Things to Do
Shop at the Walpole Artisans Cooperative
The coop calls itself “a warm and welcoming shop founded by local artists who view art as a joy to make and a gift to be shared. Experience the joy of art making firsthand through demonstrations, workshops, and special events.”
Location: Walpole Area
See a Performance at the Hopkins Center for the Arts
The Hopkins Center’s mission is to ignite and sustain a passion for the arts within Dartmouth College and its greater community and to provide the core educational environment for the study, creation, and presentation of the arts.
Location: Hanover Area
Visit the Hood Museum of Art
The Hood Museum of Art at Dartmouth College is committed to providing programs for adults and children, year-round and free of charge. Admission to the museum is free, mainly because of the leadership of its generous members, who believe that art is for everyone.
Location: Hanover Area
See a play at the Weston Playhouse
Vermont’s oldest professional theatre is a living testament to a community’s belief in the arts. In 1935, while the Great Depression was raging, Weston-born architect Raymond Austin was putting the finishing touches on a playhouse that one Boston Globe critic called “the most beautiful theatre in New England.” A former church renovated for the town’s dramatic club, the Weston Playhouse quickly attracted the attention of director Harlan Grant, who produced the theatre’s first summer stock season in 1937, featuring a young actor named Lloyd Bridges.
Location: Chester Area
See a show at the Northern Stage
Northern Stage is an award-winning, fully professional regional theater company that produces a seven-show main stage season each year from October through May. Northern Stage also offers educational vacation and summer camps for children ages 6-14 as well as numerous outreach programs that seek to involve the greater community.
Location: Woodstock Area
Take a class at Fletcher Farm School for Arts and Crafts
The Fletcher Farm School for the Arts and Crafts is operated by the Society of Vermont Artists and Craftsmen, Inc. The Board of Directors consists of a number of dedicated and diverse individuals who generously volunteer their time and talents. Our commitment is to quality arts and crafts education, to keep alive old traditions, and to teach new techniques in a special Vermont setting, at a reasonable cost to the public.
Location: Ludlow Area
Learn about the heritage of Mechanical Arts at the American Precision Museum
The museum preserves the heritage of the mechanical arts, celebrates the ingenuity of our mechanical forebears, and explores the effects of their work on our everyday lives. The American Precision Museum, housed in the original Robbins & Lawrence Armory, now holds the largest collection of historically significant machine tools in the nation.
Location: Windsor Area
See a show at the Claremont Opera House
The Opera House is located in the Claremont City Hall Building. Dedication of the building occurred on June 22, 1897. Since the grand re-opening of the Opera House on May 26, 1979, the Friends and Boards of Directors have raised funds, both publicly and privately, to re-equip the house and it is once again the entertainment center of the area.
Location: Springfield Area
Shop for local art at the Gallery at the VAULT
The Vault (“Visual Art Using Local Talent”) is a non-profit educational resource dedicated to serving the community through educational workshops and lectures. Every dollar spent at the Vault allows it to server more children, adults, and families through year-round art programs.
Location: Springfield Area
Enjoy a fresh hard cider at Woodchuck
A long time ago, way back in 1990, there was a little winery in the town of Proctorsville, Vermont. Back then, the owners made their living producing a variety of apple wines, something not many wineries do. They also made a little cider called “Vermont Old-Fashioned Hard Cider” – not the most catchy name, yet pretty darn appropriate…
Location: Middlebury Area
Have a ‘Copper Ale’ at Otter Creek Brewing
Otter Creek Brewing is located in beautiful Middlebury, Vermont. The visitor center is open daily from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. with seasonal offerings, samples, a gift shop and beer to go.
Location: Middlebury Area
Eat handmade ice cream at Walpole Creamery
From the website: “While most ice cream makers buy their base mix from large commercial producers, we make ours from scratch, right here at The Creamery. We use only local, rBGH-free milk and high-quality, all natural ingredients to make the richest, tastiest and most wholesome ice cream around.
For every batch of ice cream we make, the folks at Elm Island Farm, just down the road, deliver fresh milk straight from their farm to our shop where it is made into ice cream the same day.”
Location: Walpole Area
Indulge in handmade chocolates at L.A. Burdick’s
In 1984, Larry Burdick began making chocolates in New York City for a small number of fine restaurants and caterers. L.A. Burdick continues to use only the best couverture chocolate from Switzerland, France, and Venezuela, made from primarily South American, Central American, and Caribbean beans. From this beginning, L. A. Burdick Chocolate has grown into a thriving direct mail and web business located in Walpole, New Hampshire.
Location: Walpole Area
Visit the New England Maple Museum
The New England Maple Museum is conveniently located in the heart of Maple Country, nestled in the foothills of the Green Mountains, where the finest Vermont maple syrup is made.
Location: Killington Area
Down a ‘Double Bag’ at Long Trail Brewery
The Long Trail Brewing Company began its mission to brew high quality craft beer in November 1989. The company soon outgrew its original location (in the basement of the old Bridgewater Woolen Mill along the Ottauquechee River in the Green Mountains of Vermont), so the brewery packed up and “hit the trail” up the road to a riverside hay field where it now operates.
Location: Killington Area
Experience the Vermont Country Store
Visit the Rockingham store, located just off Interstate 91 on Route 103, where a wide variety of locally made award-winning Vermont cheeses, rows of penny candy, kitchen gadgets, and household problem solvers are stocked to the rafters.
Location: Londonderry Area
Enjoy some handmade Vermont gouda and a sleigh ride at Taylor Farm
Taylor Farm is a 180-year-old working dairy farm in the Green Mountains of southern Vermont.
Location: Londonderry Area
Take a class, shop, or snack at King Arthur Flour Baking School and Store
Discover their flagship campus in Norwich, Vermont; visit their brand new retail store; take a class at the stunning new Baking Education Center and watch the bakers at work in their state-of-the-art bakery.
Location: Hanover Area
King Arthur Flour Baking School and Store
Visit the Quechee Gorge Village
Quechee Gorge, known as “Vermont’s Little Grand Canyon,” is one of New England’s most popular natural wonders. More than 200,000 yearly visitors enjoy touring the Vermont Institute of Natural Science, fishing and canoeing the river, hiking trails, cross country skiing, and snowshoeing.
