Vermont

Carmen Willings
itinerantjoy.com
​April 25, 25
Vermont is known for its stunning fall foliage, charming small towns, and maple syrup production. It’s a state rich in natural beauty, with the Green Mountains offering year-round outdoor activities like hiking, skiing, and snowboarding. Vermont also prides itself on its farm-to-table food culture, historic covered bridges, and strong independent spirit. Its peaceful landscapes and vibrant local traditions make it a beloved New England destination.

​National Scenic Trails

Appalachian Trail (Vermont)

Website: Appalachian Trail
This scenic stretch winds through Vermont’s Green Mountains, with wooded paths, mountain views, and charming towns like Manchester and Norwich. It overlaps with the Long Trail for a peaceful, classic hiking experience.​
Wooded section of the Appalachian Trail in Vermont, featuring a narrow dirt path winding through tall green trees with a cloudy sky over the forest canopy.
Appalachian Trail in Vermont

North Country National Scenic Trail

Website: North Country National Scenic Trail ​
Starting in the Green Mountain National Forest, this short but scenic segment marks the trail’s eastern end. It connects with both the Appalachian and Long Trails before beginning its journey to North Dakota.
View from the North Country National Scenic Trail in Vermont, looking out from a mountain summit over rolling forested hills and valleys under a wide, partly cloudy sky.
Vermont North Country National Scenic Trail

Historical Landmarks

Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller NHP

69 Old River Rd, Woodstock, VT 05091
Website: Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller NHP ​
Explore over 20 miles of forest trails and learn about America’s conservation history at this estate featuring a historic mansion, scenic pond, and mountain views.​
Three-story brick mansion at Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park, featuring green shutters, a wraparound porch, and a slate roof, surrounded by trees and landscaped grounds.
Marsh-Billings-Rockerfeller NHP

State Historical Site

Chimney Point State Historic Site

31 VT-17, Addison, VT 05491
Website: ​Chimney Point State Historic Site
Overlooking Lake Champlain, this site spans 7,500 years of history—from Indigenous cultures to French forts. The name comes from chimneys left behind when the French burned their homes during retreat in 1759.
Side view of Chimney Point State Historic Site showing the red brick exterior and a red covered porch, with a yellow clapboard building in the back. A grassy lawn in the foreground with trees in the background.
Chimney Point State Historic Site

Bennington Battle Monument

15 Monument Cir, Bennington, VT 05201
Website: Bennington Battle Monument ​​
Standing 306 feet tall, this is Vermont’s tallest structure. It commemorates the pivotal 1777 American victory at the Battle of Bennington, a key turning point in the Revolutionary War.​
Bennington Battle Monument, a tall stone obelisk rising into the sky, surrounded by a manicured lawn and trees, commemorating a Revolutionary War battle.
Bennington Monument

Bennington Museum

75 Main St, Bennington, VT 05201
Website: ​Bennington Museum
Home to the world’s largest public collection of works by Grandma Moses, including Bennington and The Battle of Bennington (1953). The museum also highlights regional history and culture.​
Front of the Bennington Museum featuring a stone and brick facade with large windows and a central entrance, set against a backdrop of trees and blue sky.
The Bennington Museum

Bennington Potters

324 County St, Bennington, VT 05201
Website: ​Bennington Potters
Housed in a historic 19th-century mill built by Henry W. Meyers (my great-great-grandfather!), this renowned pottery still produces handcrafted stoneware. While tours are no longer available, the original mill building still provides a great photo op! 
Bennington Potters historic narrow mill building with weathered wood exterior and tall windows, beside a one-story building with a rustic wooden sign, surrounded by greenery and a blue sky.
Bennington Potters (formerly Henry W. Myers)

Hildene

1005 Hildene Rd, Manchester Center, VT 05255
​Website: Hildene
This 412-acre estate was the summer home of Robert Todd Lincoln, Abraham Lincoln’s only surviving son. Visit the 1905 Georgian Revival mansion, explore the gardens, and tour the restored 1903 Pullman car Sunbeam.
Front of the Hildene house, a grand Georgian Revival mansion with cream-colored walls, green shutters, and a long covered porch, set amid manicured gardens and hedges.
Hildene

