Vermont Golf Vacation at the Rabbit Hill Inn

Activities in & around the Inn

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Biking

Saddle up your bike, fill the water bottle and ride the roads and trails of Vermont's beautiful Northeast Kingdom. Since you're so close, you can also explore the terrific biking trials of the White Mountains of New Hampshire. Take a day trip, cycle for a few hours, or ride miles and miles of scenic backcountry roads. The varied terrain includes routes through valleys, along ridges, over mountains, through quaint towns and villages, across covered bridges on both paved and unpaved roads. In addition to the roads and paths, mountain bikers can enjoy the Kingdom Trails network, rated "among the top 10 in the world" by the International Biking Assoc. You will easily find trails to accommodate all levels of ability. We'll provide the maps and Biking in the Northeast Kingdom trail details. If you wish, you can start right from the door of Rabbit Hill Inn.

Check out all these terrific trails:
Northeast Kingdom Trails
Kingdom Trails
White Mountains

We can also assist you with guided bike excursions! Don't Have a Bike? Why Not Rent One?
East Burke Sports — (800) 626-3215, East Burke, VT
Village Sport Shop — (802) 626-8448, Lyndonville, VT
Littleton Bike Shop — (603) 444-3437, Littleton, NH

Bird, Moose & Wildlife Watching

This is truly a birders paradise! You'll see bald eagles, hawks, peregrine falcons, osprey, loon, blue heron, variety of owls, woodpeckers and hundreds of others. The big guys are out there too - such as moose, black bear, white-tail deer and much more. Easy drives will take you to through the Northern Connecticut River Watershed, White Mountains National Forest, the Northeast Kingdom's famous "Moose Alley", and several wildlife sanctuaries. Here are just a few of our local hot spots:
1. Connecticut River (just a stroll from the Inn)
2. Lake Willoughby / Mt Pisgah
3. Darling Hill / Kingdom Trails / Burke Mtn
4. Victory Basin
5. Franconia Notch State Park

Nature & Wildlife Guided Treks

One of the best ways to explore the backcountry is with an experienced nature guide. Camera is mandatory!

1. Victory Hilton Guide Service (802) 633-4928, Barnet, VT
Don Easter will happily pick you up at the door of Rabbit Hill Inn
2. Northern Land Guide Services (603) 869-2634, Bethlehem, NH
3. Wildlife Watching (603) 255-3400, Dixville Notch, NH

Boating / Swimming

Over 40,000 acres of lakes and 4,000 miles of rivers and streams define the Northeast Kingdom and White Mountain regions. These numerous waterways, both large and small, offer many opportunities for boating, canoeing, kayaking, swimming, fishing and wildlife viewing. Enjoy placid waters for leisurely rowing and canoeing. Choose more active rivers and larger lakes for more challenging paddling and motor boating. Lucky for us, we are just a brief stroll to the Connecticut River. Terrific guided excursions are available too. A few of our favorite options: Lake Willoughby, Crystal Lake, Harvey's Lake, Joe's Pond, Echo Lake / Franconia Notch State Park, NH, Connecticut River, and Moore Reservoir.

Canoe, Kayak, and Motor Boat rentals are available at many of these locations. You may also rent from these fine sport outfitters:

1. Anglin' Boat & Canoe Rental — Barton, VT
(802) 525-3904, (802) 723-6693 or (802) 525-8840
Boats and canoe rentals on Crystal Lake 1/2 days or full days. Water skiing lessons can be arranged. All safety gear is provided. Call to reserve please. fay@kingcon.com
2. East Burke Sports (800) 626-3215, East Burke, VT
3. Village Sport Shop (802) 626-8448, Lyndonville, VT

Indoor Swimming Facilities

Four Seasons Sports Center (603) 838-2279, Littleton, NH Available year round.

Corn Maze

(open late July through mid-October)
This experience is tons of fun and lots of laughs! 3 miles of puzzling rows and turns though a cornfield. A new maze is designed each year. It can take from 45 minutes to 2 hours to solve the perplexing puzzles. Along the way you will enjoy 360 degrees of panoramic mountain views. The Great Vermont Corn Maze

Fishing / Fishing Guides

This sport is extremely popular in our area. Whether you are a novice or an expert angler, your adventure will be extraordinary! You can fish shore side, bring a boat, rent a boat or spend a day with a full service fishing guide (equipment is provided). The waters in this region teem with trout, bass, pike, pickerel, and fresh water salmon. We would happily assist you with a fishing license and finding the perfect spot.

