10 Incredible Vacation Spots In Vermont

Picture a corner of the world where trees cover almost everything, maple syrup flows from backyard taps, and towns feel like they have known you forever. Vermont reels you in with its raw edge—cool air that bites just right, food straight from the dirt, and curvy roads past views that stick. It is home to both Lake Champlain and the Green Mountain portion of the Appalachians. Burlington's got a lively hum, Stowe's slopes pull in the ski crowd, and covered bridges sit quietly like they are waiting for you to snap a photo. Spots like these keep Vermont on the map for anyone chasing an incredible vacation spot.

Montpelier

Montpelier, America's smallest state capital with under 8,000 residents, charms with a scrappy soul and big heart. History buffs poke around the State House (dating back to 1859), with its iconic gold dome, where free tours unpack Vermont's rugged past—think abolitionists and granite quarries. Food lovers swarm the Saturday farmers market, loading up on sharp cheddar, warm cider donuts, and maple candy that melts in your mouth.

Hubbard Park’s trails wind through pines to a 54-foot tower, dishing out vistas that blaze red and gold come fall. Bookshops cram shelves with used paperbacks, cafes pour strong coffee, and the Winooski River rolls slowly through town. It is a tight-knit spot that mixes quirks—like the annual Green Mountain Film Festival—with just enough bustle to keep you roaming, a secret worth spilling.

Woodstock

Woodstock reels you in with a charm that lands like a broken-in jacket, cozy and worn just right. It straddles the Ottauquechee River, showing off covered bridges—red paint chipped from years of snow—and a town green where locals swap tales over steaming mugs. Antique shops overflow with oddities, creaky rockers, and tarnished silver, while the Woodstock Inn plates roast chicken by a fire that snaps all winter.

Mount Tom sits close, its trails thick with pine—hike them in summer, ski them when the snow dumps. Fall turns the hills into a loud mess of color, pulling drivers off Route 100 to gawk. The Billings Farm Museum spins yarns of 19th-century life, cows lowing in the barn. It is a place that hands you slow strolls or crisp outdoor jaunts, leaving you settled and full.

Wilmington

Wilmington hunkers down in Windham County, the Deerfield River cutting through, and hooks you with a mix of wild and easygoing. Summer drags kayakers to Harriman Reservoir, a 9-mile lake rimmed by pines—paddle out, fish for bass, or just float under a big sky. Winter flips it: Mount Snow, 15 miles north, rolls out 86 trails and a 1,700-foot drop, a ski bum’s dream with lodges pouring hot toddies.

Downtown’s clapboard joints—like the Village Pub—sling burgers and gossip while the Wilmington Antique and Flea Market hawks quilts and maple fudge. The 1836 Meeting House stands quiet, a nod to old days, and the July 4th parade brings fire trucks and kids scrambling for candy. Fall torches the valley along Route 9, a slow drive past nature's loudest show. It’s Vermont distilled—gritty, gorgeous, and real.

Stowe

Stowe grabs you with its alpine heft, Mount Mansfield—Vermont’s highest at 4,393 feet—lording over everything. Winter owns this place: Stowe Mountain Resort carves 116 trails across 485 acres, snow piling deep from December to April, pulling skiers with cashmere scarves and duct-taped jackets alike. Summer trades white for green—hike the Long Trail through spruce, sweat to the ridgeline, and soak in views that stretch forever.

Townside, the Stowe Community Church steeple has been poking up since 1863. Von Trapp Brewery pours lagers, a nod to the family’s Austrian escape. Fall's colors riot, reds and yellows bleeding across the hills, air snapping cold. It is a mountain town that swings big—loud with nature, thick with history, and always ready to tire you out.

North Hero

North Hero sprawls across Lake Champlain's islands, a dot of 800 souls where water calls the shots. Summer kicks off at Knight Point State Park—sand underfoot, waves lapping, perch biting if you have a pole. Kayaks slip past herons, quiet and slow, while the 14-mile Island Line Trail dares you to bike it, lake glinting on both sides.

Winter locks the water in ice, fishers hauling shanties and drilling holes, breath fogging in the dawn. The general store, all wood and squeaky floors, peddles penny candy and fishing line, locals trading news by the register. Sunsets torch the sky orange over the Adirondacks, a show that stops you cold. It’s a raw hideout, peaceful and offbeat, like the world forgot it—and that’s the point.

