Central Vermont towns of Killington, Woodstock, Ludlow packed with things to do

Vermont > Central > Things to Do and See > 30 Great Things To Do in Vermont

Central Vermont offers great things to do in every season. This region is home to the Green Mountain National Forest, The stunning Quechee Gorge, and many maple sugar works. Cozy inns and full service resorts offer every kind of luxury and relaxation. Enjoy the best biking, hiking, golf, tennis, boating, fishing, swimming in warmer weather and skiing, snowboarding, ice skating and snowshoeing when winter sets in. Discover the many fairs and festivals with arts, crafts and antiques, visit local farms, and savor great food, beers, wines and cider.

Morse Farm Maple Sugarworks

1168 County Road Montpelier, VT, 05602 Phone: Toll-Free: 800-242-2740

Four-season fun and a whole lotta maple goin’ on

Morse Farm is four-season, every day fun. The Woodshed Theater has displays and artifacts and a humorous and educational video about the Morse Farm maple process. There’s a nature trail, country store, and an outdoor farm life museum with an antique replica of the Vermont State House. Sprinkled about the farm are whimsical carved soft sculptures created by Burr Morse. A maple trail leads to the trees where the 200 year Morse farm experience continues. Savor samples of Vermont Maple syrup, jams and jellies, and you’ll find local crafts and gifts. In the winter, the Ski Touring Center has cross country and snowshoe trails, sliding, snowmobiling and skating. And later in the season it’s Sugarin’ Time and the Sugar House will have its annual maple tastings.

Lake Morey Resort

1 Clubhouse Road Fairlee, VT, 05045 Phone: 802-333-4311 Toll-Free: 800-423-1211

Two sides to a great Vermont vacation

Summer and winter at Lake Morey Resort provide endless activity in a magnificent natural setting. In summer, there’s a peaceful 600 acre lake for circumnavigating on foot or by bike, swimming, paddle boarding, canoeing and kayaking, water skiing and 18 holes of championship golf. In winter, the snow and ice and open space invite you to a Nordic trail system and pond hockey, snowshoeing and ice fishing and a 4.5 mile loop around the lake on the U.S.’s longest maintained ice skating trail. Minutes away is downhill skiing. There are organized guest events, an indoor pool, fitness center and on-site movie theater. There are charming towns, farms, shopping and more to explore on self guided day tours. And just a short hike, drive or bike ride away, more vacation experiences to last a lifetime.

Mountain Top Inn & Resort

195 Mountain Top Road Chittenden, VT, 05737 Phone: 802-483-2311

Outdoors, indoors, all seasons: Lots of activities at this gorgeous mountain inn

Indoors and out, every season of the year, activities are hopping at the idyllic Mountain Top Inn & Resort in the mountains of Vermont. On the 700-acre property alone, you can hike among 40 mails of meadow and woodland trails (or snowshoe and Nordic ski in the winter), play lawn games or tennis or beach volleyball, swim in the heated pool or off the private beach, play disc golf, take a clay bird shooting lesson, go horseback riding or tour a pristine lake in a pontoon boat. In the winter, go ice skating or for a horse-drawn sleigh ride. Nearby is great downhill skiing, several golf courses, orchards, breweries, farms, country stores and charming towns. (Check the website for the latest health- and safety-related practices.)

Sleigh Rides Through Grafton

Grafton, on Main Street in Grafton keeps ramping up its hospitality to people who want to meet and enjoy small-town Vermont -- in all seasons. Now, visitors to this pristine town can take in the winter beauty from the seat of a horse-drawn sleigh rides, from the Grafton Trails and Outdoor Center (where you can also get access to tubing and cross country skiing gear and trails). Sleigh rides leave every half hour from the cabin starting at 11 a.m. It's a good idea to call ahead to reserve a spot, but the center to accommodate walk-ins as well.

Come see where Vermont Teddy Bears are created! Daily Factory Tours - Click for Times and Ticketing.

Blades Are Moving at Lake Morey

Lake Morey Resort , on Clubhouse Road in Fairlee, realized about a decade ago that climate shifts were bringing less snow, even as the ice on the lake stayed strong and long. So the resort shifted into a major hub for ice skating and speed skating, open to anyone from newbies to champion speed skaters. The resort created a four-and-a-half-mile plowed skating trail on the lake and opened a center where the public can rent skates. 802-333-4311.

Come to a Ski Town; Stay Indoors

You don’t need to be an athlete or even a skier to enjoy Vermont’s beautiful ski towns in the winter. Take, for instance, the Okemo Valley region and the town of Ludlow. Sure, you can ski or snowboard all day at Okemo or Magic Mountain is you like, or we indoor people can enjoy dining, wine tasting, shopping, spa luxuries, art, and fun with kids at the hospitable Artisans Park in the neighboring towns of Chester, Windsor, Proctorsville, Plymouth Notch, and Grafton. There’s plenty to do off the slopes.

Perfect Storm of Covered Bridges

Vermont has more than 100 covered bridges, the heaviest concentration per mile of any state. The earliest of these beloved and hardworking bridges, dates from 1820. The state offers a handy covered bridge map for people who like to visit and photograph these small engineering gems. Northfield, for instance, has three bridges within one-quarter mile of each other and they display two types of construction: lattice and queenpost. Vermont residents welcome visitors to enjoy these beautiful artifacts of the past.

