I first experienced small-town living in college, when I spent the academic year at Middlebury College and summers in Lubec, a tiny, tiny town in downeast Maine (the closest traffic light is 75 miles away, no joke). Despite Lubec’s remoteness and the spotty cell phone service that drove me crazy at the time, the physical beauty of the rocky coastline and its simple, friendly townspeople make it one of my favorite places in the world. Since then, I’ve realized that I have a thing for small towns, making the many tiny Vermont towns with picturesque vistas and friendly locals great desintations for relaxing weekend getaways.
Visiting Rochester, Vermont: Population 1,200
Rochester, located in the Green Mountains running along Route 100, is one of our favorite small towns in Vermont. The population of Rochester hovers around 1,200 people, and you can drive through the town from end to end in under three minutes. The town is charming and quiet, and cell phone service is almost non-existent, which now as an almost thirty-something, I have to admit I kind of enjoy. (It’s remarkable what a good time you can have when you leave your cell phone behind and connect with people in person!)
Rochester is really a local’s town: very family-oriented, very safe and very quaint—although it gets its fair share of tourists in both the summer and winter seasons due to its ideal location situated between the Mad River Valley and Killington and Pico. Rochester boasts quite a bit of land for exploring between the Green Mountain National Forest and the Riley Bostwick Wildlife Management Area with ample hiking and biking trails for summer visitors to the area as well.
For years, I’ve driven past the Huntington House Inn, a stately historic home located on the green in Rochester, on hurried drives to access I-89. During foliage season this year, though, we finally stopped into Doc’s Tavern, a locals’ watering hole connected to the Huntington House Inn, with a suprisingly kick-ass line-up of Vermont craft beers (Bent Hill, Zero Gravity, Otter Creek, Hop’n Moose, Foley Brothers and Long Trail, just to name a few.) Any place with that much good beer and Ben Franklin’s quote, “Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy” emblazoned on the wall is my kind of place!
We decided during stick season this year that the Huntington House Inn and Doc’s Tavern were worth a overnight visit to Rochester to experience the town like the locals do. One of our favorite weekend getaways in Vermont is a “one-stop-shopping” destination where we can park the car for the weekend, dine in the inn itself (or within walking distance) and enjoy a few late-night drinks without having to drive. The Huntington House offers all three.
Staying at the Huntington House Inn
A fantastic place to stay in Rochester, Vermont
Usually before booking a night’s stay, I do ample research about the inn, hotel or B&B—scouring Trip Advisor reviews, online reviews and the establishment’s website to learn as much as possible before our stay. I must have had a good feeling about the Huntington House Inn, because I barely glanced at the website before we stepped through the front door. It was a surprise and delight moment for me, as we took in the eclectic decor that immediately showed us the property’s personality—a little funkier and hipper than I would expect for a building dating to 1806. (The Huntington House Inn was formerly the home of offices of Doctor Daniel Huntington; four generations of Huntingtons provided medical services to the town of Rochester until 1964.) I was happily surprised!
Spacious Room 2 at the Huntington House Inn – Rochester, Vermont
Scott, one of the innkeepers who has owned the Huntington House Inn for the past five years with his partner and chef Bobby, greeted us in a red-checkered flannel shirt with a firm handshake and showed us to our room: a simple, no-fuss check-in. (I’ve found that many inns and B&Bs will either give you a full tour of the place or read you the rules of engagement before you can even put your bag down…) Scott’s laid-back approach immediately made us feel welcome and at home.
Scott showed us to Room #2 ($169/night), an expansive room overlooking the park and town of Rochester with warm golden-colored walls, a beautiful wooden four-post bed and nooks and crannies with an antique chess table and writing desk. I appreciated the simple decor with tasteful antique furnishings (no dust or doilies!) and ample room to spread out. Despite being on top of the Chop House restaurant and next door to the tavern, it was absolutely silent in the room except for an occasional crackle and pop of the water heater in the room. Immediately we relaxed and settled in, excited to not have to get back in the car to have fun for the night… a real treat in Vermont!
Doc’s Tavern & The Chop House at Huntington House Inn
A huge portion of lightly fried pickles at Doc’s – with awesome house-made jalapeño ranch.
In addition to small towns, I also am a sucker for “townie bars,” public houses where locals gather and bartenders always remember you, and fried pickles. Doc’s Tavern, just a few steps from our room in the Huntington House, delivered on both.Doc’s is one of three taverns in the area (the others are the Clear River Tavern in Pittsfield—one of my favorite dive bars in Vermont.)
We opted to split some appetizers and Vermont craft beers in the tavern rather than a fancier dinner in the Chop House’s dining room, largely due to the fact that there weren’t many vegetarian entree options on the menu. (Vegetarian pasta dishes get old!) Between the fried pickles, fried Vermont cheese curds with maple honey mustard and local beers, we were quite content.
By seven or so, Doc’s was the hot place to be in town with locals playing pool, young couples sharing apps at the bar and the two of us people-watching and actually enjoying each other’s company sans cells phones. I was surprised to see so many people out on a chilly Friday during stick season when I had assumed things would be quiet. Scott was playing DJ with awesome throwback tunes and poured occasional drinks to back up the bartenders who were efficient yet laid-back and really friendly (to us, the non-locals, to the contractors at the table behind us, to the family in for a casual dinner). You can tell Scott and his staff really enjoy spending time with the locals who frequent the tavern, and, in turn, create a quite a destination for locals. One of the best part of our night at Doc’s? We could take a leisurely, brisk stroll around the green in Rochester before deciding to head upstairs in the inn and call it a night.
Since our visit, I’ve been telling all of my beer-drinking friends about the tavern and encouraging them to book a night in Rochester and experience the town like a local. The Huntington House Inn would be a great base for exploring ski mountains to the north and south, as well as mountain biking and hiking in the warmer weather. At the end of a day outdoors, I could see parking the car and eating and drinking like a local in either the dining room or tavern the perfect ending to a perfect Vermont day.
A Local’s Tips for Visiting the Huntington House Inn in Rochester, Vermont
- You don’t need to travel far from the Huntington House Inn for a good meal or a fun night out among locals. The Chop House will appeal to those looking for a more upscale dinner, while we loved our appetizers and Vermont beers in Doc’s Tavern while interacting with Rochester locals. What a fun night without having to drive home!
- Interested in staying for longer than a few nights? Ask Scott about their weekly rates. Aside from the six rooms in the actual inn, Scott and Bobby also own Top of the Park next door, which houses a few one and two bedrooms suites if you’re thinking about a longer stay.
- Looking for pet-friendly lodging in the Green Mountains? The Huntington House Inn does accept well-behaved pets. The location on the green and at the base of the mountains is the perfect spot for some early morning dog walking.
- Staying for a few days in the Rochester area? Consider grabbing breakfast or lunch at Sandy’s Books and Bakery, just a short walk from the Huntington House Inn. Sandy’s Montreal-style chewy bagels are the best in the state, in my opinion.
- Already been to the Chop House and Doc’s? School Street Bistro is another great locals’ restaurant right downtown in Rochester. In the summer, they have nice al fresco seating.
The Huntington House Inn
19 Huntington House Place
Rochester, Vermont
802.767.9140
innkeeper@huntingtonhouseinn.com
*Disclaimer: We received a complimentary night’s stay at the Huntington House Inn.
Categories: Bed & Breakfasts, Casual Eats, Inns, Lodging, Rochester