Traveling Huntleys

Inspiring travel stories, tips, and guides from a couple exploring the world one destination at a time.

Michael Huntley

Quechee, Vermont: Simon Pearce, Covered Bridges & Quechee Gorge

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Last Updated: May 2026

Vermont has a way of slowing you down, and Quechee was no exception. We spent several days exploring the Upper Valley region — watching molten glass transformed into art at Simon Pearce, crossing four of Vermont’s iconic covered bridges, peering into the dramatic Quechee Gorge, tasting farmhouse cheese at Billings Farm, and wandering through some of the most extravagant spring wildflower scenery we’d seen anywhere. It was the kind of trip that makes you want to move here.

Covered bridge surrounded by Vermont spring foliage near Quechee

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Bennington, Vermont: Four Covered Bridges, the 1777 Battle Monument & Robert Frost’s Grave

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Last Updated: May 2026

We enjoyed finding all the covered bridges and historic homes in Bennington, Vermont — more than we expected from a brief stop on our way north.

Beautifully weathered old house in Bennington, Vermont — we thought it was condemned until we saw people on the porch

We thought this house was condemned. It was oddly beautiful and would make a great haunted house. Then we saw people sitting on the front porch. Whoops.

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Newburgh, New York: Orange County Choppers, America’s Oldest Winery & How Prohibition Changed American Taste

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Last Updated: May 2026

We were on our way to Vermont and stopped in Newburgh, New York for a few days. We didn’t expect much from the area — and then we ended up at the oldest winery in America, a legendary custom motorcycle shop, and a second winery that turned out to be growing their own grapes and doing very well. Not a bad detour.

Benmarl Winery in the Hudson Valley near Newburgh, New York
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Hershey, Pennsylvania: Milton Hershey’s Rags-to-Riches Story, 80 Million Kisses a Day & Troegs Brewery

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Last Updated: May 2026

We were crossing Pennsylvania and couldn’t resist stopping at Hershey Chocolate World. What started as a quick detour turned into a full afternoon of chocolate history, cacao science, and a very necessary beer at Troegs Brewery.

Hershey Chocolate World, Hershey, Pennsylvania
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Harpers Ferry & Frederick, Maryland: John Brown’s Raid, Civil War Surgery & Jefferson’s Stupendous Scene

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Last Updated: May 2026

On our way to Gettysburg we stopped in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia — a small town of about 300 people that changed hands eight times during the Civil War and never fully recovered. We paired it with a day trip into Frederick, Maryland, where we stumbled into one of the most unexpectedly gripping museum experiences of our trip.

Harpers Ferry, West Virginia — the confluence of the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers

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