Established in 1985 and located in the heart of the Quechee Gorge, Quechee Gorge Village has evolved into one of the best shopping attractions in the state of Vermont. Visit the Cabot Quechee Store, Danforth Pewter, the Vermont Toy & Train Museum, Vermont Spirits, the Quechee Diner, Snow Farm Gallery, and much more.
Location: Quechee Area
Taste wine from Snow Farm Vineyard and Grape Winery
Snow Farm Vineyard and Grape Winery began as a dream in 1992 – to preserve Vermont’s agricultural land in the face of rapid development by providing an alternative for farmers’ properties. The location, on an island in the middle of Lake Champlain, permits the owners to grow cooler climate vinifera grapes, Pinot Noir and Riesling, as well as the more cold hardy French hybrids, Vidal Blanc and Baco Noir. Thanks to Vermont’s cold winter temperatures, Snow Farm also produces an ice wine, a product that be made in few other places in the world.
Location: Quechee Area
Snow Farm Vineyard and Grape Winery
Taste vodka from Vermont Spirits
Vermont Spirits vodkas are hand-crafted and triple-distilled using only local Vermont spring water. Combining this with the artisan technique of batch distillation, they are able take purification to a new level. The result is a smoother, distinctly American-style vodka.
Location: Ouechee Area
Eat lunch at Baba-A-Louis Bakery
There is a real treat nestled amongst the Green Mountains in Chester, Vermont. Next to an old barn, John McLure and Ruth Zezza have constructed a building that is very difficult to describe other than to say it is beautiful. You cannot help but expect a commercial structure when you hear the word bakery but you are in for a surprise. Somewhat hidden from the main road, the bakery welcomes you with enchanting one-of-a-kind windows, lots of natural light, radiant heat from the Italian tiles and the smell of baking bread. They use only organic and natural ingredients in their first-class breads.
Location: Chester Area
Taste award winning cheese at Grafton Village Cheese Co.
Cheesemaking has long been a part of Vermont life. Dairy cows grazing the velvety pastures of the Green Mountain State are a familiar sight, and the milk they produce is one of the state’s natural treasures, used to make some of the world’s best cheddar cheese.
Location: Chester Area
Go shopping for local goods at FH Gillingham & Sons General Store
F.H. Gillingham opened his business five generations ago in Woodstock, Vermont, stocking his store with every imaginable necessity and treasure.
119 years later, the store is still owned and operated by his family, who say they still want to offer their customers just about anything you might need from a country store “from caviar to cow manure.”
Location: Woodstock Area
FH Gillingham & Sons General Store
Learn about Vermont’s rural 19th Century heritage at Billings Farm & Museum
Explore one of the finest operating dairy farms in America, along with a museum of Vermont’s rural past – your gateway to Vermont’s rural heritage. Billings Farm features many aspects of farm work, including care of the Jersey cows and other livestock, milking of the herd, crop rotation, and feed production.
Location: Woodstock Area
Have a maple cremee at The Green Mountain Sugar House
From the Green Mountain Sugar House website: “Our red roofed sugar house, just steps away from the water’s edge, is where we make everything from maple syrup to mouth-watering maple fudge. It’s also a Vermont country gift shop. Make the Green Mountain Sugar House a planned stop whenever you’re in the area… you’ll be glad you did!”
Location: Ludlow Area
The Green Mountain Sugar House
See how cheese is made by hand at Crowley Cheese
Award-winning Crowley Cheese has been made in the Green Mountains of Vermont from the same recipe, in the same manner, since 1824.
Location: Ludlow Area
Buy local cheese at the The Sustainable Farmer
From the website: “We are a start-up food company that sells sustainably produced honey and promotes farmers committed to sustainability. We have a retail store in Windsor, Vermont specializing in local cheese, maple syrup and honey. Our goals are to increase awareness of sustainable production practices, reduce the use of fossil fuels and chemicals, and improve the economic health of our region.”
Location: Windsor Area
Cool off with a ‘UFO’ at Harpoon Brewery
From the Harpoon Brewery Website: “We started the Harpoon Brewery in 1986 because—like today—we loved beer and wanted more quality choices.
“There was only one problem: we were beer lovers, not brewers. We knew what we wanted to drink, but we needed some help actually brewing it. So we enlisted our first brewer, took over some warehouse space on the Boston waterfront, and began introducing fresh, local craft beer to Boston drinkers.”
Location: Windsor Area
Pick your own seasonal fruits at Wellwood Orchard
Wellwood Orchards is a locally owned orchard that grows and sells all of our fruits on location. We grow many varieties of Apples, as well as blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, peaches, plums, pumpkins and more! While your here stop by our country store and grab some Vermont maple syrup, Vermont hand crafts, honey and many other things. Don’t forget the petting zoo!
Location: Springfield Area
Visit local Farmers Markets
There are 11 local farmers markets to choose from. Find out which ones are open when you’ll be with us. Location: Throughout Vermont
Stellafane 2013 Convention – Aug 8-11, 2013
The 78th Convention of Amateur Telescope Makers on Breezy Hill in Springfield, Vermont and the 2013 Stellafane Convention, will be held Thursday through Sunday August 8-11, 2013.
http://stellafane.org/convention/2013/index.html
Visit Vermont’s Historic Covered Bridges
One is just down the road from the inn! And others are 15-20 miles away. Drive a little further or make a weekend of it as there are more than 50 covered bridges in Vermont!
Location: Throughout Vermont
Vermont's Historic Covered Bridges
Go rock climbing at Green Mountain Rock Climbing Center
Location: Killington Area
Green Mountain Rock Climbing Center
Take a ride on the gondola or go skiing or snowboarding at Killington
Leave the fast pace of everyday life behind with a relaxing mile and a quarter ride to the top of 4,241-foot Killington Peak. Nestled in the thick of central Vermont’s Green Mountains, Killington Peak serves as a trailhead for 45 miles of mountain biking and hiking trails for adventure seekers. An enjoyable ride up the K-1 Gondola showcases views of five surrounding states and Canada.
