Vermont Great Things to Do include fun family attractions, farms, parks

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

Find fun things to do and places to visit on your Vermont vacation. VT offers attractions for adults, families with kids, and more, like farm and winery visits; nature museums and parks; shopping for Vermont crafts, food, and art; bookstores; mountain walks and scenic drives; maple gifts; skiing and snow sports. Find a cozy B&B and explore! Call ahead to check on scheduling details, especially for outdoor activities.

Green Mountain Coffee Visitors Center & Café

1 Rotarian Place Waterbury, VT, 05676 Phone: 802-882-2700 Toll-Free: 877-879-2326

One of a kind destination with a flavorful history

Have your first and next cup of coffee at this tastefully restored train station and visitor’s center. Set in Waterbury VT and built in 1875 with beautiful Victorian Italianate features, this stop has become a favorite New England destination with a global flavor and world-wide impact. Along with delicious cups and bags of great Green Mountain Coffee, Keurig brewers and accessories, you’ll find artisanal handicrafts, and unique items from coffee growing communities. Interactive displays and videos tell the Green Mountain Story and the café invites you to try a daily variety of free coffee samples, specialty drinks, locally made baked goods and light fare. Green Mountain Coffee is freshly brewed every day with a passion for "source to cup" authenticity.

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.

Basin Harbor

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

Just driving by? Maybe you should stay.

Not a Basin Harbor guest? Well until you make your reservation, we still want you to enjoy our 18-hole golf course or any of our delectable dining venues: The Red Mill Restaurant, The Main Dining Room or the Ranger Room. Like to eat outdoors? During the summer months, we offer al fresco dining on the dock buffet style. Visit the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum and take advantage of our Three Pack deal. Lunch, lake cruise and admission to one of the most fascinating displays of maritime history. Check out our events calendar online to get more details on our annual festivals open to the public.

Barn Sunflowers - Landmark Trust USA - Dummerston, VT

The Landmark Trust USA

707 Kipling Road Dummerston, VT, 05301 Phone: 802-254-6868

Outdoor activities await the lucky lodgers who stay on this Vermont property

The outdoors is waiting for you at the 571-acre Scott Farm and the five lodging properties of Vermont’s Landmark Trust USA. Stay in Rudyard Kipling’s Naulakha manor, or a cozy farmhouse with eye-popping views, a rustic wooden sugarhouse, a cape-style brick home or a secluded carriage house and spend your days hiking, biking, bird-watching, swimming, canoeing – or picnicking in the meadow. If it isn’t right outside your door, it’s only a short drive away. Take a tour of Naulakha or head over to the Farm Market for heirloom apples and other fruits of the season. Music festivals and golf in the summer, great skiing and sledding in the winter: It all awaits you from these enchanting historic lodgings.

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

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.

Lake Champlain Chocolates

750 Pine Street Burlington, VT, 05401 Phone: 800-465-5909

Come see where chocolate is made!

Take the sweetest tour in town at our Factory Store! Learn all about how chocolate is made and take in the aromas and sights — not to mention free samples, of a real chocolate factory. Watch us craft truffles, caramels, almond butter crunch and more. You might even see a giant bunny or a flock of chocolate turkeys being hatched. The through-the window tour is free, lasts about 30 minutes and is appropriate for ages 7 and older. Tours begin on the hour Monday-Friday, 11am-2pm. Self-guided tours are available after 3pm and before 10am. Saturdays and Sundays, drop in for a free chocolate tasting where you will discover the flavor profiles of four chocolates with a chocolate tasting guide.

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!

Manchester Designer Outlets

97 Depot Street Manchester Center, VT, 05255 Phone: 802-362-3736 Toll-Free: 800-955-7467

A classic New England village for an out of the ordinary shopping experience

Any shopping experience is improved in a classic and historic New England village. Unique to Vermont is Manchester and its designer outlet shopping. The town also swells with cozy inns, world class restaurants, and unrivaled tourist attractions. The MDO provides a special collection of luxury stores touting designer name brands like Armani, Eileen Fisher, Michael Kors, Ralph Lauren, Kate Spade New York, J. Crew, Tumi outlet, Eddie Bauer and New Balance. The picturesque surroundings make your shopping experience more than a day spent in retail, discounted though it may be. Here you’re close to everything in the northeast with all the right amenities to address the creature comforts while you allow the great outdoors and mountain air to both feed and soothe the beast in you. Shop til you……relax.

