10 Things You Should See In Manchester, Vermont On A First Visit

Vermont is enviably overflowing with stunning, quaint and charming four season tourist resort towns. Stowe and Burlington in the north, Woodstock in the center and Manchester in the south are four of the most popular places to visit in Vermont. Manchester is idyllically located in the heart of southern Vermont’s beautiful Green Mountain National Forest. It’s easy to reach from New York City, Boston, Montreal and most of the US northeast.

In this guide we show you our 10 favorite things to do in Manchester, Vermont to help you make the most of your visit. One of the most appealing aspects about this beautiful town is how seamlessly it adapts to each season of the year. Hiking and outdoor activities in spring and summer, spectacular New England Fall foliage in Autumn and a skiing winter wonderland around Christmas.

Our Experience

We’ve visited Manchester, VT twice. Once in October 2020 and then again in September 2023. Both times we included it as part of a New England fall road trip. Most of the activities we list in this guide were open in 2020 and it was extremely busy which surprised us in the height of covid. Luckily, the weather was perfect both times we visited and we had clear views from the top of Mount Equinox.

In 2023, the crowds were even bigger and it was difficult to get around Manchester Center. We couldn’t get into into restaurants without long lines unless we got away from town. During the second trip, we climbed the Bennington Battle Monument and spent more time at the local farms in the area. Read more about us.

SHOP: Our New England Guidebook features the best of Manchester and other popular spots in the region.

Now, let’s explore this gorgeous area! Here’s what you need to see:

1. Mount Equinox Skyline Drive

Mount Equinox is the tallest peak in the Taconic Range and second highest in southern Vermont. You can either hike to its summit (which we’ll discuss later in our guide), or you can take the much more relaxing and less exhausting route up by driving the auto toll road.

Skyline Drive is the longest privately owned paved toll road in the US. It climbs 3,250 ft in just over 5 miles and unlike many similar mountain summit toll roads in the US northeast, Skyline Drive is a wide 2 lane road. The road was completed in 1947 and while the drive itself is steep with multiple switchback style corners, the road is wide and easy to navigate. We also liked the numerous pull overs along the way up so we could enjoy views and take things slowly.

In summer, you can expect an ocean of emerald green in all directions. But Mount Equinox Skyline Drive is most beautiful in fall, when autumnal foliage colors illuminate Vermont’s valleys with 360° panoramic views from 3,848ft. To the east, you can see much of the Green Mountains, Vermont and even the White Mountains of New Hampshire. Turn to the west for views over New York’s Adirondack Mountains. And to the south you can soak up vistas over the Berkshire Mountains of Massachusetts.

The toll road is open from Memorial Day to October 31st from 9:00am to 5:00pm daily. However, bad weather will close the road and the last vehicle is admitted at 4:00pm. It costs $25 for each vehicle and driver then $5 for every additional passenger. Children under 10 are free. Tickets are not available online. You need to purchase a token at the Skyline Drive Welcome Center located on Route 7A. For more information, visit the official website here.

2. Visit Hildene

One of the truly unmissable things to do in Manchester, VT is take a guided or self guided tour around the grounds of the Lincoln Family Home, Hildene. This estate is entirely unique and one of a kind. It housed the descendants of Abraham Lincoln until as late as 1975. But the important thing to note is that this was not Abraham Lincoln’s house. It was built by his only surviving son Robert Lincoln with his wife Mary Todd Lincoln in 1905.

But this doesn’t take anything away from how beautiful the estate is today. The Georgian Revival mansion and surrounding grounds are stunning, peaceful and relaxing. You can walk around Robert and Mary’s home, learn about Robert’s Pullman company, explore curated gardens, stroll along forested trails and visit the Hildene dairy farm. General admission is $23 for adults and $6 for children ages 6-16. Children under 5 years old are free.

Guided tours are offered Thursday to Monday at 11:00am and 1:00pm. They take about 45 minutes and cost $10/person. Unfortunately, tours are suspended during the 2024 peak foliage season from September 15th to October 31st, and will begin again on November 1st. If you visit during this time, staff will be on location to answer any questions you may have. Admission tickets are not available online but you must book guided tours at least 48 hours in advance.

