Vermont is one of the tiniest states composing the USA (45th by area), and it’s located in the Northeastern part of the US, landlocked between New Hampshire, Massachusetts, New York, and Canada.

In this article you find a map to visually understand where Vermont is, and 7 beautiful things and experiences typical of Vermont that make this gorgeous state worth visiting at least once in life 😀

Let’s dive right in!

“Vermont is Small,

but its Sky is Wide”

– Vermont Proverb –

Where is Vermont?

Vermont’s area is around 25.000km2, which to give you an idea is more or less the size of Sicily (small, but not so tiny! 🙂 ).

The shape of Vermont state is trapezoidal, measuring 250km from North to South and an average of 100km from side to side.

Its convenient dimensions make it easy to visit within a week or two.

WHICH IS THE BEST WAY TO GO AROUND VERMONT?

As the state is entirely crossed from North to South by the mountain chain of the Green Mountains, you can guess that most of the landscape is hilly and rocky.

While public transport runs excellently between towns (which – fun fact – are all under 50,000 people of population) and main tourist hotspots, the best way to explore Vermont and reach all the corners of this mountain-lovers paradise, is surely by car.

Roads in Vermont are well-paved and above-average for US standards, although be aware that road maintenance seems to be a state of mind in Vermont and it’s hard to find a route without roadworks! ahah

You can reach Vermont with your vehicle coming from Quebec (Canada), New Hampshire (US), Massachusetts (US), or New York State (US).

Alternatively, if you plan to come by air, you can also conveniently rent a vehicle from a reputable local company such as Vermont Rental Cars.

Said that, let’s dive right in and let’s see all the reasons why you’d love to visit Vermont at least once in life! ;D

Disclaimer: If you love mountains hiking and quiet forests, you might get addicted to Vermont, be careful! ;D

7 Reasons why You Should Visit Vermont! 🙂

1. Vermont is famous for

its Stunning Scenic Beauty

Vermont is often referred to by other Americans as the “Green Mountain State“, and the reason why it’s pretty obvious!

Depending on the season, the lush green forests, the colorful trees, and the snow-capped peaks make up almost 4/5 (or 80%) of land in this naturally stunning state.

The high latitude of Vermont (the totality of the state is on the 45th parallel) contributes to the rigid climate where falls and winters are long and cold (with temperatures between December and February mostly under 0 C°) and summers relatively short, warmish, but not hot.

Spring and summer are great for visiting the State Parks (such as Quechee Gorge and the Moss Glenn Falls), rivers (the White River in Sharon), and Lakes (Bald Hill Pond, Lake Dunmore, and Lake Ninevah to name a few!).

Said that when the magic truly happens and Vermont turns into a photographer’s paradise is sure during fall, when the foliage of beech, birch, and maple trees sets the landscape on fire with scarlet reds, amber oranges, golden yellows, and anything in between!

In winter, the snow-covered mountains are great both for winter hikes and winter sports (consider the Mount Mansfield hike and the Camel’s Hump hike, both offer incredible stunning winter wonderland views and I consider them the best hikes in Vermont!).

Last but not least, remember that Vermont is a state where you can reconnect with the cycle of nature and the passing of time, no matter the season you visit: there might not be many people around, but it’s crowded with peace and serenity!

2. Vermont is a Wonderland

for Outdoor Recreation

If you like to stay active, in Vermont you’ll be spoiled by choice.

Skiing, snowboarding, ice-skating… you name it! 

Vermont is especially famous for winter sports as winters are long, temperatures cold, and the ski courts (a mind-blowing 894km of slopes and 170 ski lifts distributed among 25 ski resorts) remain open almost half year round (between November and April). To put it into perspective, Vermont has 9 times more slopes than Aspen in Colorado!

Said that, also in summer you’ll find plenty of outdoor activities to do: hiking, canoeing, mountain biking, and hand gliding just to name a few 🙂

If you’re a bit lazier and you want to take it easier, there are also plenty of options: have a picnic or camp in nature, stroll around lakes, visit Vermont’s Little Grand Canyon (Quechee Gorge), try fishing in one of the many lakes or simply cool off in a natural pond.

All in all, Vermont is a place that you should visit if you want to live it OUTSIDE: surely you won’t be disappointed ;D

3. Restaurants offering

Farm-to-Table Cuisine are damn Yummy!

Vermont restaurants are extremely local and established leaders in seeking out fresh products and supporting local farmers.

Fun fact: of the remaining 20% of land which is not mountains, 17% is barns and farmlands while only the 3% is covered by towns ;D.

