Best towns to vacation in vermont

There are a few different vacation spots that I like to visit in and around the state of Vermont. Depending on what kind of activities you’re looking for, some places might be a better choice than others. Here’s a list of some of my favorite towns in & around Vermont, including a brief description of what you can do there and why I personally like that town!

Vermont encompasses some of the best tourist destinations in the East Coast of the United States. Vermont offers a wide range of activities and opportunities, such as skiing, winter sports, summer nature adventures, fall foliage scenery, historic cities, museums to visit and quaint New England towns to explore. Hiking through 4-seasons Vermont woods is only one of the many things that you can do in this state. For example at the top of Burlington VT you’ll see snow covered mountains on one side and Lake Champlain on the other. You can also find plenty of accommodation options if you want to spend more time in a particular location or city. In addition if your kids are coming with you (always a good idea) they will appreciate vacationing in VT just as much as you do.

Vermont is a diverse and rural state in the New England region of the United States. It ranks 41st by population, with 623,657 inhabitants as of 2017. Vermont has a total area of 9,614 miles2 (24,090 km2), making it the 45th largest of the 50 United States. Notable locations include Burlington and Montpelier, both home to several colleges and universities like the University of Vermont and Larner College of Medicine . It is a state popular for its natural beauty, including green mountains and pristine lakes.

The Best Towns to Vacation in Vermont

Vermont is a popular summer vacation spot that offers a wide range of activities for those who enjoy hiking, boating, biking and more. The state is home to many small towns with plenty of opportunities for outdoor recreation. Here are five of the best towns to vacation in Vermont:

  1. Burlington – Burlington has become a well-known tourist destination because of its proximity to Lake Champlain. This town offers many outdoor activities such as sailing, kayaking and fishing along with museums, art galleries and shopping areas.
  2. Stowe – Stowe is located on Mount Mansfield and it offers skiing during the winter months as well as hiking trails during other times of year. There are also several restaurants located in this town that offer fine dining options along with shopping areas where tourists can find unique gifts from local artists who create their own works using traditional methods such as weaving or painting on silk fabric using watercolor paints.
  3. Hanover – This town is known for having some great restaurants where visitors can enjoy fine dining options along with live music performances by local bands playing bluegrass music styles like country rock or folk rock styles like folk punk genres like

When you’re looking for a place to stay when you’re vacationing in Vermont, it can be hard to choose between the many beautiful options that are available. Here are our top picks for the best towns in Vermont to visit on your next vacation!

  1. Middlebury

Middlebury is one of the oldest towns in Vermont, and its historic downtown area is full of shops and restaurants that are sure to make any visitor feel right at home. The town square features a statue of Chester Dewey Loomis, who was instrumental in founding Middlebury College. His statue stands at the center of the square, surrounded by stores and restaurants ranging from high-end boutiques to more casual eateries. You can also find some great antique stores here—or just poke around the small shops looking for something unique!

  1. Montpelier

Another historic city with plenty of charm is Montpelier, which was founded by Ethan Allen and his family back in 1787. Nowadays it’s known as one of the smallest capitals in America, with only about 7,000 residents—but don’t let that fool you into thinking it’s small! The downtown area has plenty of stores

  • ARE
  • PIN
  • EMAIL
Montpelier town skyline in autumn, Vermont, USA
haveseen / Getty Images

In Vermont, even the most prominent cities feel like small towns, and you’re never far from the things that give the state its character: dairy farms, mountains, covered bridges, craft breweries, maple sugarhouses, and apple orchards. Scroll around a map of Vermont, and you’ll be hard-pressed to find a bad destination. This is the second safest state in the U.S. (after Maine), and a place where the wide-open outdoors beckons in every season. So don’t just see one of these top Vermont destinations—plan to visit a few during your trip to the Green Mountain State.

01of 14

Burlington

Boats in Harbour and Autumn Colours
AlbertPego / Getty Images

Sitting on the shores of Lake Champlain, Vermont’s largest city almost feels more like a resort town than anything else. Start your trip by biking along the waterfront, embarking on a boat tour of the lake, or hitting up the Lake Champlain Islands. Then, check out the scene at Church Street Marketplace, where 150 retailers and restaurants provide goods, grub, and lively entertainment.

Energized by its college students, Burlington is also the first American city to run entirely on renewable energy, and you’ll see signs of the city’s green leadership in everything from farm ingredient-driven menus to Hotel Vermont’s green roof. Spend a day at Shelburne Farms, just 7 miles south of downtown, and discover all this 1,400-acre working farm is doing to promote a sustainable future.

Continue to 2 of 14 below.

02of 14

Woodstock

Hereford Cow in Woodstock, Vermont
brandtbolding / Getty Images

As pretty a town as you’ll find in Vermont, Woodstock is the perfect destination for lovers of architecture and the arts. It also just happens to be one of the best places to learn about the state’s agrarian history and role in the origins of environmentalism. Must-visit attractions include Billings Farm & Museum and the Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park, where you can tour the former home of Laurance and Mary Rockefeller and George Perkins Marsh: the father of the environmental movement.

Don’t miss your chance to venture south to Reading to snap your own pictures of New England’s most photographed farm. Or, head east to Quechee to hike along Quechee Gorge, see birds of prey at VINS Nature Center, and dine and shop at Simon Pearce Restaurant and Mill.

Continue to 3 of 14 below.