Location: Killington Area
Enjoy some handmade Vermont gouda and a sleigh ride at Taylor Farm
Taylor Farm is a 180-year-old working dairy farm in the Green Mountains of southern Vermont.
Location: Londonderry Area
Visit the raptors at VINS
The Vermont Institute of Natural Science Entices and Excites People to Care for the Natural World
From the VINS website: “VINS’ programs and services engage and instill in people of all backgrounds a desire to care for the wildlife and diverse natural habitats they encounter in their daily lives.
We offer relevant environmental education programs for adults, families, and school children; partner with leading conservation organizations to promote environmental science field research; and operate New England’s premier avian wildlife rehabilitation clinic at the VINS Nature Center.
VINS has been a leader in environmental education and wildlife conservation and care since 1972. We are known nationally for innovative natural science curricula and education programs for learners of all ages.”
Location: Quechee Area
Vermont Institute of Natural Science
Visit Vermont’s deepest gorge at Quechee State Park
The focal point of the park is Vermont’s deepest gorge, 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.
Location: Quechee Area
Take a ride in a hot air balloon with Balloons of Vermont
Take an unforgettable voyage over the magical Quechee, Vermont, area with a hot air balloon ride. View the grand canyon of the east, the Quechee Gorge, or float above the tree tops and follow the Ottauquechee River. Fly over the magnificent Upper Valley area of Vermont & New Hampshire.
Location: Quechee Area
Spend a day visiting Vermont’s Historic Covered Bridges
Check out one of the over 50 covered bridges in Vermont!
Location: Throughout Vermont
Vermont's Historic Covered Bridges
Go ice skating at the Union Arena
Location: Woodstock Area
Go cross-country skiing at the Woodstock Inn Nordic Center
The Woodstock Inn Nordic Center is a prime destination for cross-country skiers. The Nordic Center features 30 km of trails surrounding the picturesque village of Woodstock, VT. All 30 km are mapped and groomed for either classical or skating technique. Trails on Mt. Tom in the Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park will not be groomed for the 2012-2013 season. These trails will be left in their natural state for backcountry skiing and snowshoeing (no fee will be charged). The Nordic Center shop offers rental and retail ski and snowshoe equipment, as well as clothing. Both private and semi-private lessons are offered.
Tour Rockefeller National Historical Park
Walk through one of Vermont’s most beautiful landscapes, under the shade of sugar maples and 400-year-old hemlocks, across covered bridges and alongside rambling stone walls. This is a landscape of loss, recovery, and conservation.
Location: Woodstock Area
Rockefeller National Historical Park
Learn about Vermont’s rural 19th Century heritage at Billings Farm & Museum
Explore one of the finest operating dairy farms in America, along with a museum of Vermont’s rural past – your gateway to Vermont’s rural heritage. Billings Farm features many aspects of farm work, including care of the Jersey cows and other livestock, milking of the herd, crop rotation, and feed production.
Location: Woodstock Area
Kedron Valley Stables
Take a carriage ride in summer of a sleigh ride in winter!
Location: Woodstock Area
Take a dip in Buttermilk Falls
Experience this series of waterfalls and popular swimming holes on the Branch Brook, listed in the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources inventory of significant waterfalls, cascades, gorges and swimming holes. The Vermont Department of Forests, Parks & Recreation manages the property which is cared for by staff from Camp Plymouth State Park during the summer months.
There is a large pool below both the lower and upper falls, each deep enough for complete submersion. The lower falls flow into a deep 25-foot-wide pool of clear, olive-green water. Later in the season a quaint twist of water wraps itself around a slightly wetted rock, adding character to what is usually a typical plunge throwing itself over the ledge during high-water-volume times.
Location: Ludlow Area
Okemo Mountain Resort Adventure Zone
There is so much to do at Okemo every season, all year long! And the Adventure Zone is the place to find all kinds of fun activities!
In the wintertime, enjoy the Timber Ripper Mountain Coaster, Sawyer’s Sweep Zipline Tours, a ride in a snowcatgrooming machine, a jump in the AMP Energy big air bag,snowtubing, the arcade or frolicking in the Snowfun Playground.
Try snowshoeing and nordic skiing at the Okemo Valley Nordic Center, exercising at the Pool & Fitness Center, ice skating in the Ice House, having a massage, or playing a round of indoor golf.
At the Coleman Brook Tavern, make s’mores and relax fireside at the fire pit.
In the spring, summer and fall, add two championship golf courses, mini golf, a climbing wall, Segway® Tours, bungee trampoline, disc golf and our summer camp for kids to the lineup!
Location: Ludlow Area
Okemo Mountain Resort Adventure Zone
Experience a day in the life of an 18th Century settler at Old Fort No. 4
Location: Charlestown, N.H. Area
Take a tandem flight in a hang glider at Morningside Flight Park
Morningside Flight Park, commonly said to be one of the most complete flight parks in the country, sits among the Connecticut River Valley’s rolling hills in New Hampshire on land that simply must have been cosmically designed for hang gliding and paragliding.
Location: Charlestown, N.H. Area
Tour the Path of Life Garden
The Path of Life Garden is a crafted landscape open to the public in Windsor, Vermont. Visitors experience the story of the great circle of life while traveling through sculptures of varying sizes and materials. Inspired by a famous garden in Europe, these 18 works of art symbolize the journey from birth to death and beyond. Since its conception in 1997, the garden has grown on its own path, providing space for recreation, relaxation, contemplation and realization; making it a great destination for families looking for fun things to do around Quechee, Woodstock, and Hanover. The path is also home to a five-plus mile trail network that are groomed in the winter for dogsledding, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing.
Location: Windsor Area
Discover the home, studio, and gardens of Augustus Saint-Gaudens
Discover the home, studios and gardens of Augustus Saint-Gaudens, one of America’s greatest sculptors. See more than 100 of his artworks in the galleries and on the grounds, from heroic public monuments to expressive portrait reliefs, and the gold coins that changed the look of American coinage. Enjoy summer concerts, explore nature trails, or indulge your hidden talents during a sculpture class.
