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Hi, I'm Mel Allen, Editor of Yankee Magazine. Sometimes, the most beautiful places slip
beneath our travel radar. Today, I want to tell you about one of those places, The Last
Green Valley. It's 1,000 square miles of woods and forests and farms, and it's tucked between
the Quinebaug and Shetucket Rivers and is bordered by Providence and Worcester and Hartford,
all these urban areas. But in these 1,000 square miles, over 70% of what you see is
going to be farms and woods and fields.
I spent a few days there not too long ago. I want to tell you some of my highlights.
First of all, Route 169, a national scenic byway, slices right through the heart of The
Last Green Valley. It's 32 miles north and south from Woodstock to Lisbon, and along
those 32 miles there's so many places you'll want to stop and just linger.
For instance, you won't have a more memorable dinner anywhere in New England, I think, than
at the Golden Lamb Buttery. It's set in 1,000 acres. Just imagine, driving up this long
driveway, getting out, strolling the grounds or going out on the balcony and the terrace,
looking out over a scene that comes right out of a painting. Before dinner, you're going
to board a hay ride, and you're going to be serenaded as you go along those acres, and
you're going to come back and just going to linger for several hours over dinner.
Now, on a much smaller scale a place that really caught my eye was called the Vanilla
Bean Café. Route 169 is a favorite of motorcyclists as you can imagine with its scenery and winding
roads, and it seems that all of them stop here at the Vanilla Bean Café. They come
to check each other's rides. They have coffee and sandwiches and the best lemonade I've
had in a long while that's spiked with fresh ginger.
One of the best bargains in The Last Green Valley is not far from the Vanilla Bean Café.
It's called the Sharpe Hill Vineyards, and $5 bought me five tastings from the vineyard.
My favorite was Ballet of Angels, and it has a great fruity essence. We sat on wicker chairs
and just kind of lounged the afternoon sipping the wine while other people were having lunch
on the terrace.
I've stayed at countless bed and breakfasts in my travels around New England, but none
more unusual than the Safe Haven Alpaca Farm and, yes, it's an alpaca farm. There were
over 100 alpacas during my time there, and many of them seemed to be having babies. As
you go to sleep, you could hear the little [mewings] from the baby alpacas.
So if you like to get out and explore, especially like wide open places and intimate cafés
and surprising restaurants, my advice is to get a good map, go to The Last Green Valley,
get lost and don't worry about it. And go to YankeeMagazine.com and you're going to
find out lots more about The Last Green Valley and lots of other travel tips.
This is Mel Allen from Yankee Magazine.