This 400 acre historic farm in northern Vermont might just be the most picturesque place I have ever stayed. Time just slows down when you arrive at The Inn at Mountain View Farm.
We stayed in the old creamery, which had a wooden swing in a big old tree out front, just beside the fire pit that was perfect for making s’mores.
We stayed in the Waterford room which was really large and had such great Vermont character. I love these historic inns because nothing is cookie cutter. Each and every room is as unique as a fingerprint.
My husband and I had a queen size bed and the boys slept on a pull-out couch, which they had opened and made up for us. The bathroom was big enough for us to set up Lizzie’s pop up crib inside. We always make the bathroom her room so that we can close her off for naps and early bedtimes.
There was no television in the room, but the kids didn’t complain once. There was also no refrigerator, but we were welcome to use the one in the main kitchen.
We set down our things and head out to the old pump house which has been converted into the world’s cutest biergarten. It was such a great set up with wooden tables that had been made from trees harvested right off the property. They had some of the best craft beers on tap and yard games set out that the kids had fun with.
We were sitting under the big white tent when a rain storm moved in. We were cozy and dry under the tent and I loved relaxing and listening to the rain fall on the roof. The kids took turns racing out through the fields getting themselves drenched in the process.
The Inn is a part of the Kingdom Trails Network, which is hugely popular with mountain bikers. We thought we were the only ones around until the rain came and bikers came out of the woodwork looking for cover.
We finally made a run for it and dried off in our room before heading into town for dinner. There was such a big storm that night, we just watched the lighting streak across the sky from our window.
In the morning, we came downstairs to fresh out-of-the-oven pastries and hot coffee. The dining room has this huge picture window that looks out over the farm. We were served blueberry pancakes that were to die for. Once we were completely stuffed, we went out to see one of the real highlight of the property, the animal sanctuary!
The owner of the inn, Dr. John Pastore, is also a great animal lover. After rescuing two donkeys from a fair in 2003, the Mountain View Farm Animal Sanctuary was born. He has continued to rescue animals from bad situations and now has a menagerie of animals that call the farm their home.
Lizzie loved meeting the animals. There were sheep, goats, and horses who were really happy for visitors and came right over to greet us.
After that, we just meandered around the property admiring their perfect flower gardens and looking at the horses grazing in the fields. It was just so peaceful and scenic.
We were told that we could go into the vegetable garden and let the kids pick something which was a real treat for the boys. They learned about gardening at summer camp and have been begging to plant their own vegetable garden. I let them each pick a carrot which they brought home as a souvenir.
There are yoga classes that take place in one of the barns on the property. I would have loved to experience it, but there were no classes the day of our visit.
The Inn at Mountain View Farm is a very popular wedding venue. We were given a tour of the reception barn and it was so beautiful, I found myself begging my 5-year-old to get married there. One large table ran down the center of the historic horse barn and there was a table set up in each of the stalls.
There were little lights and paper lanterns strung about. It would such an amazing place to have a wedding. The gardens would be perfect for photographs and way out on the hillside, there is a white alter with nothing but mountains for a backdrop. You can’t find a more idyllic setting than that. And how great is it that the money you spend on a wedding is going towards supporting an animal rescue?!
Despite the rural feel of the area, there are loads of things to do in the Northeast Kingdom. I laughed when the lady at the desk told us to pop over the boarder to visit a lavender farm because I figured she meant the next town. It wasn’t until I looked at the brochure that I realized she was talking about going to Canada! That’s how far north we were. If we had our passports, we would have gone.
The Inn is very dog friendly. Dogs are welcome in the yellow farmhouse rooms and must be on a leash when outside. Although we didn’t have our pup on this trip, we got our dog fix from the adorable golden retriever puppy that works the front desk.
The Inn at Mountain View Farm is the perfect place for a romantic weekend away with a partner or a family trip with kids. Let your kids run the fields, get dirty and have an organic childhood. It is a perfect location if you want to go hiking, mountain biking or just simply be still and soak up the beauty around you.
Click here to book your stay at the Inn at Mountain View Farm. For more ideas on what to do in the Northeast Kingdom, click here.