Indeed, the local cuisine reflects the sustainability concerns so dear to people living in Vermont, and that makes farm-to-table restaurants easy to find across the state. 

The farmers are supported, the environment benefits from less pollution, the restaurant can offer fresh and organic food, and we a customers can enjoy it! It’s a win-win-win-win situation for all! 😀

Among the most famous products of Vermont that we can suggest you try there are surely cheese (Alpine Cheddar, Habanero Cheddar, Cabot Cheese, etc.), Chicken Pie, Fried Dough, Lamb, Apple Cider Doughnuts, and of course, pancakes flooded with local maple syrup (THE specialty of Vermont!).

Drooling already? Me too! 😉

4. The Villages of Vermont are

Quaint and Human-Sized 

Forget the road traffic, the horns, and the chaos!

Driving in Vermont is a peaceful and relaxing experience, and taking a stroll around towns is a jump in time too.

Sidewalks are spacious, one-family houses are well-spaced from one another, and even the larger towns (which, I repeat, don’t go over 50k of the population) are immersed in nature and have plenty of green areas.

Buildings are mostly low-rise buildings with two to three floors at best, which make the villages feel very “human-sized”: strolling around town, you feel like a “main character” and not a “tiny-insignificant number” as it happens in larger cities.

A vintage building style and wide use of wood as construction material, make Vermont villages pretty picturesque and out-of-movies, ideal for a walk and a chilling afternoon (also, don’t forget to try artisan beers of Vermont, there are plenty of epic ones! ;D ).

5. Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream Factory

For the gluttons, a stop at the legendary Ben and Jerry’s Factory in Waterbury is a must!

Ben and Jerry’s is a world-wide praised and recognized brand of ice-creams with almost 50 years of history, which owns stores in over 38 countries around the world! 

What not many people know, is that in Vermont there’s the only visitable Ben and Jerry’s factory in the world, which opened its doors in 1985 and currently produces over 350.000 pints of ice-cream every day (mind=blown!).

Visiting the factory is a curious and yummy experience (you get to taste the ice-creams too, don’t worry!), it costs less than 10$ and it is an experience that can be booked in advance online through the official Ben and Jerry’s website.

6. Covered Bridges

Covered bridges are a distinctive landmark of Vermont and an attraction for tourists and photographers alike.

Vermont has the highest density of bridges in the US and counts 104 covered bridges.

It also shares with New Hampshire the Cornish-Windsor Bridge, the longest wooden covered bridge in the United States.

I know what you’re wondering: why are bridges covered in Vermont?

Most of Vermont’s covered bridges were built between 1825 and 1875.

The reason they were roofed and enclosed at the time of construction, was to protect the wooden structural elements from the weather (snow and rain), which in Vermont can be quite harsh.

The cover, was there to prevent decay.

While some bridges have been substituted in time with concrete bridges, the several wooden bridges remaining are today inserted in listed in the National Register of Historic Places and are protected and maintained as a picturesque tourist attraction and historical symbol of Vermont.

7. Warm and Welcoming Communities

Last but not least, how could we forget the welcoming people of Vermont?

The people in Vermont are mostly easy-going and active.

They’re not just progressive hippies (as many people stereotype them), but overall very friendly: little communities make human interactions more meaningful, and this can be also experienced and perceived by travelers.

Throughout the year, in Vermont there are plenty of events and celebrations (check them out!) where you could have a chance to meet locals (art festivals, food festivals, concerts, community events, sports events & more!) when you’ll want a break from the wilderness 🙂

Conclusion

And here we are at the end of the article! 😀

In this article we’ve seen where Vermont exactly is, how to get around (better by car!), and seven great reasons why you should consider visiting Vermont at least once in life!

Before going I would like to ask you:

• Did you enjoy the read?
• Are you considering visiting Vermont or have you already done so in the past?
• Would you like to share your experience to help future readers?
• Do you have any idea how I could improve this article?

Any of your suggestions would help me greatly to improve and offer better content! 😀

Please, let me know in the comments below! (I always love to have a brief chat and meet new people and perspectives 🙂 ).

If you would like to know more about Vermont, I can also suggest you check out this post about 10 Things Nobody Tells You About Vermont from Vermont Explored, a well-written Vermont-focused blog that I personally truly enjoy reading 🙂

Last but not least, here I will also leave you a couple of pages you might want to check out in our blog if you’re looking for more travel inspiration:

• Destinations of the World: Discover More Cool Destinations!
• Travel Italy: All you Need to Discover the Bel Paese!

Thanks for reading,

and see you in the next article!

Dani 🙂