The Old First Church

60 Monument Ave, Bennington, VT 05201
​Website: Old First Church
Established in 1762, this is Vermont’s first Protestant congregation. The current meetinghouse (1805) is a fine example of Federal-style architecture. Next door is the Bennington Centre Cemetery, resting place of poet Robert Frost.​
The Old First Church in Bennington during autumn, with vibrant orange and yellow trees is a white colonial-style building with tall windows, a central steeple, and a grassy lawn with mature trees in front.
Old First Church

The President Calvin Coolidge State Historic Site

3780 VT-100A, Plymouth, VT 05056​
​Website: President Calvin Coolidge Historic Site
Discover the birthplace and boyhood home of America’s 30th president. Coolidge was famously sworn in here by his father in 1923. The site includes the family homestead, church, schoolhouse, and gravesite.
President Calvin Coolidge Historic Site, showing a simple white clapboard house with a pitched roof and front porch, surrounded by green grass and trees under a clear sky.
President Calvin Coolidge Historic Site

The Shelburne Museum

6000 Shelburne Rd, Shelburne, VT 05482​
Website: ​​​Shelburne Museum
An expansive, open-air museum with 39 buildings (25 relocated from across New England), including a round barn, jail, lighthouse, and the steamboat Ticonderoga. Founded by Electra Havemeyer Webb in 1947, the museum celebrates American history, art, and design.
Large historic steamboat displayed outdoors on a grassy lawn at Shelburne Museum, with white and brown wooden hull, tall smokestacks, and surrounded by trees under a blue sky.
Shelburne Museum Steamboat

The Ethan Allen Homestead

1 Ethan Allen Homestead, Burlington, VT 05408
Website: ​The Ethan Allen Homestead
This restored 1787 farmhouse was home to Revolutionary War hero Ethan Allen. Learn about frontier life, Allen’s legacy, and the Abenaki people who lived in the region for thousands of years.

​Nature & Scenic Locations

Branbury State Park

3570 Lake Dunmore Rd, Salisbury, VT 05769
​Website: Branbury State Park
A peaceful alternative to busier lakes. It’s great for picnicking, swimming, and relaxing by the water—perfect for those seeking a quiet, sensory-friendly experience with mountain and lake views.
Branbury State Park
Branbury State Park

Camel’s Hump State Park

​3429 Camels Hump Rd, Duxbury, VT 05676
​Website: Camel’s Hump State Park
Vermont’s third-highest peak features a distinctive rounded summit. Hike to the top for panoramic views or explore scenic trails at lower elevations.​
Rocky summit of Camel’s Hump State Park with large granite boulders and sparse alpine vegetation, overlooking distant forested mountains under a clear sky.
Camel’s Hump State Park

Green Mountain National Forest

​4387 U.S. Route 4 East, Mendon, VT 05701
​Website: Green Mountain National Forest
Ideal for hiking, camping, and leaf-peeping. Includes portions of the Long Trail and offers everything from easy walks to challenging backcountry treks.​
Green Mountain National Forest in fall, showing a creek with clear water flowing over rocks, surrounded by fallen yellow leaves and colorful autumn trees.
Green Mountain National Forest

Island Line Rail Trail/ Causeway

Burlington, VT
​Website: Island Line Rail Trail/ Causeway
Lake Champlain is Vermont’s largest lake is perfect for boating, birdwatching, sunset views, and waterfront walks. The causeway is a bike and pedestrian path that stretches over Lake Champlain via a narrow causeway.  A seasonal bike ferry completes the trail connection.​  Look west across the water for views of the Adirondacks.​
Island Line Rail Trail Causeway, a narrow paved pathway stretching across calm blue water, with rail tracks embedded and surrounded by open sky and distant shoreline.
Island Line Rail Trail/ Causeway

Moss Glen Falls

Stowe, VT 05672
​Website: Moss Glen Falls
An easily accessible roadside waterfall just off Route 100. A short walk leads to a picturesque cascade framed by lush forest.​
Moss Glen Falls, a cascading waterfall flowing over moss-covered rocks surrounded by lush green trees and vegetation in a forest setting.
Moss Glen Falls

