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Vermont travel is perfect for fun family activities & things to do with kids

Vermont > State > Families and Kids > Family Activities

Families with kids can find year-round fun in Vermont in the mountains for skiing, snowboarding, zip lines and canopy tours. 

Fun family adventures can include swimming and fishing, history museums and children's museums, and fun farm visits. 

Celebrations, festivals and activities for kids and adults happen year-round at the elegant Stowe ski area, reminiscent of grand European ski resorts. 

Lots of lodgings and waterfront resorts provide welcome and fun diversions for kids.

Family Activities in Vermont
Click Here for Family Friendly Lodgings in Vermont
Rafting Group - Crab Apple Whitewater - West Dover, VT
Crab Apple Whitewater (VT)

289 Handle Road West Dover, VT, 05356 Phone: 800-553-7238

No surprise that family-owned and operated rafting company is a hit with other families

Crab Apple Whitewater has been family owned and operated since 1983, and family members join every rafting trip to make sure it’s an exceptional experience. So it’s no surprise that families come back year after year to conquer the rapids and just have a blast. In Vermont, that means facing the exciting mix of Class II to IV rapids in the West River, a true Vermont gem. It’s a mix that’s ideal for experienced rafters as well as beginners, so it’s perfect for families. Helmets and lifejackets of all sizes are provided, guides are dedicated and experienced, and the scenery is breathtaking along the 8-mile trip. The minimum age is 11, and self-bailing Hyside rafts typically hold six to seven paddlers.
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Pick Your Own - Scott Farm - Dummerston, VT
Scott Farm

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

Farm’s Pick Your Own and Stone Wall Park make it a must-see for families

Fresh air and family fun, and plenty of both! That’s what you’ll find at Scott Farm, a 571-acre farm of The Landmark Trust USA. The farm, which dates back to 1791, offers regular events (check the website for specific times and dates) and a farm store with everything from cider donuts to plump pumpkins and Vermont-made gifts. Sample baked goods or sandwiches at Pippin’s Cafe and wander the incredible Stone Wall Park. Their Pick Your Own orchards, a favorite with locals and visitors, specializes in delicious apples and peaches. Turn your day trip into an overnight vacation by staying at one of Landmark’s historic properties, from the scenic Dutton Farmhouse (sleeps 8) to Rudyard Kipling’s Naulakha (sleeps 8) or its Carriage House (sleeps 4).
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Children on Swing - Liberty Hill Farm Inn - Rochester, VT
Liberty Hill Farm & Inn

511 Liberty Hill Road Rochester, VT, 05767 Phone: 802-767-3926

Learn about daily life on a working dairy farm with tours that are educational – and fun!

If your kids think milk’s journey begins at the grocery store, it’s time to book a fun farm tour at the Liberty Hill Farm & Inn. The inn, which has been welcoming guests since 1984, has an award-winning herd of 270 Robeth Holsteins, and visitors can watch the milking process as well as try their own hand at milking. Adults and children can also bottle-feed newborn calves, offer some hay to friendly cows and cuddle with kittens in the barn. Tours are scheduled to coincide with daily chores so everyone can experience the daily life of a working farm. And all proceeds from the tour go directly to the nonprofit Liberty Hill Center for Agricultural Education. Come see why families return to Rochester, VT to take the tour year after year.
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Store at Shelburne Farms - Shelburne, VT - Photo Credit Daria Bishop
Shelburne Farms

1611 Harbor Road Shelburne, VT, 05482 Phone: 802-985-8686

This environmental education center on the shores of Lake Champlain invites the public to learn about environmental conservation. Visits start at the Welcome Center with a slide show and samples of the farm’s award-winning cheddar. Kids and families can then explore the walking trails and activities at the Farm Barn, including the Children's Farmyard. The Farm Store is open for online ordering for pickup and in-store shopping.
Hours: Open year-round daily 10am - 6pm. Closed Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.
Garden - Shelburne Museum on U.S. Route 7 - Shelburne, VT - Photo Credit Shelburne Museum
Shelburne Museum

U.S. Route 7 - P.O. Box 10 Shelburne, VT, 05482 Phone: 802-985-3346

This super-cool museum on the edge of Lake Champlain is filled with unusual attractions that are sure to entertain every person in the family. Kids and parents will love the authentic paddlewheel steamboat Ticonderoga, which was a workhourse of passenger and cargo transportation on the lake for decades in the 19th century. Shelburne Museum is one of the nation’s most eclectic museums of art, Americana, and design, displaying 150,000 objects on 45 acres in 25 historic New England buildings. There's even a lighthouse. A full day of family fun waits here.
Rock of Ages Quarry - Barre, VT
Rock of Ages Quarry and Manufacturing

558 Graniteville Road Barre, VT, 05654 Phone: 866-748-6877

Learn about quarrying and try it for yourself. The Cut-In-Stone Activity Center offers hands-on activities for children and adults. Sandblast-a-souvenir allows kids to create a memento of their visit. Other activities include geology explorations and learning the hand signals of the quarry derrickman. Check for seasonal changes in programs.
ECHO Lake Aquarium & Science Center - Burlington, VT
ECHO Lake Aquarium and Science Center

One College Street Burlington, VT, 05401 Phone: 802-864-1848

This maritime-oriented science museum is located right on the shore of Lake Champlain, and its expertise is to study and enjoy the natural history of the Lake Champlain Basin. A visit to ECHO is a wonderful science and ecology expedition for children and families. Lots of expert work has gone into creating permanent exhibits about the ecology, wildlife, plant life, and Native human inhabitants of the region. Plenty of changing exhibits and fun seasonal activities to encourage kids to get involved in this fascinating maritime world. ECHO is open year round, 10am - 5pm daily, except Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve & Day.

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