Hiking from lodge to lodge in the Swiss Alps and wandering from cottage to cottage in England is a long-standing tradition in European travel. Savvy Vermont innkeepers are now importing this custom to the Green Mountain State and offering walking, hiking, skiing and even snowshoeing trips between one bed and breakfast to another.
Inn-to-inn travel is an intimate way to experience the Vermont countryside with the luxury of having someone else transport your luggage and belongings to next destination.
“I set up a cross-country skiing trip in between three inns last winter with a few friends,” said Jane Roman, a retired school teacher from Parkville. “The scenery was breathtaking.”
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The flexibility of inn-to-inn travel is a draw for many travelers.
“You can custom-design these trips anyway you want,” said John Hightower, a retired Vermont bed-and-breakfast owner. “You can choose the number of days you want to travel, the number of inns you want to stay in, and how you want to travel between each inn.”
Mode of travel and the route can be altered to suit the tastes and the physical level of your group.
“Obviously in the warmer months folks can walk, bike, hike and even canoe,” said Hightower. “In the winter, skiing and snowshoeing is the way to go.”
During the winter months, after a long day of hiking or skiing, guests are greeted with roaring fires and home-cooked meals when they arrive at the next inn.
“It’s freeing for guests to not have to worry about making dinner reservations or carting their luggage from place to place,” said Hightower. “And the innkeepers couldn’t be more gracious with their hospitality.”
And if you decide after one day of inn-to-inn travel that you want to opt out of the outdoor activities, most innkeepers are happy to provide you with less strenuous alternatives.
“One day of cross-country skiing was enough for me,” said Jessica Hartel, a computer analyst from Silver Spring. “We left the rest of the skiing to the husbands, and my friend and I spent our time shopping and antiquing — a perfect compromise.”
