Tour 15 Vermont Inns Decked Out for the Holidays

Can you visit every decked-out Vermont inn participating in The Shires’ Holiday Inn Tours in a single Saturday? “If you’re fast!” says John Burnham, executive director of the Manchester Business Association, which is organizing and promoting this 30-plus-year-old tradition taking place on two Saturdays, December 3 and 10, from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m.

Don’t think of it as a race, though. This inn-to-inn journey through Bennington County, the only county in Vermont with two “shires” or county seats, invites ticket holders to drive from cute town to cute town, to relish the fragrance of pines and the crunch of snow underfoot, and to feel inspired as they taste locally made treats and snap photos of wondrous holiday decorations. A warm welcome awaits at:

• South Shire Inn in Bennington, an architecturally significant Victorian mansion, where you’ll be enchanted from the first whiff of hot apple cider.
• Rockwell’s Retreat (12/10 only) in Arlington, where beloved artist Norman Rockwell once lived and painted. One of Vermont’s oldest covered bridges is right outside the door.
• West Mountain Inn in Arlington, a century-old estate with a magnificent mountain backdrop and a fire burning in the wood stove.
• The Arlington Inn, a red-shuttered stunner right on Route 7A, where the locally harvested Christmas tree is a sight to behold.
• The Ira Allen House in Sunderland, built by Green Mountain Boys leader Ethan Allen and one of the oldest inns in the state.
• The Inn at Ormsby Hill (12/3 only) in Manchester, where the mantelpiece decorations grow more elaborate with each passing year and an intriguing history stretching back to 1764 includes hiding Ethan Allen and possibly escaped slaves traveling the Underground Railroad.
• The Barnstead Inn in Manchester, a farmhouse B&B with its own local market and a country Christmas vibe.
• Manchester’s grand and historic Equinox Golf Resort & Spa, which is transformed into a wonderland of floral artistry each holiday season.
• The Reluctant Panther in Manchester, where evergreen adornments and golden light invite tour-goers in for a cozy visit.
• Hampton Inn and Suites, a pet-friendly family favorite in the heart of Manchester Center, ideally located if you’re staying for the lighted tractor parade on December 3.
• The Wilburton Destination Resort (12/3 only) in Manchester, a hilltop mansion that decorates to extremes. Return later in the evening on December 3 for their Santa Baby Christmas Cabaret featuring Broadway’s Melissa Marlin ($20 tickets include champagne).
• The rosy-hued Wilson House, built as East Dorset’s first hotel in 1852 and best known as the birthplace of Alcoholics Anonymous co-founder Bill Wilson. It’s now operated by a nonprofit as a welcoming destination for those in recovery.
• The Dorset Inn in Dorset, a gracious haven that has welcomed travelers since 1796. Wreaths and swags of greenery are an enchanting sight, and you may want to return for dinner by the fire at night.
• Barrows House Inn in Dorset, which is at its loveliest dressed up in white lights.
• Squire House B&B (12/10 only) in Dorset, which will welcome you as if you’re arriving home to your own antique-furnished country estate.

Start at any participating inn or at manchestermerriment.org if you prefer to purchase tickets online: They’re $20 for one person or $30 for two. Proceeds benefit three area nonprofits: The event raises as much as $5,000 each year to combat food insecurity, which is particularly of concern in rural areas of Vermont.

SEE MORE: 10 Merry New England Inns for the HolidaysThe Wilburton in Vermont is the Merriest Inn of AllCelebrating Christmas in Weston, Vermont