Location: Windsor Area
Take a stroll through Cider Hill Gardens and Gallery
Cider Hill Gardens & Gallery in historic Windsor, Vermont, offers a unique combination of flower gardens and fine art.
Location: Windsor Area
Take a hike up Mt. Ascutney
Hiking and camping abound in Ascutney State Park, a 2,000-acre park founded in 1935 with the support of federal public works funds and development by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). The Mt. Ascutney summit road winds a steep path through mixed hardwoods to a parking lot at an elevation of 2,800 feet in a saddle between the south peak and summit. A 0.8 mile foot trail takes you the additional 344 vertical feet to the summit. Excellent viewing is offered from points along the summit road and trail.
Check out Great River Outfitters
GRO is an outdoor adventure outfitting company located in Windsor, Vermont. They operate in all four seasons and host a broad range of adventurous outdoor activities for all ages and skill levels, from canoeing, kayaking, rafting, river tubing and camping, to dog sledding and snowshoeing – and cater to individuals, families and large groups looking for unique, fun and exciting things to do in New England.
Location: Windsor Area
Have a Picnic and Swim at Stoughton Pond
With 1,361 acres of land, ranging from forests and fields to wetlands and two lakes, North Springfield Lake has recreational opportunities for everyone! In summer months, visitors can swim, sunbathe, and picnic. Anglers can try their luck in the lake, pond, or rivers. Two boat ramps are available for canoeists to explore the beauties of North Springfield Lake or Stoughton Pond.
Location: Springfield Area
Admire the pitcher plants on a walk through the North Springfield Bog
The North Springfield Bog is a boreal kettle bog, an artifact of the last glacial age 10,000 years ago. Bogs lack drainage, and precipitation is the only source of water. A walking trail leads to and around the bog with many views of both the bog as well as surrounding spruce and pine groves.
Location: Springfield Area
Enjoy the views while you play a round of golf at Crown Point Country Club
Designed by William Mitchell and constructed in 1953, Crown Point is a member owned club with tee times available to the public. Tee times may be made by calling the Golf Shop
at 802-885-1010
Location: Springfield Area
Try your hand at Geocaching
We’ll even set you up with maps & GPS!
Location: Throughout Vermont
Take a Hike in the Okemo Valley
The Okemo Valley brings together the distinctive beauty, culture and endless recreation possibilities in the Vermont towns of Andover, Cavendish, Chester, Mount Holly, Ludlow, Plymouth and Weston. These seven charming villages are woven together by quaint, country roads, dotted with shops and sites of every variety imaginable located in South Central Vermont.
Shop at the Walpole Artisans Cooperative
The coop calls itself “a warm and welcoming shop founded by local artists who view art as a joy to make and a gift to be shared. Experience the joy of art making firsthand through demonstrations, workshops, and special events.”
Location: Walpole Area
Indulge in handmade chocolates at L.A. Burdick’s
In 1984, Larry Burdick began making chocolates in New York City for a small number of fine restaurants and caterers. L.A. Burdick continues to use only the best couverture chocolate from Switzerland, France, and Venezuela, made from primarily South American, Central American, and Caribbean beans. From this beginning, L. A. Burdick Chocolate has grown into a thriving direct mail and web business located in Walpole, New Hampshire.
Location: Walpole Area
Visit the New England Maple Museum
The New England Maple Museum is conveniently located in the heart of Maple Country, nestled in the foothills of the Green Mountains, where the finest Vermont maple syrup is made.
Location: Killington Area
Experience the Vermont Country Store
Visit the Rockingham store, located just off Interstate 91 on Route 103, where a wide variety of locally made award-winning Vermont cheeses, rows of penny candy, kitchen gadgets, and household problem solvers are stocked to the rafters.
Location: Londonderry Area
Visit the Quechee Gorge Village
Quechee Gorge, known as “Vermont’s Little Grand Canyon,” is one of New England’s most popular natural wonders. More than 200,000 yearly visitors enjoy touring the Vermont Institute of Natural Science, fishing and canoeing the river, hiking trails, cross country skiing, and snowshoeing.
Established in 1985 and located in the heart of the Quechee Gorge, Quechee Gorge Village has evolved into one of the best shopping attractions in the state of Vermont. Visit the Cabot Quechee Store, Danforth Pewter, the Vermont Toy & Train Museum, Vermont Spirits, the Quechee Diner, Snow Farm Gallery, and much more.
Location: Quechee Area
Eat lunch at Baba-A-Louis Bakery
There is a real treat nestled amongst the Green Mountains in Chester, Vermont. Next to an old barn, John McLure and Ruth Zezza have constructed a building that is very difficult to describe other than to say it is beautiful. You cannot help but expect a commercial structure when you hear the word bakery but you are in for a surprise. Somewhat hidden from the main road, the bakery welcomes you with enchanting one-of-a-kind windows, lots of natural light, radiant heat from the Italian tiles and the smell of baking bread. They use only organic and natural ingredients in their first-class breads.
Location: Chester Area
Taste award winning cheese at Grafton Village Cheese Co.
Cheesemaking has long been a part of Vermont life. Dairy cows grazing the velvety pastures of the Green Mountain State are a familiar sight, and the milk they produce is one of the state’s natural treasures, used to make some of the world’s best cheddar cheese.
Location: Chester Area
Go shopping for local goods at FH Gillingham & Sons General Store
F.H. Gillingham opened his business five generations ago in Woodstock, Vermont, stocking his store with every imaginable necessity and treasure.
119 years later, the store is still owned and operated by his family, who say they still want to offer their customers just about anything you might need from a country store “from caviar to cow manure.”
Location: Woodstock Area
FH Gillingham & Sons General Store
Have a maple cremee at The Green Mountain Sugar House
From the Green Mountain Sugar House website: “Our red roofed sugar house, just steps away from the water’s edge, is where we make everything from maple syrup to mouth-watering maple fudge. It’s also a Vermont country gift shop. Make the Green Mountain Sugar House a planned stop whenever you’re in the area… you’ll be glad you did!”
