New England is famous for its fall foliage. The colors start in the north (Vermont/New Hampshire) and make their way south as the weeks go by.
Last October a couple of my close friends and I decided to organize a quick girls weekend trip (without husbands and kids!) to Vermont to see the foliage and just enjoy some unhurried time together. It was sort of a joint birthday celebration.
But First, Run a 10K??
Haha YES! Before we left for Vermont, that morning I ran my first 10K in probably 15 years (!). I had been slowing increasing my mileage during my morning runs (in the Hong Kong heat, no less!) and was inspired to try and sign up for a race. I was so excited to see the Women's 10K happening right around the time I would be in Boston!
(I really think the last time I ran a 10K - probably also the Women's 10K - was back in 2009!)
I was thrilled at my sub-1 hour time.
Energized by the race, I quickly headed home to change and head back out to meet my friends. After a lovely Indian lunch in Waltham, we hopped in the car and started driving up the beautiful backroads of Massachusetts to eventually arrive in Vermont.
Our goal: foliage during peak season!
We planned our Vermont foliage trip during mid-October, supposedly still a pretty peak season?
Alas, 2025 was NOT the year for beautiful fall colors in New England. The area suffered from one of the worst droughts in centuries, and therefore the trees were dry and not nearly as colorful as years’ past.
Despite less-than-ideal fall colors, Vermont is still a fun place to visit. It’s got fantastic beer, cheese, and hiking. Some cult beers, like Heady Topper, are from Vermont. There’s also an insanely amazing cheese scene, and you can even drive along a cheese trail and try numerous types of cheeses.
Wilmington Vermont
We booked an Airbnb in Wilmington, Vermont. Our main goal was just to get away somewhere new, chill, and spend time together in a relaxed, unhurried environment. In all honesty, because October is SUCH a popular time to go to Vermont, our options were quite limited when we were looking. The Airbnb we found in Wilmington happened to be brand new (not many reviews), so it was still available!
One of the most relaxing parts of the trip was just hanging out at our AirBnB, sitting by the fire, and catching up.
Of course, during the day we also made time to visit some sites near Wilmington.
Stop 1: Hogback Mountain
There's a pretty lookout from Hogback Mountain where you can see a vast expanse of trees and the surrounding mountain range. If the foliage is in top shape, this would be an amazing lookout.
We could certain see some color, but you can see it's a bit past peak, and several of the trees were already bare.
Stop 2: Vermont Distillery
Right near the Hogback Mountain lookout, you can also visit Vermont Distillery and taste some fun liqueurs, including maple syrup flavored spirits!
My friend ended up purchasing Vermont Maple Liqueur from Metcalfe's after tasting a number of different varieties.
It was really chill to just hang out here. There are a number of chairs where you can just sit down, enjoy a drink, eat popcorn (or other food), and listen to live music.
Stop 3: Flea Market
My friend ended up buying a bunch of potted flowers because the price was insanely reasonable.
Stop 4: Wandering Around Wilmington "downtown"
The main street of Wilmington has a number of small shops and restaurants, similar to many other New England towns. We visited country stores, craft shops, and enjoyed local seasonal fare at the restaurants in town.
Enjoying Our Haul of Vermont Snacks
Cherish these times . . .
Overall, I think the Vermont foliage trip was a success (despite lackluster foliage colors). I am so thankful for this opportunity to travel with close friends on a trip where it was just the three of us. After all, it was rare and quite special that we were all together: one friend flew in from California and I flew in from Hong Kong.
It kind of felt like we were back in college!
As we get older (and our daily responsibilities occupy a majority of our time and energy), these moments are indeed precious. It's such a treat to truly get away (even if just for a day or two) and just have the freedom to enjoy a few unhurried, zero-pressure, totally relaxed days in the presence of good friends.
