Part of the joy of staying at AJ Farm is discovering the places we've come to love over the years. These are the restaurants, coffee shops, adventures, and hidden gems we recommend to our own family and friends...and now to you.
Every place on this list is somewhere we genuinely return to for the food, the people, or the way it makes a Vermont day feel a little fuller.
If we're heading out early for a day on the mountain, this is almost always where we begin. Classic Vermont comfort food, welcoming staff, and the kind of breakfast that reminds you why small-town diners never go out of style.
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If you don't mind driving a few extra minutes, this is absolutely worth the trip. Located near Singleton's, Super Roasted serves some of our favorite coffee in the area. The open, inviting space is perfect for lingering over a cup, and the owner is known for greeting guests with genuine warmth and a piping hot, strong cup of coffee. One of those places that feels like discovering a local secret.
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A go to spot. Excellent espresso, consistently great coffee, and the perfect way to begin your Vermont adventure.
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One of our favorite restaurants in the region. Comfortable, welcoming, and consistently outstanding. Reservations are highly recommended, especially during ski season and holiday weekends.
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The easiest place to stock up before settling into a relaxing weekend at AJ Farm. Grab coffee, eggs, wine, and everything you need for a slow few days.
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Our closest convenience store and gas station. Perfect for forgotten groceries, milk, snacks, hand warmers, firewood, or grabbing supplies before heading to the mountains.
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A true Vermont institution. Known for incredible sandwiches and locally famous bacon. If you're heading out for a hike or a lake day, this is our favorite place to grab lunch.
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One of our favorite places to experience authentic Vermont maple products, including amazing maple creemees. Add the maple dust...you won't regret it. Great gifts, great maple syrup, and a stop that's uniquely Vermont.
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A beautiful mountain golf course during the warmer months. In winter, it transforms into an excellent destination for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing.
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One of the most peaceful places to experience Vermont in winter. Beautifully maintained cross-country skiing and snowshoe trails for every ability level.
Open in MapsSlow mornings, water at every turn, dinner that runs into stars.
Coffee in the sunroom while the lake wakes up. Pick up a second cup from Johnny's. Spend the rest of the morning kayaking or paddle boarding from the dock.
Sandwiches from Singleton's, eaten by the water.
Relax on the dock. Read a book. Take one more paddle around the lake before the wind picks up.
Dinner at Homestyle, then home for a fire, s'mores, and stargazing from the yard.
Fuel up. Ski hard. Come home to a warm house and a long dinner.
Fuel up with breakfast at The Hatchery or whip up breakfast in the open kitchen.
Spend the day at Okemo just minutes away and perfect for families. Or Killington, one of the East Coast's premier ski destinations with terrain for every ability level. If you have kids and are looking for childcare, book daycare at the mountain early in the season!
Apres ski or head home for the second half of the day.
Boots on the mudroom dryer. Dinner made. Fire lit and hot chocolate in hand. Board games out.
Sometimes the best day at AJ Farm is the one with nowhere to be.
Sleep in. Coffee in the sunroom. Read a book.
A slow paddle board around the lake, 18 holes at Fox Run or a hike at Calvin Coolidge State Park to name a few fun activities we like!
Enjoy dinner at home and a beverage by the fire pit.
These aren't activities. They're the moments we hope you'll remember long after your stay.
Morning mist drifting across the lake.
The first cup of coffee before everyone else wakes up.
Watching loons glide across the water.
An afternoon paddle without a destination.
Family game nights around the fire.
Sunsets from the Adirondack chairs.
The quiet that only Vermont seems to offer.
Looking up at a sky full of stars.
AJ Farm is the home base for every place on this guide. It's a private lakefront farmhouse in Plymouth, Vermont, kept for the people who choose to slow down and enjoy all the things VT has to offer.
Plan Your StayWe'll keep adding to this guide as we find more places worth sharing.