Vermont could easily be considered one of the most beautiful states in America. Known for its European-inspired small-town charm, Vermont has no shortage of stunning historical buildings, adorable bed and breakfasts, and museums perfect for learning something new. Vermont is also famous for its maple syrup, which can be found at the various sugar houses. Make sure to pick up a bottle or try some syrup-based treats like lollypops and chocolate. Driving through Vermont is a treat on its own, full of iconic covered bridges, rolling hills, and breathtaking fall foliage. A fantastic weekend getaway destination, especially if you’re in the neighboring states of New York or New Hampshire or even across the border in Canada, you’ll surely find something the whole family will enjoy.
Montpelier
Aerial view of Montpelier, Vermont.
The capital of Vermont, Montpelier, is located off Interstate 89 and resides on the Winooski River. Come for the historic downtown and stay for the endless trails and sugar farms nearby. Visit the Lost Nation Theater and catch some live poetry, choir, or a play. At the Vermont State House, take a guided tour and dive into the state’s deep history. On the first Friday of alternating months, catch the Montpelier Art Walk, featuring local artists and vendors.
For those who want to embrace nature, walk the trails at the North Brand Nature Center, or explore nearby Hubbard Park with its 54-foot stone tower. Get the true Vermont experience and head to a sugar house. You can choose from either Bragg Farm or Morse Farm, where you can try various maple-based treats. Back in town, dine along the river and get some shopping in at a bookstore, or pick something up at the Barr Hill Distillery. Want to bring home some fresh produce? Anderbell Acres offers fresh fruit as well as a beautiful array of flowers. When it’s time to call it a night, rest comfortably at the Inn at Montpelier, a downtown boutique hotel with 19 rooms, all in a Victorian style.
Burlington
Burlington, Vermont, USA at Church Street Marketplace.
Located on Lake Champlain, which separates it from the state of New York, Burlington is a quaint waterfront town with all the charm. Enjoy a delicious meal and a one-of-a-kind experience on the Champlain Valley Dinner Train, and afterward take a romantic hot air balloon ride. For dessert, indulge in some iconic Ben and Jerry’s ice cream. Rest up at the Lang House on Main Street bed and breakfast. A converted 19th-century Victorian home, it also has onsite liquor sales of unique, local beverages. In the morning, grab a coffee at a coffeehouse, and browse the shops, including jewelry stores, glass-blowing studios, pottery boutiques, collectible shops, record stores, and vintage clothing storefronts.
Also make sure to stop in at Tinkering Turtle, an adorable toy shop perfect for younger travelers or those looking for a gift to bring back home. Spend your afternoon at Adam’s Apple Orchard, or at Shelburne Sugar Works, which specializes in maple syrup-based products. In the evening, hit the town and try something new at a brewery, a pub, a nearby vineyard, or even a tiki bar. If you’re visiting in the summer, go sailing on Lake Champlain, or take a trolley tour. You can also explore the trails of Camels Hump State Park, or take in the views at Oakledge Park. Visiting in the winter? There’s no shortage of ski trails. Choose from either the Bolton Valley, Jay Peak, or Smugglers Notch ski hills.
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Stowe
Aerial view of Stowe, Vermont.
A lovely mountain town, Stowe is also right next to the Stowe Mountain Resort, which has over 116 ski trails, a summer gondola, indoor rock climbing, and ice skating in the winter. Nearby is the Arbortrek Canopy Adventure Park, which has ziplines and an obstacle course. Want even more of a rush? Book an Air Stowe helicopter tour. In the fall, get lost in the Percy Farm Corn Maze. In the summer, visit the Stowe Golf Park, a mini golf course perfect for both adults and kids.
For travelers over 21, take a brewery tour or try some local drinks at Stowe Cider. When it comes time for dinner, you have plenty of options, including flatbread pizza joints, steakhouses, delis, creperies, and artisanal bagel cafes. For those who love to shop, check out a bookstore, a natural body care shop, a toy store, or pick up some maple syrup to bring home. There are also plenty of options for outdoor gear if you plan to spend your trip exploring the many trails and parks surrounding the town. When it’s time to get some rest, check in at the Trapp Family Lodge, located right in town. It is home to four restaurants, a spa, as well as amenities like disc golf, tennis, and a swimming pool. You’ll also love the Austrian-inspired decor and architecture.