1. Brookies Guide Service (802) 456-1399, Montpelier, VT
2. Northeast Kingdom Outfitters (802) 754-9471, Orleans, VT
3. Stream and Brook Fly Fishing (802) 989-0398 or (802) 879-9974
These fine folks provide terrific guided fly fishing trips & lessons. Regardless of your experience they guarantee you an insightful and unique experience here in the Green Mountains of Vermont.
4. Victory Hilton Guide Service (802) 633-4928
Don Easter offers great back-country fishing adventures
5. Reel Vermont (802) 223-1869, Calais, VT
6. Hanover Outdoors (603) 643-1263, Hanover, NH

Fitness Centers / Tennis

1. Four Seasons Tennis & Sports Center (603) 838-2279, Littleton, NH (indoor swimming pool available)
2. The Club at Old Mill (802) 748-5313, St. Johnsbury, VT
3. Public Outdoor Tennis Courts, Remick Park, Littleton, NH

Glider Rides

(open daily, May through October)
Enjoy an unforgettable experience — a smooth and graceful ride on silent wings. These highly experienced pilots will give you the ride of a lifetime. If you are adventurous, they will show you beautiful maneuvers and give you a chance to fly. Glider instruction and rental are available for novice and experienced pilots. Stowe Soaring Glider Services (800) 898-7845

Golf

Golfing near Rabbit Hill, a Vermont B&B There are three golf courses within 20 minutes of Rabbit Hill Inn. Each one offers a challenging course surrounded by beautiful mountain views. Try a different course each day. We will gladly arrange tee times for you. Lessons and rental equipment (clubs, shoes, etc) is readily available.

1. St. Johnsbury Country Club is a Par 70 course. The original first 9 holes require finesse, the new back 9 demand power — two distinct golf experiences that compliment each other perfectly. — our favorite
2. Maplewood Country Club offers a Donald Ross designed 18 hole, Par 72 course boasting a legitimate par 6 hole. Driving Range and lessons available.
3. Bethlehem Country Club also a Donald Ross designed 18 hole course, Par 70

Hiking

In addition to our 10 acres of wooded trails here at Rabbit Hill Inn, there is a lifetime of hiking adventures awaiting you here. Don your best hiking shoes and remember your camera! You'll discover breathtaking mountain views and summits, scenic outlooks, waterfalls, amazing wildlife, pure unspoiled countryside and forested land. Here are just a few of our favorites suggestions:

White Mountains National Forest

The Northeast Kingdom

Kingdom Trails
Popular Hikes in Burke Mountain area
Victory State Forest — One of the wild ones in the Northeast Kingdom, this state park wraps around the Victory Basin Wildlife Management Area, which has the Moose River Flowing through it and an open bog. The real gem, though, is 2,000 acre Darling State Park, home of 3,267 foot Burke Mountain. Amazing bird watching. The hike to the top on the West Peak Trail has been a well-kept secret.
Willoughby State Forest — A stunning expanse: the peaks of Mount Pisgah and Mount Hor rise vertically out of Lake Willoughby. Besides the lake, Willoughby has several crystalline ponds that are superior trout waters. Hiking in Willoughby is great. There are over 12 miles of hiking trails, mostly in the easy to moderate range. Many of these trails connect to trails that cross private land on Wheeler, Bald, Haystack and McSherry mountains. We recommend the Mt. Pisgah South Trail, which reaches two overlooks with views out to the White Mountains and points in between. But perhaps the real drama of this trail is found along the cliff tops above the lake-not for acrophobics.
Groton State Forest — The second largest contiguous landholding by the State of Vermont. A year round trail system connects most major points of interest. All of the trails are in the day hike range, with the longest being a mere 3 miles. Search out the Peacham Bog Natural Area, which is one of the largest bogs in Vermont (great for wildlife viewing). Groton State Forest has seven state parks attached to it, offering a full range of outdoor recreation facilities, including campgrounds, boat launches, and swimming spots.

Horseback Riding

...a spectacular way to enjoy the beauty and grandeur of our area. Rides are available year round. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced rider, the perfect horse and trail awaits you. Advance reservations are recommended — we will gladly make them for you.

1. D-N-D Stables (802) 626-8237, East Burke, VT
2. Loon Mountain Equestrian Center (603) 745-6938, Lincoln, NH

Hot Air Balloon Rides

...a spectacular and glorious way to perceive this part of the world! We proudly put you in the capable hands of Brian Boland, a balloonist since 1970. He is one of the most experienced pilots in the world, set numerous records, won national championships and has flown all over the world. Advance reservations are highly suggested. Boland Balloons (802) 333-9254

Rock Climbing / Ice Climbing / Mountaineering

Perhaps it's time to reach new heights...
International Mountain Climbing School offers comprehensive climbing instruction and guided services. Programs are open to people of "All ages, All abilities, All the time".

"Our mission is to provide every climber with a safe, enjoyable and worthwhile climbing experience. Our long-term goal is to run a friendly, personal guide service that you will return to year after year. It's a job and a passion that allows us to share the excitement of climbing and the mountain environment with you."

