities for kids of ALL ages.

We stayed in a standard family suite, which sleeps up to 6 comfortably (it’s so hard to find a good hotel room for bigger families, but this was perfect for us!), but there are a host of amazing options for families of all sizes and needs, like upgraded themed suites with bunk beds and fun decor!

Snowland at The Lodge

From the moment we walked into the lodge, we were transported into a winter wonderland. The atmosphere was delightful! Great Wolf Lodge has four seasonal themes each year, corresponding to the four seasons: Spring-a-palooza, Summer Fun in the Sun, Howl-o-ween, and Snowland.

I can’t wait to experience all four seasons at the Lodge!

We spoke with the director of guest services and found out that staff decorated the lodge for Snowland for about 9 days. They have 30 trees in the property, and 20 of them were new this year. It even “snows” every night in the main lobby. It is simply magical!

Santa makes an appearance every night between December 7th and the 25th and is available to take pictures with guests each night. Bonus: photos are complementary for guests and they are happy to snap pictures with your phone or camera for you!

Another fun winter season treat: you can get warm cookies and milk delivered to your room at night!

Year round, there are 10-20 activities available for guests of all ages each day, from morning yoga to story time at night, from dance parties and character appearances to arts and crafts. Activities are a little heavier on the weekends, but weekdays are still full of fun.

We enjoyed bowling, hours of fun at the 24-hour arcade, sharing cups of candy from the candy shop, and just hanging out together. We highly recommend the Paw Passes to get the best value for the paid activities like bowling, MagiQuest, miniature golfing, the rope course, etc.

My personal favorite activity was my 30-minute deep-tissue massage in the spa (they’ve got a kids’ spa, too!). I had the best, most relaxing massage of my life!

MagiQuest at Great Wolf Lodge

MagiQuest was a surprise hit for all three of my teens. We started our first afternoon off with a visit to the MagiQuest store, where they each picked out a wand, and chose a “magical” name to register and activate their account. The great news – they can bring their wands back to Great Wolf Lodge each time we visit again and only have to pay to activate a new game.

MagiQuest is an interactive game that sends kids exploring all over the hotel (there are stations on three floors). Kids can run from station to station on quests, interacting with things throughout the hotel and earning points along the way. All three of my kids agreed that MagiQuest was both fun and a great workout! Throughout the day, you’ll find kids thoroughly engaged in completing quests and gathering coins. It is nearly as popular as the waterpark with the older kids!

Great Wolf Lodge purchased the rights to MagiQuest so the game is ONLY available at Great Wolf Lodge. They release four to five new quests each year, so you can have a totally new game experience each time you visit.

The Indoor Waterpark

The enormous indoor waterpark is one of Great Wolf Lodge’s biggest attractions. No matter how cold it gets outside, it’s a comfortable 84 degrees in the waterpark. The slides were so much fun (we even got on one ride with all 5 of us together on a raft!) and we were sad when we had to end our day at the park. We could have used several more hours of water play time!

The Food

My husband could not stop talking about the French toast at the breakfast buffet in the main restaurant. He said it was the best French toast we had ever had. The dinner buffet was equally as enjoyable, with a huge variety of delicious foods. We also enjoyed a casual pizza night in our room while we watched a movie and had a burger and fries lunch while we were hanging out at the waterpark.

There are seven restaurants on the property, and there’s always something delicious to satisfy your cravings.

Big Changes Coming!

Starting in mid-January through the second half of March 2019, Great Wolf Lodge in Williamsburg will be undergoing a 20 million dollar renovation project, including all guest rooms and public places. The lodge will still be open during the renovations and guests will not be impacted. I can’t wait to see how they redecorate the 405 suites!

Have you been to a Great Wolf Lodge? Our family highly recommends it as a fun family getaway. You can check in and never leave the hotel until you’re ready to head back home! Find out more and book your stay at Greatwolf.com/williamsburg

The Great Pumpkin Fest at Kings Dominion

Lolli — Mon, 09 Oct 2017 16:14:28 +0000

This post is sponsored by Cedar Fair Entertainment Company in conjunction with Blog Meets Brand, and I have been compensated for my participation. All opinions are my own.

This past Saturday, three of my kids and I spent the day at Kings Dominion for the Great Pumpkin Fest. We had a BLAST! Talk about getting us in the Halloween spirit (although the weather felt a whole lot like middle of the summer!). There is something for everyone and EVERY age at Kings Dominion during the month of October!

