Vermont

All things Vermont here

Great ski country. =)

Used to head up to the resorts there all the time growing up. Mainly Okemo though. It was a small mountain but fun.

My folks retired to Wimington in southern Vermont for about 12 years. My wife and I spent a section of our honeymoon in Vermont some years ago.

Spent one year teaching in St. Johnsbury. Saw 225" of snow - record for St. J. Returned to Cape Cod that June.

About 4-5 years ago, after my stepfather had a kidney removed, and my mother took up driving again in her 80's to get him up and down the mountains during his recovery, we kids conspired to get them closer to the area of Massachusetts where my two sisters live. So, now they live in Stow.

When my wife and I were visiting them in Wilmington, we liked taking a jaunt up to Weston because of the Benedictine Priory there and the country stores.

We would go into Bennington to go to church (Episcopal) and then try to do other things (museums).

Wilmington, VT, isn't too far away from Williamstown, MA, so we would try to visit there also. (Williams College and the Clark Mus.)

Loved Stowe. I skied Mt Mansfield more than once. New Hampshire has great skiing. More people seem to ski Vermont which is fine for me. Less lines our way LOL

Next weekend I'll be visiting Burlington. While my boyfriend is running the marathon, I'll be looking for a bookstore to hide in. Any suggestions?

Am I the only Vermont Lter?

If you go to the Local tab, and then to the members section under that tab, you might be able to find Vermonters within xx miles of where you live. This thread obviously is not all that active at this point. My folks spent part of their retirement living in Vermont (Wilmington), but I have never lived there.

The only place I've visited frequently in Vermont, is Thetford. My girls went to Girl Scout camp there. Although I used to take Route 9 across from NH on my way to Saratoga Springs; and I took the ferry across Champlain to get to the Lake Placid area.

I think I am the only active VT Lter, at present, anyway.

>11 sibylline: Ayuh, think so. :-)

I should mention I'm reading another Vermont book - a short stack of meditative essays by David Mamet -- South of the Northeast Kingdom. Quite a different mood from American Buffalo!!

ok, sibyx, please, the top ten things to see in Vermont (from your local point of view).

Just curious about a local's viewpoint.

That's going to take a little while, stay tuned!

That's going to take a little while, stay tuned!

This is like the tippy-tip of the iceberg - but it includes a variety of things that I like to do over and over again!

1. Natural History Museum in St. Johnsbury
2.Billings Museum in Woodstock
3.The Shelburne Museum in Shelburne THIS IS A MUST AND CAN TAKE TWO DAYS TO DO PROPERLY

4. If you bike, do the Lake Champlain Islands bike path -- crosses this old causeway and is just beautiful all the way.

5. Climb a mountain - on a good day, for the view of the lake and the Adirondacks. Snake Mountain, near Middlebury is easy (one hour) and the view very intimate. I love it.

6.Walk or bike for awhile on the Bailey-Hazen trail in the North East Kingdom -- it was cleared during the Revolution -- some is paved road, some is right-of-way. Stay at the Highland Lodge and enjoy Caspian Lake which is a gem. Hardwick, right nearby is a different sort of place, grittier, but is 'real' feeling.

7. Wander around back roads and look for covered bridges and stop to look at the cemeteries. Honestly, just about every village or town has something to look at -- one of my favorites is Brandon. A perfect little town and it even has a fine bookstore, a couple of good restaurants, everything you need for a quiet day within walking distance.

8. Near it is the old marble quarry in West Rutland - that is a total must, taken over by sculptors now, it is both a historical relic and a contemporary gallery..... really fun. Not something to do with small or impulsive children though.

9.Check out the floating bridge in Brookfield.

10. Frankly, the whole Queechee tourist thing makes for a great day, even for locals. Simon Pearce and the incredible waterfall is a pretty good thing to do and there are good places to eat.

11. Middlebury, on the other hand, is also a gem -- and a lot of very good bookstores, of course!

12. The Golden Dome of the Statehouse in Montpelier is gorgeous on a sunny autumn day. Montpelier is a funny place, the capitol, but a backwater at the same time.

13. Burlington's Church St. and waterfront are fun, if you want a change to an urban scene. On nice days people sit out on the street which is closed to traffic -- all the restaurants have outdoor seating and there's lots of people-watching. It's nice. There are some good shops, but many are just the ones you find everywhere.

In a way this is a pathetic list. Note also that there are more than ten things on it..... If you do a Vermont tour, let me know and I’ll meet you somewhere near me, "On the Rise" bakery in Richmond, near the Round Church (worth seeing) or a bookshop in Middlebury. Heck, I’d even drive to Brandon!

This is a great list, thanks! I think it's wonderful to have this for anyone who might stop by (and you didn't mention the biggest tourist trap of all: Ben & Jerry's headquarters).

I'll keep Middlebury bookstores in mind;-)

>17 sibylline: Thank you! I am bookmarking your post for future adventures.

I left B&J on purpose. But it does remind me that the town of Stowe is another one of those very pretty towns -- and there are some great biking/walking trails all around. It's very well done.

>Burlington's Church St. and waterfront are fun

*sigh* I remember that. Whenever I was stressed at UVM, I'd go walk around the mall. I remember taking the trolley down to that area from the school at the top of the hill.

We didn;t get much snow in Burlington. Lots of wind though. I remember that. That and the 99 cent B&J pints on campus. :)

edit: Found a link for the shops: http://www.churchstmarketplace.com/shop/a-z/