Bret | Fullerton Inn

Memorial Day Weekend Events and Attractions in Southern Vermont

Posted on May 23, 2019 by Bret

Whether you want to step back in time to the Victorian era or hike through the Appalachian Trail, Southern Vermont has it all. And during Memorial Day Weekend, the area has even more to offer for visitors and locals alike. So if you’re going to be in Southern Vermont this Memorial Day, check out some of the events and attractions you can attend during your stay:

President Calvin Coolidge Homestead

In the early morning of August 3, 1923, President Warren G. Harding died. A few hours later, Vice President Calvin Coolidge took the oath of office in the sitting room of this farmhouse, becoming the 30^th President of the United States. Located in Plymouth Notch, the farmhouse was also Coolidge’s boyhood home, and now Coolidge’s Homestead is open to visitors who want to learn more about America’s history and its 30^th President.

Rockingham Meeting House

Also known as the Old North Meeting House, the Rockingham Meeting House is the oldest surviving meeting house in America. It was built between 1787 and 1801, and it functioned as both a church and town hall for the growing village of Rockingham, Vermont. While it sat unused for many years, it is nonetheless one of the most well-preserved meeting houses in the country. Walking through it is sure to give you a real taste of America’s post-Revolutionary life.

Appalachian Trail

When you’re not touring some of America’s greatest historical sites, you can always experience Vermont’s natural wonders. The Appalachian Trail is the longest hiking-only footpath in the world, crossing through fourteen states and drawing over 3 million people a year. It’s not only a great hiking trail, but a conservation effort to preserve and protect America’s natural world and wildlife.

Ludlow Farmers Market

The Ludlow Farmers Market opens right on Memorial Day Weekend, and it provides access to some of the freshest, locally-grown products you can find in Southern Vermont. The Ludlow Farmers Market doesn’t just provide produce, but also meat and dairy products, along with locally-made baked goods. With over 30 local vendors, you’ll have plenty of options to choose from.

Memorial Day Parade

It isn’t Memorial Day Weekend if you don’t attend a Memorial Day Parade. Consider attending Chester, Vermont’s Memorial Day Parade. It’s a great way to honor our troops and have fun with our friends and family.

This is just a taste of some of the attractions and events you can experience while staying in Southern Vermont. There’s plenty more the area has to offer, so if you’re planning a visit this Memorial Day Weekend, think about staying at Fullerton Inn & Restaurant. Located in Chester, you have wide access to plenty events in and around the area. Contact us today to book your reservation!

Here’s Why You Should Stay at a Bed and Breakfast Rather than a Hotel

Posted on March 27, 2019 by Bret

When they’re in the process of putting together plans for a vacation, one of the first things most people do is book a hotel room. Staying in a hotel has become the go-to move for most vacationers. Nevertheless, there are many benefits to choosing a bed and breakfast over a hotel. Take a look at why you should skip the hotel reservations and go with a bed and breakfast during your next getaway.

Personalized attention

From the moment you start booking a stay at a bed and breakfast, you’ll be treated to personalized service by the owner of it. They’ll help you find the right dates for your stay and set you up with prices that are competitive compared to hotel rates. This personalized service will continue once you arrive for your stay. The owner of a bed and breakfast will cater to all your needs and even offer insight into what you should see and do when you’re in town.

More distinct rooms

If you’ve seen one hotel room, you’ve pretty much seen them all. There isn’t much that sets one standard hotel room apart from all the rest. Bed and breakfasts are different in that you won’t ever find two rooms that are exactly alike. Each bed and breakfast put its own touches on its rooms to make them stand out. You’ll love experiencing a new kind of room every time you stay at a bed and breakfast.

Better meals

Most hotels offer their guests some kind of continental breakfast. But bed and breakfasts go above and beyond for breakfast, lunch, and dinner in most cases. They’ll make sure you don’t have to worry about going out and spending money on food elsewhere unless you really want to.

Do you want to see what makes a bed and breakfast so special for yourself? Come stay at the Fullerton Inn for a night, a long weekend, or longer. Call us at 866-884-8578 today to make a reservation.

The Benefits of Doing Yoga While on Vacation

Posted on March 6, 2019 by Bret

If you’re going on vacation soon, you might be looking forward to spending a few days eating, lounging, and doing nothing at all. Nevertheless, in addition to doing those things, you should also consider taking part in some yoga classes while you’re away. There are many benefits you’ll experience by making time for yoga while you’re on vacation. Check out a few of them below.

