Dog-Friendly Weekend in Manchester, VT - November 2025
We recently took a trip to Manchester, VT to celebrate our 3-year wedding anniversary and had the most lovely time. About 3.5 hours from the Boston area, Manchester was the perfect dog-friendly destination for a quick weekend away.
Manchester has some lovely resorts and inns, along with great outlet shopping, bookstores, and plenty of walking paths. We were also pleasantly surprised by the food options, which is what this post will highlight.
We stayed at the Kimpton Taconic, and there were quite possibly more dogs than humans. Upon arrival, all the dogs’ names were added to a chalkboard, and they even had a stick library for pups to choose from. On the door of each room, along with a “Do Not Disturb” sign, there was also a “Pet in Room” sign where you could write in your dog’s name.
The only miss, in my opinion, is that the lobby—while incredibly cozy and a great place to relax—isn’t quite big enough. I wish there were a few more seating options near the fireplace. We managed to snag a spot on our second night, but we really had to stake it out for a while, or else our seat would have been snagged (rightfully so!!).
One of my favorite things about the hotel was the nightly wine happy hour. Both evenings, they gave every (of-age) guest a ticket that could be redeemed for a glass of wine—red or white—beer, or cider, and they even brought out a popcorn machine. Everyone gathered in the lobby with their drinks, popcorn, and of course, their dogs. It was lovely, cozy, and such a nice way for the pups to calmly socialize.
We had breakfast both days at the hotel restaurant, The Copper Grouse, and everything was delicious. The coffee was great and there were plenty of breakfast options to choose from. On the first morning, I ordered a classic plate—eggs, sausage, hash browns, and toast. The second morning, I went for a BLT with the most incredible bacon, plus a blueberry pancake that might have been the highlight of both breakfasts.
We stopped at Sam’s Woodfire Pizza for an afternoon pick-me-up after a long day of outlet shopping and wandering around. We ordered the BBQ chicken and pepperoni slices, and both were delicious!
On our first night, we went to Ye Olde Tavern, which was definitely an experience. It’s a functioning tavern from the 1790s that serves colonial-style food. Every meal comes with cranberry hushpuppies, a salad, and whatever entrée you choose. We started with the baked brie and mac and cheese with lobster and bacon, which were both delicious, and then ordered the steak and the pork schnitzel. Each main comes with steamed vegetables and your choice of mashed potatoes or wild rice. For dessert, we had a peanut butter pie that was so good.
I feel like Ye Olde Tavern is a bit of a must-do simply because it’s such a unique, historic experience. The food wasn’t mind-blowing, but it was hearty and enjoyable. I’d definitely recommend going for the history!
For the second night of our trip, we went to Mystico for some Italian food. We loved the vibe—modern, cozy, and right in the downtown area. We had a wonderful meal and enjoyed everything from the cocktails and starters to the pastas and desserts. This is definitely a spot I’d recommend making a reservation at while you’re in town. And don’t miss the hazelnut tiramisu!
A few spots were on our list that we didn’t get to this trip:
One last honorable mention: on our drive back to Boston, we stopped in Brattleboro, VT at the Vermont Country Deli for some seriously good prepared food. We loved the mac and cheese, BBQ pulled pork, and the Thai salad. It’s definitely worth a stop on your way home—and get the biggest size possible of the mac and cheese!