12 of the Best Vermont Restaurants for Local Food
In Vermont, there is no shortage of incredible restaurants serving up local fare like grass-fed beef, fresh greens, Vermont cheeses, seasonable vegetables, and hoppy brews. To put together a list of recommendations, I reached out to friends and colleagues in the Vermont food scene for suggestions. Here are 12 Vermont restaurants that are making their […]
Dog Sledding in Vermont with Braeburn Siberians
Ear rubs and chin strokes are part of the package at Braeburn Siberians. The Windsor dog sledding company, owned and operated by Kathy Bennett and Alex MacLennan, is dedicated to sharing what Siberian huskies have to offer: unconditional love, respect, and remarkable energy. It’s clear that after an outing on the trails, Kathy and Alex […]
8 Vermont Inns Perfect for a Cozy Winter Getaway
Inn at Manchester/courtesy photo Winter is officially here, and it’s the perfect time to curl up by the fire with a good book or glass of red wine after a day outdoors. Whether you plan to ski, snowshoe, or shop in Vermont, a stay at a local inn can make your trip all the more memorable […]
11 Favorite Vermont General Stores
“If we don’t have it, you don’t need it.” That’s pretty much the slogan for country stores in Vermont, where you can find long underwear, fishing bait, penny candy, coffee, sandwiches, honey, and good conversation all under one roof. General stores have been an integral part of Vermont’s landscape for more than a century. With […]
8 Beautiful Places in Vermont to Photograph
A church in Waits River on Route 25. Since launching HappyVermont.com in August 2009, I’ve traveled through many of Vermont’s 251 cities and towns. Here are some of my favorite historic churches, meeting houses, barns, and bridges to photograph in Vermont. Waits River Church The tiny village of Waits River in Topsham is small enough […]
5 Vermont Fire Towers to Visit While Hiking
Vermont was once home to dozens of fire towers across the state. According to the Green Mountain Club’s 360 Degrees: A Guide to Vermont’s Fire and Observation Towers, 38 fire towers once stood in Vermont. Today, there are far fewer. Many fire towers were built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s, and some […]
Brookfield’s Floating Bridge Spans Generations and Connects a Community
Vermont’s only floating bridge is making a buoyant comeback in Brookfield. Since reopening to vehicular traffic in May 2015—after being closed since 2008—the Floating Bridge is attracting visitors from near and far. The bridge, first built in 1820, spans 321-feet across scenic Sunset Lake. The newest bridge is the eighth version of the original floating […]
Connecting with Nature at a Tiny Treehouse in Lincoln
The treehouse in the backyard of Harrison Reynolds and Ellie Bryant’s home earns rave reviews on Airbnb. Perched 30-feet above ground and anchored by four maple trees, the treehouse stands in the shadow of Mount Abraham in Lincoln. Nearly every weekend of the year, visitors looking to reconnect with nature are finding the treehouse on […]
The Dirt Roads of Calais
I recently came across a 20-year-old article in the New York Times titled, “In Slow-Paced Vermont, the Dirt Road Reigns.” The reporter wrote, “To a lot of Vermonters, an unpaved road is a better road. People go more slowly on a dirt road. In rural Vermont, slower is better,” Two decades later, that’s still true. […]
