Stowe, Burlington & other northern VT towns filled with fun things to do

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

Discover the shores of Lake Champlain, Burlington’s cultural scene, and the Northeast Kingdom’s scenic splendor, quaint towns and some of the state’s best skiing and mountain biking. Travel the Craft Beverage Trail of vintners, brewers, distillers, cider-makers. Tag along with a llama on a walk in the woods. You’ll find original designs in crafts, jewelry, artwork, gifts and functional home decor. Hop into a hot air balloon and savor the gorgeous landscape below. There are museums to explore, a grand historic farm and cozy places to settle in by the water and relax

Basin Harbor

4800 Basin Harbor Road Vergennes, VT, 05491 Phone: 802-475-2311 Toll-Free: 800-622-4000

So many fun things to do at this resort by the lake that you’ll have to come back!

There are so many things to do at the Basin Harbor resort that you may have to keep coming back until you’ve done them all! Start with all the water-centric activities at this resort on Lake Champlain: sailing out on a Sunfish or tubing or waterskiing behind a power boat, fishing from a floating dock, paddleboarding or kayaking. Add in the lawn games, from croquet and badminton to giant chess. And the sports, including golf, tennis, basketball, soccer, pickleball. Oh, and there’s a kid’s camp, too. Don’t forget nearby activities: hiking, biking, touring vineyards and breweries, going to ball games, visiting museums. You can relax after your busy day in your private cottage or spacious guestroom. Please review our 2021 Reopening policies before placing your reservation.

Vermont Teddy Bear Factory & Bear Shop

6655 Shelburne Road Shelburne, VT, 05482 Phone: 802-985-3001 Toll-Free: 800-829-2327

Bears, Factory Tours and Adventures – Oh, My!

Ever wonder how Vermont Teddy Bears are made? Come visit us at our factory and Bear Store and see how our Bears come to life! Watch as our Bears take shape with sewing, stitching and stuffing. All tours are led by our knowledgeable Bear Ambassadors, and kids get to decode a secret Bear message along the way. End your tour with a visit to our Bear Shop where you can choose a new favorite Bear or make one of your own. All tour and store information is available on our website.

The Tyler Place Family Resort

175 Tyler Place Highgate Springs, VT, 05460 Phone: 802-868-4000

Bet you can't do just one

The only question here is not what to do but how to fit it all in one vacation. All inclusive means endless activity for every age. With a recreation center, 6 playgrounds, a soccer field, boating, fishing, basketball, volleyball and 6 tennis courts, an archery range, driving range and miniature golf, mountain and road biking, indoor and outdoor heated pools, field house gym and exercise and fitness center, arts and crafts studio, climbing walls and rope courses – well, you get the picture. 70 family cottages and suites, and a rambling, country Inn with a separate sleeping wing Three healthy meals daily, the Fireplace Lounge and Bar for Mom and Dad, and the age staggered children’s programs and you have one great resort to do great things. Lots of them!

Repair Shop Wide View - REI Bike Ship - North Conway, NH and Williston, VT

The Bike Shop at REI Williston

244 Retail Way Williston, VT, 05495 Phone: 802-316-3120

Before you hit Vermont’s scenic trails, visit this full-service bike shop

If your list of great things to do includes biking in beautiful Vermont, make sure you visit the Williston REI bike shop before you hit those scenic trails. This full-service shop offers everything from tune-ups to custom services on mountain, road, hybrid and e-bikes. Expert technicians are happy to provide a free estimate and inspection as well as offer gear advice and local know-how. Bikes bought at REI are assembled free, and the shop can also install your trunk mounted, trailer hitch, or roof-top bike rack. Call ahead for shop hours and to make an appointment. And check out the store for all your cycling gear, helmets and clothing.

Farm Life and Farm Lore on Champlain’s Shore

Shelburne Farms on Harbor Road in Shelburne is an environmental education center and National Historic Landmark on the shores of Lake Champlain where schoolchildren, adults, and families come to enjoy the walking trails, children’s farmyard, inn, restaurant, property tours, and special events. Highlights of a visit to Shelburne Farms are the Children’s Farmyard and cheese making in the historic Farm Barn, guided tours of the property, strolling on the walking trails, and hospitality at the Inn at Shelburne Farms. The Welcome Center and walking trails are open year-round. This is a wonderful place for adults and children to see farm life close up and to appreciate the foundations of our food sources.

Craft Beverage Trail Is at Your Service

The Stowe area of Vermont is so gung-ho about its talented beverage producers -- vintners, brewers, distillers, cider-makers – that is has created a self-guided tasting tour to make sure you don’t miss anything important. The tour takes you to two Stowe area breweries, a winery, a cider house, and two distilleries. Here's how it works: Stop by the Visitor’s Information Center at 51 Main Street to pick up your Trail Tour Kit for only $10. The kit includes your map & tour ticket, a corkscrew, and more. The tour will acquaint you with the von Trapp Brewery & Bierhall, Idletyme Brewing Co., Ellison Estate Vineyard, Stowe Cider, Cold Hollow Cider Mill, and 4 Points Brewery Tours for yet another guided tour to local breweries and cideries.