Woodstock
Brick buildings with shops in Woodstock, Vermont. Image credit Albert Pego via Shutterstock
Right on the Ottauquechee River, Woodstock covers all the Vermont getaway checkboxes. Visit the Billings Farm and Museum, which has farm animals you can snap some pictures with and pet, as well as an onsite garden, and homemade cheese shop. For even more treats, head to Sugarbush Farm, which also makes cheese as well as maple syrup goodies. The area surrounding Woodstock is perfect for many outdoor activities, including mountain biking on forest trails, horseback riding through the trees on guided tours, and fishing on the river or at a nearby pond.
If you’re exploring town, stop in at the Yankee Bookshop, featuring local writers as well as worldwide bestsellers. Grab a latte at a cafe and enjoy the boutiques, fantasy stores, and galleries. In August, attend the Taste of Woodstock festival, which brings together the town’s restaurants. In September, take part in the Woodstock Art Festival and meet local artists, shop the vendors, and watch some live art creation take place. Looking for somewhere to lay your head? Check out the Woodstock Inn and Resort, a New England-style accommodation with four restaurants including a tavern, grill, and pour house. It also has a gift shop, spa, pool, and complimentary rental bikes. You can also take advantage of their falconry display, and observe a real falcon as well as its handler and learn about the magnificent bird.
Newport
Lake Memphremagog in Newport, Vermont.
Just off Interstate 91, Newport is also right near the border into Canada, and a short drive to the province of Quebec and the beautiful French Canadian city of Montreal. It lies on the shores of Lake Memphemagog, which offers fishing, swimming, and plenty of park space for picnics. You can also book a cruise on the Northern Star, which offers shoreline sightseeing cruises as well as Sunday brunch sailings. The town offers both bike and kayak rentals, which make exploring the water as well as the surrounding trails a breeze. You also have the option of staying at the Prouty Beach and Campground, which has disc golf, tennis, basketball courts, and lake access.
In the town of Newport, stop by the farmers market and stock up on some fresh produce as well as sample local vendors. Or browse the shelves at the Newport Natural Market and Cafe. On the streets of downtown, find your next favorite read at Nevermore Bookstore, or pick out a great outfit at Rad Rags Boutique. Catch a movie at City Cinema, and after, try something delicious at Eden Speciality Ciders. Hungry? Newport has a handful of dining options, including Italian, Thai, and classic pub fare.
Brattleboro
Main Street, scenic Brattleboro, Vermont, looking north, via Bob Korn / Shutterstock.com
Next to the New Hampshire border, only separated by the Connecticut River, Brattleboro offers something for everybody. At Retreat Farm, enjoy the trails, as well as the petting zoo, forest playgrounds, and its adorable storybook-themed paths. In the nearby Fort Drummer State Park, take part in some hiking or mountain biking, as well as learn about the park’s revolutionary history. Afterward, make sure to travel through the covered bridges, a Vermont staple. When you make it back into town, park the car and walk the streets of downtown, stopping in at the bead stores, bookshops, thrift stores, and botanical shops.
For dinner, choose from options like Italian bistros and fish and chips restaurants, and for dessert, pick up a delicious pastry from a bakery. Want to keep the night going? Stop in at the Hermit Thrush Brewery, or at the Whetstone Beer Co. You can also catch a show at the Latchis Theater, whether it be a Hollywood recent release, an art film, or a live performance. Depending on when you visit, you can also take part in events such as the Valentine’s Day Bratt Luv Crawl, as well as the Brattleboro Film Festival and the Brattleboro Literacy Festival. Looking for the perfect hotel? Consider the Inn on Putney Road, a French Baronial bed and breakfast right near downtown.