Mount Mansfield

​Underhill, VT 05489
Website: Mount Mansfield
As Vermont’s highest peak, Mount Mansfield offers sweeping views and alpine tundra at the summit. Reach it via hiking trails or by car (via the Auto Toll Road). It’s also home to skiing in winter and wildflowers in summer.
View from the summit of Mount Mansfield showing expansive forested mountains and valleys stretching to the horizon under a partly cloudy sky.
Mount Mansfield

Scenic Route 100

Tourism Website: Scenic Route 100
Often called Vermont’s most beautiful road, Route 100 runs north-south and is especially spectacular during fall foliage. It winds through charming villages, forests, and valleys, connecting many of the state’s top outdoor destinations.
Scenic Route 100 in Vermont during autumn, a winding road lined with vibrant orange, red, and yellow trees
Vermont Scenic Route 100

Stowe Mountain Resort

5781 Mountain Rd, Stowe, VT 05672
Website: Stowe Mountain Resort ​​
A year-round destination for skiing, hiking, and mountain views. Offers easy access to Mount Mansfield and a vibrant mountain village atmosphere.​
Outdoor ice skating rink in front of Stowe Mountain Resort buildings, surrounded by snow-covered trees and ski slopes in the background under a clear winter sky.
Stowe Mountain Resort

The Long Trail

Green Mountains of Vermont
Website: The Long Trail ​​
Runs the length of Vermont through the Green Mountains. America’s oldest long-distance hiking trail offers scenic ridgelines, peaceful forests, and both day hike and backpacking options.​
The Long Trail winding through the lush green forests of Vermont’s Green Mountains, with a narrow dirt path surrounded by tall trees and dense foliage.
The Long Trail

The Lye Brook Falls Trail

​Manchester, VT 05255
Website: The Lye Brook Falls Trail ​
Located in the Green Mountain National Forest, this moderate hike leads to one of Vermont’s tallest waterfalls. The trail passes through mossy woods and serene stream valleys.​
Small trickling waterfall flowing gently over moss-covered rocks along The Lye Brook Falls Trail, surrounded by green ferns and forest vegetation.
The Lye Brook Falls Trail

Vermont Covered Bridges

Tourism Website: Vermont Covered Bridges
Dozens of historic covered bridges dot Vermont’s landscape. Many are still in use, offering charming views and showcasing 19th-century craftsmanship. Perfect stops on a scenic road trip.
red covered bridge surrounded by fall folliage
Vermont Covered Bridge

Unique Places 

The Ben & Jerry’s Factory Tour

1281 Waterbury-Stowe Rd Route 100, Waterbury, VT 05676
Website: The Ben & Jerry’s Factory Tour ​​​
Get a behind-the-scenes look at Vermont’s iconic ice cream company. Watch production in action, learn the story behind the brand, and sample fun  flavors in the Flavor Room.
sign in front of Ben & Jerry’s Factory Tour
The Ben & Jerry’s Factory Tour

The Vermont Teddy Bear Factory

6655 Shelburne Rd, Shelburne, VT 05482
Website: ​The Vermont Teddy Bear Factory
Take a guided tour to see how handcrafted teddy bears are made. It’s a fun, hands-on experience for all ages, and you can even create a custom bear to bring home. 
Exterior of The Vermont Teddy Bear Factory, a large red brick building with multiple windows, a red awning over the entrance, and a sign displaying the company name, surrounded by trees and a long drive
The Vermont Teddy Bear Factory

Vermont Maple Syrup Farms

Website: Vermont Maple Syrup Farms
During sugaring season in spring, visit a local sugarhouse to watch sap turn into maple syrup. Learn about the process, enjoy samples of syrup and maple candy, and savor the sweet taste of one of Vermont’s most beloved traditions.
Maple syrup collection tins attached to tree trunks in a forest, with metal spouts inserted into the trees and leaf-covered ground beneath.
Vermont Maple Syrup Farms

​National Park Service Sites

Quechee Gorge

Hartford, VT 05001​
Website: Quechee Gorge ​​
Often called the “Grand Canyon of Vermont,” it is a dramatic natural formation carved by the Ottauquechee River. Visitors can enjoy scenic views from the Route 4 bridge or explore the surrounding hiking trails. 
Quechee Gorge, a deep, rocky river canyon with steep cliffs covered in green trees, and a river flowing at the bottom under a partly cloudy sky.
Quechee Gorge

