The snow guns are running, opening day is a week away, and the Okemo Valley is getting ready for winter in public. This edition rounds up 40 things to do within about 40 minutes of Cavendish for Thursday, November 12 through Sunday, November 15 - the first indoor winter market in Ludlow, a ghost walk in Proctorsville, a ski-swap gear drop-off at Jackson Gore, a charcuterie workshop in Woodstock, and the cheese factories, trails and general stores that are here every week - for locals and visitors alike.
Use the finder below to sort everything by drive time from wherever you are: tap the button to use your location, or type in a town or ZIP code. A few notes for this in-between weekend: Okemo is not open yet (lifts are scheduled for Saturday, November 21, and Epic Pass prices rise after Sunday, November 15), Billings Farm is weekends-only now, the American Precision Museum is weekdays-only, and several summer spots have closed for the season - each item below says which days it is actually open.
A note on seasons: this is stick season turning toward winter, and hours shrink fast this time of year. Check the item's own page before you drive - times can change, small shops keep shorter weeks, and a few of these stops are weather-dependent. If you are heading into the woods, wear blaze orange: hunting season is on, and hikers share the trails. Dress for a mountain forecast, not a valley one.
One more date for the calendar: Okemo's lifts are scheduled to start turning for ski season on Saturday, November 21, and Sunday, November 15 is both the last day before Epic Pass prices rise and opening day at the new Ludlow Indoor Winter Market. Winter is coming - enjoy the quiet weekend before it arrives.