Grafton
Downtown Grafton, Vermont. Image credit Doug Kerr from Albany, NY, United States, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Located on the Saxtons River, Grafton is an adorable little farm town perfect for a relaxing getaway. Stay at the Grafton Inn, which has a unique Barn Pub, as well as the 1801 Tavern perfect for a late-night drink. It also has a daily breakfast and a seasonal swimming pond. Although small, Grafton has everything you need, including the Grafton Village Store. You can find local goods, a deli, a restaurant, and fantastic to-go picnic baskets here. Once you’ve purchased a basket, head to the Grafton Trails and Outdoor Center for some exploring, or to the Hamilton Falls hiking area.
The town also has the Grafton Village Cheese Company, where you can purchase some delicious cheeses and watch how they’re made. Nearby is Mercantile, which sells local handmade goods. Near Grafton is Plummers Sugarhouse, which has a gift shop with dozens of maple-based treats, as well as tours of the facility. For those who love history, stop at the Grafton Historical Society, and learn about the town and the state’s history, or get to know the local plants and other living things at the Nature Museum.
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Chester
The beautiful mountain town of Chester, Vermont.
The town of Chester is near the border between Vermont and New Hampshire and is surrounded by lush forests, rolling hills, and the William’s River. Explore the trails of the Okemo State Forest, and while you’re there, spend the day at the Okemo Mountain Resort, which offers skiing in the winter, and mountain biking opportunities in the summer. The Chester Town Forest is also right next to town, providing even more ways to stretch your legs and perhaps even bring along a picnic. Sites to see around Chester also include Sunshine Acres, a beautiful and colorful nursery, and Leaning Ladder Farm, which offers gluten-free products. Make sure to also stop in at Mitch’s Maples Sugar House and stock up on some maple syrup goodies. If you’re looking to gather some fresh produce, baked goods, and other homemade finds, the Stone Village Farmer’s Market has just what you’re looking for.
In town, spend the afternoon at Pinnacle Park, which has a swimming pool, tennis courts, a disc golf course, and skating in the winter. As for shopping, check out an antique store, a quilting shop, a pottery studio, or a natural foods grocery store. And when you want to rest, sit down to some tea at the tearoom in the Rose Arbour. Chester is also full of history, which can be viewed at one of the historic buildings still standing in tow, including the old firehouse and train station. When it’s time for dinner, choose from options like Country Girl Diner or MacLaomainn’s Scottish Pub, and for dessert, check out the Southern Pie Cafe. For accommodations, the Inn Victoria is a bed and breakfast located right downtown.
Middlebury
Main street in Middlebury, Vermont, By Jd4508, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Situated on Otter Creek, Middlebury is close to the border between Vermont and New York, and not far from Burlington. It is covered in lush greenery, and lined with historic buildings. It also has a series of paths that circle the town, making getting around by foot or bike easy. Stop in at nearby Lake Dunmore for some swimming and fishing, or play a game of golf at the Ralph Myhre Golf Course. Middlebury was also home to the famous poet Robert Frost, and you can explore the interpretive trail dedicated to him, which features his poems throughout. Looking for more ways to explore? Check out the Happy Valley Orchard, which lets you pick your own apples in September and October.
For the adults, the Woodchuck Cider Mill and Golden Rule Mead both offer delicious, local beverages. In town, shop for fruits, veggies, crafts, and pastries at the farmers market. The main streets also have quaint shopping options, including jewelry stores, florists, leatherwork studios, antique stores, candy shops, and stationery stores. When it comes to meals, breakfast, lunch, and dinner are covered. In the morning, pick something up from a juicery or cafe. In the afternoon, stop by a sandwich shop and grab something to go. In the evening, enjoy some classic pub fare. When the sun starts to set, retire to the Middlebury Inn, located right downtown. It also has an onsite bar, Morgan’s Tavern, for those who want to keep the night going and perhaps meet some other travelers.
Whichever season you decide to venture into Vermont, know that activities and sights are abundant. Whether you’re into skiing and taking in the views, mountain biking in the summer months, or snapping some pics of the leaves as they change color in the fall, Vermont is a charming paradise where anyone can relax. Escape the hustle and bustle of day-to-day life, and book that much-needed weekend retreat.