Reduces stress

Do you feel stressed out almost all the time? This can really take a toll on both your body and mind. The good news is that vacationing alone will remove some of the stress you feel from your life. However, if you really want to take it to the next level, yoga classes have been shown to reduce the stress that people feel even further. After a yoga class, you’ll often feel more relaxed and sharper overall.

Improves circulation

When you travel, you usually spend at least some time cooped up inside of an airplane, a train, or a car. This can cause pressure to build up in your joints and restrict the blood flow throughout your body. Yoga will release some of that pressure and improve your circulation almost immediately. This will make you feel better than you would otherwise and allow you to slip right into a state of relaxation.

Curbs hunger

Those who travel usually snack a lot since they don’t always get a chance to sit down and eat full meals. They also snack because they’re tired and lethargic from running around during their busy days. Yoga classes can help you sleep better at night, which will give you more energy and curb many of the hunger cravings you feel throughout the day as you’re traveling. It’ll prevent you from packing on unnecessary pounds on your next vacation.

The Fullerton Inn is the place to stay for those visiting Vermont. We offer gorgeous rooms and a restaurant that serves up some of the most delicious food in the area. We also offer yoga classes to those who stay with us to give them a chance to enjoy the benefits that come along with them. Call us at 866-884-8578 today to reserve a room and a spot in a yoga class.

Three Unique Features of Fullerton Inn

Posted on February 14, 2019 by Bret

Lodging at an inn offers you a unique lodging experience. Fullerton Inn and Restaurant offers intimate experiences and unique as a four-season destination country inn and bed & breakfast.

Fullerton Inn, located in the beautiful village of Chester, VT, is committed to providing unique experiences to all guests.

Yoga Classes

Fullerton Inn make prioritizing health and fitness on your getaway easy with yoga classes. Fullerton Inn is happy to partner with Liza Eaton to offer yoga classes that will energize your soul and body. With a foundation in Astanga yoga, Liza teaches her classes with an emphasis on the breath as she believes it to be the heart of the practice and the bridge between body and mind.

Brewery Tours

Stay with us and sample some of Vermont’s finest and unique offerings during our variety of local Vermont brewery tours. Vermont is home to the pioneering microbrewery. The Fullerton Inn Brewery Tour offers visitors the opportunity to experience all Vermont beer has to offer with one, two, and three day tours of local breweries. These range from intimate brew pubs offering several home brewed beers to medium sized regional production facilities.

Wine Pairing Dinners

Fullerton Inn presents an evening full of wines and excellent food with our wine pairing dinners. Throughout the evening, nine creative wine and food pairings are presented that will excite your palate and expand your appreciation of the finer things in life. The chef himself explains the choices he made in selecting each of the wine/food pairings. Chef James and owners, Bret & Nancy Rugg, will put on a great show for you with fantastic food and interesting information.

The Fullerton Inn is a four-season destination country inn and bed & breakfast. Located in the beautiful village of Chester, central to southern Vermont, it is a place to escape the hustle and bustle of your everyday life and relax, disconnect and kick back. Enjoy our modern guest rooms, our wonderful restaurant or our cozy tavern.

Mark Your Calendar for the Chester Winter Carnival

Posted on January 23, 2019 by Bret

The annual Chester Winter Carnival is soon coming to Chester, VT with a plethora of family-fun activities and excitement; mark your calendar now!

The Chester Winter Carnival begins on Saturday, February 16, with entertainment and activities planned all day.

Start out with some fanciful fun at Troy Wunderle’s Circus at CAES and then head to the American Legion Field with your children, ages 11 and under, for a demo snowmobile ride hosted by the Chester Snowmobile Club. In the afternoon, consider a horse sleigh ride with Smokeshire Farm at the Pinnacle.

Head to the Southern Pie Company for some delicious pie tasting for only $5.00 per plate with proceeds donated to the Chester Recreation Department. While there, enjoy some colorful face painting, a big attraction for the little ones! Before it gets too late, head to the Pinnacle for some slippery sledding and competitive disc golf.

In the evening, explore on a nighttime snowshoe hike around the Pinnacle. Then, attend a grand bonfire with music and skating. Fill up on coffee, hot chocolate, and pie as you enjoy the remainder of the day.

The Chester Winter Carnival continues into Sunday, February 17 with the 9 a.m. annual poker run hosted by the Chester Snowmobile Club. Start at the gazebo and make your 35-mile run around the Pinnacle as you look for tokens to exchange for cards, which determine your poker hand. Win great prizes and indulge in delicious foods during this event. At 10 a.m., get your blood pumping with a little broom hockey at the Pinnacle.

