A weekend away with other families is one of the best parenting shortcuts: built-in playdates, shared cooking and childcare, and none of the hosting stress. The trick is finding a house that makes that easy—roomy kitchen for collaborative meals, indoor and outdoor spaces where kids can play, and a homey, thoughtfully designed interior. A farmhouse Airbnb in Londonderry, Vermont, checked all those boxes and fed my farmhouse fantasies on a summer visit.
Londonderry feels like a more low-key, outdoorsy cousin to the Hudson Valley: small-town charm, lots of nature, and straightforward, excellent food. On the drive up we picked up burgers and milkshakes from Honey Pie—takeout that eased us into vacation mode and meant more time outside. The town also has a fun converted-gas-station dispensary, Green Mountain Therapeutics, and a great butcher, so we were able to source beautiful steaks to grill at the house.
The house itself is ideal for a multi-family getaway: a big, well-equipped kitchen, an outdoor grill, and a long dining table that encouraged communal meals and games. The decor leans modern farmhouse—soft couches, long wood tables, warm textiles—and the living areas are stocked with books, board games, and kids’ toys so boredom isn’t an option. I’m an early riser, and my favorite morning was coffee on the porch watching fog drift through the trees while the sun rose.
We made a morning trip to the West River Farmers Market for lemonade, flowers, and pie; the cheesemonger from Parish Hill Creamery let the kids sample a parade of cheeses, and we brought home a few favorites. Back at the property the children spent an afternoon exploring a private pond and chasing frogs. The grounds include a proper sledding hill and the barn/garage is stocked with sleds for winter, so this place works just as well in snow—nearby Stratton Mountain and Bromley are easy day-trip options for skiing when the weather allows.
Sleeping arrangements are comfortable and private: bedrooms are well spaced and the house has four and a half bathrooms, so each of the three couples in our group had plenty of privacy. The primary suite is generous—the bathroom has a tub and separate shower and big windows with a view. The top-floor kids’ room is a highlight: a large space with four built-in bed nooks, each with its own reading light, which felt like a small sleepover palace.
We closed our trip gathered around the firepit making s’mores, pointing out constellations with varying accuracy, and already planning a return in the fall for leaf-peeping and in winter for sledding and skiing. It felt like a homeaway-from-home—comfortable, practical for families, and quietly magical.
