Must-see attractions in Northern Vermont

  • Shelburne Museum

    Burlington

    The extraordinary 45-acre Shelburne Museum, nine miles south of Burlington, showcases 100,000 priceless artifacts, from America and abroad.

  • UNITED STATES - JANUARY 01:  Frye Measure Mill, Wilton, New Hampshire (Photo by Carol M. Highsmith/Buyenlarge/Getty Images)

    Shelburne Farms

    Burlington

    In 1886 William Seward Webb and Lila Vanderbilt Webb built themselves a magnificent country estate on the shores of Lake Champlain. The 1400-acre farm,…

  • People enjoy Church street in Burlington, Vermont. (Photo by: Education Images/UIG via Getty Images)

    Church Street Marketplace

    Burlington

    Burlington's pulse can often be taken along this four-block pedestrian zone running from Pearl to Main Sts. When the weather's good, buskers (licensed by…

  • Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream Factory

    Stowe & Smugglers Notch

    In 1978 Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield took over an abandoned gas station in Burlington and, with a modicum of training, launched the outlandish flavors…

  • Dog Mountain

    Northern Vermont

    Signposted 2 miles east of St Johnsbury, this captivating spot celebrates the legacy of Vermont artist Stephen Huneck. There's an entire gallery devoted…

  • Hill Farmstead Brewery

    Northern Vermont

    The brainchild of Shaun Hill, known for his uncompromising adherence to creativity and quality, this unassuming-looking brewery down a remote dirt road –…

  • Intervale Center

    Burlington

    You'd never guess it standing on a busy Burlington street corner, but one of Vermont's most idyllic green spaces is less than 2 miles from downtown…

  • Alchemist Brewery

    Stowe & Smugglers Notch

    One of Vermont's most legendary beers, Heady Topper, was born at this microbrewery, which recently expanded operations into a spiffy new Stowe Visitors…

  • Burton Island State Park

    Northern Vermont

    Only accessible by ferry, this island state park in the middle of Lake Champlain makes for a supremely relaxing, family-friendly getaway. It offers…

  • Lake Willoughby

    Northern Vermont

    This stunning fjord-like lake, 30 miles north of St Johnsbury, sits sandwiched between Mt Hor and Mt Pisgah, whose cliffs plummet more than 1000ft to the…

  • Waterfront

    Burlington

    A five-minute walk from downtown, Burlington's delightfully uncommercialized waterfront features a scenic, low-key promenade, a 7.5-mile bike path, a pier…

  • Magic Hat Brewery

    Burlington

    Drink in the history of one of Vermont's most dynamic microbreweries on the fun, free, self-guided 'Artifactory' Tour (once you see the whimsical labels,…

  • Bread & Puppet Museum

    Northern Vermont

    Formed in New York City by German artist Peter Shumann in 1963, the renowned Bread & Puppet theater collective presents carnivalesque pageants, circuses,…

  • Rock of Ages Quarries

    Northern Vermont

    The world's largest granite quarries, 4 miles southeast of Barre off I-89 exit 6, cover 50 acres, tapping a granite vein that's a whopping 6 miles long, 4…

  • Vermont Ski & Snowboard Museum

    Stowe & Smugglers Notch

    Located in an 1818 meeting house that was rolled to its present spot by oxen in the 1860s, this museum is an inspired tribute to skiing and snowboarding…

  • St Johnsbury Athenaeum

    Northern Vermont

    Home to one of America's oldest art galleries, this elegant public edifice was initially founded as a library by Horace Fairbanks in 1871. Comprising 9000…

  • Fairbanks Museum & Planetarium

    Northern Vermont

    In 1891, when Franklin Fairbanks' collection of stuffed animals and cultural artifacts from across the globe grew too large for his home, he built the…

  • Boyden Valley Winery

    Northern Vermont

    Producing several award-winning varietals – including an exquisite ice wine and the mulled spiced wine affectionately known as Glögg – this winery and…

  • Old Red Mill

    Northern Vermont

    This photogenic historic mill northeast of Burlington sits astride the Browns River gorge. Inside, a nice display of Vermont crafts shares space with a…

