5 Itineraries for a Fun Fall Escape

Index

Ithaca, New York | Niagara Falls, Canada | New Hampshire Wine Trail | San Juan, Puerto Rico | Wilmington, North Carolina

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For the Wine Connoisseur: New Hampshire Wine Trail

By Lauren Clem

Hermit Woods Winery features barrel-aged fruit wines made from local ingredients. Photo by Bob Manley

With its “Live free or die” motto and rugged mountain landscapes, New Hampshire isn’t typically known as a destination to sit back and enjoy the quiet life. But a recent mother-daughter trip north uncovered a softer side of the Granite State, one eager to remake its image as a place where indulgent — even luxurious — amenities are just a short drive away.

The first stop on our vineyard-focused itinerary was Hermit Woods Winery (hermitwoods.com), located in downtown Meredith on the shores of Lake Winnipesaukee. Founded by three friends with a penchant for innovation, Hermit Woods commits to sourcing its ingredients locally, meaning the menu consists entirely of fruit wines (no imported grape juice here). Contrary to the sweet concoctions wine drinkers have come to expect of fruit wines, Hermit Woods’ varieties are dry and barrel-aged, with a depth that could convert even the most devoted cab drinker. On the day of our visit, buckets of rhubarb and blackberries were fermenting in the basement. “We use probably thirty to thirty-five different fruits,” says co-founder Bob Manley. After a tasting, we headed upstairs to Sweet Mercy Kitchen, the winery’s in-house restaurant, where chef Kaylon Sweet delivers daily combinations like smoky bacon clam dip and a roasted white fish curry with sweet rhubarb and mango.

The lakefront Church Landing at Mill Falls in Meredith. Photo courtesy of Mill Falls Resort Collection

Downtown Meredith offered plenty of diversions, including a waterfront sculpture walk (greatermeredith.org) that stretches out along the lake. For dinner, we ate at Lago (thecman.com/lago), an upscale installment of the local Common Man family of restaurants whose waterfront dining room matched its rustic Italian menu. Our lakefront room at Church Landing at Mill Falls (millfalls.com) came complete with Adirondack chairs and indoor/outdoor pool access, creating an ideal perch for kicking back to watch the sunset with a glass of wine. For those looking for a rejuvenating stay, amenities like a spa, yoga classes and complimentary paddle sports rentals mean you can wind your day away without leaving the property.

We had a busy schedule to keep, though, and the next day we drove out to Holderness for a lake cruise with the Squam Lakes Natural Science Center (nhnature.org). While we saw plenty of loons and bald eagles, the highlight was seeing the many filming sites our tour guide pointed out from 1981’s On Golden Pond, filmed on and around Squam Lake. After a quick stroll through the adjacent Kirkwood Gardens (nhnature.org), we made our way out to Tarbin Gardens (tarbingardens.com), a privately owned botanical garden in Franklin. Managed by Jacky Tarbin and her son, Richard, the property hosts weddings and photoshoots and is inspired by the English gardens in Jacky’s native United Kingdom.

Our second winery stop was Black Bear Vineyard (blackbearvineyard.com), a family-owned vineyard on seventeen acres in Salisbury. Owners Ted and Kelly Jarvis run the winery alongside their adult children, serving up seven varieties of estate wines along with unique blends, like the coffee-infused Vino Cappuccino. We spent much of our visit in the downstairs tasting room, but the rolling vineyards would make an ideal setting for a picnic or event, like the annual Harvest Weekend celebrated every year in early October.

Our second night brought us to Manchester, where we stayed at the DoubleTree by Hilton Manchester Downtown (hilton.com) for easy access to Elm Street. A short drive over the Merrimack River in Bedford, Vine 32 Wine + Graze Bar (vinethirtytwo.com) introduced us to a new way to drink wine. Utilizing Enomatic wine dispensers, the tasting setup — billed as New Hampshire’s only self-pour wine bar — allows guests to sip and sample their way through up to thirty-two varietals before committing to a glass. The food offerings are similarly DIY, with build-your-own charcuterie boards featuring categories like whips, spreads and cheeses and flatbreads filling out the more substantial fare. We sampled several imported whites before retreating to our hotel room to cue up On Golden Pond and point out vistas we’d seen earlier that day.

Wine tasting at Averill House Vineyard. Photo by Lauren Clem

Our final stop of the weekend was at Averill House Vineyard (averillhousevineyard.com), a small, family-run winery in Brookline, just over the Massachusetts line. The Waite family founded the winery in 2015 after a gift of grapevines from daughter Stephanie to father Bob kicked off a new family obsession. The grounds expanded during the pandemic and now feature a spacious outdoor tasting area with live music, Stretch & Sip yoga and even wine-infused ice cream to accompany the reds and whites. A quick stop at the gift shop and we were on our way back to Rhode Island, well-provisioned until our next vineyard escape. 

Luxury Living 

A newcomer to New Hampshire’s hospitality scene seeks to elevate the state’s vacation reputation.

For a high-end escape to New Hampshire’s Lakes Region, the Lake Estate on Winnisquam is a new, 114-room luxury resort and spa slated to open in Tilton, New Hampshire, in late August. The property is managed by Ed and Patti Rocco, who along with senior partners Dan and Elaine Dagesse have been building out the thirty-seven-acre property for the past three years.

The spa at the Lake Estate on Winnisquam. Photo courtesy of Lake Estate on Winnisquam 

Inspired by the grand hotels of New Hampshire’s tourism heyday, Ed and Patti — both hospitality industry veterans — set out to bring their vision of a luxury getaway to Patti’s home state. The 150,000-square-foot resort features an infinity pool, three restaurants, a boathouse and lakefront views. Guests also have access to a spa, wine cellar, movie theater and pickleball and tennis courts, among other amenities.

“All the wonderful features you would expect in a luxury resort,” Ed says. “The whole idea here is really to embrace the mountain ranges and the lake.”

Chris Viaud, the James Beard Foundation Award-nominated chef who competed on Season Eighteen of Bravo’s “Top Chef,” oversees the culinary program. The property is also well equipped to host all-inclusive weddings, with an in-house florist, pastry chef and salon available onsite. With no Forbes Five Star or AAA Five Diamond hotels currently in New Hampshire, the property aspires to set a new luxury standard by earning these nods and becoming a year-round destination throughout New England. thelakeestatenh.com 

Nuts & Bolts

Travel Time: A one-and-a-half to two-and-a-half-hour drive from Providence.

Getting There: I-95 North to I-93 North.

Bucket List for Next Time: The Bottle Your Own experience at Averill House Vineyard includes a tour of the winery and 1830s-era tasting room, flight and charcuterie board, plus your own bottle of wine to cork and take home.

Worth a Detour: The New Hampshire Wine Trail features more than thirty wineries across six regions, from large, award-winning operations to small mountain escapes. The New Hampshire Winery Association (nhwineryassociation.org) has an app to help plan your trip.

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Index

Ithaca, New York | Niagara Falls, Canada | New Hampshire Wine Trail | San Juan, Puerto Rico | Wilmington, North Carolina