Weekends starting September 23, and then September 30 to October 29 between 12:00pm and 5:00pm, the Great Pumpkin Fest is open! The Great Pumpkin Fest is a fun activity for the whole family and includes Halloween-themed live shows, Sally’s Pumpkin Painting Patch (decorate and take home a small pumpkin!), Franklin’s Scarecrow Hollow (a kid-friendly maze), Pig Pen’s People Washer (play and splash around in a “pool” of suds!), a petting zoo (adorable animals!!), and so much more! Your favorite rides are open during the day, as well as the entire Planet Snoopy kids’ area.

For more information about the Great Pumpkin Fest, please click here: https://www.kingsdominion.com/things-to-do/the-great-pumpkin-fest

We spent the daylight hours riding a few of our favorite rides and enjoying the Halloween festivities. The kid-friendly activities at Planet Snoopy wound down around 5:00pm, and then the park started the transformation to “HAUNT.”

Although my kids weren’t interested in getting scared, we were all impressed with the length that Kings Dominion went to to decorate for Halloween! We stayed about 90 minutes past sunset, so we were able to experience plenty of the spooky part. We especially enjoyed the after-dark shows, like the The Grave Walkers (a family-friendly wandering band with fun dancers) and the flaming torch juggler.

Be Scare-Proof with the No-Boo Necklace!

My 18-year-old was nervous about being scared by costumed monsters while walking around the park, so she purchased one of the No-Boo glowing necklaces and wore it proudly all day. The no-boo necklace worked like a charm once the sun went down and the monsters came out! Don’t worry about your little ones if you plan to stay in Planet Snoopy. Everything in the kids’ area is fun and kid-friendly and not scary at all.

Free Pre-K Pass!

Don’t forget about the free Pre-K pass – you don’t want to miss out on this offer! This special pass grants free admission to 3-5 year olds for the rest of the 2017 season and all of 2018! More info can be found here: https://www.kingsdominion.com/tickets-passes/pre-k-pass

Love to be SCARED?

For adults and teens, Kings Dominion goes ALL OUT for their Halloween HAUNT. From costumed “monsters” wandering the park to fog machines to spooky shows, mazes, haunted houses, and rides converted to Halloween themes, there is something for every level of Halloween fan!

Here’s a little of what you can expect: Start your night of fright at the Overlord’s Resurrection, where monsters will be unleashed into the park and out of your worst nightmares. Guests who are brave enough can enjoy eight mazes, five scare zones plus several live shows. If that isn’t enough fun, get your thrill fix on more than 20 rides, including Intimidator 305, as fog and darkness blanket the park.

Test your limits and experience fear beyond your worst nightmares with 5 all-new Skeleton Key rooms exclusive with Fright Lane. You’ll face extra terror as you unlock exclusive chambers and complete sinister tasks in order to escape.

Connect with Kings Dominion:

Kings Dominion official website
Click here for park hours & directions: https://www.kingsdominion.com/hours-directions
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kingsdominionva
Instagram: @kingsdominionva
Twitter: @kingsdominionva

Storks – See it FREE at Tysons Corner

Lolli — Tue, 23 Aug 2016 04:00:32 +0000

I am excited to give 20 family 4-packs of tickets to see an early screening of Storks on Saturday, August 27 at Tysons Corner Center! I’ll be taking my family to see the movie, and would love for a bunch of local friends and their families to see it with us! No compensation has been received for this post – I’m just excited to share this opportunity for DC/MD/VA families to see a movie for free!

Please note: the download links have been a little finicky so if you aren’t led to the correct download page the first time around (it will be very clear), try clicking one of the other links in the post. I have tried and tested the links, and they just seem to have a mind of their own. Apologies for any confusion!

Here are the details:

WHEN: Saturday, August 27 – 11:00 AM

WHERE: AMC Tysons Corner | 7850 Tysons Corner Center, McLean, VA 22102

>> Download tickets here (each download is for a 4-pack of tickets!) <<

Please note: These tickets are completely FREE! However, it is important to arrive early to get a seat. Screenings may give out more passes than they have seats for, so to ensure that you get a seat, please arrive up to an hour before the screening time. Also, the above link is limited to 20 downloads. Once they’re gone, they’re gone!

About STORKS

Storks deliver babies…or at least they used to. Now they deliver packages for a global internet retail giant. Junior (Andy Samberg), the company’s top delivery stork, is about to be promoted when he accidentally activates the Baby Making Machine, producing an adorable and wholly unauthorized baby girl.

Desperate to deliver this bundle of trouble before the boss gets wise, Junior and his friend Tulip, the only human on Stork Mountain, race to make their first-ever baby drop – in a wild and revealing journey that could make more than one family whole and restore the storks’ true mission in the world.

