The Green Mountain State of Vermont is filled with scenic recreation opportunities and you’ll want to get out there! With ski resorts, skiing, snow shoeing, hiking, biking, fishing and much more-you’ll have no problem finding the perfect activity for your next vacation!

History of Vermont

Vermont is a state in the northeastern United States. It borders New Hampshire and Massachusetts to the south, New York to the west, Quebec (Canada) to the northeast, and New Brunswick (Canada) to the east. The capital city of Vermont is Montpelier.

Vermont was admitted as a state on March 4th, 1791, with 77% of its residents voting yes for admission into America’s union as one of 14 states that would form what is now known as “The Union”. Today, Vermont is known for its successful dairy farms, strong tourist industry, and the “Green Mountain Boys” who fought against British rule in early American history.

The state of Vermont is also home to some of the most beautiful scenery in New England. Here are 27 amazing things to do in Vermont!

Visit Stowe

Stowe may be the most charming town in all of New England (and that is saying a lot!) There are lots of fun things to do in Stowe year-round, like skiing, hiking, shopping, waterfalls, and more. You can find a variety of events and festivals at the Stowe Village website. Winter brings lots of snow, fun resorts and great skiing to the area. There are also good places to stay for all budgets.

Stowe shines in the fall and there are tons of fun hiking and walking trails that will allow you to enjoy the beautiful fall foliage.

Visit Burlington

Burlington is the largest city in Vermont, but it’s not overcrowded – which can’t be said for many major metropolitan areas. The University of Vermont draws students from around the world, so the city has a mixture of New England culture with international flair. You’ll want to make time to visit the waterfront park, walk around City Hall Park and enjoy some local art galleries while visiting this vibrant college town.

You will want to visit famous Church Street Marketplace and enjoy all the unique shops and restaurants in this outdoor pedestrian area. It is a great place to spend an afternoon shopping and eating with friends. It is one of the best things to do in Vermont.

See how Ben and Jerry’s makes their ice cream

The Ben & Jerry’s factory store is something that you don’t want to miss! You can watch how the delicious ice cream is made and then sample your favorite ice cream. You can also see their cemetery of “dead” flavors and mourn your favorite retired flavors like peanut butter cookie dough!

Make reservations so you can fit it into your schedule. Every Ben and Jerry’s lover will love this stop!

Hildene House

Hildene is a historic house museum of President Lincoln’s oldest son, Robert.  This mansion was built in 1853 and has been preserved intact, which allows you to spend an afternoon experiencing life as it was during the 19th century.

You can visit the sheep, walk some beautiful trails, and tour the lovingly restored Lincoln home.

Smuggler’s Notch

Smugglers Notch was formed by giant glacier deposits millions of years ago that moved southward from Canada into Vermont. These glacial deposits created Lake Champlain to the west and the notch to the east. Today you can drive through Smugglers Notch on your way to Burlington or head up for skiing, hiking, biking, boating or snowmobiling in the winter months.

Smugglers Notch is the most famous natural attraction in Vermont. It was named after early settlers because it provided a passageway to the Canadian border during Prohibition. The notch is covered with loose rocks, soil, and trees, which make it easy to access from either side of Lake Champlain.

Quechee Gorge

Quechee Gorge is a scenic gorge located in the town of Quechee in Essex County. It is also known as the ‘Little Grand Canyon of Vermont’ and features stunning rock formations and clear streams that are perfect for swimming, kayaking, canoeing, or fishing.

Visit the charming village of Quechee, which has a charming covered bridge and a super cool antique shop!

Woodstock

There are lots of things to do in the small town of Woodstock Vermont. The old streets are lined with boutiques, galleries and cafes. Plus, there is one of Vermont’s covered bridges here.
Its a great place to grab lunch on your way to Quechee or a fabulous way to spend the afternoon with friends.

It is also home to Wassail Weekend at Christmas, one of the finest Christmas festivals in New England.

Lake Champlain

Lake Champlain is a beautiful lake that was formed by glacial deposits so enjoy its beauty while paddling your boat (rentals are available), swimming, water-skiing or sightseeing with over 45 islands within its borders. It is a great place to rent an airbnb for the week and enjoy the serene lake life.

You can visit nearby Fort Ticonderoga, which borders Lake Champlain. It is an excellent place to visit with your kids!

The Shelburne Museum

The Shelburne Museum is just outside Burlington and offers a unique way of looking at the past. It is home to over 100 historic buildings that were relocated from their original location and completely reassembled on the museum property. The collection includes a variety of Americana dating back to the 17th century 1700s, including 19th-century farm buildings, historic houses, barns, and log cabins.

Cabot Creamery

Cabot Creamery is a locally owned business has been producing award-winning cheese since 1920. Located in Waterbury, Vermont, this creamery offers tours of its production facility, where you can sample and buy any number of its delicious cheddar cheeses. The shop features flavors such as: aged white cheddar, gouda, light & mild fresh chèvre and more!

If you love cheese, you will love visiting the Grafton Village Cheese Shop in Brattleboro, Vermont, and trying cheese from all over New England.

Montpelier

Visit Vermont State Capital Building in Montpelier. Built in 1859 and designed by Thomas Hyde, this structure is one of the finest examples of Greek Revival architecture. Italian stonemasons constructed the building with local granite and feature beautiful marble floors throughout.

Free self-guided tours are offered daily.

Fairbanks Planetarium

Fairbanks Planetarium in St. Johnsbury is a good sized planetarium that offers shows, educational workshops and summer camps. It also has an extensive astronomical library for research as well as hands-on activities for visitors of all ages.

Catch one of their shows and enjoy learning about space.

Vermont Teddy Bear Tour

The Vermont Teddy Bear Company creates the world’s finest hand-crafted teddy bears that look extremely realistic, so keep an eye out while driving down the road!

