Things to Do in Vermont
There is no shortage of things to do in Vermont. The harder part is choosing what is actually worth fitting into your trip.
If you're spending a few days around Woodstock, Quechee, Killington, Windsor, or nearby towns, these are places and experiences I recommend for the time before or after a Vermont Wayfinders tour, or for exploring on your own.
A good Vermont day usually works better when you choose one or two bigger stops, add a scenic drive or town along the way, and leave some room for whatever catches your attention.
What Kind of Vermont Day Do You Want?
Covered bridges, back roads, small towns and a stop that feels unmistakably Vermont.
Big Scenery Mountain views without a major hikeGondolas, overlooks, short walks and easier ways to get some elevation.
History Sites with an actual storyPresidential history, manufacturing, conservation and preserved Vermont places.
Nature Wildlife, trails & river sceneryRaptors, forest walks, a gorge and one very unusual Vermont bog.
Arts & Culture Museums, sculpture & contemporary artGood choices when you want more than another scenic drive.
Mixed Weather Good even when Vermont gets wetMuseums, indoor exhibits, shopping and attractions that don't depend on a blue-sky forecast.
Don't Try to Do All of This
Pick one anchor activity that takes a few hours, then add one or two lighter stops nearby. A good day usually beats a longer list.
Billings Farm + village time + Mount Tom or Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller.
VINS + Quechee Gorge + lunch, shopping or Simon Pearce.
American Precision Museum + Saint-Gaudens + Connecticut River Valley driving.
Scenic gondola + President Calvin Coolidge Historic Site + Route 100A scenery.
Historic Sites Worth Your Time
Vermont has plenty of old buildings. These are the places where the history itself is worth making part of the day.
President Calvin Coolidge State Historic Site
One of the best-preserved presidential historic sites in the country, centered on the village where Calvin Coolidge grew up and where he took the presidential oath of office in 1923.
The site includes the family homestead, church, schoolhouse, cheese factory, museum exhibits and village buildings.
American Precision Museum
Much better than the phrase "manufacturing museum" makes it sound. The museum occupies the historic Robbins & Lawrence Armory and tells the story of interchangeable parts, machine tools and American manufacturing.
Nature & Wildlife
These are good choices when you want to get outside without necessarily committing most of the day to a serious hike.
VINS Nature Center
A 47-acre nature center with live raptors, forest trails, exhibits and a canopy walk. It works especially well for families, wildlife lovers and mixed-weather days.
Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park
One of Woodstock's best combinations of history and outdoors, with carriage roads, forest trails, gardens and an important conservation story.
Eshqua Bog Natural Area
A small but unusual preserve with an accessible boardwalk through a rare fen ecosystem. It is especially worthwhile in late spring and early summer when wildflowers are blooming.
Quechee Gorge
Vermont's best-known gorge and an easy stop to combine with VINS or Quechee village. See it quickly from above or add a walk along the gorge and river.
Farms & Vermont Life
If what you want is a better sense of how Vermont developed and still works, these stops do more than provide a nice backdrop.
Billings Farm & Museum
A working Jersey dairy farm, museum and historic farmstead with animals, agricultural history, gardens, exhibits and seasonal programming.
Scenic Back Roads & Covered Bridges
Not every worthwhile stop needs a ticket. Central Vermont's smaller roads, river valleys, farms, villages and covered bridges are often best enjoyed as the connective tissue between bigger destinations.
Choose maintained public roads, leave time to stop safely and don't treat private property as part of the attraction.
Arts & Culture
These are the places I'd choose when you want art, architecture or culture to be a real part of the day rather than something you squeeze in because it started raining.
Saint-Gaudens National Historical Park
Just across the Connecticut River, this is the former home, studio and gardens of sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens. The mix of art, gardens, architecture and Mount Ascutney views makes it worth crossing the state line.
Hall Art Foundation
Contemporary art displayed in converted farm buildings on a striking rural property. Historic barns, outdoor sculpture, fields and a waterfall make the setting part of the experience.
Mountain Views & Easier Outdoors
You do not need to spend six hours climbing a mountain to get a good Vermont view. Civilization occasionally provides machinery for this sort of thing.
Killington K-1 Scenic Gondola
One of the easiest ways to get a large mountain view without a long climb. The gondola runs to Killington Peak, with broad views and walking options from the summit area.
Mount Tom, Mount Peg & Woodstock-area Walks
Woodstock has several good choices when you want to add a walk without turning the day into a major mountain expedition. Mount Tom and Mount Peg are the obvious starting points, with different routes and effort levels close to town.
Towns, Shopping & Good Mixed-Weather Stops
Shopping works best as part of a Vermont day rather than as a giant standalone destination. These areas combine easily with other stops.
Chester
Village walking, antiques, galleries, food and small shops make Chester an easy addition when exploring southern Central Vermont.
Quechee
Combine VINS or the gorge with Simon Pearce, food and browsing rather than treating shopping as the entire reason to go.
Windsor & Bridgewater
Smaller shopping and maker stops work well when paired with museums, scenic driving or other destinations already on your route.
Check hours before driving. Vermont businesses, museums and seasonal attractions frequently have schedules that change by season or day of the week.
Want Fewer Choices?
Vermont Pocket Guides are deliberately small. Instead of another list of fifty things you could do, each guide gives you a short collection of places I'd actually recommend for a particular kind of day.
Current guides include First Time in Vermont, Mountain Views Without a Long Hike, A Very Vermont Shopping Day, and Rainy Day.
Explore Vermont Pocket Guides