If you could afford it, you could spend a week shopping at all of the Manchester Designer Outlets (97 Depot Street, 802/362-3736, www.manchesterdesigneroutlets.com, hours vary by store), which has some 30 factory outlet stores, including such top names as Giorgio Armani, Brooks Brothers, and Coach. The best stores are along Routes 11 and 30 (take a right after you hit the town center), conveniently grouped in several strip malls.

Peruse copper weathervanes and whimsical wooden animals at Flying Cow Signs (5073 Main St., 802/362-4927, www.flyingcowsigns.com, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Mon.–Sat.; closed Sun), which will also make you a customized sign for your house starting at $65 and $9–11 per letter.

Finally, when you get hungry after all of the shopping, replenish your sugars at Mother Myrick’s Confectionary (Rte. 7A, 888/669-7425, www.mothermyricks.com, 9 a.m.–6 p.m. daily), an old-fashioned candy shop carrying such mouthwatering classics as buttercrunch, truffles, and linzer torte, along with New England–specific recipes like maple-blueberry cheesecake.