Newport

Newport hugs Lake Memphremagog’s south shore, a border town—Canada is 7 miles north—with a tough, pretty streak. Boaters roam the 31-mile lake, trolling for walleye or watching loons dive, while Prouty Beach spreads out picnic tables and a sandy swim spot. Winter turns it into a cross-country ski haven, trails crunching underfoot.

Downtown’s got backbone: the Goodrich Memorial Library (dating to 1899) stacks books high, and cafes pour coffee that fights the cold. The Newport Gateway Center hosts a winter farmers market—think wool mittens and hot soup. Fall gilds the hills, leaves dropping slow, air biting your nose. It is lake life with a north-country shrug, a place that wears its grit like a badge and keeps you coming back.

Weston

Weston whispers about old Vermont, a village of 600 where clocks tick slower. The Weston Playhouse, barn-red since 1937, lights up summer with fiddles and stage lights—grab a ticket, settle in. The Vermont Country Store crams shelves with wool socks, cast-iron pans, and penny candy, a time capsule you can touch.

Farrar Park is a popular village green right in the heart of town. Fall drops maple leaves like confetti, bright and lazy, the air thick with woodsmoke. The Weston Priory’s monks chant low, a sound that drifts over the hills, and offer retreat accommodations. It is a speck of a place, dishing quiet walks and nostalgia so thick you can taste it, a break from the rush.

Burlington

Burlington thrums on Lake Champlain's east edge, Vermont's biggest spot at 44,000, alive with a scrappy pulse. Church Street Marketplace buzzes—buskers pluck banjos, shops sling crepes and tie-dye tees. Ferries chug to New York, water slapping the hull, while the bike path hugs the shore past wind-bent pines.

Winter bites hard—Battery Park turns to sledding and ice skating under streetlights. Summer pulls folks to Oakledge Park, picnics by the waves, sunsets burning orange over the lake. The Flynn theater glows with plays, and breweries like Zero Gravity pour hoppy pints. Fall's colors slam against the water, a loud, artsy sprawl that keeps you hooked—part college town, part waterfront grit, all Vermont.

Sugarbush Resort

Sugarbush Resort stretches across the Mad River Valley and has multiple lodging options. It is a ski mecca with 2,000 acres of skiable terrain over two peaks—Lincoln at 3,975 feet and Castlerock a notch lower. Winter runs the show: 111 trails, some steep enough to rattle your teeth, draw skiers from December to April, snow stacking high.

Summer switches it up—mountain bikes tear down muddy paths, hikes cut through moose trails to ridgeline views. The base lodge slings chili and cold beer, firepits spitting sparks. Fall drags chairlifts back up for the show—yellows, reds, oranges smearing the valley. The Allyn’s Lodge fireplace warms wet socks after a day out. It is a rugged slab of Vermont, loud with nature, built for anyone who likes their fun hard-earned.

Middlebury

Middlebury curls along Otter Creek, a college town—Middlebury College churning since 1800—with a sharp mind and outdoorsy bones. Main Street's got bookstores stuffed with poetry, bakeries pulling scones from ovens, and the Congregational Church steeple stabbing the sky. The Henry Sheldon Museum spills local history—faded letters, patched quilts—while the UVM Morgan Horse Farm, 5 miles north, trots out glossy mares. The Trail Around Middlebury loops 16 miles, bikes kicking up dirt, views popping wide. Fall sets the hills ablaze, orange and gold; winter is for snowshoeing, and summer is for swims at Branbury State Park. It is a smart, pretty pocket of Vermont, blending brainy chats with days spent outside, a balance that sticks.

Vermont’s vacation spots offer a range of incredible experiences, each with its quiet appeal. Montpelier provides a cozy nook, Woodstock carries a gentle history, and Wilmington blends water and hills. Stowe and Sugarbush cater to mountain lovers, while North Hero and Newport rest easy by the lake. Weston holds onto a slower pace, Burlington brings a steady hum, and Middlebury ties learning to nature. Together, they share Vermont’s simple gifts—clean air, good meals, and scenery that stays with you. It is a state that invites return visits whenever the mood strikes.