Two patrons enter the Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream shop on Church Street in Burlington. File photo by Charles Krupa/AP
The Ben & Jerry’s Foundation says it will shut down at the end of the year after its corporate parent cut off funding and evicted its three staffers Wednesday. The move leaves $600,000 a year in grants to Vermont organizations, and 40 years of the ice cream brand’s progressive mission, hanging on a judge’s future ruling.
“This is the other foot dropping in terms of the way Magnum is trying to destroy the social values of Ben & Jerry’s,” said Ben Cohen, co-founder of Ben & Jerry’s Homemade, in an interview Wednesday.
The Vermont-based iconic ice cream brand has been in a legal fight with its parent company, The Magnum Ice Cream Co. — an ice-cream spinoff of the larger corporation Unilever — since November 2024. Ben & Jerry’s alleges that the corporation overreached its control, pushing out the CEO and interfering with the brand’s political views. The question before a judge is whether the corporate parent had the authority to reshape governance and withhold funding from the foundation.
Amid the push-and-pull over governance, Unilever audited the foundation, which is the philanthropic arm of Ben & Jerry’s, in April 2025, finding conflicts of interest and a lack of governance and financial control.
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Liz Bankowski, president of the foundation’s board of trustees, said in an interview that Unilever withheld the philanthropy’s funding late last year and ordered foundation staff to vacate its corporate office in South Burlington by July 15 because of governance issues the audit raised. This led the foundation’s leaders to join the ongoing lawsuit, fought by the ice cream brand’s independent board, in an effort to retain funding. The lawsuit is pending in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.
While the foundation’s leadership is framing the decision to cease operations as the only option after Unilever withheld funding, an unnamed spokesperson for Magnum wrote in a statement to VTDigger that the shuttering is “entirely down to the Trustees and their decision to ignore the findings of an independent audit and failure to put in place basic good governance; much to our dismay.”
Since the audit, the foundation has adopted a conflict of interest policy, but “the bottom line was that unless we changed our board, they were going to continue to withhold funding,” Bankowski said.
Cohen described the audit as “a bunch of trumped-up charges.”
“The foundation has been independently audited every year,” he said. “I think that Magnum was searching in vain for some illegal or unethical activities. I think they found none.”
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Since Ben & Jerry’s sold the ice cream business to Unilever in 2000, the corporation has given $60 million to the foundation. The philanthropic arm has operated for 40 years, supporting the ice cream brand’s progressive mission by offering financial backing to social justice organizations across the country. The foundation does not have an endowment and is reliant on the funding its parent company gives annually, outlined in its merger contract.
A chunk of that funding, $600,000 a year, goes to Vermont organizations such as the immigrant farmworker rights organization Migrant Justice and the LGBTQ+ nonprofit Outright Vermont, according to foundation leaders.
“We fill a particular niche that not a lot of other funders fill,” said Rebecca Golden, the foundation’s director of programs, who has worked at the organization for 34 years.
Golden is one of three foundation staffers whose last day in the physical office is Wednesday, following orders from Magnum to vacate. Although Magnum did not directly address its vacate order in its statement to VTDigger, the spokesperson wrote that the foundation’s leaders recently “took the position that its staff are not Ben & Jerry’s employees, despite utilising Ben & Jerry’s offices and systems.”
Golden described the possible shutdown as an “enormous loss” that will not only affect the organizations that the foundation supports but also Ben & Jerry’s employees who “feel very proud of being a part of the foundation.”
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“It’s been a really long year, so there’s been a lot of emotions — the whole gamut, as we like to say of the seven stages of grief. But I think at this point we’re sort of in the acceptance phase,” she said.
The Magnum spokesperson indicated that the work of the foundation will continue even if its leaders decide to cease operations at the end of the year, writing that the company is “firmly committed to funding a grant-giving foundation, supported by appropriate governance controls to ensure it is living by its values.”
But Cohen is not confident that Magnum will uphold the values of the Ben & Jerry’s Foundation in the corporation’s continued philanthropic efforts.
“What are they going to fund? I have no idea. My guess is that they would not be looking to fund entities that are opposed to the status quo,” Cohen said.
