vermontliving

About an hour south of Burlington along Route 7 lies the charming college city Middlebury.  Realistically, Middlebury attractions are spread out and will require a car.  Highlights include the Fire & Ice Restaurant, the Morgan Horse Farm, Middlebury College and Otter Creek Brewing.  The downtown area is very small, but stores and restaurants mingle along the Otter Creek River and the waterfall is a short distance away.  You can walk down to the footbridge and view the waterfall. 

Photograph was taken by my brother for his site - http://www.northeastwaterfalls.com

 Middlebury College is just down the road from the main downtown area.  Home of the Breadloaf Writers’ Conference, Middlebury College is a key destination for sports lovers, as there is usually a game going on in one of the many fields.  The college also has a performing arts center where you can take in a theatrical or musical performance.

The UVM Morgan Horse Farm is a short drive from the downtown area.  It’s in a more remote area, so follow the signs from the center of town.  Here you can learn about the history of the Morgan horse, see how they are bred and get an up close view of many of the majestic horses in the stall area.  If you are lucky, you might be around when one of the mares is giving birth.  Every year, they also hold a raffle for one of their foals ($2 a ticket or $10 for a book of seven).  One lucky winner becomes the proud owner of a Morgan horse, it’s a very inexpensive way to become a horse owner.  Remember that horses do require a lot of care, so don’t take ownership lightly!  While you see signs asking you not to touch or feed the horses, we’ve always had a guide who allowed us to pet them.

Just north of the downtown area is Otter Creek Brewing.  I highly recommend taking a free tour, but if you don’t have time, there is a bar set-up in the main foyer and you are welcome to free samples of any of the Otter Creek or organic Wolaver offerings.  One of the neatest things at Otter Creek is the discounted beer fridge.  You can purchase cases of beer for a much lower cost because they’ve been mislabeled or the labels are not perfect.  We picked up a case of their ’Otter Summer for $19, which is a bargain!  You can purchase kegs and all of their beers in the brewery.  You’ll also find apparel, hats, glasses and more.

End your day at Fire & Ice.  This seafood/steakhouse has never failed to impress me.  I’ve even attended a wedding reception where the meal options were more limited and I still walked away stuffed!  We always splurge and order the “Prix Fixe” option that is $10 extra.  For that extra $10, you choose any appetizer, dessert and an after dinner coffee.  Though I’ve eaten here dozens of times, I rarely try anything other than the Rockport-a 10-ounce Filet Mignon that is stuffed with lobster and covered in hollandaise sauce.  It’s expensive at $29, but well worth it!  All meals come with the free salad bar.  The salad bar covers three tables and offers everything from salad fixings to boiled shrimp to homemade breads.  Be careful not to fill up too much on the salad bar first!  It’s very easy to do.

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