Ben & Jerry's Factory Tours

1281 Waterbury Stowe Road Waterbury, VT Phone: 866-258-6877

Great Ice Cream with and a great story

Here it is - the original Ben & Jerry’s factory in Waterbury, Vermont. You’ll sample great ice cream and take some home but you can also take a 30-minute guided tour and learn about these most interesting fellows who became leaders in socially responsible businesses. And you’ll discover how the company sources the finest ingredients to produces its popular flavors. Come by any day but during the week you’ll also see the production team in action. Before leaving, you’ll enjoy a generous sample of the flavor of the day and stop in at the scoop shop to savor your favorite flavors or try a new one in a cup, cone, or milkshake and if you dare, take on the Vermonster!

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.

Mountain Top Inn & Resort

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

Everything to love in a great mountain resort

With so many activities at this popular year round resort, the challenge is deciding what to do first. It might be hiking, biking or horseback riding on 350 scenic acres overlooking the Green Mountains. Boating, fishing, swimming and paddling await in the 740 acre lake with your own private beach, while cross country skiing, snowshoeing and horse drawn sleigh rides are pleasures of the winter season. You can always relax by the pool or in the brand new spa and you’ll have several choices for classic and luxury lodging and fabulous cuisine in the dining room, tavern or on the terrace. The resort is affordable, family and pet friendly and the perfect escape for a romantic getaway. It's your choice, so go ahead!

Thrill Ride Awaits at Balloons of Vermont

The spectacular Quechee Gorge in Central Vermont – sometime called the Grand Canyon of the East – attracts spectators of all kinds. One heart-stopping way to see the gorge and the forested beauty of its surroundings is from a hot air balloon. This is the adventure of a lifetime. Balloons of Vermont will take intrepid travelers above the treetops over the Ottauquechee River and the upper valley region for an unforgettable show in the most serene, majestic flying machine knows to man. 802-291-4887.

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.

MOntshire Museum of Science credit-Montshire-Museum-of-Science-and-Oliver-Parini

Montshire Encourages You to Dig Into Science

The 100-acre Montshire Museum of Science at 1 Montshire Road in Norwich really means it when it calls itself a hands-on museum, so bring those kids who cannot keep their hands (or curiosity) to themselves. The spacious and light-filled building on the Connecticut River holds exhibits with enticing names like Air and Weather; Creatures; Light and Sight; Puzzles, Shapes, and Things that Move; Water and How It Moves. Outdoors, visitors can explore a science park, woodland garden, and nature trails along the river. There is always something new to entice kids and parents. 802-649-2200.

See Vermont by Train with the Green Mountain Railroad

Passenger train trips for pure pleasure are nearly obsolete, but not quite: the Green Mountain Railroad offers several excursion train trips from spring through fall through the glorious mountains of Vermont on restored historic trains. Most of the line’s summer excursions depart from Burlington (1 Main Street); some depart from Chester (563 Depot Street). There is a Dinner Train, with a three-course meal; the Independence Day Flyer, taking people into Burlington for the July 4 fireworks show; the annual Old Home Days excursion from Chester to Bellows Falls; Cocktail on the Rails, a two-hour round-trip ride departing Chester every Friday night (with hors d' oeuvres and live music); and, later, many fall foliage excursions. It sounds confusing, but reservation and FAQ pages will help you choose an excursion perfect for you. 802-861-6050

Beers by Hill Farmstead Brewery in Hillsboro vt

Farm-Made Beers Generate National Excitement

A farm-based beer brewer that is quickly developing a national reputation for unique beers is found waaay up in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom, near the town of Greensboro. Beers by Hill Farmstead Brewery , at 403 Hill Road, are hand-crafted and the outcome of years of experience and education. The brewery is based on farmland in use by a family for 220 years. The retail shop, open Wednesdays to Saturdays, noon-5 p.m., is the only place the beer is regularly available. Twelve beers on draft are available at any given time, in 2-liter and 750-ml, bottles. These folks are serious about hand-crafted beers; they even host a Festival of Farmhouse Ales in August.

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. Phone: 802-626-0737.

Handmade Cheese and Genuine Hospitality

Brattleboro is a bustling southern Vermont town that condenses many Green State pleasures: a big food coop and good restaurants, a restored Art Deco theater, an annual Parade of Heifers. Since dairy farming is a staple of Vermont life, the town’s treats for visitors also include a Grafton Specialty Cheese & Wine Shop, 400 Linden Street, featuring hand-made Grafton cheese (named for the lovely small town just up the road, where the cheese maker is based). Visit the cheese and wine shop during the week to see cheese being made. Get advice on pairing wines and cheeses and leave with a banquet for friends back home. This is a motherlode of Vermont flavors and genuine hospitality. Open weekdays 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. 802-246-2221.