  • State House

    Northern Vermont

    Montpelier's main landmark, the gold-domed capitol building, is open year-round for guided tours with volunteer guides; there are also self-guided audio…

  • Old Stone House Museum

    Northern Vermont

    This well-preserved but little-visited museum is just one of many lovely 19th-century buildings reposing under the shade of ancient maple trees in the…

  • Hope Cemetery

    Northern Vermont

    Barre's cemetery, 1 mile north of US 302 on VT 14, celebrates the artistic prowess of generations of local and immigrant stone carvers. The whimsical…

  • Echo Leahy Center for Lake Champlain

    Burlington

    This kid-friendly lakeside museum examines the colorful past, present and future of Lake Champlain. A multitude of aquariums wriggle with life, and nature…

  • Stowe Cider

    Stowe & Smugglers Notch

    At the sign of the winged apple, this warehouse-like facility houses the production facility and tasting room for Stowe's homegrown cider company, founded…

  • Ethan Allen Homestead

    Burlington

    American Revolution hero Ethan Allen lived in this 18th-century colonial homestead, 1 mile north of Burlington on VT 127. Be sure to take the guided tour …

  • Seyon Lodge State Park

    Northern Vermont

    The only park of its kind in Vermont, Seyon Lodge (about 30 miles east of Montpelier) offers private rooms in its rustic lodge on the shores of Noyes Pond…

  • Vermont History Museum

    Northern Vermont

    Near the Vermont State House, Montpelier's Pavilion Building houses an excellent museum that recounts Vermont's history with films, exhibits and re…

  • Burlington City Arts Center

    Burlington

    Under the auspices of Burlington City Arts, the BCA Center is an exciting locus for art exhibits, classes and discussions. Ongoing open studios involve…

  • Helen Day Art Center

    Stowe & Smugglers Notch

    In the heart of Stowe village, this gently provocative community art center has rotating exhibitions of traditional and avant-garde work. It also sponsors…

  • West Branch Gallery & Sculpture Park

    Stowe & Smugglers Notch

    A captivating collection of contemporary sculpture, paintings, photography and fountains fills this gallery and sculpture park 1 mile up Mountain Rd from…

  • Old Round Church

    Northern Vermont

    One of Vermont's most unique edifices, this 'round' (actually 16-sided) early-19th-century church sits tranquilly by the Winooski River. Used by multiple…

  • Shelburne Vineyard

    Burlington

    One of Vermont's best tasting rooms, this converted barn offers samples of Shelburne's award-winning whites and reds. Afternoon tours of the vineyard and…

  • Underhill State Park

    Northern Vermont

    This teeny park on the western slopes of Mt Mansfield (25 miles northeast of Burlington) is the perfect jumping-off point for the classic climb to Vermont…

  • Snow Farm Vineyard

    Northern Vermont

    Vermont’s first vineyard, Snow Farm Winery boasts a sweet tasting room tucked away down a dirt road (look for the signs off US 2). Sample its award…

  • St Anne's Shrine

    Northern Vermont

    Tool around the loop road hugging the coast, stopping at this Catholic shrine on the site of Fort St Anne, Vermont’s oldest settlement. Though it is…

  • Fisk Quarry Preserve

    Northern Vermont

    This old quarry, 4 miles south of St Anne’s Shrine on Vermont's Isle La Motte, is home to the world’s largest fossil reef. Half a million years old, the…

  • Hyde Log Cabin

    Northern Vermont

    This roadside historical site preserves the oldest (1783) log cabin in Vermont and one of the oldest in the US. It's worth a short stop to see how…

  • University of Vermont Fleming Museum

    Burlington

    A mile east of City Hall Park, on the verdant campus of UVM (New England's fifth-oldest university, chartered in 1791), this museum has an international…

  • Owl's Head Blueberry Farm

    Northern Vermont

    In July and August, this blueberry farm on the western slopes of the Green Mountains makes a scenic spot to harvest your own berries. There's live music …

  • Vermont Teddy Bear Factory

    Burlington

    Tours of this thriving, touristy factory demonstrate the entire teddy-bear life cycle, from designers' sketches, to stuffing and stitching, to the bear …

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