2024 Fall Real Rutland Weekend Getaway Recap
2024 Fall Real Rutland Weekend Getaway Recap
In October, Rutland County opened its doors to five families from across the country for an unforgettable weekend getaway focused on exploring the area for potential relocation. Hosted by Real Rutland, the families embarked on an immersive adventure showcasing the natural beauty, vibrant communities, and unique charm of Rutland.
Families at the Welcome Dinner.
The families traveled by car and plane from Weymouth, Massachusetts, Herndon, Virginia, Saint Charles, Illinois, Conroe, Texas, and Nine Mile Falls, Washington. Some families were couples, others came with babies, young kids, teenagers, and grandparents who would relocate with the entire family.
Friday night, all attended a warm welcome dinner at The Foundry in
Killington. The winning families met locals and received a personal introduction to Rutland’s community spirit. Each family received a “loose itinerary” to follow while they were here.
Another popular event was Cider Days in Mount Holly. The highlight of this festival is the freshly pressed cider made from a functioning 200-year-old
Family at Thundering Brook Falls.
cider press! There is live music, artists, a book sale, and lots of yummy treats like cider, Crowley Cheese, ice cream, apple pie, and apple crisp.
One event most of the families attended was the Harvest Faire in Killington. There were free activities for kids
including pumpkin painting, horse-drawn hayrides, face painting, carnival games, and a bouncy house. In the afternoon, a band played live, and people stepped up to ride the mechanical pumpkin. The crowd-favorite stein hoisting competition also took place.
While traveling around the county, one couple found the Pittsford Sheep Festival in Pittsford. This event features local craft vendors, filters, and spinners.
Shepherds gave sheep shearing demonstrations and discussed what it is like to raise sheep in Vermont.
Families took advantage of the Vermont fall activities like finding their way through the
Family at Crowley Cheese.
As the Hathaway family says, “you’ll be lost, laughin’, and lovin’ it!” A few of the families stepped up to the challenge and attempted the corn maze at night, under the light of the moon! On the farm’s twelve acres, there is a play area for little kids and adults, a mini maze for toddlers, a Story Walk, and a Livestock Barn with cows, donkeys, sheep, goats, bunnies, pot belly pigs, guinea pigs, and chickens.
A favorite hike for our Weekend Getaway-ers was the Thundering Brook Falls Trail in Killington. This short trail is only about half a mile long and wheelchair accessible. The
boardwalk style trail leads to a short path through the woods to the sixth tallest waterfall in Vermont. The entire hike takes about ten to fifteen minutes to complete.
Real Rutland rented kayaks from Blue Ridge Outfitters for one family. Saturday morning, they took the kayaks out on the Chittenden Reservoir,
Family in Downtown Brandon.
721 acres known for its tranquility and scenic views. This body of water is home to fish, loons, and
salamanders. If you’re lucky, an eagle may fly overhead. During the warmer months, people are often on the water in kayaks, small boats, canoes, and
paddleboards. Once the water freezes over, people go ice fishing.
While here, everyone took part in a scavenger hunt that took them all across Rutland County to explore our 27 towns and one city. If a family visited at least ten of the locations, they were sent a box of goodies from Baird Farm filled with maple and other Vermont products.
Some families visited schools, met with a realtor to tour houses, and all
Family at the top of Killington Peak.
chatted with locals to learn about what it is like to truly live in our beautiful area.
What did the winners of the 2024 Fall Weekend Giveaway have to say about their long weekend in Vermont? “Amazing! This was such a neat experience!” Another family said, “We had a blast! We felt very prepared to find
things to do and see at our pace.” What were some of their favorite activities or parts of the trip? One family said, “the gondola ride was our favorite part, but we really loved the chance to drive to a cute little town and walk around like locals.” Another family told us they liked the scavenger hunt by adding, “We wouldn’t have explored the area so thoroughly without some sort of guidance. Going to the different areas really gave a feel for the different areas of the county.
We went on this trip looking at one area, and I found I like a different area better. It was nice to see it in person and get a sense of the overall community of the different areas.”
Something Vermonters are known for is their kindness. One of our Weekend Getaway families
Family at Back Country Cafe.
told us, “Honestly; the most memorable part of the trip was the friendliness from Olivia, Lyle, Karly, (Real Rutland representatives) and the rest of the hosts. We really got a sense for that welcoming reputation Vermonters have more than any little excursion would give us as we look to relocate. This program is top notch, a perfect blend of planned and flexible and it really put Rutland on the map in our search… I don’t think I wouldv’e found you otherwise. I can’t thank you enough!”
On Monday morning, the group wrapped up the weekend with breakfast at Back Country Cafe in Killington, reflecting on their experiences and envisioning future lives in Rutland County. Families took in breathtaking foliage views atop Killington Mountain and
discussed job opportunities, housing, and everything Rutland has to offer.
All families discussed their intent to relocate to Rutland County with a Real Rutland employee. The interview is a requirement for all who apply. Real Rutland is currently planning a Weekend Getaway in March 2025. Be on the lookout for when the interview process begins in January 2025!
If you know you want to move here, please connect with Karly Haven, our Real Rutland Concierge Coordinator. She can help you make the transition as easy as possible!