If you are planning to come to town for this traditional affair, book your stay at the beautiful and convenient Fullerton Inn and Restaurant, a southern Vermont bed and breakfast located right in the beautiful village of Chester.

Visit Southern Vermont and Hit the Ice

Posted on January 8, 2019 by Bret

Vermont offers a plethora of activities during the winter months, from snowshoeing and cross-country skiing to snowmobiling and ice climbing. Families choose to vacation to Vermont in the winter to spend quality time together enjoying the seasonal activities.

Located in Manchester Center, Vermont, in the Northshire Civic Center at Hunter Park is Riley Rink.

Offering decades of family fun, Riley Rink gives guests the ultimate wintertime experience with the area’s only Olympic-sized indoor skating rink.

Riley Rink provides quality recreational activities and events to the Vermont community, serving as a non-profit civic center for sports and exhibitions. If you visit Vermont from mid-October through early March, head to Riley Rink and take advantage of their ice season.

Take the family to Riley Rink to enjoy some wintertime ice skating. The perfect winter workout and family activity, ice skating proves fun for all ages. Riley Rink offers both public skating and private skating with events like monthly Friday night Teen Skate and Saturday night family Public Skate. Throw in some delicious food and a little music and you have the recipe for one great day of winter fun. If you have never attempted ice skating, first sharpen your skills by walking onto an ice-skating lesson for a small drop-in fee.

Hockey lovers can grab their gear and run to Riley Rink for a pickup hockey game. Adults and kids can take part in a controlled scrimmage or participate in an open hockey session called Stick and Puck; just bring your gear and play with whoever shows up.

If you are headed to Vermont for a family reunion or other large gathering, rent your own sheet of ice from Riley Rink for an hour. You can also rent the entire facility for weddings, corporate parties, and more.

Enjoy Riley Rink and your other favorite winter activities in Vermont during your stay at Fullerton Inn, a southern Vermont bed and breakfast with modern guest rooms and quaint village charm. Located less than an hour from Riley Rink, Fullerton Inn is the premier choice for relaxing after a long afternoon of ice skating.

Get Ready for the 34th Annual Overture to Christmas in Chester, VT

Posted on November 13, 2018 by Bret

As we say here at the Fullerton Inn, there is nothing like Christmas in Chester. The beautiful Vermont town goes all out for the holidays, providing a festive and joyous setting for celebrations that is best seen with one of our favorite local events: the Annual Overture to Christmas. This year marks the 34th anniversary of this special event and gets bigger and better with every year.

What is the Annual Overture to Christmas, you might ask?

Each year the residents of Chester, VT, organize a week full of events that feature the very best of Christmas traditions.

The traditions range from gingerbread-house-making and Holiday Craft Fair to Santa’s little workshop and visits from ol’ St. Nick himself!

This year, the event will run from November 26 to December 2; a full six days of fun! Most of the events are free to enter but be sure to check out the Facebook to find out what’s in store. More updates will come as the dates near.

Last year, the Overture saw its very first Victorian Christmas Cookie Tour, which opened up nine historic homes throughout the town to guests sampling homemade cookies. And this year, the tour is back, with more cookies to taste and fun to be had! So if you’re interested, be sure to pick up a “passport” ticket that shows you where the houses are, and what’s waiting inside.

And at the center of it all is the festival of trees, which welcomes residents to witness momentous tree lightings, and purchase a local Vermont Christmas tree for their own homes. Because what would Christmas be without its trees?

Chester, VT, is an ideal place to spend the holidays. It’s a time when the whole community comes together, to have fun and enjoy each other’s company! Contact us at the Fullerton Inn today to book your next stay with us.

Enjoy a Vibrant Fall in Vermont with Local Maple

Posted on October 17, 2018 by Bret

Southern Vermont in the fall is nothing short of majestic, filled with rich colors and picturesque landscapes. Vermont is also a leading producer of maple, filled with sugarhouses.

The Fullerton Inn is surrounded by some exceptional sugarhouses and we have highlighted several to help you plan your perfect fall getaway.

Dutton Berry Farm

Although the name will have your mouth watering for the taste of fresh berries, the Dutton Berry Farm is a multi-facetted farm that also houses a wonderful sugarhouse. They put out over 3,000 taps every year as proud members of the Vermont Sugar Makers Association.

Paradise Farm Sugarhouse

Located just a short drive from Fullerton Inn, the Paradise Farm Sugarhouse is one of the few sugarhouses that offers private tours. They make their maple syrup right on the property and offer a variety of foods including hot cider and fresh donuts. It also offers a country gift store that has a variety of maple syrups and products.

