You can’t get much more Vermonty than the village of Grafton VT, and the circa 1850 Ephriam Bruce House will send you back in time in the best possible way.
Tucked away on a quiet street in Grafton Village, this unique vacation rental gives visitors plenty of room to spread out and relax while enjoying beautiful outdoor spaces, river views, and a few modern upgrades that don’t diminish the home’s historic charm.
With room for eight guests, this dog-friendly home is the perfect escape for families, groups of friends, or multi-generational getaways. Featuring three full bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms, and a beautifully landscaped fenced-in yard, it’s no wonder this vacation rental has been enthralling Airbnb guests for the past eight years.
Hosts Laurence and James have created a welcoming and cozy vacation rental with lots of vintage touches, giving visitors a thousand reasons to make Grafton their home base for a Southern Vermont getaway.
At-A-Glance: Ephriam Bruce House in Grafton VT
Sleeps: 8
Bathrooms: 2.5
Kids: Very kid-friendly with books, games, toys, bikes, sleds, and more
Dogs: Yes, and there’s a fenced-in yard
Cost: $200+
Best time to visit: Year-round, but we’re partial to winter for a magical Grafton experience
Highlight: The barn is so cozy, with a massive fireplace, a bar, a flat-screen TV, a cozy sofa, and access to the outdoor fire pit.
Book your stay on Airbnb
Eric and I were lucky to escape to this enchanting getaway after a colossal spring snowstorm. In April, we celebrated winter by meandering around Grafton, drinking craft beers, and exploring a few nearby towns, including a new favorite — Bellows Falls.
If you enjoy small-town vacations, historic architecture, and beautiful Vermont scenery, a stay at the Ephriam Bruce House in Grafton makes a wonderful home base for your Southern Vermont explorations.
Welcome to the Ephriam Bruce House!
There’s an easy shift that happens when you step onto the front porch of the Ephriam Bruce House. The rocking chairs beckon you to sit a spell and the historic home envelopes you like a warm hug.
There are tiny nooks for kids to play in, sitting areas with gorgeous river views, a garage-turned-game-room with air hockey and foosball tables, and a magnificent barn that begs for you to indulge in a local beer while warming up next to the fireplace.
The barn is reminiscent of an old Vermont ski lodge, with high ceilings, a lingering smell of wood smoke, and a sofa big enough for family movie night.
While we enjoyed our stay on the cusp of spring, I imagine that this house would be lovely in the summer with the windows thrown open and the river dancing merrily past.
For the six months of the year when Vermonters embrace the snow and cold, I recommend trading your boots for a pair of fuzzy slippers and preparing to relax, Vermont style.
Amenities and Details to Help You Plan Your Trip
The historic Ephriam Bruce House is dog-friendly, kid-friendly, and perfect for a Vermont staycation. Here are some of our favorite amenities:
- A large master bedroom with a king-size bed — perhaps the best Airbnb bed we’ve ever had the pleasure of sleeping on
- Two additional bedrooms upstairs, one with two twin-size beds and another with a full and two twins
- 2.5 bathrooms
- A small kitchen with everything you need for cooking small or large meals
- An outdoor firepit
- A beautifully landscaped fenced-in yard bordered by the Saxtons River and Hinkley Brook
- A rocking chair porch in the front of the house and a screened-in porch in the back
- A large, furnished barn with a fireplace, a bar, a huge sofa, and a flat-screen TV
- A garage-turned-game-room with foosball and air hockey
- Lots of books for kids and adults
- Kids’ toys and games
- A collection of bikes, sleds, snowshoes, and outdoor toys
- Easy walking distance to all of Grafton Village
Explore Grafton VT and the Surrounding Towns
The communities surrounding Grafton are small mountain towns and villages with small populations and big hearts. You could spend weeks exploring the southern Green Mountains, discovering general stores and farm markets, cozy cafes and vibrant pubs, waterfalls, and woodland trails.
And while I’d encourage you to get a little lost adventuring in these parts, here are some highlights you won’t want to miss.
First, Get to Know Grafton, Your Home Away From Home
There are no stoplights in Grafton VT. No sidewalks either. Just a tiny hamlet of historic homes, a single market for provisions, the sprawling Graton Inn, and a few local shops and galleries.
Oh, and Grafton Village Cheese is a must-visit! One bite of the award-winning cheddar made from unpasteurized sheep cow’s milk, and you’ll be browsing real estate listings and planning your move to Grafton (or is that just me?).
Get your bearings by meandering around the village and admiring the beautiful architecture. This self-guided walking tour of Grafton Village will help you get your bearings and learn a thing or two about the town. Download the PocketSights App on Apple or Google Play to get started.
Explore Bellows Falls, Vermont (12 miles from Grafton)
Once a gritty riverfront town with empty storefronts and an industrial past, Bellows Falls has transformed itself into a vibrant arts community with live music, theater, galleries, and restaurants. Stop into Flat Iron Cooperative for coffee and pastries, Wunderbar for tapas, and Ciao Popolo for upscale Italian.
Browse the eclectic offerings at River Artisans Cooperative, where you can pick up locally crafted gifts, candles, jewelry, and fine art. Finally, be sure to stroll down Mill Street to the Frank Adams Grist Mill (open on Saturdays between May and October) and walk the trails at Riverfront Park.
Check out the Vermont Country Store in Rockingham (9 miles from Grafton)
The famous Vermont Country Store features all the quirky items you’d find in an old-fashioned country store, plus loads of eclectic things that you never knew you needed. It’s one of those places where you can spend a few hours without buying a thing!
Be sure to grab a creemee from Mildred’s Dairy Bar, smooch your sweetie inside the Kissing Bridge, and check out the old grist mill next to the pond.
Explore Jamaica State Park and Ball Mountain Dam (20 miles from Grafton)
Breathtaking mountain views, hidden swimming holes, a meandering rail trail, and one of the prettiest waterfalls in the Green Mountains. Find all of this at Jamaica State Park, one of our favorite parks in Vermont.
Jamaica is particularly enchanting in the summer when you can swim in Salmon Hole on the West River, but you can also explore the park on snowshoes in the winter and bike the West River Trail in three seasons.
The 125-foot Hamilton Falls is one of Vermont’s loveliest waterfalls, but to see it, you must hike a 6-mile (round-trip) route. Four of those miles are easy and flat, but the other two require a bit of a climb.
The massive Ball Mountain Dam, just down the road from Jamaica State Park, was constructed between 1957 and 1961 to control floods on the West River. It is 247 feet high and 915 feet long, and it’s a pretty awesome feat of engineering and cool to see in person.
Ready to plan your next Vermont vacation in Grafton Village? Book your stay at the Ephriam Bruce House on Airbnb!
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Tara Schatz is a freelance writer and the founder and editor-in-chief of Vermont Explored and Back Road Ramblers, an American road trip blog. She is also the co-author of the 3rd edition of AMC’s Best Day Hikes in Vermont, released in May 2023, and the author of 100+ Wonderful Ways to Experience Vermont.
