Burlington has a dramatic setting overlooking Lake Champlain, with the Green Mountains to the east, and the Adirondacks to the west. Home to six colleges and universities, it offers a lively theater, arts, and music scene, plus the Church Street Mall for shopping, and the lakefront park and bike path for strolling and rolling. A variety of microbreweries, coffee houses, and restaurants ensures that no one goes hungry or thirsty. Don't miss a visit to Shelburne, seven miles south of Burlington, home to the Shelburne Museum. Its 37 fascinating buildings house vast collections from quilts to carriages to circus memorabilia. Also appealing nearby is Shelburne Farms.

A great place to stay right in Burlington is the elegant Willard Street Inn, a Victorian-style 1880s brick home. Gracious common areas include the marble-floored solarium, with its hilltop lake view; guest rooms have period antiques and modern amenities. Nearby is the Lang House on Main Street, a restored 1881 Eastlake Victorian style mansion with lake and mountain views. Nearby is the charming and affordable Richmond Victorian Inn and the Heart of the Village Inn in Shelburne.

Getting there:
Stowe is located in north central Vermont, 35 miles from Burlington. It's about 330 miles north of New York City, 200 miles northwest of Boston, and 130 miles south of Montreal. Burlington is the closest major airport; Interstate 89 is the closest major highway. Scenic Route 100 bisects Vermont from south to north, but can become clogged with "leaf peepers" on peak fall foliage weekends. Ask your innkeeper about equally lovely but less frequented roads and walking trails.

Activities:
No visit to Stowe is complete without a stroll or bike ride on the popular Rec Path, a paved trail which starts behind Stowe's beautiful Community Church right in town, and extends for over five miles toward Mt. Mansfield, winding past fields where black-and-white cows graze, and bridging the crystal clear West Branch River eleven times.

Get an early start and follow Route 108 (known as the Mountain Road), from Route 100 in Stowe to Mt. Mansfield. You can drive to the top via the Toll Road, ride the gondola, take the chairlift to the mountain biking trails, zoom down the Alpine Slide or the half-pipe at the Skate Park. Alternatively, continue on 108 up through dramatic Smuggler's Notch, where giant boulders contrast with brilliant foliage and dark evergreen trees. The area abounds with hiking trails; buy a guidebook from The Green Mountain Club. Tennis and golf courses abound, with the recently opened Country Club of Vermont combining exceptional vistas with a challenging 18-hole course. More info…

The Helen Day Art Center has constantly changing exhibits, and area galleries and craft shops offer high quality work of local artists. More info…, Special events…

A favorite area attraction is Ben & Jerry's ice cream factory; although the tour is entertaining, crowds can be enormous at peak times, so parental discretion is strongly advised.

Inns:
A favorite inn right in Stowe is the Brass Lantern Inn, combining a convenient location on Route 100 with dramatic views of Mt. Mansfield. Those looking for a special escape should be sure to ask innkeeper Andy Aldrich about his newly restored mountain cottage, just steps from hiking trails and a babbling mountain stream. On a quiet country road halfway between the town and mountain is the Winding Brook Lodge, a handsome 1940s ski lodge built of hand-hewn beams, knotty pine and native fieldstone. Stowe's best value is the homey Raspberry Patch B&B (800-624-0639) with comfortable guest rooms and great mountain views. Stowe's most luxurious inn is the romantic Stone Hill Inn. Each of the nine individually decorated guest rooms has a king-sized bed, sitting area, two-person Jacuzzi tub, and fireplace in both the bedroom and bathroom. Built in 1826, Three Bears at The Fountain has a spring-fed fountain that freezes solid in winter, an inviting porch with great mountain views, welcoming owners, and great food. The Timberholm Inn (800-753-7603) has a great location, friendly innkeepers, inviting common areas, and modest guest rooms.

Halfway between Stowe and Waterbury is the immaculate Black Locust Inn, combining farmhouse-style charm with all modern comforts. Guests are treated to such breakfasts as raspberry-almond coffeecake, poached pears, and vegetable strata with whole wheat bread, then welcomed home with complimentary wines and appetizers. A Federal-style farmhouse built in 1797, Fitch Hill Inn sits on a wooded hill overlooking the Green Mountains. A scenic 15-minute drive north of Stowe, its location is ideal for area touring. More inns…










Find a B&B | Specials | Recipes | Message Boards | Gift Certificates | Store | Book Online