Contact IMCS: (603) 356-7064
Email: guides@ime-usa.com

Skiing — Cross Country

Our snowy winters are perfect for this very affordable activity. There are several prime spots to develop your skills and enjoy the great outdoor sights. We begin with a 6.5 K trail right here at Rabbit Hill Inn. Choose from numerous groomed and trackset trails that pass from hill farm to white clapboard villages, laid out to showcase the beauty of this area's classic landscape. The area ski centers offer extensive Skiing at Burke Mountain in Northern Vermont well-groomed trails networks. Rental equipment is easily available.

1. Burke Cross Country Area
2. Kingdom Trails
3. Craftsbury Nordic Center
4. Bretton Woods
5. Loon Mtn Nordic Center

Skiing — Downhill

Our Neighborhood offers several terrific ski areas (of course, we have a few favorites). Each resort has its own unique character and provides outstanding ski trails and services. Here you will find less crowding, great natural conditions and varied terrain enhanced by modern lifts and advanced snowmaking systems to ensure excitement for all skill levels. Rentals & lessons are obtained easily. By the way, many of these ski areas offer great Snowboarding and Tubing.

1. Burke Mountain — A Favorite Choice —
No need to pay "touristy" top dollar ticket prices or wait in long lift lines. It's time for you to discover what others have kept secret for years.
2. Bretton Woods
3. Cannon Mountain
4. Attitash Mountain
5. Loon Mountain
6. Jay Peak

Sled Dog Rides

The ultimate winter adventure, experience the thrill of flying across the snow under the extraordinary power of the sled dog! Tours are as hands-on as you want them to be. Learn how to harness the dogs, ride the runners, or just sit back and have the ride of your life while enjoying the breathtaking scenery. There are plenty of opportunities to stop and take pictures and to drive your own team.

1. Hardscrabble Mountain Sled Dog Tours
2. Green Mountain Sled Dog Adventures
3. Eden Mountain Dogsledding

Sleigh Rides

The picture-perfect romantic sleigh ride awaits you. Horseman Bruce Brink has offered sleigh rides in Danville for 25 years. His trusted team of black Percherons, handsomely adorned with brass and bells, will whisk you on a truly memorable half-hour ride through fields, forest and a working maple sugarbush with stunning views of the White Mountains. His antique bobsleigh accommodates up to two couples, and his box sleigh holds up to 16. We will gladly make arrangements for you. Camera is mandatory! Green Bank Hollow Farms — Bruce Brink (802) 684-1163

Snowshoeing

With more than 75,000 acres of public and forest park lands, plus thousands of hiking trails, finding a place to snowshoe is never a problem. Just strap on a pair of snowshoes and go in any direction (right from our front door if you wish). Up here, we measure our snowfall in feet, not inches. Now that's a Vermont experience! Equipment rentals are easily available. For a list of professionally groomed trail systems, see our Cross Country Ski section.

Snowmobiling

This adventure is not to be missed. You don't need experience - you don't even need snowsuits & gear. Guided tours and rental suits/gear is readily available. For those that wish to be independent, the Vermont Association of Snow Travelers VAST currently provides 3,549 miles of groomed trails and more that 1,500 miles of secondary and feeder trails throughout the Green Mountain State. Vermont's snowmobiling capital is Island Pond, with trail connections linking in all directions. Riders who have been coming to The Kingdom for many years say it is the best snowmobiling anywhere. The White Mountains / Franconia Notch areas also provide fantastic trail options. You can bring your own sled and hit the trails from the Rabbit Hill Inn.

1. Alpine Adventures Snowmobile Rentals/Guided Tours
2. V.A.S.T. (Vermont Assoc of Snow Travelers)
3. Kingdom Cat (Island Pond)

Wild Truck Safari — Winter & Summer

This truly unique off-road adventure will allow you to capture beauty of the White Mountains in a whole new way. Perhaps you'll be brave enough to sign up for the "extreme off-road" Zip-line tour over the Pemigewasset Valley in Northern Vermont adventure. "Exciting and adrenaline packed!" Alpine Adventures (888) 745-1919, Lincoln, NH

Zip-Line Treetop Adventures

Thrill seeking is taken to new heights with this amazing adventure experience! Boston Globe - "It's magical, breathtaking and awesome!"

Zip-line tours give you an exciting bird's eye view of the Pemigewasset Valley and the White Mountains beyond. On the edge of Barron Mountain, in the tallest pines and hemlocks, platforms have been built. From platform to platform, strong cables are connected. Each tree and platform is slightly lower down the mountain, allowing gravity to be the main power source of the zipline experience. With well trained staff and specially crafted safety equipment including a harness similar to a rock climbers, you are clipped onto the line and zip down from one platform to the next. Open all year round. Reservations required. Zip-Line Treetop Adventures (888) 745-1919

At the Inn | The Great Outdoors | Shopping/Antiquing | Attractions/Fun Spots | Day Trips/Driving Tours