I’ll probably stay in New Haven since it’s close to Milford beach and twelve percent is the biggest draw to my knowledge Haven’t done much research on VT and I’ve never been there where to stay for breweries and great disc golf courses? also, kid friendly things to do…my three kids will be 7, 9, and 12
You’ll get plenty of good recommendations in this thread. Just keep in mind, if you’re thinking alchemist/hill farmstead type areas of Vermont for beer. That’s a solid 4 hour drive without any traffic from CT. Having kids I know that can be taxing. Also some spots aren’t so close to each other. Your best bet would be Waterbury or Burlington maybe. You could also look into southern Vermont instead. That would allow you to add treehouse in most likely.
For breweries near New Haven, 12 Percent is OK. I think East Rock and New England Brewing Company are better.
For disc Golf, Here's a good guide. I play Veterans Memorial in Bridgeport most of the time (It's pretty close to me). Fun course but might not be close enough to New Haven for you. https://udisc.com/places/connecticut-united-states
Would suggest looking into Smugglers Notch in VT for disc golf / family friendly stuff. When Notch Road is open, you'd have excellent access to Stowe (Alchemist, von Trapp and a bunch of great restaurants) in addition to what Smuggs can offer in terms of disc golf and kid actitivities. It's an hour to Hill Farmstead from there and a little less than an hour to downtown Burlington. Back in CT - New England Brewing is the best choice near New Haven. 12 percent will have good variety.
For Vermont, I would prioritize Alchemist and Lawson’s. Hill Farmstead is almost a shrine, but hard to get to. if you get to Burlington, Foam has the best combination of beer and location. Burlington Beer Company has a great venue and lots of beer options, but only fair quality. Unfortunately, all the best options are in the northern half of the state.
jbrews - part of the reason we’d stop in CT (coming from PA) is so we don’t have such a long drive one way. Considering stopping at Treehouse and my heart is kind of set on Charlton location as I wished I had been able to drink on premises when I went there in the summer of 2017. I know Deerfield and maybe Woodstock may be more efficient travel wise but not sure how the setting is and how the experience compare with kids being there with me. Not only is northern Vermont better for beer but it is for disc golf as well…Waterbury has a course that is #1 in VT, #2 in the states, and #5 in the world. NYR-zuuuuc - I like that 12 percent has numerous breweries. Would like to go to NEBC…didn’t make it there when I went to New Haven in the past because they weren’t open the days we were there. Not sure if I’ll make to any courses in CT because we don’t plan on spending a lot of time there. Never heard of East Rock but I’ll look into them. EDNOSE - I know about smugglers notch DGC…will check what else it offers. jaxon53 - I got New Haven pizza from the original Frank Pepe’s and I felt no need to have it again but I was told I was doing it wrong…I think apizza is where I was told to try if I ever go again
I'd say New Haven and Hartford area are the two best places to stay as they're central to the state, just depends on what breweries you're prioritizing. Twelve Percent is neat but I'd say it's far from the biggest draw in the state. stay in New Haven if your priorities include Counter Weight, New England Brewing, Twelve Percent, Nod Hill, etc. stay in Hartford if your priorities include Fox Farm, Dead Language, OEC, Treehouse, etc. sorry i can't help much on disc golf, but i know Willimantic Brewing Co supports the community, sells discs, etc.
If you're driving through central MA, have you considered Maple Hill? It's only 25 minutes from Treehouse Charlton. Highly recommend hitting Maple and Brewster/Fox if you can.
Totally makes sense. Now I see that CT is a pass through with a plan to be in VT, got it! I will say this. There is nothing wrong with Deerfield or their outside. For kids, I’d argue it’s actually better than Charlton in some ways. Huge open field. You could probably fire my old potato gun out the back and still hit field and grass. It’s that vast. There’s actually a slide (though was blocked off in fall?) not sure if it was for the big event they did. During the foliage season Deerfield is gorgeous. The inside is fine. But to be honest, it just feels like I’m walking through Raytheon or any company building of the like to a lunch atrium for pours. Maybe the least fav of the indoor spots. But, for what they’ve done, it’s still nice and great pizza. Charlton does just hit better. It’s the nostalgia, and reliving the old lines and hassles in a pretty damn easy setup now. Certainly plenty of space for kids and you can also check out the woods area/trails. I prefer this inside area more. If anything, maybe Charlton just is able to bring me back as close to the old Monson feelings as I can get. If you can get it in, I wouldn’t worry about swinging over to there. It’s really not that far out of the way. Em and I have many time been to Deerfield, swung down through Charlton for a pour to Worcester and back up to Portsmouth, NH. Look on a map, it’ll make you feel better about the detour lol. I tend to keep pours to 1 at a spot and somewhat minimal when I drive. So the drives in between stops and chance to have food/hydrate/process are usually welcomed by me. Try to find the positives in the commute. I’ve seen too many people get into trouble and the year of headaches after. if it rains, it’s kind of all a moot point!
Charlton is definitely the better outdoor location, but the pizza at Deerfield may make me lean Deerfield these days. That pizza is religious. Also, Yankee Candle is up there, should anyone be interested in that. If you're coming up from CT it's pretty much a straight shot up 91, so you could stop in Northampton for lunch and for a little walk around before hitting your final destination of Deerfield too.
Is the Pizza that different between locations? I've gotten the pizza at Tewks a couple times, meh at best.
I've found the pizza in Sandwich and Deerfield to be pretty much the same. I think it's high quality in both locations. Whole family enjoyed. Sandwich I'd put up against pretty much any pizza I've had on the Cape (which, admittedly, I view the Cape as a pizza wasteland!). Can't speak to Tewks.
I haven't been to Tewksbury, but I haven't been anything other than amazed by the pizza in Deerfield.
The pizza at Tewksbury was meh for me too. I also am not sure OP is gonna like it that much considering it is influenced by New Haven style. @Crumps_Brother - don't be led astray by suggestions, good or bad. Like Fox Farm is great but it's so far out of the way that suggesting it is kind of disrespectful to your and your family's time. I think you're probably adding about an hour/hour and a half to your trip if you choose to stop at Charlton vs Deerfield. I haven't been to Deerfield, but I am not sure either location is that special. Charlton is cool, has a Jurassic Park feel when you go under the gate, but it's a modern building surrounded by greenery. It's nice but not particularly special to me. If you're heart's set on it and your kids/partner are ok with it, then go for it.
+1 in not being overly impressed with the pizza. Have only had it in Sandwich. It is good no doubt, I think my expectations were just sky high based on the photos and how much they hyped it. This said, I can’t say I’ve had better pizza at a brewery, definitely not a brewery with beer as good as Treehouse. It’s a great addition to the experience.