Back Road Brewery & Winery Tours in Vermont

Good Things Are Brewing Along Vermont’s Back Roads

A day with Back Road Brewery & Winery Tours is your chance to wander the back roads of Vermont with an experienced guide and to stop and sip at several of the state’s craft breweries or wineries. The Northern Tours travels Route 7 and starts at Middlebury’s Otter Creek Brewery. The alternate Eastern Tour uses Route 4 and begins in Bridgewater at Long Trail Ale. The day closes with dinner. The tour company picks up customers in the Rutland/Ludlow/Killington area (subject to advance reservations). Held daily; please book in advance. Phone: 802-446-3131

Beauty of a Burlington Bike Trail

The Island Line biking and walking trail, using the Burlington Bike Path and Colchester Causeway, is a 14-mile beauty of paved and gravel roads that skirts along Burlington’s shoreline, crosses the Winooski River, and crossed the lake into South Hero. Riders and walkers can enjoy gorgeous waterfront views of Lake Champlain from Burlington to Colchester and stop at many parks and natural areas along the way. See the trail website to findseveral access points. You won’t find more beautiful lake scenery anywhere. Order a map of the bikeway online.

ECHO Lake Aquarium and Science Center on Lake Champlain in Burlington vt

Fun with a Water Monster at Champ Lane

Champ Lane, a new and brilliant play space for kids age 6 and younger, opened in February 2016 at ECHO Lake Aquarium and Science Center on Lake Champlain in Burlington. In addition to a fabulous indoor tree house (move over, Tarzan), Champ Lane has a deluxe water table, puppet theater, multilevel boat, play café, and mini French market named after Marché Atwater in Montréal. A book nook offers space for quiet reading, nursing and relaxing. There's also a classroom and lab that will be used to teach about animals and scientific inquiry. Fun for every style of kid. Open daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Phone: 802-864-1848.

Shelburne Museum on U.S. Route 7 in Shelburne vt

Art, History, Gardens on Lively Display at Shelburne

Shelburne Museum on U.S. Route 7 in Shelburne has so many interesting exhibits scattered among several buildings on a broad lakeside property, it is hard to know where to begin a description, but here goes. It is the home of the restored steamboat Ticonderoga, the last walking beam side-wheel passenger steamer in existence. It operated as a day boat on Lake Champlain, serving ports in New York and Vermont, from 1906 to 1953. Today the Ticonderoga portrays life on board in 1923. Visitors may explore the Ti’s massive engine, four decks, pilot’s house, galley, and crew’s quarters. Buildings on the museum grounds include the Horseshow Barn and the Round Barn, a lighthouse, and several art galleries with changing exhibits, and many gardens. Open mid-May to late October. 802-985-3346.

Encounter Native Wildflowers a Step from the Museum

Next to the Bennington Museum at 175 Main Street in Bennington is the George Aiken Wildflower Trail , a showcase for wildflowers and ferns that George Aiken wrote about in his book, “Pioneering with Wildflowers.” Only a third of a mile in length, it is a lovely place to rest on scattered benches or to learn about the surroundings from plant identification markers and printed information. The trail is maintained by volunteers and open to the public from dawn to dusk.

South End Arts District of Burlington flea market

Fab Flea Market in South Burlington -- Limited Dates!

The South End Arts District of Burlington at 180 Flynn Avenue hosts an always-intriguing flea market on the third Sunday of each month from May through October, offering featuring antiques, vintage household goods, handicrafts, artwork by local people, tastings, lots of food, and tours of the nearby Switchback Brewing Co. (yes, the brewery’s tasting room will be opne.) BTV Flea was named a 2015 Yankee Editors’ Pick for “Best Browsing.” Come and explore! BTV Flea operates from noon to 4 p.m. on Sundays. April 29, May 20, July 1, and September 9 in 2018.

Stowe Offers a Triumvirate of Great Country Stores

With the motto “Helping Vermonters Survive in Style Since 1895,” Shaw’s General Store on Main Street in Stowe covers most of the essentials, in products with quality and deep Vermont flavor. The Heritage Collection of rugged clothing brands includes Vermont’s Darn Tough socks. (802-253-4040). The Country Store opened in the historic Lackey Building on Maine Street in 2016 after a careful restoration of the old general store. More arty than Shaw’s, this is a great resource for artisan-made gifts. Stowe Mercantile, in the old Depot Building on Main Street, could be some version of a 1900 department store. For your needs to all kinds on a Stowe vacation or back at home, the wonderfully named Mercantile has you covered (802-253-7653).