The animated adventure “Storks” stars Andy Samberg (“Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs,” “Hotel Transylvania”), Kelsey Grammer (“Toy Story 2,” “The Simpsons”), Katie Crown (Cartoon Network’s “Clarence”), Keegan-Michael Key, Jordan Peele (Comedy Central’s “Key & Peele”), and Danny Trejo (“The Book of Life”).

The film is directed by Nicholas Stoller (“Neighbors,” BAFTA nominee for “Muppets Most Wanted”), and Doug Sweetland (supervising animator on “Cars,” Oscar-nominated director of the animated short “Presto”).

Stoller also wrote the “Storks” screenplay, and serves as a producer along with Brad Lewis (“Ratatouille”). The executive producers are Phil Lord, Christopher Miller, Glenn Ficarra, John Requa and Jared Stern.

A Warner Bros. Pictures presentation | In Theaters Friday, September 23, 2016, in 2D and 3D

Rated PG for “mild action and some thematic elements.”

Run time: 86 mins

storksmovie.com| twitter.com/storksthemovie | Instagram.com/storksmovie | www.pinterest.com/storksmovie/ | #Storks

Don’t forget to download your free tickets!

Kings Dominion BBQ & Brew Fest 2016

Lolli — Tue, 09 Aug 2016 20:00:37 +0000

This past Saturday, three of my kids and I headed south to Kings Dominion for BBQ & Brew Fest. All I had to do was mention BBQ tasting and they were ALL IN. This post is sponsored by Cedar Fair Entertainment Company in conjunction with Blog Meets Brand, and I have been compensated for my participation. All opinions are my own.

What is BBQ & Brew Fest?

It’s simple! BBQ & Brew Fest is a three weekend-long festival celebrating great BBQ and local craft beer. Guests can sample everything BBQ, from chicken to brisket to pork to ribs (and don’t forget the sides and desserts!). Guests 21 and over can enjoy signature craft brews from some of the area’s local breweries. All that BBQ pairs perfectly with entertainment from live bands. BBQ and Brew Fest runs Saturdays and Sundays, August 6 through August 21.

Where is BBQ & Brew Fest?

The BBQ & Brew Fest is set up at Kings Dominion along Candy Apple Grove. It’s easy to browse the different food offerings (all within a short walking distance around Candy Apple Grove) and then grab a shady spot to eat and listen to live music.

There is no separate admission fee for BBQ & Brew Fest – anyone in the park can enjoy. All food items are $5.00 each (except for watermelon cups which are $3.00 and strawberry shortcake parfaits which are $4.00); you can either pay cash or purchase sampler cards for $5.00 a piece. They’ve even got a discount card for $20.00 that get you 3 BBQ tasting cards and 2 brew sample cards.

Sample size (5 oz) pours of beer can be purchased for $3.00. Full size (20 oz) pours are $8.00 each.

The BBQ & Brew Fest Menu

The Pit
? Moonshine Pulled pork slider with smoky BBQ sauce and spicy pickles
? Beef Brisket Slider with BBQ sauce and spicy pickles

Tastes from the Tower Food Truck
? Redneck Eggroll with “white BBQ sauce”
? Loaded tater tots with pulled pork, cheese sauce, jalapenos and sour cream

BBQ Fiesta
? Loaded moonshine pulled pork “walking taco” bag
? BBQ chicken tacos

BBQ Island
? Hawaiian style grilled teriyaki beef slider with chive mayo and pineapple coleslaw
? Jamaican style jerk BBQ chicken quarter with Jambalaya Cornbread fritter and mango salsa

The Dogs
? Virginia Oinker dog (dog wrapped in ham, topped with BBQ pork and chopped bacon) and BBQ brown sugar baked beans
? Grilled hot dog topped with BBQ pork, coleslaw and jalapenos with BBQ brown sugar baked beans

Mac ‘N Cheesy
? BBQ pork and mashed potato “parfait” with macaroni and cheese
? Candied bacon blt served with BBQ macaroni and cheese

Southern ‘N Sweet
? Moonshine bratwurst with blackberry jam
? Southern style banana pudding

The Halligan Bar and Grill:

“Chicken Shack” BBQ
? Memphis Style BBQ Chicken Slider
? “Wings of Smoke”
? “Bird Dog”
? Sides: Cole Slaw, Cucumber Salad

Beef Country
? Texas Style Beef Brisket Slider
? Bacon Wrapped Brisket Bites
? “Texas Bull Dog”
? Sides: Cole Slaw, Macaroni salad

Carolina BBQ
? North Carolina Style Pulled Pork BBQ Slider
? Baby Back Ribs
? The “Dog Pound”
? Sides: Cole Slaw, BBQ Baked Beans

Fire Truck Smoker with Whole Pig Roasted on Saturdays

The BBQ & Brew Fest Brewers

I’m not a beer-drinker, so I can’t speak to how great the beer tasting was, but people sure seemed to enjoy it! The list of brewers is different each weekend.