03of 14

Stowe

Stowe, Vermont, in the Fall
Don Land / Getty Images

Characterized by its white steepled church and the imposing silhouette of Mount Mansfield (Vermont’s highest peak), the village of Stowe has captured many travel guide covers and calendar pages. The town is Vermont’s top destination for elite skiers in the winter, though the skiing and riding remains remarkably good into the spring. In the summer and fall, this is a hiker’s paradise, while leaf peepers won’t want to miss the stunning drive from Stowe to Cambridge through Smugglers’ Notch. For those looking for a spa getaway, you’ll love all of the amenities provided by resorts like Topnotch, known for its Tennis Academy, and Stoweflake, famous for its Aqua Solarium and Spa.

Continue to 4 of 14 below.

04of 14

Manchester

Boomer Couple Walking together with fishing rods
Yellow Dog Productions / Getty Images

Centrally located, Manchester’s gracious historic inns like The Equinox make it Vermont’s top spot for romantic getaways. But there’s more to Manchester than maple-infused spa treatments, fireside fine dining, and designer outlet shopping. Home to the American Museum of Fly Fishing and the Orvis flagship store and fly-fishing school, this is your place to hone your tying and casting skills, or even to experience the zen-like calm of the sport for the first time. While in Manchester, you’ll also want to tour the Hildene estate, the former residence of Abraham Lincoln’s son, Robert Todd Lincoln.

Continue to 5 of 14 below.

05of 14

Killington

People Skiing On Snowcapped Mountain Against Cloudy Sky
Vladimir Safko / EyeEm / Getty Images

Killington is synonymous with skiing; in fact, the winter sports season here lasts more than half the year. But if you’ve only visited Vermont’s largest ski resort during wintertime, you’ve missed this mountain town’s summertime tranquility and autumn glory. Make this your destination for off-season thrills like downhill mountain biking and fall foliage gondola rides. Golf, kayak, fish, or hike a stretch of the Appalachian Trail before enjoying Killington’s restaurants without the après-ski crowds. In the fall, you won’t have to venture far to find pick-your-own apple orchards, pumpkin patches, and fresh beer at Long Trail Brewing Company‘s riverside, German-style pub.

Continue to 6 of 14 below.

06of 14

Bennington

Red Covered Bridge in Bennington, Vermont
Chiara Salvadori / Getty Images

Situated in the Green Mountain State’s southwest corner, Bennington is the perfect day-trip distance from Boston, New York City, Albany, or Hartford. It’s known for quintessential New England attractions, including a collection of five historic covered bridges. While you’re here, you’ll want to see Grandma Moses’ paintings at the Bennington Museum before visiting New England poet Robert Frost’s grave at the Old First Church next door. Ascend Vermont’s tallest structure, the Bennington Battle Monument, via elevator for views of Vermont, New York, and Massachusetts; go at the height of fall for an especially dazzling panorama.

Continue to 7 of 14 below.

07of 14

Waterbury

Cold Hollow Cider Mill in Waterbury, VT
© Kim Knox Beckius

While Waterbury may not have quite the same name recognition as some other Vermont cities and towns, you likely know its number one attraction: Ben & Jerry’s ice cream factory tours! Stay a while, though—maybe even in one of New England’s coolest treehouses—and you’ll quickly discover there’s an abundance of fun to be found here. Watch apples turn into adult beverages at Cold Hollow Cider Mill, observe artisans at work at Ziemke Glassblowing Studio, and climb Camel’s Hump (one of Vermont’s top hikes) for incredible views.

Continue to 8 of 14 below.

08of 14

Montpelier

Montpelier, Vermont, State Capitol Building
Thomas H. Mitchell / Getty Images

Smallest of all the U.S. capital cities American kids have to memorize during their elementary school years, Montpelier offers visitors a central home base from which to sightsee, ski, and collect all of Vermont’s quintessential experiences. Without leaving this tiny city, you can eat breakfast topped with Vermont maple syrup at any time of the day; support independent retailers like Bear Pond BooksWoodbury Mountain Toys, and The Quirky Pet; sip Vermont-made wine; and go for a hike at North Branch Nature Center.

Continue to 9 of 14 below.

09of 14

Brattleboro

Brattleboro, Vermont
DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images

This vibrant small city in southeastern Vermont, just across the Connecticut River from New Hampshire, has its own distinct character. Where else will you find art and antiques galleries, a food co-op, vintage boutiques, two bookstores, and a circus arts school all in the heart of a throwback downtown? You can even rent a kayak or canoe from Vermont Canoe Touring Center and paddle right through downtown—a great way to stimulate your appetite before visiting one of Brattleboro’s eclectic restaurants. Be sure to head to the city’s outskirts to visit the Retreat Farm and the Grafton Village Cheese Co. factory, located right next to each other.

Continue to 10 of 14 below.

10of 14

Ludlow

Ludlow VT Home to Okemo Mountain
Courtesy of Okemo Mountain Resort

Vermont’s scenic Route 100 winds through Ludlow, and many skiers and snowboarders are content to land at Okemo Mountain Resort. All of the lodging that’s here for winter visitors can become your affordable home base in the summer or fall, when Route 100 is your byway to blissful experiences like shopping at the beloved Vermont Country Store in Weston. Or, poke around in Plymouth, the remarkably preserved village where Calvin Coolidge, the 30th president the U.S., was born and sworn in. You can even see cheese being made the traditional way at Plymouth

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *