Vermont Balloon Festival

Quechee Hot Air Balloon Festival

Friday, June 20 – Sunday, June 22

Join us on for a weekend in Vermont for the annual Quechee Hot Air Balloon Festival.

DAY 1 - Arrive in the sparkling NH town of Sunapee and from the Harbor, enjoy a narrated boat tour on this Lake, a time-honored way to spend an afternoon. Come aboard, relax in your deck chair and enjoy the beautiful scenery. Your knowledgeable Captain will provide a narration of the history, landmarks and lore of this crystal-clear mountain lake known as the “waters of the flying goose,”. Then, we’ll Make a stop at the renown Vermont Institute of Natural Science’s Raptor Center. See Raptors, Owls and Local Birds up close! A 47-acre nature center with live bird educational exhibits, wild bird rehabilitation and a Forest Canopy Walk. After, we’ll visit the 45^th Annual Quechee Hot Air Balloon Festival. You’ll get time to explore the 50+ craft artisans and vendors, live music, and grab dinner before the 6pm balloon launch. Watch as more than 20 colorful hot air balloons ascend over the Quechee River and the upper valley of Vermont. After the festival, we will check into our hotel, the Common Man Inn, Claremont, NH. (L)

DAY 2 – Early this morning, you’ll have the option to visit the Hot Air Balloon Festival for their sunrise launch at 6am. Later this morning, we will visit the flagship location of the well-known flour outpost, King Arthur Flour Company, featuring a bakery & a cafe, plus an adjacent retail store. The bakery specializes in artisan bread, pastries, cakes, cookies, and seasonal delights, The store has just about any baking tool/product a baker might want! Next, we’ll stop at Billings Farm, An award-winning outdoor history museum and fully-operating dairy farm, combining a herd of Jersey cows, draft horses, and other animals with educational exhibits, and daily programs. Then, you’ll have some time on your own to grab lunch and shop in the quaint town of Woodstock, a quintessential Vermont town filled with little shops. This afternoon we will see the Calvin Coolidge Homestead and Village: It was here at this family homestead while he was vacationing, that Vice President Calvin Coolidge received an urgent message from Washington. Moments later, by light of a kerosene lamp, Coolidge took the oath of office from his father, the local notary public, following the untimely death of President Warren Harding. The Homestead remains exactly as it was the night Coolidge took office. In fact, much of the village of Plymouth Notch is unchanged since early 20th century. The Historic Site is considered one of best-preserved Presidential sites in the nation. After, we will visit the second oldest cheese factory in the United States, producing high quality and distinctive artisan cheeses for over 125 years. Built in 1890 by a dairy farmer, looking to extend the shelf life of his milk, this cheese factory was created. Not much has changed since those days. The cheese factory is the same today as it was back then. Recipe and all. (B)

DAY 3 – This morning we will return to the Quechee Hot Air Balloon Festival and you will get the opportunity to take a tethered hot air balloon ride! You can get a taste of ballooning while being held down by long ropes only floating up to 50 feet in the air. Next, we will stop at Saint-Gaudens National Historical Park in Cornish, New Hampshire, which preserves the home, gardens, and studios of Augustus Saint-Gaudens, one of America's foremost sculptors. Before we head home we will visit Parker’s Maple Barn where we will enjoy a delicious sugar party brunch! Take a tour of the sugar house to learn how they make their maple syrup the old-fashioned way and browse their unique gift shop to pick up some maple products before we return to the Cape. (B,L) 

Please Note: All Balloon Rides and Launches are wind and weather dependent.

Rooms with 2 beds are very limited! Sign up early to guarantee your spot.

$ 945 per person, double occupancy, $1,156 single occupancy

Package Includes:

2 nights at the Common Man Inn, Claremont, NH

2 breakfasts, 2 lunches

Lake Sunapee Cruise

Admission to the Quechee Balloon Festival

VINS Nature Center

Shopping at King Arthur Flour

Billings Farm

Calvin Coolidge Homestead & Village

Plymouth Cheese Factory

Tethered Hot Air Balloon Ride

Saint-Gaudens National Historical Park

Deluxe Motorcoach Transportation

Gratuities for Tour Escort, Bus Driver, and Wait Staff

Payments and Cancellations

Cash, personal checks & money orders accepted

Visa & MasterCard payments accepted via phone.

$75 per person deposit due upon booking, balance due 60 days prior to tour.  Refundable up to 60 days prior to tour.