Plan where you will dine prior to leaving and you'll spend more time enjoying your vacation and less time vacillating over the many dining options!



The efficiency suite was nice but we didn't use the kitchen, so I would opt for the larger hotel room next time.

In summer time, Killington/Pico offers a wide variety of fun activities (photos from a previous visit).

The Killington Golf Course rated 4-Stars in Golf Digest's "Places to Play" issue

Rock climbing, waterslides, mini-golf, scenic gondola rides, mountain biking, hiking, an inline skating park... who needs Carnival... This is a vacation!

TIP: Vermont foliage with the elevation of the mountains, hits about 1-2 weeks prior to the NY Fall Foliage in the lower Adirondacks which typically peaks the third week of October.

 Dining on your way to Killington:

We stopped at the Fairhaven Inn about ½ hour west of Killington. They specialize in Mediterranean cuisine, so I ordered the baby calamari and the Greek salad. My husband ordered the mussels and calamari fra diavolo. The food was good and I would rate it a 7. The décor is reminiscent of Greece. The atmosphere is overpowered by the lighting, which was quite bright.  If you were traveling from NYC or South, I would recommend a stop in Saratoga Springs, as it is a destination for gourmet dining - visit Saratoga Restaurants .com for reviews!

Killington Grand Resort Hotel

We arrived at the hotel on October 16, 2004, nearly two weeks after “peak foliage” on a rainy, cloudy, grey day. Yet, we were still awed by the beauty of the mountains and the last of the fall colors. The staff was helpful and efficient at check in. We chose a smaller studio with a Murphy bed and a kitchen. The room was clean and very nice with a view of the mountains and the outdoor heated pool. We tried at the last minute to book a massage but everyone was booked.  TIP:  If you are with a larger party, or are bringing a large family, try the Trail Creek Lodge, we were shocked at how large these lodges were, we thought... wow we could have brought three more couples!  Still ski in and ski out but the downfall is that you have to walk outside to get to the indoor pool/hot tub building.  At the hotel, you just take an elevator in your shorts and T-shirt.  No bulking up.

TIP: Book a massage when you book the room.

Instead of a massage, we then opted to find relaxation in the outdoor heated pool, which was kept at a very warm 90 degrees, and hot tub. As I swam from the inside of the hotel to the outside, the steam rose from the pool. The steam was swirling into the cold air, as the winds often do at Killington. The contrast of the 107-degree hot tub to the 52-degree fall air left me feeling exhilarated, relaxed and refreshed. Due to the time of year, the hotel was nearly deserted, giving us the run of the pool and fitness rooms. TIP: Don't miss the outdoor heated pool and hot tub which overlooks the pond and mountains.

We were tempted by the health club’s modern facilities but just couldn’t muster up the energy to work out. So to sooth my guilt, I did 20 crunches in the steam room instead.

Family Friendly:
This trip was a romantic getaway.  However, Killington is also a great family destination with daycare, an outdoor pool warm enough for even the most finicky child, small playground, children’s activities and lots of family fun at both Killington and Pico.

Dining around Killington – TIP: Do your research online before you arrive to find the restaurant that meets your tastes and budget.

I was originally looking a gourmet dining experience and was vacillating between Hemingway’s and the Red Clover Inn, the menus for both looked quite good. The staff at Killington had not tried the Red Clover Inn and we were exhausted, so we decided to stick to the restaurants on Killington Road.

As for Hemingway’s, the front desk person, who told us it was extremely pricey and that they didn’t even “put their prices on the menu”. However, after reading more reviews and their websites, I wish we had splurged and tried Hemingway’s or The Red Clover Inn. There’s always next time! We went with the front desk person’s recommendation to eat at Choices Restaurant and Rotisserie, a chef owned restaurant on Killington Road. This proved also to be a good choice. My husband loved it as it was a hearty fare, which I think would appeal to skiers. 

There were so many "choices", I was having a hard time choosing between the Filet Mignon which was topped with Portobello mushrooms and double cream blue cheese and the Swordfish.  So the waitress offered to see if the chef could do a “combo plate” which he did.  My entree was fabulous.  The atmosphere was warm and cozy, the service friendly and the portions generous.

Breakfast at Johnny’s Pancake House

The next morning, on our way home we stopped at Johnny’s Pancake House, which was highly recommended by a hotel guest. We were immediately seated but then waited about 5 minutes before the waitress noticed us. After a few more minutes we were served coffee, which we emptied quite quickly. A few minutes later the waitress remembered the orange juice and took our order. We asked for more coffee, which was in her hand, and she said she was making a new pot, went over to another table, emptied the pot on that table and came back to us about four minutes later with coffee in hand. I ordered the gut buster breakfast, which after ordering came out relatively quickly despite the fact that the restaurant was packed. The breakfast was great as promised. Despite our waitress, who must have been having a particularly off day, I would highly recommend Johnny’s.

BASIC KILLINGTON CONTACT INFO:

The Mountain:  www.Killington.com  The Grand Hotel & Killington Resort Villages (owned by the mountain): 1-877-4 KTIMES  For Killington Region reservations: 1-800-621 MTNS