The small town of Jericho is nestled amongst the Green Mountains just 30 minutes from Burlington and Waterbury, 25 minutes from Smugglers’ Notch, and 30 minutes from Bolton Valley. In that town, a special family-friendly Inn awaits to host you and your kids.

The Sinclair Inn B&B

The Sinclair Inn B&B is a beautiful Victorian-style home with six guest rooms and a relaxed vibe. Upon arrival, we are welcomed by a bubbly 3-year-old named Cassidy. The Velvis family purchased the Inn in 2021 and is keen on creating a family-friendly vibe. “Many families don’t consider staying in a B&B, but we are trying to change that and capture the younger crowd,” says Holly the Inn’s owner, snowsports enthusiast, and Mom on staff. “Our daughter just loves having children stay with us.”

We get the vibe right away. Two living spaces on the main floor offer cozy places to play games and curl up by a fire to read. We find time as a family to do both during our stay. A large dining room hosts guests for breakfast, family-style, and upstairs our room has two large beds to accommodate our family perfectly. The kitchenette with a coffee bar and refrigerator outside our room is a nice touch, too.

While staying slopeside is always nice, Inns like the Sinclair offer a whole new experience. It has the feel of home, lets you explore multiple ski areas nearby, but also gives you that small-town Vermont experience.

During our stay there, we not only played board games together, shared amazing meals, but also explored the town of Jericho and connected with other travelers staying at the Inn. Top all that with nearby epic Vermont skiing and you have an incredible trip planned for the family.

 

Ski Vermont

Looking to explore Vermont resorts? The Sinclair Inn is a great hub as it’s within an hour’s drive of seven, yes, seven of northern Vermont’s fabled ski areas. You read that right, you could stay there for a week and explore a different ski area each day: Smugglers’ Notch, Bolton Valley, Cochran’s Ski Area, Stowe Mountain Resort, Sugarbush Resort, Mad River Glen, and Jay Peak.

Smugglers’ Notch is the closest ski area to the Inn and just a 25-minute drive. Smuggs’ tagline is “America’s family resort,” so you know it caters to the kids.  Morse Mountain is the hub for families, as it hosts their beginner terrain, but the resort also offers tons of family activities, especially during holiday periods. It also has a great daycare, an indoor FunZone 2.0 for kids that need a break, and meandering cross country trails.

Cochran’s and Bolton Valley are local hubs for families and great for learning, but also storied resorts with tons to offer. Cochran’s is home of ski racing legends The Skiing Cochrans, many of who competed at an Olympic level. Barbara Ann Cochran, 1972 slalom gold medalist, can often be found teaching the youngest of new skiers in Vermont (and their parents) on one of the hills ropetows.

Bolton Valley is another family-owned resort and a family resort to its core. While it offers amazing access to backcountry lines, it’s also a go-to for local families for lessons and affordability. A cozy base lodge, chill vibe, and access via the Indy Pass make it a destination for visitors as well.

Stowe, Sugarbush, Mad River Glen and Jay Peak are all about an hour’s drive from the Inn, and each offers fabulous terrain for beginners to experts, and each has it’s own flair, such as the winter wonderland that is Spruce Peak at Stowe, the Pumphouse waterpark at Jay, the “ski it if you can” vibe of Mad River, and the new SIMS Suites at Sugarbush.

Needless to say, you have options when staying at the Sinclair Inn, and no matter what ski area you choose, you’re bound to build a lasting family memory.

 

Eating At and Around the Inn

After a long day of skiing with the kids, what’s better than lounging in a living room together by the fire? The cozy Inn is a great place to return to after a day of exploring the mountains or the town of Jericho, and grabbing dinner. We stopped by several food establishments during our stay, trying delicious chocolate at Stoweflake Chocolates, the famous fruit pies at Poorhouse Pies, and a family-friendly dinner at Jericho Ale & Bean. (You can read more about those adventures here.)

That said, our favorite treats and meals were at the Inn itself. Morning started with a scrumptious breakfast spread in the large dining room. Our family devoured individual sweet croissant casseroles with a vanilla bean glaze as a main course, along with sides of breakfast sausage, fruit, yogurt, cheese, baked goods, and of course, coffee and tea.

The Inn partners with the Vermont Fresh Network, and aims to source meals locally, so the breakfast menu changes depending on the seasonal offerings and guest dietary wants and needs. They also host special Soup + Bread + Brew nights for the local community and an annual Holiday Open House to show off the place spruced up for the holidays and to sample sweet treats.

Our kids favorite part of staying at the Inn though? The fresh sweet baked goods that were regularly refreshed in the living space.

If you’re looking for a sweet family-friendly Inn to stay at while you explore Vermont ski areas, give Sinclair Inn B&B a try. You (and your sweet-loving kids) won’t be disappointed.