Providence, RI to Montreal- Day 1

After picking up the kid from college, we started the drive to Montreal. Having already explored New Hampshire and Vermont on a previous road trip, we only made 2 stops as we made our way north because sometimes you don’t need to do all the things again, but you do need to make room for the good stuff.

Stop number 1 was at Silloway Maple.

Silloway Maple is a working maple farm, and honestly, it had that simple, authentic Vermont charm that makes you feel like you found the right little stop. Boiling season was over, but we learned that the work never ends. One person was actively cleaning the equipment, and we were warmly greeted by someone that we assume to be one of the owners. She answered all our questions and then led us into the gift shop area to sample some of their delicious syrups. After sampling, she gave us time to look around and then came back and answered more of our questions. It was no rush, no pressure, just genuinely kind and helpful.

We bought some syrup for ourselves and some for family, but one of the main reasons we stopped was to get a Maple Creemee. Even though it was cold and windy, we couldn't help but indulge in one of these Vermont seasonal staples. These are typically sold at roadside stands and farms and are considered an “edible tribute” to the state's maple production. And yes, it absolutely lived up to the hype — creamy, sweet, and very much worth standing in the cold for.

If you ever see them, be sure to stop and give them a try. You won't be disappointed.

Silloway Farm Maple Creamee

We promptly got back on the road and planned out our next stop… another roadside sugar shack: Morse Farm Maple Sugarworks.

This one was a bit farther off the interstate, but our directions took us through Montpelier, which was a pleasant surprise. Montpelier is the capital of Vermont, and the courthouse is beautiful with a distinctive gold dome that makes you slow down and say, “Oh, okay Vermont, I see you.” This was a quaint little city, unlike most state capitals, and is the least populous of all state capitals.

Morse Farm Maple Sugarworks is a full-fledged store with every maple-flavored thing you can imagine, plus all the random tchotchkes you could imagine and the complete opposite of Silloway Farms. Silloway felt more like a personal stop at a working farm, while Morse Farm definitely leaned more gift shop, but in a fun, “let me browse and buy something I probably don’t need” kind of way.

I am not sure if you can see the sugaring process happen at this sugar shack. It seemed more like a store/gift shop. Nonetheless, we left with yet another Maple Creemee and a bag of delicious maple-flavored popcorn. (Once you start chasing maple in Vermont, you don’t stop.)

POPCORN!!

After our stop, we continued north… and finally arrived in Montreal.

Our hotel for our 2-night stay was the Marriott Château Champlain, located in the heart of downtown. After getting checked in, we were starving and ready for our first official Montreal food mission: poutine.

Hotel staff recommended Dunn’s. It was within walking distance, and although it was a cool, windy night, we enjoyed stretching our legs after the long drive. The three of us shared the Reuben and poutine, which was honestly the perfect low-effort, high-reward dinner after a travel day. The sandwich was delicious, the coleslaw was the right blend of sweet and savory, and the poutine hit the spot.

After dinner, we walked and explored, popped into a few shops, and then made our way back to our hotel. It had been a long day with packing up Avery’s dorm room and getting things settled into a storage unit, so we called it a night to get a good night’s rest and be prepared for a full day of exploring.

Our hotel room was on the 30th floor overlooking the park and the Queen Elizabeth hotel. We had an amazing view, the kind that makes you feel like you made a solid hotel choice without totally blowing the budget.

Take me to Day 2- Montreal