Travel Tip: Hildene is still on our Manchester bucket list because it’s closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. So if this is something you want to do, make sure you visit Manchester on another day of the week.

3. Manchester Village Historic District

The Green Mountain town of Manchester is split into two very different sections. One part is the old town with postcard perfect New England architecture and an old world feel. The other is Manchester Center which is a newer and more modern part of town filled with shops and restaurants.

Most amenities are located in the newer, more modern but less beautiful Manchester Center region. One mile to the southwest, the Manchester Historic Village District is where you should spend an hour walking along gorgeous tree lined sidewalks.

The entire district was officially listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. Begin at the First Congregational Church of Manchester from 1871 which is just slightly north where Main Street and Union Street intersect. You can also see the brightly colored 1822 Bennington County Courthouse nearby.

As you walk south, you’ll pass a picturesque row of Equinox Village Shops. You can continue walking the entire historical district from the Equinox Hotel to the Ekwanok Golf Course. This is where you’ll find some of Manchester most impressive stately homes. We found the quaint, historic area sparsely populated and the main street was bursting with burnt oranges and golden yellows.

In Manchester Historic Village District, we recommend you check out the following restaurants if you need a bite to eat:

• The Reluctant Panther – An innovative menu with farm fresh Vermont classics
• The Crooked Ram – Great atmosphere with local sourced food
• The Silver Fork – Intimate dinner only restaurant in a converted library

Travel Tip: Many of the restaurants in this historical district require reservations so book ahead to secure a table.

4. Explore Manchester Center

Manchester Center is almost the complete opposite when compared to the historical district. It’s a buzzing section of town filled with cute places to shop and it has plenty of sidewalks. So park your car and explore Manchester Center on foot.

Here are popular places to shop:

• Above All…Vermont – Unique store filled with New England gifts, specialty foods and apparel
• Manchester Designer Outlets – Armani, Eddie Bauer, J.Crew, Le Creuset, Polo Ralph Lauren and more
• Northshire Bookstore – A family owned and independant bookshop with over 300,000 items
• Pastime Pinball – An arcade showcasing more than 80 years of Pinball
• Smugglers’ Notch Distillery – We loved tasting flights of various flavored vodka and the staff is great

Manchester Center is also a great place to stop for a bite to eat. Here are the popular restaurants:

• Depot 62 Café Restaurant – Wood-fired pizzas and Mediterranean fare
• Depot Street Burgers – Fast, casual and upscale burgers
• Moonwink – A delicious local option serving Burmese dishes
• Sam’s Wood fired Pizza – Simple pizza joint with outdoor seating and gluten-free choices
• Up For Breakfast – Quaint diner serving pancakes, eggs and breakfast options
• Ye Olde Tavern – A 1790 inn with traditional New England meals
• Zoey’s Deli – Good spot for lunch with salads and sandwiches served from a counter

Travel Tip: It can be very difficult to find parking in Manchester Center. You’ll find two hour parking along the streets from 8:00am to 5:00pm Monday to Saturday or there are various parking lots scattered throughout town. Just keep an eye out for paid spaces.

5. Support The Local Farms

We like visiting Manchester, VT because there are a lot of great farms in the area and stopping by is a great way to support the local community. If you’re traveling with kids, the North Meadow Farm offers free tours with the chance to pet multiple animals. Depending on your time frame, you could easily spend a few days exploring the farms. So if you’re short on time, do some research to see which ones fit your needs better.

Here are popular farms in Manchester:

• Dutton Farm Stand – An incredible selection of fruits, cheeses, breads and specialty Vermont products
• Earth Sky Time Community Farm – Certified organic farm with a concert space, bakery and store
• Equinox Valley Nursery – Garden center with delicious apple cider donuts and pumpkins
• Mad Tom Orchard – Fantastic views and multiple apple varieties for picking (open seasonally)
• North Meadow Farm – A small dairy farm and cheese making facility offering hands-on experiences

If you’re looking for anything classic Vermont to take home at the end of your trip, you’ll find it at one of these locations. We grabbed a bunch of local food before we hit the hiking trails.

