Top Travel Days of 2024, A Winter Escape to Troutbeck

After visiting every nook and cranny of New England and New York state over my lifetime, I thought I’ve seen it all. But I was wrong! One day last February, we dropped the kids off to ski at Catamount in the Berkshires while we climbed Monument Mountain, the peak Herman Melville and Nathaniel Hawthorne made famous when they made the same climb in 1850. Then we headed south for an hour into the heart of Hudson Valley’s farmland. I had visited the towns just over the border in Litchfield Hills, Connecticut, like Kent, Sharon, and Salisbury, but had never ventured into the New York state side to see Millbrook, Millerton, and Armenia, home to the 250-acre estate hotel called Troutbeck. We would spend a glorious winter weekend here, dining at their exceptional restaurant, playing games of pool, and reading by the freshly lit fires both inside and outside.

Come summer, this bucolic getaway, which has a rich history as being the site where the NAACP originated, is a serene getaway, replete with tennis courts, outdoor pool, fishing stream on premises, and nearby bike trail to take in the velvety green fields and mountains. Yet, we loved it in winter, especially exploring the nearby towns. We stopped at the well-known teahouse, Harney and Sons, a winter food market, wonderful Oblong Books, and a historic one-room schoolhouse in Millerton. Next stop was Salisbury and the classic White Hart Inn for a lunch of hot soups, salads, and freshly made breads. That night, we visited the village of Millbrook for an intimate dinner at Canoe Hill. Then it was back to Troutbeck for another game of pool and nightcap at the fireplace. We’ve sent a number of clients to Troutbeck over the years, so it was good to finally go in person and happily give it our stamp of approval.

The World is Your Oyster Volume 3: Andy Levine and Tom Coppock of DuVine Cycling

The World is Your OysterOur third episode of The World is Your Oyster brings us closer to home as we speak with Andy Levine and Tom Coppock of DuVine Cycling + Adventure Co. about their new trips in Hudson Valley, Shenandoah Valley, and New Mexico.

Andy Levine started his company decades ago creating bike trips in and around the vineyards of France. Since then, DuVine has offered small group trips (only up to 14 people per trip) with fantastic guides, farm-to-table experiences and carefully curated scenic rides designed to see the world slowly and intimately. Their motto is “Bike Eat Drink Sleep” and on their trips, you’ll do each of these in style!

We were lucky enough to pin Andy down long enough to find out what’s new this year. Tom Coppock, trip designer extraordinaire, joined us as well and tells us how he planned tours in the US with the same attention to detail as their trips in Tuscany and France. He discovered that you don’t need to look beyond our borders to find the distinct character, culture, and history of different regions of the US, not to mention, exquisite culinary experiences and magnificent scenery.

Thank you so much Andy and Tom for participating in this episode of The World is Your Oyster and for sharing your passion for what you do with our valued members. If anyone is interested in DuVine’s summer or fall trips, please let ActiveTravels know and we’ll check availability.

Bike Regionally with DuVine Cycling this Summer

Thankfully, coronavirus cases and deaths have plateaued and are hopefully now on the downslope in Massachusetts. Obviously, our health and safety are still the No. 1 priority, but slowly, we’re starting to see an interest in possible travels this summer and fall. Lisa and I, and are our son, Jake, have been holed up in our house like the rest of you for a good two months now. So we understand your need to dream about a new locale that’s anywhere but the backyard. But having gotten a number of you home safely from abroad in late February in early March, we want to be damn sure that the places we send you in 2020 have a good degree of social distancing, are regional, and, if not regional, can be found after one relatively quick flight. This is not a good time to be connecting in an airport. We also have to be concerned with individual state regulations. For example, Maine wants to quarantine all out-of-state visitors for 14 days upon arrival. This is currently on the books through August, which would restrict all hotel stays.

This week, we decided to reach out to some of our favorite outfitters and see what’s happening this summer and fall. First up, DuVine Cycling. If you had the chance to join Andy Levine, owner of the Cambridge-based DuVine Cycling, on the ride he created for ActiveTravels members in the fall of 2017 from Wellesley to Concord, you know they’re a top-notch biking outfitter. Lisa and I had the good fortune to bike with DuVine in Puglia the fall of 2019 on one of our most memorable trips. There’s been a demand this summer for private regional bike trips this summer and fall. Here’s what they’ve created. Pricing is based on a minimum of 6 guests, so 3 couples, or 1-2 families.

Hudson Valley Highlights:
• Enjoy all three nights at Troutbeck, a stylish and historic country retreat in the heart of farm country on the New York-Connecticut border
• Bike over covered bridges, through sleepy towns, and into fertile farmland in a pastoral paradise that’s surprisingly close to New York City
• At private visits and meals, sample farm-fresh produce with local producers and meet the chefs spearheading the region’s farm-to-table renaissance
• Taste artisanal whiskey and bourbon made from grains grown on the grounds of a boutique distillery
• Ride to lunch at Connecticut’s award-winning Arethusa al Tavolo restaurant

Vermont Bike Tour, 6 Days, Highlights:
• Cross the Green Mountain State on Vermont’s extensive network of unpaved roads, a traffic-free paradise of packed-dirt gravel
• Spend a day cycling to local farms in the Mad River Valley, culminating in a totally locally sourced picnic in a mountain pasture
• Enjoy insider access to local chefs and innovative farmers during private meals and visits
• Cool off after a challenging day of cycling with a dip in the local lake or swimming hole
• Stay at three of Vermont’s most luxurious and historic hotel properties

Vermont Bike Tour, 4 Days Highlights:
• Cycle beside the Ottauquechee River and past historic Taftsville Covered Bridge to a cheese tasting at Thistle Hill Farm
• Visit Vermont’s most well-known microbrewery, Long Trail, for a tour and tasting
• Go leaf-peeping from the seat of a bicycle, feeling the warmth of the fall sun
• Watch a glassblowing demonstration and dine at the riverfront flagship location of glassmaker Simon Pearce

ActiveTravels is here to help you get away during these difficult times. If you’re itching to leave the house, please let us know and we’ll toss around some travel ideas.