Meet Vermont's Covered Bridges

Few structures in America combine architectural ingenuity, economic necessity, and romantic idealism better than the covered bridge. Covered bridges flourished in the United States in the 19th century. Pennsylvania has the greatest number of covered bridges, and Vermont, with about 104 covered bridges, has the highest number relative to the state’s size. In Southern Vermont, some highlights of the many covered bridges include the Bridge at the Green (Arlington Bridge) in Arlington and the Henry / Burt Bridge in Bennington, which is a short distance from the rebuilt Paper Mill Bridge and the Silk Bridge. Covered bridges offer a wonderful opportunity to stop, take pictures, dip your feet in the river, and even to picnic.

Honora is Honored to Share Its Wine with You

Honora Winery & Vineyard at 201 Vermont Route 112 in Jacksonville has a tasting room where people who love wine may relax, sip some wine, and taste some Vermont cheeses while listening to the nearby stream or watching for heron at the pond, all against the backdrop of a forested hillside. Honora’s Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Melot, and Chardonnay have won a variety of awards. Annual public events include the Chocolate Festival on Memorial Day weekend and the Grape Stomp and Harvest Festival on Labor Day weekend. Tasting room is open daily, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Phone: 802-368-2226.

Danforth Pewter’s Workshop and Store, at 52 Seymour Street in Middlebury, vt

Pewter Conveys Quiet New England Beauty

With its modest beauty, pewter is the perfect fine metal for New England craftsmen. Danforth Pewter’s Workshop and Store, at 52 Seymour Street in Middlebury, features a gallery of one-of-a-kind pieces, a history wall with antique Danforth pieces, and viewing windows into the workshop. The Middlebury store has a complete line of pewter oil lamps, jewelry, key rings, holiday ornaments, and picture frames. Open daily. Other Danforth retail stores are in Waterbury, Quechee, and Burlington. 802-388-0098.

The Governor’s House at 100 Main Street in Hyde Park Vt-credit-shutterstock

Tea Served in High Style, or Take-and-Make

Tea is served in high style and sold in glorious variety at two unique locations in northern Vermont. The Governor’s House at 100 Main Street in Hyde Park is an elegant bed-and-breakfast inn that serves tea in all appropriate high style on Thursday and Sunday afternoons (other times by pre-arrangement). The cream tea menu consists of warm freshly-made scones served with clotted cream and strawberry jam. Relax and indulge! (802-888-6888)
Dobra Tea , in Burlington’s Church Street Marketplace, welcomes you for quiet refreshment and hard-to-find teas from remote places like India, China, and Japan. This Bohemian tea room also serves light foods and desserts. Taste and decide what to take home, The tea room also sells artisan tea serving ware. Wonderful for gifts. (802-951-2424)

This Place Hits the Sweet Spot

Prepare for a sweet welcome at April’s Maple, a family-owned maple farm, restaurant, and gift shop in Canaan, in gorgeous and quiet mountain country just a stone’s throw from the Canadian border. This operation harvests thousands of maple trees, makes syrup and many other maple treats, and hosts guests for lunch at a large, bright, building where all the maple inspiration comes together. It is a wonderful place to stop for refreshments and gift-shopping while hiking, driving, or riding nearby ATV trails in northern Vermont and New Hampshire grand country. 802-266-9624

Vermont Comedy Club at 101 Main Street in Burlington vt

Cow-Tipping and Other Yucks

Yeah, Vermont does comedy, above and beyond cow-tipping and cracker barrel humor. Vermonters can crack wise on themselves, and you, too. A husband-and-wife pair of comedians has opened Vermont Comedy Club at 101 Main Street in Burlington. The comedy space, built inside the old Armory, consists of a 150-seat showroom, a bar/lounge with craft cocktails and snacks, and a classroom for anyone who wants to do it himself. The weekly calendar is packed, including open mic nights and comedy jams. Drop in!