6. Find Vermont’s Covered Bridges

Collecting covered bridges is one of the most sought after things to do on any visit to Vermont and there are a handful of stunning bridges within striking distance of Manchester. We think the historic and intricate timber structures are incredibly fun to find, compare and appreciate. It’s the perfect New England thing to do on your trip.

Here are a few bridges you can visit nearby:

• Bennington – Silk Road Covered Bridge, Paper Road Covered Bridge and Henry Covered Bridge
• Arlington – Chiselville Covered Bridge and Arlington Covered Bridge
• Towards Brattleboro – Scott Covered Bridge and Dummerston Covered Bridge

Each bridge is unique and offers its own photography opportunity but some do have far superior backdrops. The best part is finding a new bridge that you didn’t expect to see along a beautiful countryside road.

READ: Where to see the best covered bridges in Vermont

7. American Museum Of Fly Fishing

One of the most unique things you can do in Manchester is visit the American Museum of Fly Fishing. This is a perfect activity for anyone interested in fishing, history or the great outdoors. It’s one of the top fishing museums in the US, featuring a collection of 1,200 reels, 22,000 flies and over 1,400 rods.

Admission to the museum is $5 for adults and $3 for kids ages 5 to 14. It’s open Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00am to 4:00pm. The museum is located inside a lovely farmhouse between Manchester old and new town with plenty of parking available. For more information, you can visit the official website.

Travel Tip: We enjoyed visiting the enormous Orvis directly across from the museum too. It’s a well known brand selling fly fishing rods and basically anything you’ll ever need for the outdoors.

8. Go Hiking

Manchester isn’t typically associated with being home to amazing hikes but you might be surprised by how many great trails are nearby. Unfortunately, most of the popular hikes in the area are rated as moderate or hard so if you want an easier trail, you might have to skip this one.

Here are popular hikes near Manchester:

• Lye Brook Falls – This is one of the highest waterfalls in all of Vermont. It’s a 4.4 mile out and back trail to a 125 ft tall waterfall with almost 1,000 ft elevation gain.
• Equinox Mountain – Instead of driving the auto toll road up Equinox Mountain, walk up it! This 6.3 mile out and back trail has almost 2,900 ft of elevation gain, but the views are worth the grueling ascent.
• Bromley Mountain – A 6.2 mile out and back trail crossing Bromley Rock. You can also take the 2.0 mile spur trail to Bromley Shelter for lunch or camping.
• Prospect Rock – If you want views, this 3.1 mile trail is filled with points of interest overlooking Manchester Center and the Green Mountains.
• Gilbert’s Lookout – A quicker 4.3 mile out and back trail with side trails to different quarries.
• Baker Peak Trail – One of the only loop trails, this 8.7 mile hike leads to Griffith Lake. The trail leading to the Baker summit can be very steep and rocky.

Hiking Tip: Lye Brook Falls is the number one hike near Manchester, VT but if you’re looking for a challenge, take on Equinox Mountain.

9. Enjoy Manchester’s Quaint Hotels

Just like with eateries, Manchester is filled with an excellent and diverse selection of hotel options for visitors. In the historic village, you’ll find luxurious accommodations and in the newer Manchester Center area, you can find a mixture of more affordable options.

We have personally stayed at a wonderful and highly rated place called The Inn at Manchester. It was built in the 1880’s and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The property features white and red barns set on 4 acres surrounded by trees. But there are plenty of other options spanning the budget range.

We’ve written a complete guide on where to stay in Manchester VT you can read on our sister site, Best Hotels Anywhere. Or you can take a closer look at some of the top rated options below.

• Budget – Manchester View
• Mid Range – Hampton Inn & Suites
• Luxury – The Inn at Manchester

Travel Tip: If you plan to travel during the peak fall foliage season, book your hotels as soon as you know your dates. Rooms fill extremely quickly this time of year and booking well in advance is the only way to guarantee a room.

10. See Important Landmarks Nearby

In addition to all of the activities we list in Manchester, there are a few important landmarks located outside of town we think are worth visiting. It’s okay if you don’t have enough time to visit each one, just pick and choose what interests you. We had to take two trips to see all the highlights.

