4 Day Roadtrip in Vermont
Fall in Vermont.
When fall rolls around, we all start to dream of being in the midst of those picture perfect moments consisting of landscapes painted by an array of orange, red, yellow, deep green - occupying trees, mountains, meadows, forests and empty country roads, almost as if they were painted that way purposefully by the artists of the universe.
Vermont is the true epitome of fall in this aspect.
My best friends and I are notorious for impromptu trips when we are able to get any time away from our crazy work schedules. So naturally, when fall rolled around we decided to act fast.
Ontario is full of gorgeous fall destinations like the Muskoka region or Algonquin Park, but we decided to do something a little different this year. Vermont is about eight hours (and a bit) from Toronto, so we decided to explore the American fall scene in one of the most beautiful states. Driving through Vermont is extremely scenic, as you are surrounded by country roads and mountains. Burlington is the bigger city by the coast, and yet has a small town feel at the same time - Church street reminded me of Montreal.
Our 4 day route took us through Quebec into Vermont. We first headed down to Woodstock, up to Mount Mansfield and Bolton, to Waterbury, and a quick stop in Burlington on the last day
Day 1
We got to Vermont pretty late on the first day due to a later rental car pick up and a few detours on the way, so we drove straight to our first Airbnb, which was a family owned yurt! It was mildly frightening as we arrived because we were basically driving up a steep hill and deep into a forest of pure darkness. It took us a good hour of walking around the property and down to the deserted road to find the outhouse, when it was at the back of the yurt the whole time (slow clap for us). I also definitely had a minor panic attack when I went to the bathroom alone late at night after enjoying a cider (too many horror movies start this way, ha!).
Side note we got a Ford Fusion hybrid and WOW it was fantastic on gas.
Day 2
Waking up the next morning felt invigorating - I probably had the best sleep I’ve had in a while. Walking out the door, I laughed at myself for being so frightened the night before; I was surrounded by fall forest beauty and a great calming energy. The property even had a set of stairs leading up to a tiny tree house overlooking the yurt. It was a great place to sit, meditate, and embrace the environment.
When we were ready to start the day, we headed to the charming little town of Woodstock.
I fell in love with this town!
Woodstock is your quintessential small American town that you would see in a rom-com holiday movie. This town is surrounded by trees and rolling hills, and there is even a gorgeous covered bridge beside the town square. The town consists of lovely little shops and cafes that you just can’t stay out of. One of my favourite shops was a little bohemian gift shop named ‘Primrose Garden,’ with a balcony that backed on to a river bank. Unfortunately, we were in a time crunch so I didn’t get to take everything in (definitely would visit again).
We then headed to the top of Mount Mansfield, where we embarked on a fun little hike to the ‘chin summit.’ This is the highest peak in Vermont, sitting at 4395 ft above sea level. The area has a few different trails to explore and various activities (zip lining, rock climbing, and more at the ski resort - all season dependent). This was one of the most beautiful hikes I’ve been on!
There are two options for visiting the mountain; you can either hike from the bottom to the peak, or you can enter a toll road that leads you to a trailhead at a higher spot (check out the whimsical little chapel half way up). We opted for the toll road, since we tried to visit a few different places in one day (it was $24 usd for the driver and $9 for each additional passenger). It took us about 2 hours to reach the summit since we stopped to take a lot of photos. We couldn’t help it, the scenery was spectacular! The fog surrounding the mountains truly made for more mystical views than we could have imagined. The hike was exciting and rewarding because there were moments where you climb uphill on a trail that isn’t leveled, basically scaling large rocks on the edge of the mountain; it was breathtaking. The rocks themselves were really fascinating and a lot of them were intertwined with large amounts of quartz (the crystal freak in me was in pure bliss). Also, the ecosystem is fragile in this entire area, as there are so many tourists, so it was nice to see those delicate areas blocked off.
The best part of the hike was meeting two famous doggos. When we reached the peak (with very little time to spare – apparently gates to the toll road close at 5pm), we ran into The Dogist and his friends, accompanied by Finn (KeepingFinn) and Waffles (WaffleNugget).
