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.

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.

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.

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!

Lake Morey Resort

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

Over 25 activities designed to keep you engaged and entertained at this lakefront resort

With over 25 exciting, engaging and entertaining activities on site, you will be all set for that perfect I-don’t-have-to-get-in-the-car vacation at the stunning Lake Morey Resort. Warm-weather activities include kayaking, canoeing, paddle boarding, biking, hiking, lawn games and guided activities. You can rent a pontoon boat or motorboat; play basketball, volleyball or bocce ball; take in a movie; or relax in the heated indoor pool or sauna. In the winter, there is pond hockey on the frozen lake, a 4.3-mile ice-skating trail, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. Area attractions range from classic general stores and Dartmouth’s classic college town to the Billings Farm and Museum, a planetarium and the famous Quechee Gorge.

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.

Horseback Riding by the Lake - Mountain Top Inn & Resort - Chittenden, VT

Mountain Top Resort

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

Something fun for everyone, every season, at this breathtaking mountain resort

Four seasons of the year, the breathtaking Mountain Top Resort provides fun, engaging, even exhilarating things to do for guests. Spring walks in the meadows and kayaking on the crystal-clear lake; summer days at the private beach, horseback-riding, fishing, paddle boarding or playing tennis; clay-bird shooting or walking among the 40 miles of trails in the fall; and cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, ice-skating, sledding, snowmobiling and horse-drawn-sleigh riding in the winter. There’s also a heated outdoor pool with the amazing views seen everywhere at this 700-acre resort, sand volleyball and a pontoon boat. Nearby are breweries, farms, a cidery, downhill skiing, the Ben & Jerry’s factory, Vermont Country Store and Vermont Teddy Bear factory.

Castle on a Mountain Top

With its majestic mountains, Vermont is a natural home for a castle, and Wilson Castle on West Proctor Road in Proctor is the place. This architectural masterpiece was built in the middle of the 19th century. Its design is a blend of European styles. The castle's furnishings include Far Eastern and European antiques and museum pieces, statuary, Chinese scrolls, and Oriental rugs. On the grounds are cattle barns, stables, the carriage house, and the glass house. Guided tours are offered daily from late May to late October.

Falls of Lana Is a Stairway of Stone

Replete with dramatic twists and turns, the Falls of Lana in Salisbury, Vermont have been likened to a giant staircase and bannister made of stone. The drop totals 160 feet in all, and this breathtaking cascade makes it worthwhile to those brave enough to climb the steep terrain leading up to the viewpoint. To Find It: Take Route 7 south from Middlebury to Salisbury, where you will turn east on Route 53 heading to Lake Dunmore. Follow Route 53 for about 3 miles, until you cross Sucker Brook, and you'll see a powerhouse on your right. Park here in an unobtrusive way. Follow the penstock up the hill until you see a wire fence on your left. This is the cliff-top viewpoint of the middle tier. [photo: Dean Goss and Northeast Waterfalls]

Elegant Consignments, Décor with Pizza, Local Art

Manchester is a place of high culture and good taste, applying across the tableau of vacation experiences, including usually mundane fun like consignment shopping and pizza. For instance, Perfectpiece Consignments on Maine Street in Manchester Village presents high-quality furniture, rugs, and accessories. Choose from 15,000 items in many styles and periods. Open daily. At Depot 62 bistro + café in the Depot District display high-end collectibles, art, and rugs. At Helmolz Art Gallery, the newest member of the Manchester Designer Outlets, artwork from near and far is carefully chosen for your enjoyment.

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.

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.

Byway Follows Victory Route of Colonial General

Molly Stark Byway traverses southern Vermont along Route 9 from Brattleboro to Bennington. The byway is named after the wife of General John Stark who led the Colonial militia to a victory at the Battle of Bennington on August 16, 1777. The Molly Stark Byway winds through valleys and past historic villages, busy downtowns, and the spectacular Green Mountain National Forrest. It is anchored at either end by vibrant historic town centers in Brattleboro and Bennington, and including a classic New England crossroads village in Wilmington in between. (photo: Brattleboro VT chamber of Commerce)

Gorge Yourself on Mountain Beauty

Quechee State Park at 5800 Woodstock Road in Hartford, is home to Quechee Gorge, the "Grand Canyon of the East," formed by glacial activity approximately 13,000 years ago. Visitors can look down at the Ottauquechee River, flowing 165 feet below viewing points along Route 4. It is a spectacular scene that awes hundreds of thousands of visitors every year. Near the gorge on Route 4 is Quechee Gorge Village, a favorite shopping attraction. Here you can re-up on batteries for your camera and visit the Cabot Quechee Store, Danforth Pewter, Vermont Toy & Train Museum, Vermont Spirits, The Quechee Diner, Snow Farm Gallery, and more.

