Looking for mountain charm, fall foliage, and farm-to-table flavors? Head to Vermont! This New England state is known for its vibrant seasons, quaint villages, and outdoor escapes. Whether you're leaf-peeping in autumn, skiing in winter, or sipping cider in spring, Vermont blends rustic relaxation with scenic beauty and independent spirit.
Vermont Highlights:
- For Outdoor Enthusiasts: Hike or ski Mount Mansfield – Vermont’s highest peak offers year-round adventure and sweeping views.
- For Fall Fans: Drive through Stowe and Smugglers’ Notch – This scenic route comes alive with vibrant foliage each October.
- For History Buffs: Visit the Shelburne Museum – An eclectic collection of American art, architecture, and artifacts near Lake Champlain.
- For Foodies: Tour the Vermont Cheese Trail – Meet local makers and sample cheddar, chèvre, and alpine-style wheels statewide.
- For Families: Stop at the Ben & Jerry’s Factory – Take a fun, flavor-filled tour in Waterbury and try exclusive ice cream scoops.
Best Time to Visit Vermont
The best time to visit Vermont is in the fall (late September to mid-October) for peak foliage, winter (December to March) for skiing, and summer (June to August) for hiking, lakes, and farmers markets. Spring is quiet and ideal for maple syrup season and scenic drives.
How to Get to Vermont
- By Air: Burlington International Airport (BTV) is the main airport. Smaller regional airports serve Rutland and Montpelier.
- By Car: I-89 and U.S. Route 7 connect Vermont with New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and New York.
- By Train: Amtrak’s Vermonter and Ethan Allen Express offer service to towns like Brattleboro, Montpelier, and Essex Junction.
Where to Stay in Vermont
- For Mountain Luxury: Twin Farms (Barnard) – An all-inclusive, adults-only resort with fine dining, spa, and outdoor activities.
- For Cozy Comfort: The Woodstock Inn & Resort – Classic New England charm with boutique amenities in a picture-perfect town.
- For Budget-Friendly: Green Mountain Inn (Stowe) – Historic inn with friendly service near trails and ski slopes.
Best Things to Do in Vermont
1. Billings Farm and Museum
Rating: ★★★★★
The Billings Farm and Museum, located in Woodstock, Vermont, is well known as one of the best outdoor history museums in the nation. This has largely to do with the combination of the fully operational Jersey dairy farm and the beautifully restored 19th-century (1890) farm house, which serves as a museum.
Inside, visitors will enjoy comprehensive displays of artifacts, photographs, and oral histories illustrating the seasonal activities that forged the history and culture of pastoral Vermonters. Guests will also get the chance to engage with the award-winning draft horses, sheep, and Jersey dairy cows that are housed at the farm.
Address: Rte. 12 & Old River Rd., Woodstock, VT, Phone: 802-457-2355
2. Hildene - The Lincoln Family Home
Hildene is a stunning Georgian Revival mansion and the family home of President Lincoln’s descendants. His only son to survive into adulthood, Robert Todd, was the first owner of the estate designed by Boston architectural firm Shepley, Rutan, and Coolidge.
It was occupied solely by Lincoln descendants until 1975. Now, visitors can enjoy self-guided or docent-led tours of the exceptional 400-acre grounds, which include the mansion and 13 historic buildings. Highlights included the formal garden, a 1903 Pullman car, an observatory, a solar-powered goat cheese and dairy-making facility, and a historic carriage barn. Guests will also appreciate the several walking trails around the grounds.
Address: 1005 Hildene Road, Manchester, VT, Phone: 802-362-1788
3. Shelburne Farms
Shelburne Farms is a 1,400-acre working farm, forest, and National Historic Landmark that serves as a campus for their nonprofit organization committed to providing education for a sustainable future. They provide learning opportunities for the youth to examine what is needed to create a sustainable society.
In addition to their environmental education programs, visitors can explore the walking trails on the property all year round and visit the onsite inn. Guided property tours are available between May and October. Guests can also visit the historical farm barn, which features a seasonal children’s farmyard, partake in cheese making, and dine at the Farm Cart for lunch. Shelburne Farms is one of the top Vermont attractions and a beautiful place to stay.
Address: 1611 Harbor Road, Shelburne, VT, Phone: 802-985-8686
4. Church Street Marketplace
The Church Street Marketplace consists of four blocks of exceptional dining and shopping space in downtown Burlington. This award-winning, outdoor mall features more than one hundred places for visitors to dine and shop, hosts festivals all year round, and is constantly alive with activity from local music and street entertainers.