Kids will definitely enjoy visiting the factory store in Shelburne, Vermont (quite close to Burlington), where they can view the process firsthand and learn how these beautiful toys come into existence! The store features several rooms filled with thousands of bears on display, including bears from famous movies.

Tours run daily every 30 minutes.

The Green Mountains

The Green Mountains are a range of low, gently sloping mountains located in the northernmost part of Vermont. The range runs from north to south and is approximately 30 miles wide, with numerous mountains over 4000 feet above sea level.

Hike these mountains for a great view of nature’s splendor! Visit one of the many state parks for fantastic views and go camping when you want to get away from civilization.

Visit Stratton Mountain Resort and take a gondola to the top to enjoy a 360-degree view of the beautiful Green Mountains.

Lake Willoughby State Park

The Lake Willoughby State Park offers visitors a beautiful geological formation created by waves that struck a long, narrow reef over 15,000 years ago. This reef blocked one of the outlet streams and flooded the valley, causing massive erosion to create this unique phenomenon.

You can find a dozen trails to hike in the park and some spectacular views!

Billings Farm

Billings Farm in Woodstock is a fun-filled family attraction that allows you and your kids to interact with animals. You can feed all kinds of animals, such as llamas, goats, cows, bison, and even alpacas. In this fun and educational museum/working farm, you can learn about farming and its history.

Bromley Mountain- Adventure Park

Mountain Adventure Park at Bromley Mountain allows visitors to experience many recreational activities in one place, including rock climbing, canopy tours, zip lining, an alpine slide, a waterslide, and a giant swing.

It is like an amusement park meets outdoor adventuring!

Watch Maple Sugaring

 

Maple Sugaring time is a Vermont tradition that takes place between February and April. Maple trees are tapped and hot sweet sap flows from the tree into buckets where it must be boiled down to syrup. This process takes hours and days depending on how hot the vat gets and how dark the syrup will be.

Pick up some local maple syrup soyou can try some fresh, warm syrup on your pancakes! Some families have been making maple syrup for generations so enjoy watching their techniques and picking up a few tips of your own while in Vermont.

Check out this site to see who is sugaring when 

Trapp Family Lodge

 

Trapp Family Lodge is the original home of the Von Trapp Family Singers. This family-owned resort and restaurant was owned by the family featured in “The Sound of Music” movie and offers guests a chance to immerse themselves in the history of the Von Trapp Family.

The lodge is cozy with an elegant Austrian style which provides warmth and charm while other buildings such as dormitories, staff housing, stable houses, hay barns and evena chapel were all transported from Europe to America! Stroll through the beautiful grounds where you will learn about more family history as well as enjoy some great food at the Lodge’s restaurant.

The Old Round Church

Old Round Church is a historic landmark that was built in 1810 and is located near Richmond, Vermont. This church was constructed by William Rhodes as a meeting how for local Congregationalists. It became the center for the town as well as the church.

The church itself is not truly round but rather 16 sided and is amazing to see something made out of timber that has been so well preserved. Take an  excursion to this fascinating place to witness how life was lived in Vermont over 200 years ago!

Calvin Coolidge State Park

Calvin Coolidge State Park is located in Plymouth Notch, Vermont and is noted for its breathtaking views and summer music festival. This state park features an enormous granite cliff known as Camel’s Hump which has a peak elevation of 4205 feet above sea level.

You can go hiking, biking, or picnicking in this beautiful State Park. It is especially beautiful in autumn when a beautiful display of fall foliage welcomes you to the park.

Calvin Coolidge Birthplace

Calvin Coolidge Birthplace State Historic Site is the farmhouse where Calvin Coolidge was born. This historic site features an 1890s farmhouse which has been furnished with antiques from the era that President Coolidge was born.

It isn’t a big stop, but it is very beautiful and quite close to Queeche.

Skiing in Vermont

 

Skiing is very popular in Vermont with opportunities to enjoy downhill skiing, cross country skiing and snow tubing located at various resorts throughout the state. These include the largest ski resort in New England, Stowe Mountain Resort which is also home to one of the world’s most challenging courses.

Another popular ski resort in the Northern part of Vermont is Sugarbush which also has a great terrain park for snowboarders and freestyle skiers. For those interested in cross country skiing, Smugglers’ Notch has trails groomed daily that are free for all to enjoy!

Sugarbush Farm

Sugarbush farm produces local cheese and loads of maple syrup. Located outside of Woodstock, the farm is open year-round and has one of the most spectacular views in Vermont.

Learn about how cheese is made and walk around an open factory watching the artisans make and prepare cheese. (This was some of the best cheese we tried in Vermont!!) If you are lucky enough to be here during Maple Sugar Season you can watch them make their own syrup from their own trees.

Lake Champlain Chocolates

Lake Champlain Chocolates is an award winning, chocolate factory that displays an assortment of gourmet chocolates sure to please any sweet tooth! This family owned business  churns out some of the most delicious chocolates made from local ingredients.

Their factory tour has been discontinued but you see a virtual one in their flagship store in Burlington.

King Arthur Flour Company

King Arthur Flour is a Vermont staple-the company is renowned for its high quality baking products and hosts many workshops and cooking demonstrations throughout the year. Visit the flagship store in Norwich Vermont if you are a baking lover like me! The store is actually in an old mill constructed in 1882 where the company’s products are still produced today. Try their free baking 101 demonstration and learn some new skills as you take part in the Vermont way of life!

Are You Ready For Vermont?

If you’re looking for some of the best things to do in Vermont, then this list should give you a good start. The Green Mountain State is filled with scenic recreation opportunities and there are plenty of activities that will suit your tastes-whether it be hiking, fishing or just relaxing by the lake! Enjoy these suggestions and don’t forget to share them if they inspire you.