Location: Ludlow Area
The Green Mountain Sugar House
See how cheese is made by hand at Crowley Cheese
Award-winning Crowley Cheese has been made in the Green Mountains of Vermont from the same recipe, in the same manner, since 1824.
Location: Ludlow Area
Buy local cheese at the The Sustainable Farmer
From the website: “We are a start-up food company that sells sustainably produced honey and promotes farmers committed to sustainability. We have a retail store in Windsor, Vermont specializing in local cheese, maple syrup and honey. Our goals are to increase awareness of sustainable production practices, reduce the use of fossil fuels and chemicals, and improve the economic health of our region.”
Location: Windsor Area
Watch glass and pottery take its shape at Simon Pearce Glass
At Simon Pearce, glass is made by employing the skills of the old European studios.
Location: Windsor Area
Pick your own seasonal fruits at Wellwood Orchard
Wellwood Orchards is a locally owned orchard that grows and sells all of our fruits on location. We grow many varieties of Apples, as well as blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, peaches, plums, pumpkins and more! While your here stop by our country store and grab some Vermont maple syrup, Vermont hand crafts, honey and many other things. Don’t forget the petting zoo!
Location: Springfield Area
See the beautiful hand painted floorcloths at Canvasworks
Do you have the perfect place for a floorcloth in your home? Maybe under a dining room table or in your front hall? Porches, eat-in kitchens and heavily trafficked family rooms are all good candidates.
At Canvasworks, Lisa Curry Mair makes beautiful designs specifically created for YOUR situation. It all starts with just a few details.
Location: Springfield Area
Shop for jewelry at Von Bargen’s Jewelers
The Von Bargen’s Mission Statement creates a company culture that is truly unique and naturally in tune with the current climate. For their our socially conscious clients who are looking beyond just price or even just product for something more meaningful, Von Bargen’s offers them the opportunity to positively impact the world through their purchase.
Location: Springfield Area
Shop for local art at the Gallery at the VAULT
The Vault (“Visual Art Using Local Talent”) is a non-profit educational resource dedicated to serving the community through educational workshops and lectures. Every dollar spent at the Vault allows it to server more children, adults, and families through year-round art programs.
Location: Springfield Area
Visit local Farmers Markets
There are 11 local farmers markets to choose from. Find out which ones are open when you’ll be with us. Location: Throughout Vermont
Stellafane 2013 Convention – Aug 8-11, 2013
The 78th Convention of Amateur Telescope Makers on Breezy Hill in Springfield, Vermont and the 2013 Stellafane Convention, will be held Thursday through Sunday August 8-11, 2013.
http://stellafane.org/convention/2013/index.html
Visit Vermont’s Historic Covered Bridges
One is just down the road from the inn! And others are 15-20 miles away. Drive a little further or make a weekend of it as there are more than 50 covered bridges in Vermont!
Location: Throughout Vermont
Vermont's Historic Covered Bridges
Enjoy a fresh hard cider at Woodchuck
A long time ago, way back in 1990, there was a little winery in the town of Proctorsville, Vermont. Back then, the owners made their living producing a variety of apple wines, something not many wineries do. They also made a little cider called “Vermont Old-Fashioned Hard Cider” – not the most catchy name, yet pretty darn appropriate…
Location: Middlebury Area
Have a ‘Copper Ale’ at Otter Creek Brewing
Otter Creek Brewing is located in beautiful Middlebury, Vermont. The visitor center is open daily from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. with seasonal offerings, samples, a gift shop and beer to go.
Location: Middlebury Area
Eat handmade ice cream at Walpole Creamery
From the website: “While most ice cream makers buy their base mix from large commercial producers, we make ours from scratch, right here at The Creamery. We use only local, rBGH-free milk and high-quality, all natural ingredients to make the richest, tastiest and most wholesome ice cream around.
For every batch of ice cream we make, the folks at Elm Island Farm, just down the road, deliver fresh milk straight from their farm to our shop where it is made into ice cream the same day.”
Location: Walpole Area
Indulge in handmade chocolates at L.A. Burdick’s
In 1984, Larry Burdick began making chocolates in New York City for a small number of fine restaurants and caterers. L.A. Burdick continues to use only the best couverture chocolate from Switzerland, France, and Venezuela, made from primarily South American, Central American, and Caribbean beans. From this beginning, L. A. Burdick Chocolate has grown into a thriving direct mail and web business located in Walpole, New Hampshire.
Location: Walpole Area
Visit the New England Maple Museum
The New England Maple Museum is conveniently located in the heart of Maple Country, nestled in the foothills of the Green Mountains, where the finest Vermont maple syrup is made.
Location: Killington Area
Go rock climbing at Green Mountain Rock Climbing Center
Location: Killington Area
Green Mountain Rock Climbing Center
Take a ride on the gondola or go skiing or snowboarding at Killington
Leave the fast pace of everyday life behind with a relaxing mile and a quarter ride to the top of 4,241-foot Killington Peak. Nestled in the thick of central Vermont’s Green Mountains, Killington Peak serves as a trailhead for 45 miles of mountain biking and hiking trails for adventure seekers. An enjoyable ride up the K-1 Gondola showcases views of five surrounding states and Canada.
Location: Killington Area
Down a ‘Double Bag’ at Long Trail Brewery
The Long Trail Brewing Company began its mission to brew high quality craft beer in November 1989. The company soon outgrew its original location (in the basement of the old Bridgewater Woolen Mill along the Ottauquechee River in the Green Mountains of Vermont), so the brewery packed up and “hit the trail” up the road to a riverside hay field where it now operates.
Location: Killington Area
Experience the Vermont Country Store
Visit the Rockingham store, located just off Interstate 91 on Route 103, where a wide variety of locally made award-winning Vermont cheeses, rows of penny candy, kitchen gadgets, and household problem solvers are stocked to the rafters.
Location: Londonderry Area
Enjoy some handmade Vermont gouda and a sleigh ride at Taylor Farm
Taylor Farm is a 180-year-old working dairy farm in the Green Mountains of southern Vermont.