Robert Frost Stone House Museum

Robert Lee Frost is one of the most celebrated and famous poets from the United States. Much of his work was based on rural life in New England in the early 1900’s and in 1961, Frost was named poet laureate of Vermont. He lived in many places throughout his lifetime, but you can visit one of his old houses located near Old Bennington, just about 18 miles southwest from Manchester, VT.

Today, the old house sits on seven acres and the museum is dedicated to his works from the time he lived in this house. In June to October, the museum is open from 10:00am to 4:00pm. Admission is $10 for adults. Visit the official website for more information.

Travel Tip: Old Bennington Cemetery is very close to the museum and this is where you can see Robert Frost’s burial site.

Bennington Battle Monument

Just 5 miles further south from Robert Frost’s Stone House, you can climb the Bennington Battle Monument towering 306 ft high into the sky. The limestone monument was completed in 1891 to commemorate the Battle of Bennington from August 16, 1777 and it’s widely regarded as a major turning point in the Revolutionary War.

There is an observation deck at the top with spectacular views over Vermont, New York and Massachusetts. It’s open from the end of May to the end of October from 10:00am to 5:00pm. Admission is $8 for adults. We skipped this during our first trip, but the weather was perfect our second time around and we loved seeing the views at the top. If the weather is in your favor, we highly recommend it.

Southern Vermont Art Center

Another great local spot we like is the Southern Vermont Arts Center. It was created over 50 years ago inside a stunning Georgian mansion with rotating exhibits. The center sits on 100 acres and you can walk around the fields filled with sculptures. The museum is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00am to 5:00pm and tickets cost $15 for adults. There is also a cafe onsite, but reservations are required.

Up to this point we’ve been undeniably bias towards visiting Manchester in Fall. But there are three other seasons you can visit southern Vermont with winter being one of the best. Ski resorts here aren’t as popular as Stowe Mountain Resort in the north of Vermont. But Bromley Mountain Resort and particularly Stratton Mountain Resort are sports arenas within 20 miles of Manchester.

Manchester Interactive Map

Use our interactive map for Manchester to familiarize yourself with the area. Click to activate the map. We’ve included the best things to see and do that we already mentioned in this guide.

Map key:

• Red – Our top attractions
• Yellow – Hikes
• Purple – Local stores and farms
• Green – Popular restaurants
• Dark Blue – Hotel recommendations

You can also open the full map here for a better and larger view.

Our Manchester Photos

We always take a lot of photos in Manchester because it’s an extremely picturesque place. Here are a few of our favorites:

The Morgan Conclusion

What we like: Manchester is very different from the likes of Stowe or Woodstock, Vermont. There are two main sections of town which helps to alleviate some of the crowding, but you’ll need a car to see everything. We like visiting the local farms in the area and the easy access to Green Mountain National Forest for hiking. There are also so many great restaurant options, it’s hard to pick one.

What we don’t like: Very similar to other small Vermont towns, Manchester can be very busy in summer and fall season. It can be difficult to find parking and you have to book hotels well in advance. The town is also quite small so if you’re looking for a big city, this isn’t it.

Is Manchester worth visiting? Yes, Manchester is definitely worth visiting. It’s a year-round resort community with unique attractions such as the Fly Fishing Museum, Hildene and the Mount Equinox Skyline Drive. Visitors of any age will easily find something to do in this beautiful little town. We’ve only visited in fall, but it’s certainly somewhere we’d return in a different season.

More From New England

• Popular things to do in Stowe, VT
• What to do in Burlington, Vermont
• Unique activities to experience in Woodstock
• How to find covered bridges in Vermont
• Best things to do in Acadia National Park
• Hikes you can’t miss in Acadia
• How to plan a Kancamagus Highway road trip
• Tips for hiking to the Flume Gorge waterfalls
• New England fall road trip planning guide

Want more Vermont content? Head to our Vermont Travel Guides to explore more from the Green Mountain State.

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We hope our guide featuring the best things to do in Manchester, Vermont helps with planning your visit!

Please let us know if you have any questions about visiting Manchester or planning a trip to New England in the comments below.

Happy Travels,

Mark and Kristen

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