AriWell, when I originally wrote this blog post, it was titled “Northern Vermont Three Day Itinerary.” Seems pretty straightforward right? Well, the fun thing about life is that sometimes it does not go as planned and three days in Vermont turns into sitting in a cabin for two days because your boyfriend got food poisoning and one day of trying to fit everything in.
So, while this was not how I initially planned it to be, here is my list of must-do things in Northern Vermont (mainly Stowe, Burlington, Waterbury, and Montpelier)
Make this your first stop! Ben and Jerry’s is the best ice cream in the world and that is NOT up for debate. Visiting the factory was awesome because they were extremely Covid friendly, it was bright and colorful, and they have a flavor graveyard. What is a flavor graveyard you ask? Well, it is exactly how it sounds – a cemetery dedicated to the flavors that are no longer on the shelves. .
Before going to Vermont, I personally did not realize that hard cideries were a thing. In Indiana, breweries are everywhere and wineries are becoming more common, but I was not aware of the magic world of cideries. Despite the aforementioned food poisoning, we were still able to do two cider tastings. We visited Cold Hollow Cider Mill (Waterbury/Stowe area) and Citizen Cider (near downtown Burlington). Both tastings included 5 samples and cost less than $10!
I am a shopaholic, so this was one of my favorite things we did. When a city has a Patagonia and an Urban Outfitters, I know I am about to have the best time. From granola-y vibe stores to awesome local boutiques to amazing restaurants, this is a perfect place to spend an afternoon.
Stowe is one of those towns that makes you feel like you just stepped into a Hallmark Christmas movie. It was gorgeous, inviting, and full of shops, coffee shops, and cute architecture.
Lake Champlain is an expansive lake that spreads through Vermont, New York, and some of Canada and if you are looking for a great walkway to soak in the beauty, then Waterfront Park is the place to go.
We weren’t able to spend a lot of time in Montpelier, so we just drove around to say we had at least been there. The capitol building was beautiful and if we had more time, I definitely would have loved going inside!
I learned from a fellow travel blogger that Vermont has the most covered bridges in the country so they are easy to find. There are multiple in Northern Vermont and they make for instagram-worthy photo opps
