Welcome to Vermont, the Green Mountain State. This is where you will find all of our Vermont Travel Guides!
Vermont is located in the northeastern quadrant of the United States within the New England region, bordered by Massachusetts, New York, New Hampshire and Canada.
This is the 6th smallest state by area and the only state in New England that does not border the Atlantic Ocean.
Capital: Montpelier
Population: About 640,000
Time Zone: Eastern Standard Time (EST)
Vermont Travel Highlights
Vermont is known for its natural beauty, especially the areas surrounding the Green Mountains. In this state you will find scenic hiking trails, breathtaking landscapes, wooden bridges as well as plenty of skiing and snowboarding.
If you are a foodie, be sure to indulge in home made maple syrup, cheddar cheese as well as Ben and Jerry’s ice cream.
There are no National Parks in Vermont, but there is a National Historic Park and many State Parks worth visiting.
Popular Parks In Vermont:
- Quechee State Park
- Smugglers’ Notch State Park (Mount Mansfield)
- Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park
Popular Places To Travel In Vermont:
- Stowe
- Burlington
- Hildene
- Lake Champlain
- Various year-round ski resorts
- Green Mountain National Forest
- Bennington Battle Monument and Museum
Keep in mind this small list just scratches the surface, but you can read about more things to do in Vermont here.
Need a travel itinerary? Shop our Travel Guidebooks.
Best Cities To Visit In Vermont
There are numerous cities in Vermont worth adding to your travel bucket list. We love the charming towns and villages in this state which boast stunning historical buildings.
Below we have listed our popular things to do in guides from beautiful cities within the Green Mountain state:
- Best things to do in Burlington – Hugging the Eastern shores of Lake Champlain, this is the most visited town in Vermont.
- Fun things to do in Manchester – This small yet attractive town is located in the heart of Southern Vermont’s beautiful Green Mountain National Forest.
- Adventurous things to do in Woodstock – This tiny town epitomizes a captivating and quintessential New England village.
- Stunning things to do in Stowe – This quaint town is located at the base of Mount Mansfield, the tallest peak in the enchanting Green Mountains and the entire state of Vermont.
Stunning Fall Foliage
Autumn in New England is magical. The northeast is a prime location for leaf peeping and a trip we highly recommend you experience at least once in your lifetime.
- Fall road trip itinerary in New England – 10 amazing stops to add to your adventure.
- Covered bridges in Vermont – Stunning and unique bridges scattered throughout the state.
When hiking in Vermont, we always use Gaia GPS. You can use our special link to receive 20% off a Gaia GPS subscription.
Or want a different app? Be sure to check out the best hiking trail apps to help you conquer those bucket list hikes in Vermont.
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Planning Your Vermont Road Trip Itinerary
Vermont is one of the easiest US states to plan a memorable road trip itinerary thanks to its size and grouping of top places to visit.
A small cluster of things to do in the north, center and south of Vermont respectively make planning a breeze. Driving distances are short and quiet roads connect each place efficiently.
Ideally you would use Burlington as your airport hub, hire a car and drive a loop route through the state. However, Boston is a more likely place for most visitors to begin and end a road trip through Vermont.
Cheaper airlines, more flights and better accessibility across the US and internationally mean we will use Boston as our start and end point for the example below.
If you plan to visit Vermont in the fall foliage season, you will want to begin in the north and follow the peak colors south throughout your trip.
Example Vermont Road Trip Itinerary
Let’s take a brief look at an example 10 day Vermont road trip itinerary featuring the most fun things to do in the Green Mountain State.
We will assume you visit in fall and use Boston as your transport hub.
Note: If you are planning to drive through more of New England, which is one of the very best road trips in the USA, you can still use the example itinerary below for the Vermont portion of your trip.
Woodstock and Quechee – Days 1 to 2
- Drive from Boston Logan to Woodstock, stopping in Quechee and the gorge
- Spend day two exploring the best of Woodstock and its surroundings
- Don’t miss Jenne Road and Sleepy Hollow farms, they are calendar cover favorites
Stowe – Days 3 to 4
- Use day three for hiking to waterfalls, finding covered bridges and photography in Stowe
- Hike, drive or cable car Mount Mansfield and drive Smugglers Notch
- Take things slowly and enjoy Stowe, it is one of the highlights in Vermont
Camel’s Hump – Day 5
- Visit Ben and Jerry’s on the way out of Stowe
- Spend half a day hiking to Camel’s Hump summit
- Continue on to Burlington and spend the evening in Church Street Marketplace
Burlington – Days 6 to 7
- Cycle the Burlington bike path to Grand Isle and relax on the shores of Lake Champlain
- Spend day seven exploring Ethan Allen homestead and tower, eating and drinking in town
Manchester – Days 8 to 9
- Drive down to Manchester via Middlebury and Rutland with plenty of covered bridge stops
- Visit Hildene, the Lincoln Family Home in the afternoon
- Drive or hike to Equinox Mountain summit and hike to Lye Brook Falls on day nine
Bennington, Brattleboro and Boston – Day 10
- Get an early start and drive to Bennington Battle Monument
- Walk around the town before driving over to Brattleboro to see another town
- Drive back to Boston in the evening
Best Time To Visit Vermont
Late September and early October in Fall are the best times to visit Vermont in New England. It is one of the best places in the world to see vibrant fall foliage colors, which means it is by far the busiest time to visit the region.
Spring and summer are fantastic times to visit Vermont if you’re more interested in hiking than you are in photography. The months of May and June are perfect for crisp air and warmer temperatures without the crowds.
Visiting Vermont in Winter is a completely different experience. Skiing is a big deal here in the Green Mountain State and Stowe Mountain Resort is among the best in the country.
Top 10 Fun Things To Do In Vermont
Here’s a summary of the top 10 things to do in Vermont:
- Visit Bennington
- Explore Brattleboro
- Spend a few days in Burlington
- Hike Camel’s Hump Trail
- Photograph the Green Mountains
- Cycle along Lake Champlain
- Explore the best of old and new Manchester
- Relax in Quechee
- Get active in the awesome town of Stowe
- Enjoy the charming town of Woodstock