Artisans Park Brings the Best of “Artisan” and “Park”

You have hit the jackpot for dining and shopping pleasures when you make you way to Artisans Park at 71 Artisans Way in Windsor. This charming retail community is a collection of eight unique Vermont businesses all located in the same park. Here visitors will find Harpoon Brewery, where you can enjoy a craft beer surrounded by beautiful mountains; SILO Distillery , an adventure zone of unique spirits from Vermont grains; Vermont Farmstead Cheese Company Market , Artisan Eats, and Blake Hill Preserves. Fun dining and gift shopping in a peaceful park.

Green Mountain Coffee Visitors Center & Cafe - At Waterbury's Historic Train Station

No Reason to be Bored Inside - Check out our Winter Great Things To Do in New England!

Sugarbush Farm Makes a Sweet Visit

The family-operated Sugarbush Farm at 591 Sugarbush Farm Road in Woodstock welcomes visitors every day of the year to enjoy the farm, taste samples of the farm’s cheeses and maple syrup, and shop for delicious mementos to take home. You can taste four grades of syrup and learn how it is made, make friends with the farm animals, sample 14 cheeses from sharp cheddar to naturally smoked. The three-room gift shop has jams, mustards and maple spreads. Also, come and walk the nature trail to the maple sugar woods or spend some personal time in the farm chapel. It's a good idea to phone ahead before visiting. 802-457-1757.

Forest Canopy Walk at VINS

Vermont Institute of Natural Science, or VINS, at 149 Natures Way in Quechee opens in fall 2019 a new exhibit Forest Canopy Walk that accommodates people of all physical abilities. Because the VINS property drops in elevation as it slopes toward the backwater of the Ottauquechee River, the boardwalk to the canopy walk remains mostly level while the land drops away beneath. At the highest points, visitors will be 65 feet above the forest floor, sharing the space in the tree tops with birds, squirrels and other treetop life. The canopy walk includes a giant spider’s web and an eagle’s nest. VINS is open year-round, daily, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Call for canopy walk hours. 802-359-5000

Independent Bookseller Welcomes Book-Loving Folks

Bear Pond Books on Main Street in Montpelier presents a slogan “Celebrating 35 years of independent book selling in central Vermont,” and it takes pride in every word. The business opened in 1973 and has endured flooding, a major move to a beautiful historic building, and other ups and down. It offers customers a well-read staff, events such as public readings by authors, a communal gathering place, a resource for children’s literacy, and a useful website. Book lovers looking for things to do who are in or near Montpelier really must visit the store; you will feel right at home. Open daily. Phone: 802-229-0774

Enjoy Awesome Nature AND Shopping at This Gorge

Quechee Gorge is one of New England's most popular natural wonders. The 165-foot cleft in the mountain and its plunging stream can be seen from the Route 4 bridge and neighboring paths. When you are sated by the natural beauty, man-made fun is accessible at the adjacent Quechee Gorge Village at 5573 Woodstock Road, Quechee.. Twelve small shops sell artisan crafts like gold jewelry, alpaca clothing, antiques, home décor, gifts, and spa products. Visitors can chat with artists as they work. The Vermont Toy & Train Museum has added several new exhibits. You can rent Segways and take a ride.

Mad River Antler – How Wild Does That Sound?

If you want to go home from your Vermont vacation with a really Vermont-y artifact, consider a chandelier, lamp, candle holders, or wine rack made from antlers of moose, elk or deer. The artists of Mad River Antler hastily note that that antlers used in these artworks are shed naturally by animals and later retrieved from the forest floor. And the artworks are beautiful. Tour the retail space at Bridge Street Trading Co., 40 Bridge Street in Waitsfield to enjoy this melding of nature and artistry.

Ride the Trails on an Icelandic Horse

The tireless movement of the Icelandic Horse makes it the ideal saddle horse, and you can take a trail ride on the Icelandic at the Vermont Icelandic Horse Farm at 3061 North Fayston Road in Waitsfield, in the heart of the Sugarbush area. The farm hosts full-day and half-day trail rides as well as two- to six-day treks. In winter, the Icelandic Horse is at its best, growing a shaggy coat and reveling in the snow. Rides accommodate all levels of riding skill, including novices. Children over 10 years old with riding experience are welcome. Phone: 802-496-7141

Beautiful Place, Refined Pottery

The town of Woodstock is as close as you can get to an idyllic New England small town, and it’s all a genuine, working community, with plenty of interesting fun for visitors. The fun includes shopping, because the town and nearby neighbor are home to two refined pottery makers: Farmhouse Pottery, headquartered in Woodstock, and Miranda Thomas Pottery in nearby Bridgewater. Farmhouse describes itself as a place of “old-world potters with simple tools and strong beliefs in process and authenticity.” Its products – like the best-selling bowls, crocks, and candlesticks – are simple and exquisite (802-457-7486). It offers “clay dates,” where guests may work alongside a potter to create their own memento from the studio, Miranda Thomas Pottery in Bridgewater is a traditional workshop studio of experts making and decorating pots by hand. (802-672-5175)

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