Art, History, Gardens on Lively Display at Shelburne

Shelburne Museum on U.S. Route 7 in Shelburne has so many interesting buildings, gardens and exhibits scattered throughout its 45-acre lakeside property, it is hard to know where to begin to describe it. In the summer of 2021, 17 buildings will be open, including the 220-foot steamboat Ticonderoga. Also open: the Weathervane Café and Museum Store and the Carousel, with free rides every 15 minutes. Exhibits in 2021 include the Prints of Currier & Ives (through August 29) and New England Now, contemporary artists of New England (through October 17). Open June to mid- October. Phone: 802-985-3346.

Up and Away

If you’ve never lifted off in a hot air balloon and floated freely above a beautiful landscape of fields, farms, and villages, you are missing an unforgettable experience that can be rectified with help from Above Reality Hot Air Balloon rides in Jericho. The company takes guests aloft in appropriate weather conditions year-round for one-hour flights that literally go where ever the wind is going. Flights depart from the Inn at Essex in Essex and travel above the foothills of Mount Mansfield. Balloons operated by the company can take from two to eight passengers. It is a trip to remember. 802-373-4007.

Bingham Falls Forms a Natural Swimming Hole

off Route 108 Stowe, VT Phone:

The sequence of cascades that is Bingham Falls in Stowe, Vermont is special not just for its otherwordly quality, but because the public almost lost access to it a few years back when a land developer had plans to build a resort on the property. That plan was thwarted and adventurers can still enjoy the pristine beauty of the falls, and those brave enough can take a dip in the natural rock pool below Bingham's 25-foot cascade. To Find It: The falls are located a short hike off Route 108 in Stowe, about 1.5 miles southeast of Smugglers Notch. There is a path leading downhill from a fairly large turnout. The sound of roaring water assures you that you are in the right place.

Touch Down on the Lamoille River

Are you up for a river adventure but lacking in the essential ingredient: a boat? Vermont Canoe & Kayak, located on the Lamoille river in Jeffersonville, can get you geared up an ready to go with an canoe, kayak, paddleboard, and even take you on a guided tour. A few guest favorites are the Ice Cream Float and the Water & Wine Tour. Test your balance with paddleboard yoga. A beautiful and very winding river treats you to views of Smugglers Notch and pristine Vermont forests. 4805 VT Route 15, Jeffersonville. 802-644-8336. Email: vtcanoes@gmail.com

Lavender Essentials in Northern Vermont

Lavender Essentials of Vermont is a mountain-top lavender farm at 2103 Herrick Road in Derby that invites visitors to enjoy the beauty of farm fields in the Northeast Kingdom along with a palette of sensual pleasures. That includes picking your own lavender; relaxing o tent-covered patios and sampling local chocolates, cheeses, and drinks; and shopping for lavender products at the farm’s retail barn. And that’s just the beginning. The farmers host high tea on Sunday afternoons, yoga classes, wine and cheese tastings, star gazing, children’s parties and scavenger hunts. All lavender-scened, of course. How blissful! Open June-September, Wednesdays through Sundays. This is an outdoor venue, so it may close because of weather. Phone ahead to 802-323-3590 or 802-673-54545.

Kingdom Trails Open All Year to Skiers, Bikers, You Name It

One of the top-rated regions in the country for mountain biking can be found at and around Burke Mountain and Darling Hill near East Burke. Kingdom Trails is 110 miles of recreational, non-motorized trails through farmland and forest for bicycling and cross-country skiing, designed for people of all levels of ability. In snowy months, bring your cross-country skis or snowshoes and have at it. Fatbiking is big, too! Open year-round but call ahead for temporary restrictions between seasons, when trails are protected.

Knight Point Park Is Pure Vermont, With Water Vistas

Expansive lawns are the center piece of the lovely Knight Point State Park in North Hero, on Lake Champlain. where clusters of cedar trees enhance the beauty of the area. The cobbled shoreline west of the swimming beach is home to a diverse group of rare plants. A trail loops around the point to offer scenic lake and shore vistas. The land south of Knight Point is Grand Isle, a navigable Route with plenty of boat traffic to watch. The facilities include a sandy swimming beach, boat rentals, picnic areas, and grills. Open Memorial Day to Labor Day.

Dive Into the Life of the Mind at the Athenaeum

St. Johnsbury Athenaeum at 1171 Main Street in the northern Vermont town of St. Johnsbury has many great daily activities for adults and kids who want to explore the life of the mind. One example is the Frist Wednesdays series, where experts ramble about interesting topics. Recent topics were Vincent Van Gogh and the Books He Read and Bierstadt’s “Domes of Yosemite,” and the Creation of an American Icon. You can ekep uo with many other topical or quirky subjects by watching the Athenaeum’s Events page. 802-748-829.

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