Mount Mansfield’s different ridges are named: Chin, Nose, and Forehead. They are named this way because from the East the mountain resembles a human face.
After our hike, we headed to the Von Trapp family lodge nearby. For those Sound of Music enthusiasts, this is the resort that the real Von Trapp family opened once they were settled in Vermont. We got a chance to enjoy the nature, have some delicious dinner, and do a craft beer sampling at Von Trapp Brewing after the lodge. Our dinner views consisted of mountains and a sunset, and it was gorgeous! the only thing that was a little inconvenient was that there were no lights at night, so we were finishing dinner and paying in the dark.
We spent the night relaxing in the hot tub at the Lotus Mountain Retreat (update: this lodge has since shut down).
Day 3
Day three was more of a foodie day. It was rainy and overcast, making it the perfect day to drive around the misty roads and try local goodies.
Our mission: hard cider, sweets, coffee, and ice cream!
Our first stop however, was to a unique local outdoor spot that was recommended to us. We headed to a place called ‘Bolton Potholes,’ which is a local attraction where a few waterfalls eroded the land into literal holes and created their own pools. Even though it was raining, we still wanted to include a little outdoor adventure. When you are surrounded by so much beauty, it’s almost a shame to not explore.
Our first foodie stop was to the ‘Cold Hollow Cider Mill.’ We tried their cider donuts (which were to die for) and tasted some cider - definitely got more excited about the donuts though. As we were driving on, we noticed a big red barn that is actually a coffee roaster and café called the ‘Vermont Artisan Coffee and Tea.’ It was a hip little industrial-mixed-with-rustic spot, where we decided to actually sit and enjoy a coffee. Their maple latte was DELICIOUS, I recommend it. It was a little pricey at $5 usd.
On the topic of maple, we headed to the ‘Nebraska Knoll Sugar Shack’ to try out some local maple syrup. Coming from Canada and hearing that Vermont has the best maple syrup, we definitely had to see what the fuss was about, and whether or not it compares. WOW did it exceed our expectations. Up a mountain and in the most picturesque little forested area, the sugar shack was such a highlight. It is family owned and they boil it in the actual shack beside their family home. They have different types of maple syrup: golden delicate, amber rich, dark robust, and the burst of flavour in each is indescribable. You truly have to try it out and definitely buy some to support local! It’s one of those places that I can only say so much about, you truly need to go see, taste, and experience their uniqueness.
We went on to explore the shops in the small town of Stowe; another quaint and charming town that takes you back in time whilst wandering the streets. Stowe is home to the ‘Stowe Mountain Resort’ and it is situated at the base of Mount Mansfield. A good thing to note, each town we visited had a fantastic local art scene, with artists’ work held in the local art shops.
To end off the day, we made a quick pit stop to the Ben and Jerry’s factory, where we tried out some cool ice cream flavours and visited the ‘flavour graveyard’. We then headed to ‘Prohibition Pig,’ where I had one of the best Portobello Mushroom sandwiches and a delicious cold brew coffee that kept me up all night.
We spent the night at a family home Airbnb in Waterbury. They rent out the lower level of their house and it was the perfect space for a quick overnight stay close to Stowe.
Day 4
A bittersweet goodbye.
Waking up surrounded by a lush forest made it difficult to think about leaving this gorgeous state, but alas, on route…but not before a pit stop for some breakfast and wandering in the streets of Burlington.
Breakfast at Henry’s Diner was what we needed for a long day of driving back to Toronto. Entering Henry’s Diner, you feel as though you’ve entered the 1950s in the best way possible.
And my Eggs Benedict was full of flavour in all the right places.
We went on to explore the shops on Church Street; I found my favourite store ever! The hippie in me was swooning over everything at the ‘Earthbound Trading Company,’ where I found a beautiful mountain sweater that spoke to me.
After some fun shop adventures and a drive down to the water to enjoy the coast, it was back to Toronto for these girls.