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.

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.

Wonderful Artwork and Trails for Natural Beauty

The Southern Vermont Arts Center at 930 Southern Vermont Arts Center Drive in Manchester is a respite of natural beauty and human artistry. Located within 100 acres of forest in the Green Mountains, the Center offers a changing exhibitions, a sculpture park, woodland hiking on the Boswell Botany Trail, and live music in the summer at the Arkell Pavilion. Art is on display in the 28-room Yester House Gallery (formerly a mansion) and three other galleries. On the grounds: hiking, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing. Prepare to be dazzled. Phone: 802-362-1405.

Enjoy Views of the Mountains from Dover

The Dover Town Forest Trail, located near Dover and on the eastern edge of the Green Mountain National Forest, offers an east, three-mile walk along a well-maintained trail that follows an old roadbed along a ridge to the Rock River. The trail offers views of Mount Snow and Haystack Mountain to the west and East Dover and South Newfane to the east. From the center of West Dover, take Valley View Road to Cooper Hill Road. Just before the Cooper Hill Inn turn onto Rice Hill Road. Parking and entry to the forest can be found at the end of Rice Hill Road.

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.

Sip Among 360-Degree Views

Wine tasting in southern Vermont means a visit to the Honora Winery & Vineyard in the Green Mountains near West Halifax. Honora's 200-acre vineyard and estate is nestled in Southern Vermont's Green Mountains. With spectacular 360 degree views of Hogback & Haystack Mountains in Vermont, Monadnock Mountain in New Hampshire and Mount Holyoke & the Berkshires in Massachusetts it is a great place to sit, relax, and sip. Wonderful themed tours are offered; call ahead to schedule one for your group. 802-368-2233

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.

Spectacular Views, Hikes, Exploration at Merck Forest

Located on top of Rupert Mountain, off Route 315 on Rupert, Merck Forest and Farmland Center is thousands of acres of open land available for hikes and other activities. Parts of the property are actively farmed, with concentration on organic, sustainable agriculture. Visit the farm, explore the forest or stay overnight in a rustic cabin or lean-to. With 30 miles of trails for hiking, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and horseback riding Merck Forest has a multitude of recreational opportunities. Open daily, from dawn to dusk, year-round.

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.

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.

Play on the Trails, in the Water, at Montshire

Montshire Museum of Science, in the Vermont town of Norwich on the Vermont/New Hampshire border, offers lots of outdoor and nature-enhanced learning for families. Visit to hike the nature trails, which include the Planet Walk, where you can skip among the Sun, the planets, and asteroid belt. Splash in the water play areas of the David Goudy Science Park. Frolic at the The Play Grove. See museum website for hours. Email: mary.gaetz@montshire.org. 802-649-2200

Apple-Infused Pleasures at Cold Hollow

Vermont’s beautiful Route 100 offers beautiful views and interesting stops on all sides, and one of the more refreshing of these is Cold Hollow Cider Mill at 3600 Waterbury Stowe Road in Waterbury Center. Visitors can watch cider being pressed the old-fashioned way and taste it from a sample tank. Next, watch the activity of honey bees -- a major work force in the orchard -- in an observation hive, and see the Donut Robot churn out 800 dozen cider donuts a day. Enjoy lunch at the Applecore Luncheonette; taste the hard cider. It's all surrounded by glorious views. 800- 327-7537.

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

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)

Stone Valley Byway Traverses Mountain Slopes

Vermont Route 30, spanning Manchester to Poultney through the Mettawee Valley, is now the Stone Valley Scenic Byway. Traveling the byway takes you through an area with a rich history in slate and marble production. A trip on the Stone Valley Byway is highlighted by mountain slopes that provide a dramatic backdrop to the rural landscape and provide access to a host of recreational opportunities. Historic, picturesque towns dot the valley floor, and rich agricultural soils have accumulated alongside the free-flowing Mettawee and Poultney Rivers. Lake St. Catherine, a state park, golf course and many smaller water bodies along the byway corridor are exceptional natural, scenic, and recreational resources.

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.

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.

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

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.

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

Contemplation and Quiet Next to the Forest

The Benedictine Monks of the Weston Priory at 58 Priory Hill Road in Weston is a Benedictine community founded in 1953 and inspired by a monastic tradition reaching back to the earliest centuries of the church, and shaped by the Rule of Saint Benedict. All people are welcome to visit the priory and to join in events and celebrations of common prayer each day. The monastery is four miles north of tWeston at the edge of the Green Mountain National Forest. Phone: 802-824-5409.

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.

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.

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