Vermont Trips – New England Weekend Getaways

With the Green Mountains blanketing the entire state, it’s hard to round a corner in Vermont without being met by a jaw-dropping view. Interstate 89, the main drag, winds past snowy peaks, sparkling streams, and acres of farmland on its way toward Canada. Better yet, road trips here mean you can swap the Pringles-and-Coke travel snacks for fresh veggies, local apples, and extra-sharp cheddar from roadside stands.

Even Vermont cities— like Brattleboro and Burlington, with their funky, shop-lined streets—don’t feel quite like cities. It’s as if time stopped when the area hit just the right balance between rustic charm and civilized amenities. (Espresso machines and art-house theaters made the cut; big-box stores did not.) Most visitors come to Vermont to take it easy, and with four-season luxury resorts in Stowe and Manchester Village, fine dining in Quechee and Waterbury, and endless opportunities for outdoor recreation, this is, indeed, relaxation central. Imagine it: waking up in a country inn, sitting down to a breakfast of biscuits with fresh maple cream, and venturing out for a hike or a kayaking trip. Just remember to pack the muck boots and camera—and leave the BlackBerry behind.

[sidebar]A Weekend In: Burlington
Cultural savvy meets the great outdoors in this college town with a chilled-out vibe. (Yes, it’s the kind of place where locals use words like “chill” and “vibe.”)

Steep Competition: Smugglers’ Notch vs. Stratton Mountain vs. Okemo Mountain
Lots of ski resorts bill themselves as “four-season” retreats. Sascha Zuger checks out three peakside lodges to see how they measure up in summer.

New England’s Best Small Towns: Woodstock, VT
Because… of this place. Once a mansion owned by Laurance Rockefeller, the Woodstock Inn and Resort looms over the village center, yet not in a megahotel-swallows-rustic-hamlet kind of way.

New England’s Best Small Towns: Dorset, VT
Because… this is what picture-perfect looks like. For restless city-dwellers, driving into Dorset is like entering a Thornton Wilder scene.

Vermont Breweries
Vermonters love their lagers and stouts—they have more breweries per capita than any other state. We round up the headiest.

Discoveries: On the Vermont Cheese Trail
Donna Garlough sniffs out—and samples considerable quantities of—the state’s finest cheddars and blues. Plan your own trip with our resource information.

Best Bets: Golf Courses
Vermont hasn’t always been known as a duffer’s paradise, since it’s hard to focus on the fairway amid all that scenic splendor. These three courses will keep your eye on the ball

Taste of the State
Our top culinary delight in Vermont. Candy Land.

Ask a Native: Elizabeth Perkins
Golden Globe–nominated actress Elizabeth Perkins spent lots of time in Brattleboro before making it big in Hollywood. And while there’s plenty she doesn’t miss about the region, the Weeds star still holds some local treasures dear.