Location: Londonderry Area
Take a class, shop, or snack at King Arthur Flour Baking School and Store
Discover their flagship campus in Norwich, Vermont; visit their brand new retail store; take a class at the stunning new Baking Education Center and watch the bakers at work in their state-of-the-art bakery.
Location: Hanover Area
King Arthur Flour Baking School and Store
See a Performance at the Hopkins Center for the Arts
The Hopkins Center’s mission is to ignite and sustain a passion for the arts within Dartmouth College and its greater community and to provide the core educational environment for the study, creation, and presentation of the arts.
Location: Hanover Area
Visit the Hood Museum of Art
The Hood Museum of Art at Dartmouth College is committed to providing programs for adults and children, year-round and free of charge. Admission to the museum is free, mainly because of the leadership of its generous members, who believe that art is for everyone.
Location: Hanover Area
Tour Dartmouth College
Founded in 1769, Dartmouth is a member of the Ivy League and consistently ranks among the world’s greatest academic institutions.
Location: Hanover Area
Visit the raptors at VINS
The Vermont Institute of Natural Science Entices and Excites People to Care for the Natural World
From the VINS website: “VINS’ programs and services engage and instill in people of all backgrounds a desire to care for the wildlife and diverse natural habitats they encounter in their daily lives.
We offer relevant environmental education programs for adults, families, and school children; partner with leading conservation organizations to promote environmental science field research; and operate New England’s premier avian wildlife rehabilitation clinic at the VINS Nature Center.
VINS has been a leader in environmental education and wildlife conservation and care since 1972. We are known nationally for innovative natural science curricula and education programs for learners of all ages.”
Location: Quechee Area
Vermont Institute of Natural Science
Visit the Quechee Gorge Village
Quechee Gorge, known as “Vermont’s Little Grand Canyon,” is one of New England’s most popular natural wonders. More than 200,000 yearly visitors enjoy touring the Vermont Institute of Natural Science, fishing and canoeing the river, hiking trails, cross country skiing, and snowshoeing.
Established in 1985 and located in the heart of the Quechee Gorge, Quechee Gorge Village has evolved into one of the best shopping attractions in the state of Vermont. Visit the Cabot Quechee Store, Danforth Pewter, the Vermont Toy & Train Museum, Vermont Spirits, the Quechee Diner, Snow Farm Gallery, and much more.
Location: Quechee Area
Taste wine from Snow Farm Vineyard and Grape Winery
Snow Farm Vineyard and Grape Winery began as a dream in 1992 – to preserve Vermont’s agricultural land in the face of rapid development by providing an alternative for farmers’ properties. The location, on an island in the middle of Lake Champlain, permits the owners to grow cooler climate vinifera grapes, Pinot Noir and Riesling, as well as the more cold hardy French hybrids, Vidal Blanc and Baco Noir. Thanks to Vermont’s cold winter temperatures, Snow Farm also produces an ice wine, a product that be made in few other places in the world.
Location: Quechee Area
Snow Farm Vineyard and Grape Winery
Taste vodka from Vermont Spirits
Vermont Spirits vodkas are hand-crafted and triple-distilled using only local Vermont spring water. Combining this with the artisan technique of batch distillation, they are able take purification to a new level. The result is a smoother, distinctly American-style vodka.
Location: Ouechee Area
Visit Vermont’s deepest gorge at Quechee State Park
The focal point of the park is Vermont’s deepest gorge, 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.
Location: Quechee Area
Take a ride in a hot air balloon with Balloons of Vermont
Take an unforgettable voyage over the magical Quechee, Vermont, area with a hot air balloon ride. View the grand canyon of the east, the Quechee Gorge, or float above the tree tops and follow the Ottauquechee River. Fly over the magnificent Upper Valley area of Vermont & New Hampshire.
Location: Quechee Area
See a play at the Weston Playhouse
Vermont’s oldest professional theatre is a living testament to a community’s belief in the arts. In 1935, while the Great Depression was raging, Weston-born architect Raymond Austin was putting the finishing touches on a playhouse that one Boston Globe critic called “the most beautiful theatre in New England.” A former church renovated for the town’s dramatic club, the Weston Playhouse quickly attracted the attention of director Harlan Grant, who produced the theatre’s first summer stock season in 1937, featuring a young actor named Lloyd Bridges.
Location: Chester Area
Eat lunch at Baba-A-Louis Bakery
There is a real treat nestled amongst the Green Mountains in Chester, Vermont. Next to an old barn, John McLure and Ruth Zezza have constructed a building that is very difficult to describe other than to say it is beautiful. You cannot help but expect a commercial structure when you hear the word bakery but you are in for a surprise. Somewhat hidden from the main road, the bakery welcomes you with enchanting one-of-a-kind windows, lots of natural light, radiant heat from the Italian tiles and the smell of baking bread. They use only organic and natural ingredients in their first-class breads.
Location: Chester Area
Taste award winning cheese at Grafton Village Cheese Co.
Cheesemaking has long been a part of Vermont life. Dairy cows grazing the velvety pastures of the Green Mountain State are a familiar sight, and the milk they produce is one of the state’s natural treasures, used to make some of the world’s best cheddar cheese.
Location: Chester Area
Spend a day visiting Vermont’s Historic Covered Bridges
Check out one of the over 50 covered bridges in Vermont!
Location: Throughout Vermont
Vermont's Historic Covered Bridges
Go ice skating at the Union Arena
Location: Woodstock Area
Go cross-country skiing at the Woodstock Inn Nordic Center
The Woodstock Inn Nordic Center is a prime destination for cross-country skiers. The Nordic Center features 30 km of trails surrounding the picturesque village of Woodstock, VT. All 30 km are mapped and groomed for either classical or skating technique. Trails on Mt. Tom in the Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park will not be groomed for the 2012-2013 season. These trails will be left in their natural state for backcountry skiing and snowshoeing (no fee will be charged). The Nordic Center shop offers rental and retail ski and snowshoe equipment, as well as clothing. Both private and semi-private lessons are offered.
See a show at the Northern Stage
Northern Stage is an award-winning, fully professional regional theater company that produces a seven-show main stage season each year from October through May. Northern Stage also offers educational vacation and summer camps for children ages 6-14 as well as numerous outreach programs that seek to involve the greater community.