Foodie Culture is Alive in Burlington

Since its beginnings in 2010, The Farm House in Burlington has prided itself on its humble farm-to-table cuisine, including its award-winning burgers and local craft beers. It has three sister restaurants, with one hosting a Taco Tuesday event every week in a beer garden. This lovely spot is constantly spicing things up by holding food-related events all summer long, including a brewer’s fest, a gin-themed evening and a celebration of summer tomatoes. If you find yourself in Vermont this summer, don’t forget to head to this unique establishment. 802-859-0888

Path of Life is a public sculpture garden in Windsor,

Wild and Wacky Sculpture Garden

The Path of Life is a public sculpture garden at 36 Park Road in Windsor, where 18 large works of art symbolize the human journey from birth to death. Inspired by The Life of Man, a Japanese garden in Kildare, Ireland, the Path of Life, founded in 1997, provides space for recreation, relaxation and contemplation. It’s located in a 14-acre of field of trails, wildflowers and open spaces on the Connecticut River. There’s a five-mile trail network, groomed for dog sledding, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing. Open dawn to dusk.

Artful Whimsy of Tasha Tudor

Tasha Tudor was a beloved resident of southern Vermont. Over her long career she illustrated nearly 100 children's books, the last being "Corgiville Christmas." Her whimsical stories of Corgis, cats, and other creatures and simple way of living on display at the Tasha Tudor Museum at 974 Western Ave in West Brattleboro. She dressed in the style of the 1830s, cooked over an open fire in her New England farmhouse, lived by the light of candles, milked her own goats, and tended a menagerie of pets. Her fans include parents and children in love with her old-fashioned illustrations. Museum is open early May through late October, Wednesdays-Sundays.

Ranges Upon Ranges

Where can you see panoramic views of the Green, White, Adirondack, Berkshire and Taconic mountain ranges in one trip? Easy. Take a drive up Skyline Drive to the top of Equinox Mountain near Sunderland for a spectacular sunset over the Adirondack Mountains to the west. Begin at the Toll House on Route 7A in Sunderland. As Skyline Drive winds up the mountain, you can see panoramic views of lakes, rivers and towns below. There are many vistas and areas for picnics along the 5.2 mile drive. The road is open end of May to October – closed in winter.

Children and Parents Invited to Understand Farm Creatures

The Brattleboro Retreat will open on Memorial Day 2017 a new Children’s Farm and Forest at 350 Linden Street in Brattleboro. Young visitors and their parents may feed and groom farm animals and learn about their care from farmers. The farm’s Calf Barn will be home to the animals, along with a three-season classroom, an educational play area, and a brand-new Farm Shop. The Piggery, near the Calf Barn, holds a children’s garden, animals on pasture, a pollinator garden, and a new nature trail through the surrounding forest. Keep in touch with events and programming about all manner of farming and food activities. 802 490-2270

Vermont Marble Is Admired Throughout the World

The Vermont Marble Trail is a driving tour along the marble corridor of western Vermont. Vermont marble has been used in architecture throughout the United States and in places like London, Taiwan, Singapore and Saudi Arabia. The Marble Trail leads visitors along an historic, artistic, and cultural tour of the towns where marble was quarried and used. Highlights include Robert Frost’s grave site in Bennington, Wilson Castle in Proctor, the Marble Works District in Middlebury, Ethan Allen’s grave in Burlington, and the Vermont Statehouse in Montpelier. Stop at the Vermont Marble Museum in Proctor. 800-427-1396

Perennial Pleasures Nursery in Hardwick VT

Fond of Phlox and Fancy Teatime

Perennial Pleasures Nursery, at 63 Brickhouse Road in Hardwick, is a nursery, retail store and tea garden. The nursery, greenhouse and display gardens are located on sunny fields behind the owners’ home, an 1840s brick house at the edge of the village. The nursery grows 900 varieties of flowers, herbs and shrubs, specializing in heirloom and medicinal plants, with a special fondness for phlox. An eclectic gift shop, specializing in summer hats, is located in the old wooden extension, and a seasonal tea-room serves English cream teas and light lunches in the display garden or conservatory. The nursery and gift shop are open daily except Mondays, early May to mid-September.

History Walks the Halls of Hildene

A fascinating family saga that includes one of the greatest names in American history awaits visitors year-round at Hildene, 1005 Hildene Road in Manchester. It is the home of Robert Todd Lincoln, the only child of President Abraham and Mary Todd Lincoln to survive to adulthood. Robert Lincoln built Hildene, a Georgian Revival mansion, in 1905. It was home to Lincoln descendants until 1975. The home and grounds are open to guided and self-guided tours. You can hear the sound of the family’s 1,000-pipe Aeolian organ, and visit the Observatory, the Pullman car Sunbeam, Hildene Farm, and the exhibits. The Hoyt Formal Garden and other gardens are lovely. The property has 12 miles of walking trails, and people are welcome to cross-country ski or snowshoe the trails from December to mid-March. 802-362-1788.