August 6 – 7

Bold Rock Hard Cider — Nellysford (Nelson County), VA
Brother’s Craft Brewing — Harrisonburg, VA
Legend Brewing Company — Richmond, VA
O’Connor Brewing Company — Norfolk, VA
Old Bust Head Brewing Company — Faquier County, VA
Strangeways Brewery — Richmond, VA

August 13 – 14

Ardent Craft Ales — Richmond, VA
Devils Backbone — Roseland, VA
Midnight Brewery — Rockville, VA
Chaos Mountain Brewery — Callaway, VA
Center of the Universe — Ashland, VA
Starr Hill Brewery — Crozet, VA

August 20 – 21

Bold Rock Hard Cider — Nellysford (Nelson County), VA
Steam Bell Beer Works — Chesterfield, VA
Isley Brewing Company — Richmond, VA
Hardywood Craft Brewery — Richmond, VA
Kindred Spirits — Richmond, VA

The BBQ & Brew Fest Entertainment

I love live music, so this was perhaps my favorite part of BBQ & Brew Fest! We loved the Pat Russel Band, and wish we could be there every day of the festival to hear all of the other live entertainment!

8/6: Pat Russel Band
8/7: Inside Out
8/13: Moonshine Society
8/14: Red Light Rodeo Allstars
8/20: The Mashup
8/21: Little Country

Also catch Chainsaw Chix each day at 2:00pm, 3:15pm and 6:30pm. They were fascinating to watch!

I loved everything about our experience at Kings Dominion BBQ & Brew Fest, except for the weather. It was almost too hot to do anything at all. When we weren’t sampling the BBQ and listening to Pat Russel Band perform (in our shady spot), we were refilling our souvenir cups or ordering frozen treats to try to cool off. Unfortunately, because of my son’s stitches, we weren’t able to get wet (how mean would it have been to leave him while we went down a water slide or two?!) but we still had a blast on a couple of our favorite rides.

We’re definitely putting BBQ & Brew Fest on our calendar for next year!

Kings Dominion: Thrills to Fit Every Size!

Lolli — Mon, 04 Apr 2016 17:07:33 +0000

Today is our first day back to school and work from Spring Break – and it was a wonderful, relaxing, fun break that we all needed! To kick off our Spring Break week, I was able to take the family to Kings Dominion in Virginia. This post is sponsored by Cedar Fair Entertainment Company in conjunction with Blog Meets Brand, and I have been compensated for my participation. All opinions and photos are my own.

When was the last time you took the whole family to an amusement park? My kids are the perfect age for enjoying a family day together at Kings Dominion and we had a blast! Spring is the ultimate season to head to Kings Dominion – the weather was perfect, the lines were shorter, and we were able to fit everything in to one day!

We’ve lived in the DC/MD/VA area for many years, and we’ve definitely visited Kings Dominion before, but it had been a while, so the park felt new to most of us. We set out with comfy walking shoes, fully charged phones, and sunglasses.

One of the first orders of business was to get a few souvenir cups (since we are planning on going back again before the season is over!). Kings Dominion offers 2 different types of souvenir cups – one cup can be refilled for free on the day of purchase and then any other visit refills are just a dollar. The other souvenir cup is a little pricier upfront, but you get free refills all season.

Our Favorite Rides at Kings Dominion

My 15-year-old son was drawn to all of the roller coaster rides – especially Intimidator 305 (which is the fastest roller coaster on the East Coast at 90 miles per hour). He told me that it made his Top 3 Roller Coasters Ever list! He convinced me to try it out with him near the end of the day, and I loved it…but I swear it was so fast I couldn’t even scream.

Can you believe that drop?

My 16-year-old daughter loved several of the roller coasters, but I think her favorite was Volcano. She had been to Kings Dominion with friends last summer and couldn’t wait to take the rest of the family on the ride.

The ride that we frequented the most was Backlot Stunt Coaster – that was my 10-year-old’s favorite ride, hands-down! I loved that it was thrilling but still kid-friendly (ie, no upside-down loops). He kept asking to go again (and since the lines were so short, we could!).

My 13-year-old loved the food and the getting a matching henna tattoo with her sister.