Robb Family Farm

The “Robb Family Farm” was first established in 1907 which means that they have bene producing maple sugar for decades. They offer three different grades of maple syrup, including fancy, medium amber, and dark amber. Learn more about those tastes here.

Hidden Springs Maple

Hidden Springs Maple is a gem within a 30-minute drive of Fullerton Inn and offers maple that is 100% natural and locally produced. They also have a charming farm store that sells maple products from various local maple farms, including their own, of course! This is a stop you don’t want to miss.

Book a stay with Fullerton Inn & Restaurant in Chester, Vermont and visit the many local sugarhouses surrounding us.

Five Places to Shop Local in Chester, VT

Posted on September 26, 2018 by Bret

The charming village of Chester, VT features plenty of unique shops that are perfect for residents and visitors to explore.

Shopping local is a great way to support the Chester community by giving back to small business owners.

If you are staying with us at the Fullerton Inn, visit some of the local shops in Chester. We have highlighted several below!

Phoenix Books

Interested in supporting local authors and artists? Shop at Phoenix Books, an independent and unique bookstore, and explore picture books, children’s books, poetry, best sellers, fiction, nonfiction, magazines, and more.

By shopping here, you’ll also be supporting a business that gives back to the community. Phoenix Books gives to fundraisers for local schools, libraries, and charities. Located adjacent to the Fullerton Inn, Phoenix Books features approximately 6,000 books and hosts numerous author events.

Sage Jewelry and Gifts & Polish Pottery Gift Shop

Enjoy a two-for-one gift shop location featuring both Sage Jewelry and Gifts and the Polish Pottery Gift Shop. Sage Jewelry features unique handcrafted jewelry in Chester including necklaces, bracelets, rings, and more. Owner and artist, Michele Colby Bargfrede, creates the jewelry on-site. Shoppers will also find works from other Vermont artists including glassware, artwork, soaps, cards, ornaments, and more.

The Polish Pottery Gift Shop provides the finest quality Polish stoneware products with no two pieces exactly alike.

Chester-Andover Family Center Thrift Shop

Explore gently used clothing and household goods from the Chester-Andover Family Center Thrift Shop. The Chester-Andover Family Center is a charitable organization serving Chester and Andover with three programs: the Financial Assistance Program that helps residents pay bills; the Food Shelf, that gives residents supplemental food; and the Thrift Shop, whose proceeds support the other two programs.

Lisai’s Chester Market

Serving Chester since 1993, Lisai’s Chester Market is a full-service grocery store in Chester featuring country décor with modern fixtures. A full-service meat department makes this shop truly special. Shop for fresh produce, special wines, snacks, and made-to-order sandwiches. Find custom photography cards by Obe Lisai and visit the fully operational growler station to fill your growler with fresh, local beer.

Visit these shops and many more when you stay with us at the Fullerton Inn, a four-season destination country inn and bed & breakfast located in the beautiful village of Chester, VT.

Green Mountain Flyer Train Excursions Return Soon

Posted on August 30, 2018 by Bret

Chester, Vermont, is definitely a great location to visit in the fall. Our town has access to artisan shops, where autumnal wares and specialties are available; a number of orchards, where anyone can go apple-picking; and beautiful foliage, as the leaves change to prepare for the fall.

If you want to experience beautiful fall foliage in Vermont, then there’s no better way than the Green Mountain Flyer Train.

And we have some good news: it’s back!

Starting September 12th, the Green Mountain Flyer Train will resume its fall service, taking patrons from Chester to some of the most scenic areas in the state. For five weeks straight, the train runs five days a week and offers three different excursions: the Green Mountain Dinner Train; Cocktails on the Rails; and the Fall Foliage Excursion. And each one has something special to serve.

With the Green Mountain Dinner Train, guests are welcome to enjoy a full three-course meal in one of the train’s newly restored historic cars. With Cocktails on the Rails, it’s a Friday night party, with drinks, appetizers, lounge music, and fly-by views of the Connecticut River. And finally, the most popular this time of the year: the Fall Foliage Excursion, which takes leaf peepers up to Ludlow Mountain, and serves cocktails, hot apple cider, and more.

At the Fullerton Inn, we pride ourselves on being at Chester’s front door; it’s an incredible town to call home, especially during the fall. And these regularly-running trains are one of the best parts of this time of the year—it’s an experience that is unique, and affordable to all families. In our opinion, it’s also a premier way to see the most beautiful parts of the great state of Vermont.

Heading to Chester for an unforgettable fall getaway? Stay with Fullerton Inn & Restaurant, a four-season destination country inn and bed and breakfast.