Location: Woodstock Area
Go shopping for local goods at FH Gillingham & Sons General Store
F.H. Gillingham opened his business five generations ago in Woodstock, Vermont, stocking his store with every imaginable necessity and treasure.
119 years later, the store is still owned and operated by his family, who say they still want to offer their customers just about anything you might need from a country store “from caviar to cow manure.”
Location: Woodstock Area
FH Gillingham & Sons General Store
Tour Rockefeller National Historical Park
Walk through one of Vermont’s most beautiful landscapes, under the shade of sugar maples and 400-year-old hemlocks, across covered bridges and alongside rambling stone walls. This is a landscape of loss, recovery, and conservation.
Location: Woodstock Area
Rockefeller National Historical Park
Learn about Vermont’s rural 19th Century heritage at Billings Farm & Museum
Explore one of the finest operating dairy farms in America, along with a museum of Vermont’s rural past – your gateway to Vermont’s rural heritage. Billings Farm features many aspects of farm work, including care of the Jersey cows and other livestock, milking of the herd, crop rotation, and feed production.
Location: Woodstock Area
Take a ride on the Green Mountain Railroad
The first railroad to operate at this location was the Champlain & Connecticut River Railroad Co. in November 1843. Today, the Green Mountain Railroad offerscenic trips and historical narration through some of Vermont’s most beautiful areas.
Location: Woodstock Area
Kedron Valley Stables
Take a carriage ride in summer of a sleigh ride in winter!
Location: Woodstock Area
Have a maple cremee at The Green Mountain Sugar House
From the Green Mountain Sugar House website: “Our red roofed sugar house, just steps away from the water’s edge, is where we make everything from maple syrup to mouth-watering maple fudge. It’s also a Vermont country gift shop. Make the Green Mountain Sugar House a planned stop whenever you’re in the area… you’ll be glad you did!”
Location: Ludlow Area
The Green Mountain Sugar House
Take a dip in Buttermilk Falls
Experience this series of waterfalls and popular swimming holes on the Branch Brook, listed in the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources inventory of significant waterfalls, cascades, gorges and swimming holes. The Vermont Department of Forests, Parks & Recreation manages the property which is cared for by staff from Camp Plymouth State Park during the summer months.
There is a large pool below both the lower and upper falls, each deep enough for complete submersion. The lower falls flow into a deep 25-foot-wide pool of clear, olive-green water. Later in the season a quaint twist of water wraps itself around a slightly wetted rock, adding character to what is usually a typical plunge throwing itself over the ledge during high-water-volume times.
Location: Ludlow Area
See how cheese is made by hand at Crowley Cheese
Award-winning Crowley Cheese has been made in the Green Mountains of Vermont from the same recipe, in the same manner, since 1824.
Location: Ludlow Area
Take a class at Fletcher Farm School for Arts and Crafts
The Fletcher Farm School for the Arts and Crafts is operated by the Society of Vermont Artists and Craftsmen, Inc. The Board of Directors consists of a number of dedicated and diverse individuals who generously volunteer their time and talents. Our commitment is to quality arts and crafts education, to keep alive old traditions, and to teach new techniques in a special Vermont setting, at a reasonable cost to the public.
Location: Ludlow Area
Visit the homestead of a president at the President Calvin Coolidge Historic Site
Location: Ludlow Area
Okemo Mountain Resort Adventure Zone
There is so much to do at Okemo every season, all year long! And the Adventure Zone is the place to find all kinds of fun activities!
In the wintertime, enjoy the Timber Ripper Mountain Coaster, Sawyer’s Sweep Zipline Tours, a ride in a snowcatgrooming machine, a jump in the AMP Energy big air bag,snowtubing, the arcade or frolicking in the Snowfun Playground.
Try snowshoeing and nordic skiing at the Okemo Valley Nordic Center, exercising at the Pool & Fitness Center, ice skating in the Ice House, having a massage, or playing a round of indoor golf.
At the Coleman Brook Tavern, make s’mores and relax fireside at the fire pit.
In the spring, summer and fall, add two championship golf courses, mini golf, a climbing wall, Segway® Tours, bungee trampoline, disc golf and our summer camp for kids to the lineup!
Location: Ludlow Area
Okemo Mountain Resort Adventure Zone
Experience a day in the life of an 18th Century settler at Old Fort No. 4
Location: Charlestown, N.H. Area
Take a tandem flight in a hang glider at Morningside Flight Park
Morningside Flight Park, commonly said to be one of the most complete flight parks in the country, sits among the Connecticut River Valley’s rolling hills in New Hampshire on land that simply must have been cosmically designed for hang gliding and paragliding.
Location: Charlestown, N.H. Area
Buy local cheese at the The Sustainable Farmer
From the website: “We are a start-up food company that sells sustainably produced honey and promotes farmers committed to sustainability. We have a retail store in Windsor, Vermont specializing in local cheese, maple syrup and honey. Our goals are to increase awareness of sustainable production practices, reduce the use of fossil fuels and chemicals, and improve the economic health of our region.”
Location: Windsor Area
Tour the Path of Life Garden
The Path of Life Garden is a crafted landscape open to the public in Windsor, Vermont. Visitors experience the story of the great circle of life while traveling through sculptures of varying sizes and materials. Inspired by a famous garden in Europe, these 18 works of art symbolize the journey from birth to death and beyond. Since its conception in 1997, the garden has grown on its own path, providing space for recreation, relaxation, contemplation and realization; making it a great destination for families looking for fun things to do around Quechee, Woodstock, and Hanover. The path is also home to a five-plus mile trail network that are groomed in the winter for dogsledding, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing.
Location: Windsor Area
Visit the Birthplace of Vermont at the Old Constitution House
The first constitution in America to prohibit slavery, allow men to vote without requiring property ownership, and authorize a public school system was adopted in 1777 here at the Old Constitution House in Windsor, Vermont…
Location: Windsor Area
Discover the home, studio, and gardens of Augustus Saint-Gaudens
Discover the home, studios and gardens of Augustus Saint-Gaudens, one of America’s greatest sculptors. See more than 100 of his artworks in the galleries and on the grounds, from heroic public monuments to expressive portrait reliefs, and the gold coins that changed the look of American coinage. Enjoy summer concerts, explore nature trails, or indulge your hidden talents during a sculpture class.