Benefits of Getting a 2016 Kings Dominion Season Pass

All day while we were in the park, I saw benefits of having the season pass – from free parking to discounts on food in the park. Here are a few of the reasons you should get a 2016 season pass:

Unlimited visits all season
Free parking
Early entry and ride times
10% discount on select food and merchandise throughout the park
Bring-a-friend days
Free admission to Dinosaurs Alive

What’s HOT at King’s Dominion

• Planet Snoopy – over nine acres of Peanuts themed fun – from rides and shows, to meeting your favorite Peanuts character. Planet Snoopy is perfect for younger kids and has SO much to offer for kids and families to enjoy together!
• Soak City – recently expanded and renovated, including a children’s play area for kids of all ages. We can’t wait to go back to enjoy Soak City during the summer!
• The all-new Delirium – new in 2016, this thrill ride will allow thrill seekers of all ages to fly through the air as they experience gravity-defying hang time.

After your park day is over, don’t forget to set aside time to enjoy in Richmond! My husband used to live in Richmond, and we used to drive down to Richmond ALL the time. We love it! Here are a few things to do in the Richmond, Virginia area.

Have you been to Kings Dominion? What were your favorite rides and features?

Get tickets HERE!
Kings Dominion on Facebook
Kings Dominion on Twitter: @kingsdominionva
Kings Dominion on Instagram: @kingsdominionva
#ThisIsYourKidsFun #KDFirstTimer

The Clifton Inn – Charlottesville, Virginia

Lolli — Wed, 09 Mar 2016 22:25:18 +0000

My husband and I were recently invited to take a quick getaway at the Clifton Inn in Charlottesville, Virginia. While we received a complementary stay and experience, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Have you ever REALLY needed a getaway?

Have you ever felt the difference that ONE night away can make?

The relaxation. The decompression.

I needed this trip.

And the Clifton Inn in Charlottesville, Virginia was the perfect place for everything that I needed. The food was some of the best I’ve had. Not just lately. EVER. Some of the best food of my entire life (my husband would not stop raving about the food to everyone he ran into for days.

The hotel was both luxurious and comfortable. We felt completely at home. The staff was the most welcoming and friendly I’ve come across in all of my travels.

In other words, I can’t say enough about our stay at the Clifton Inn.

About the Clifton Inn

Clifton was built by Thomas Mann Randolph Jr, son-in-law of Thomas Jefferson (yes, Monticello is right down the street – a very convenient and highly recommended stop while you’re in town!). Randolph served as Governor of Virginia and was a member of the Virginia House of Delegates as well as a member of the U.S. Congress.

Clifton was originally built as a place for Randolph to conduct business in trade. In the years since Randolph used Clifton, it has been through several owners, but in 1985, the current owner restored it and opened Clifton as a five-bedroom bed and breakfast. The estate has since added additional guest accommodations (there are now 17 unique suites and guest rooms) and a restaurant. Clifton also boasts 100 gorgeous acres, a pool and hot tub, a small lake, and plenty of places to walk and enjoy the outdoors.

We weren’t surprised to learn that the Clifton Inn will be busy hosting weddings all season long, starting shortly. Unfortunately, the day we arrived in Charlottesville was not just cloudy. We had heavy rain during our whole ride down to Charlottesville, and then as we headed to lunch, we were bombarded with tornado warnings. We had to change our afternoon plans at the last minute (more on that later) but we were happy to relax in our room. No complaints there!

Dining at The Clifton Inn

Executive Chef Yannick Fayolle is not only a talented chef (we tasted many of his culinary creations while we were there!) but he’s also a body builder. My husband and I enjoyed watching Yannick and his sous chef work in the kitchen while we enjoyed our dinner at the Chef’s Counter.

TIP: If you are ever in Charlottesville, you must make reservations to dine at the Chef’s Counter at the Clifton Inn. It was one of my favorite dining experiences ever, not only for the taste (everything was incredible) but for the experience of watching two talented chefs at work during the dinner hour. Throughout the time we were there, I was struck by how peaceful their kitchen was. No music. No shouting orders. No mess. Just two men concentrating on making delicious, beautiful food.

Guests of the Clifton Inn can also enjoy afternoon tea in the front room as well as breakfast served on the Veranda. We loved our breakfast – gorgeous views and sunlight streaming in through the windows. It was a serene ending to our stay at Clifton.

ANOTHER TIP: While you’re at Clifton, be sure to stop by the kitchen anytime of the day to grab a free cookie from the cookie jar. We grabbed a few for the drive home…

Speaking of amazing dining and unforgettable experiences, you can NOT miss lunch at Salt or a visit to Montpelier. See why…