Explore > Vermont > Vermont Trips
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Places Welcoming You

Drive 56.8 miles • 1 hour, 26 minutes

Vermont is renowned for rustic landscapes and rolling hills, but its charming towns burst with interesting history and fantastic flavors. Take a tour into Vermont’s past and taste its most famous confections.

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1. Stowe

Starting Point • Entertainment, Food, History, Nature

“The hills are alive with the Sound of Music” in Stowe. The Austrian von Trapp Family, made famous by the 1965 film, “Sound of Music,” settled here in the 1940s after escaping the Nazis; the lodge they founded is still in business. Spend the day at Ben & Jerry’s for a tour—just 15 minutes away in Waterbury— and a taste of their world-famous ice cream. See a rural classic—Gold Brook Covered Bridge, then view Vermont through artists’ eyes at the Green Mountain Fine Art Gallery.

 

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2. Montpelier

27.5 miles, 48 minutes • Entertainment, Food, History, Outdoor Recreation, Sports

Here’s Vermont’s capital, gold-domed State House and all. It’s an architectural jewel and famed museum of state history. Catch a concert at the Vermont Philharmonic Concert Hall or on the State House lawn. Love sports? Play nine holes at the 1900s-vintage Montpelier Elks Country Club. Hook a trout, bike charming downtown streets, paddle a canoe, or savor Vermont’s natural beauty in Hubbard Park’s 180 acres. A special treat for early spring visitors: see pure Vermont maple syrup being made!

 

3. Braintree

29.3 miles, 38 minutes • Entertainment, History, Outdoor Recreation

Right in the center of Vermont is Braintree, putting you in easy reach of many fascinating stops along Vermont’s country roads. Visit Woodstock, home of the world-famous, super-luxurious Woodstock Inn. Go rafting or kayaking—even dogsledding! Tour Rock of Ages, America’s premier granite quarry. See Barre’s Hope Cemetery, where granite-carvers turned the native stone into incredible works of art.