Location: Windsor Area
Take a stroll through Cider Hill Gardens and Gallery
Cider Hill Gardens & Gallery in historic Windsor, Vermont, offers a unique combination of flower gardens and fine art.
Location: Windsor Area
Watch glass and pottery take its shape at Simon Pearce Glass
At Simon Pearce, glass is made by employing the skills of the old European studios.
Location: Windsor Area
Take a hike up Mt. Ascutney
Hiking and camping abound in Ascutney State Park, a 2,000-acre park founded in 1935 with the support of federal public works funds and development by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). The Mt. Ascutney summit road winds a steep path through mixed hardwoods to a parking lot at an elevation of 2,800 feet in a saddle between the south peak and summit. A 0.8 mile foot trail takes you the additional 344 vertical feet to the summit. Excellent viewing is offered from points along the summit road and trail.
Cool off with a ‘UFO’ at Harpoon Brewery
From the Harpoon Brewery Website: “We started the Harpoon Brewery in 1986 because—like today—we loved beer and wanted more quality choices.
“There was only one problem: we were beer lovers, not brewers. We knew what we wanted to drink, but we needed some help actually brewing it. So we enlisted our first brewer, took over some warehouse space on the Boston waterfront, and began introducing fresh, local craft beer to Boston drinkers.”
Location: Windsor Area
Learn about the heritage of Mechanical Arts at the American Precision Museum
The museum preserves the heritage of the mechanical arts, celebrates the ingenuity of our mechanical forebears, and explores the effects of their work on our everyday lives. The American Precision Museum, housed in the original Robbins & Lawrence Armory, now holds the largest collection of historically significant machine tools in the nation.
Location: Windsor Area
Check out Great River Outfitters
GRO is an outdoor adventure outfitting company located in Windsor, Vermont. They operate in all four seasons and host a broad range of adventurous outdoor activities for all ages and skill levels, from canoeing, kayaking, rafting, river tubing and camping, to dog sledding and snowshoeing – and cater to individuals, families and large groups looking for unique, fun and exciting things to do in New England.
Location: Windsor Area
See a show at the Claremont Opera House
The Opera House is located in the Claremont City Hall Building. Dedication of the building occurred on June 22, 1897. Since the grand re-opening of the Opera House on May 26, 1979, the Friends and Boards of Directors have raised funds, both publicly and privately, to re-equip the house and it is once again the entertainment center of the area.
Location: Springfield Area
Stop in at Vermont’s Oldest Schoolhouse
The first village settlement in Springfield was in the northeast section of town, just off the old Military Road. The settlers began construction on a schoolhouse in 1785, however the small building was not completed until 1790. Today the Eureka schoolhouse is the oldest one-room schoolhouse in Vermont and one of the few surviving 18th century public buildings in the state.
Location: Springfield Area
Pick your own seasonal fruits at Wellwood Orchard
Wellwood Orchards is a locally owned orchard that grows and sells all of our fruits on location. We grow many varieties of Apples, as well as blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, peaches, plums, pumpkins and more! While your here stop by our country store and grab some Vermont maple syrup, Vermont hand crafts, honey and many other things. Don’t forget the petting zoo!
Location: Springfield Area
Have a Picnic and Swim at Stoughton Pond
With 1,361 acres of land, ranging from forests and fields to wetlands and two lakes, North Springfield Lake has recreational opportunities for everyone! In summer months, visitors can swim, sunbathe, and picnic. Anglers can try their luck in the lake, pond, or rivers. Two boat ramps are available for canoeists to explore the beauties of North Springfield Lake or Stoughton Pond.
Location: Springfield Area
Admire the pitcher plants on a walk through the North Springfield Bog
The North Springfield Bog is a boreal kettle bog, an artifact of the last glacial age 10,000 years ago. Bogs lack drainage, and precipitation is the only source of water. A walking trail leads to and around the bog with many views of both the bog as well as surrounding spruce and pine groves.
Location: Springfield Area
See the beautiful hand painted floorcloths at Canvasworks
Do you have the perfect place for a floorcloth in your home? Maybe under a dining room table or in your front hall? Porches, eat-in kitchens and heavily trafficked family rooms are all good candidates.
At Canvasworks, Lisa Curry Mair makes beautiful designs specifically created for YOUR situation. It all starts with just a few details.
Location: Springfield Area
Enjoy the views while you play a round of golf at Crown Point Country Club
Designed by William Mitchell and constructed in 1953, Crown Point is a member owned club with tee times available to the public. Tee times may be made by calling the Golf Shop
at 802-885-1010
Location: Springfield Area
Shop for jewelry at Von Bargen’s Jewelers
The Von Bargen’s Mission Statement creates a company culture that is truly unique and naturally in tune with the current climate. For their our socially conscious clients who are looking beyond just price or even just product for something more meaningful, Von Bargen’s offers them the opportunity to positively impact the world through their purchase.
Location: Springfield Area
Try your hand at Geocaching
We’ll even set you up with maps & GPS!
Location: Throughout Vermont
Shop for local art at the Gallery at the VAULT
The Vault (“Visual Art Using Local Talent”) is a non-profit educational resource dedicated to serving the community through educational workshops and lectures. Every dollar spent at the Vault allows it to server more children, adults, and families through year-round art programs.
Location: Springfield Area
Take a Hike in the Okemo Valley
The Okemo Valley brings together the distinctive beauty, culture and endless recreation possibilities in the Vermont towns of Andover, Cavendish, Chester, Mount Holly, Ludlow, Plymouth and Weston. These seven charming villages are woven together by quaint, country roads, dotted with shops and sites of every variety imaginable located in South Central Vermont.
Visit local Farmers Markets
There are 11 local farmers markets to choose from. Find out which ones are open when you’ll be with us. Location: Throughout Vermont
MENUS