While meandering about this beautiful public space, guests will be delighted by the exceptional historic architecture and one-of-a-kind shops. The mall boasts amazing seasonal events all year long where, depending on the time of year, guests can experience everything from free miniature horse rides to a holiday artist market and everything in between.
Address: Church Street Marketplace, 131 Church St, Burlington, VT 05401, Phone: 802-863-1648, Facebook
5. Shelburne Museum
The Shelburne Museum is an eccentric and charming landmark in the Champlain Valley of Vermont. The exquisitely landscaped campus houses various historic buildings, including the Round Barn, Webb Gallery, Pizzagalli Center for Art and Education, and Electra Havemeyer Webb Memorial Building.
Each features unique exhibits on the art, history, and nature of Vermont. Visitors can enjoy everything from impressionist paintings and folk art to circus collections and an onsite steamboat. Guests can dine on flatbread pizzas and sandwiches at the museum café, and shop in the artisanal or museum stores. The gardens, circus displays, and steamboat are outdoor attractions.
Address: Shelburne Museum, 6000 Shelburne Road, Shelburne, VT, Phone: 802-985-3346
What to do if you are traveling with kids:
6. Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park
The Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park is a spectacular blend of three distinct places in Woodstock, Vermont, covering over 550 acres of stunning forest with a mansion that housed three conservation-focused families over more than 200 years.
Visitors will enjoy a wide variety of seasonal activities, including ranger-guided tours of the mansion and park, hands-on woodlands workshops, and special programs throughout the year like exploring connections to the Underground Railroad. Guests can walk, hike, ski, or snowshoe through the remarkable landscape passing under sugar maples, along the gentle slopes of Mount Tom, beside a mystifying pond, or down woodland carriage roads.
Address: Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park, 54 Elm Street, Woodstock, VT, Phone: 802-457-3368
7. Killington Ski Area, Vermont
The Killington Ski Area comprises over 1,500 acres of skiable terrain and 73 miles of trails ranging from easy to most difficult; diverse terrain options exist for free skiers, snowboarders, quad riders, and snowmobilers. Killington also offers a variety of additional mountain adventures such as scenic gondola rides, sleigh rides, snowmobile and snowshoe tours, and a tubing park.
During summer, visitors can experience high-flying fun with attractions such as the Skyeride – a 600-foot-long, 100-foot high, 30-mile-per-hour glider offering unbeatable views, and the Beast Mountain Coaster, a 4,800-foot-long alpine coaster that whips and winds through the woods, giving riders 360-degree corkscrew thrills.
Address: Killington Ski Area, 4763 Killington Road, Killington, VT, Phone: 802-422-6201
Activities and Attractions for Couples and Singles:
8. Weston Playhouse Theatre Company
The Weston Playhouse Theatre Company offers visitors a premier theater experience in the quaint southern Vermont village of Weston, where they have been staging live theater since 1937. Visitors can catch performances on both the main stage and other stages at Walker Farm.
West Town Eatery provides a fine dining experience for those who fancy enjoying dinner and a show. The restaurant is located below the cabaret theater. Theater-goers can also opt for cabaret and cocktails with desserts and savory snacks if they don’t want dinner. Visitors can expect a new Center for the Arts and expanded programs as the theater grows.
Address: Weston Playhouse Theatre Company, 703 Main Street, Weston, VT, Phone: 802-824-8167, Facebook
9. VINS Nature Center
The Vermont Institute of Natural Science Nature Center (VINS Nature Center) is a 47-acre campus that supports environmental education, research, and avian rehabilitation in Quechee, Vermont. It neighbors Quechee State Park, and has more than 15 top-of-the-line rapture enclosures, two classrooms, four spaces for exhibits, and just under a mile of informative nature trails.
Visitors can sign up for animal encounter classes from birds to Cold Blooded Critters, featuring a turtle, a snake, and an amphibian. There are onsite exhibits like Ice Age Mammals on the Meadow, a place to romp and play at Nature’s Playground, and opportunities to watch certain animals feed or receive rehabilitation, among other activities.
Address: 6565 Woodstock Road Route 4, Quechee, VT, Phone: 802-359-5000
10. Santa’s Land
The popular Santa’s Land USA is a unique New England roadside attraction. Established in 1957, Santa’s Land has been a popular family park which draws in numbers of families each year from summer to Christmas Eve.
Aimed at entertaining younger children (and adults who can still find the magic in Christmas), Santa’s Land offers a themed kiddies Train, the Fun House, Mini-Golf and a giant slide and carousel.
Children get the opportunity to meet some of Santa’s elves and get a sweet treat. There is a concession onsite where you can buy hot chocolate and light snacks to enjoy at the picnic tables.
Santa’s Land, 655 Bellows Falls Rd, Putney, VT 05346, 802 387 2777
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