​Iconic Vermont Foods

  • Apple Cider. Fresh-pressed cider is a fall staple in Vermont. Also look for sparkling cider, apple cider donuts, and cider jelly.
  • Baked Goods with Local Ingredients. Maple cookies, dried cranberry scones, apple spice muffins, and pumpkin bread made with Vermont-grown produce.
  • Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream. Born in Burlington, Vermont! While the factory is a must-see, you can also bring home a souvenir spoon, shirt, or scoop.
  • Bennington Battle Monument replica
  • Cold Hollow Cider Mill (Waterbury) Fresh cider, cider donuts, and a historic press.
  • Heirloom Grains & Breads. Vermont bakeries use local wheat and grains.Anadama bread, rye loaves, and whole grain crackers are common.
  • Herbal Teas & Tisanes. Vermont herb farms produce fragrant mint, chamomile, lemon balm, and lavender blends.
  • King Arthur Baking Company (Norwich). You can visit the bakery, store, and school. Lots of samples and baking classes.
  • Maple Creemees.  If you're visiting in summer, maple creemees (soft serve ice cream flavored with maple syrup) are a quintessential Vermont treat.
  • Maple Mustard & Dips. Maple blends with mustard, barbecue sauces, and even vinaigrettes.
  • Maple Syrup. THE most iconic Vermont food — the state produces more maple syrup than any other. Comes in multiple grades (lighter to darker), and also in candies, creams, butter, sugar, and coated nuts.
  • Vermont Cheddar Cheese. Vermont is famous for its aged, sharp cheddars — often made with milk from local farms. Brands like Cabot and Grafton Village are well-known.

Sensory Souvenirs

  • Apple Butter or Cider Jelly (Mini Jar). These smooth spreads are popular in Vermont country stores
  • Audio Clip from a Vermont Farm or Forest. Record cows mooing, rustling leaves, or babbling brooks. Also, bells from a maple sugaring line or the creak of a covered bridge
  • Beeswax Candle. Often molded into interesting shapes (beehives, animals)
  • Bennington Pottery. Famous Vermont handmade pottery.
  • Cheddar Cheese Sample (Vacuum Packed). Vermont is famous for sharp cheddar (Cabot is a well-known brand)
  • Dried Apple Rings or Maple Popcorn. Locally dried fruit or crunchy snacks for chewing and exploring texture
  • Dried Herbs or Lavender from Vermont Gardens. Many farms and co-ops grow herbs like mint, lavender, and rosemary
  • Hand-carved Walking Stick: Some local artisans carve hiking sticks from Vermont wood.
  • Handmade Soap (Maple, Apple, or Pine Scented). Look for locally made soaps at farmer’s markets or gift shops
  • Maple Sugar Candy or Syrup. The most iconic Vermont souvenir—can be purchased in leaf shapes or as syrup in small glass bottles
  • Maple Wood Kitchen Utensils. Vermont artisans often make beautiful wooden spoons or cutting boards.
  • Miniature Covered Bridge Replica. Small wooden models of Vermont’s famous covered bridges — very tactile and symbolic.
  • Norman Rockwell Painting. Rockwell lived and worked in Arlington. His art is iconic to the region. The Bennington Museum has a few originals too!
  • Pressed Leaves or Local Flower Petal Paper. Handmade paper using Vermont wildflowers or fall leaves.
  • Robert Frost quotes. Frost’s poetry captures Vermont’s spirit — available in gift shops and the Old First Church area.
  • Slate or Marble Pieces. Vermont is known for slate (especially in Poultney and Fair Haven) and marble. Look for small polished stones or samples from quarries or museum gift shops
  • Small Handwoven Pot Holder or Wool Mitten. Visit local general stores or co-ops for handmade textiles
  • Wooden Animal, Block, or Tree Slice. Vermont is full of woodworking artisans creating tactile pieces from maple, birch, or cherry
  • Wool from Vermont Sheep Farms. Pick up small pieces of wool felt, a mini hand-knit square, or felted animal figures