For the vacationer who can’t abide lounging away day after monotonous day, Equinox flips the “country getaway” on its head. Boasting a wide variety of fun family activities, this destination can sometimes feel more like an elite summer camp than a AAA Four Diamond resort.

Which is not to say pure relaxation is impossible. Those in need of a break will surely find it. Beauty is everywhere at Equinox: two-story columns highlight the more than 200-year-old architecture. In every spacious bedroom, old gives way to new and each combines the contrast and clean lines of modern design against the class and crown molding of the late 1700s.

Equinox’s diverse dining scene offers guests four in-house restaurant options with cuisines ranging from classic pub fare to USDA Prime aged steaks.

After guests have checked in and satiated their appetite, the fun can really begin. Equinox offers a regionally renowned golf club, a full service spa, archery lessons and tournament play, fly-fishing lessons and guided trips, and a Churchill-method shot gunning school. Visitors also have the opportunity to experience the nearby British School of Falconry, a fanciful activity that gives guests the chance to command and control live falcons and other birds of prey – with the help of an instructor, of course. Finally, for those seeking some horsepower, check out the Land Rover Experience Driving School, also onsite. Each guided excursion teaches the techniques and fundamentals of off-road driving, and happens to be one activity that’s actually more fun in the muddy springtime. ♕

One of my recent adventures for work led me to the Equinox Resort in Manchester Village, Vermont for an article about spring travel in New England. The feature was focusing on the iconic location and spring time activities, but we could not pass up the opportunity to sample the Chop House while we were there. It is your classic steak house that feels like a refined hunter’s lodge.

By Jazz Martin

You should know that I eat salad, but normally it is not something that I crave…unless you create a lettuce mountain with bacon magma exploding out of the top! Needless to say, the salads and appetizers made a great first impression. They were all carefully and creatively plated by the chef and our waiter was an expert on all of the dishes we sampled down to the origins of the particular ingredients used.

The steaks at the Chop House come with my personal favorite side, a roasted head of garlic! The rest of the sides are served à la carte. Clearly the Vermont Macaroni and Cheese is not something you can just pass up. It is hard to resist the urge to keep shoveling the mac and cheese, but I must insist that you control yourself here. If you over indulge in the mac and cheese, you will never be able to fit in desert!

The Chop House once again leaves us with a lasting impression. The banana cream pie was resting on top of a magically delicate and airy pastry that quickly collapses as you dig in. The baked Alaska was coated in a delicious butterscotch sauce and the chocolate fondue with fresh fruit, cake and homemade marshmallows leaves you with fun textures and tastes to finish off your meal. Our short stay was filled with great food, fun and adventures. We got to try their Land-Rover Experience Driving School and experienced a hands-on lesson with trained birds of prey at the British School of Falconry. With luxurious dining venues and a plethora of exciting activities I can honestly recommend the Equinox Resort and Spa as one of the best places to vacation in New England.

— Cheers