The foundation’s leaders have pointed to its support of Migrant Justice during a period when the farmworker organization was considering a boycott of Ben & Jerry’s as an example of their commitment to social justice. After immigrant farmworkers raised concerns about working conditions at farms supplying Ben & Jerry’s, the company joined a program that collaborates with farmworkers to strive for fair working conditions.
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Political activism has been central to the Ben & Jerry’s brand since its founding. As a part of the ongoing lawsuit, Ben & Jerry’s alleged in a May filing that Magnum has been undercutting its social justice mission in order to “censor, intimidate and purge” the company’s independent board, which Cohen said was created to defend its progressive values.
Three of the board’s members, including one who has been an outspoken critic of Israel, were removed late last year after the parent corporation introduced a new set of governance practices. In its motion to dismiss the lawsuit, Magnum argues that it retains ultimate authority and the brand’s social mission must be nonpartisan.
As the lawsuit awaits a decision, Cohen, who is not a part of the suit, has created a campaign to “free Ben & Jerry’s,” amassing around 160,000 signers for its petition demanding that Magnum sell Ben & Jerry’s to a “group of values-aligned investors.”
“The very values-led business model that built Ben & Jerry’s into this amazing, phenomenal brand is the very thing that Magnum is currently destroying,” Cohen said.
SOUTHERN VERMONT — A thick veil of wildfire smoke high in the atmosphere is transforming the sky over our local Bennington and Windham Counties this week – casting an eerie glow, muting the sun, and leaving air quality in the moderate range – even as temperatures and humidity remain oppressive.
According to federal forecasters, the hazy and particulate-laden sky and unusual colors are the result of smoke from more than 830 active wildfires burning across Canada and northern Minnesota, funneled into New England by the jet stream and trapped over the region by stubborn weather patterns.
What people are seeing, and why the sky looks so strange
Over the course of Wednesday, residents across Southern Vermont reported the sky shifting from orangey‑yellow to umber to violet hues tinged with pink, with a yellow cast over the landscape and a deep red or dark orange sun, especially nearest to sunrise and sunset.
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On a normal and clear day in Southern Vermont, tiny molecules in the atmosphere scatter mostly blue light, which is why the sky appears blue.
However, this week, the air is filled with larger particulate matter from wildfire smoke, which scatters longer wavelengths of light – oranges and reds – in a process known as Mie scattering (pronounced “mee,” and named after physicist Gustav Mie who first published the mathematical description of this weird-looking light-scattering phenomenon).
Due to Mie scattering, the sky can appear milky white, with sepia tones, or faintly pink‑violet, instead of blue. The sun may appear like a dark orange or red disk, especially when low to the horizon, and sunlight at ground level feels weaker and more filtered, as if being viewed through rose-tinted glasses. And these are the effects that we are currently experiencing.
Where the smoke is coming from, and how it travels
Federal agencies have reported that more than 800 wildfires are burning in Canada, with additional fires in northern Minnesota near the Canadian border. Many of these are large, and burning through dense boreal forests with little or no containment.
These blazes have triggered evacuations at their locales and in the surrounding areas, and are attributed to areas experiencing intensive drought.
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The smoke created from these wildfires reaches Vermont through a series of atmospheric steps.
The jet stream’s “conveyor belt” of high‑altitude winds scoop up smoke from the Central Canada region and carry it southeast across the Great Lakes and into New England.
A high‑pressure “lid” forms, where a strong high‑pressure system causes air to sink (a process known as subsidence) which then presses some of the elevated smoke closer to the surface.
A stalled weather pattern can occur, where slow‑moving systems over Canada and the Northeast keep the flow of smoke aimed at the region instead of sweeping it quickly away.
These patterns mean that – even though the fires are hundreds of miles away – fine particulate matter (PM2.5) from those blazes is now suspended over Vermont and neighboring states.
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Local air quality: Moderate, with cautions for sensitive groups
On Wednesday, air quality in Bennington and Windham Counties sat in the “moderate” category, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) fluctuating roughly between the low‑50s and high‑90s. This was driven primarily by PM2.5 from the presence of wildfire smoke.
In practical terms, most healthy adults can go about their normal routines outdoors. However, more sensitive groups – older adults, children, people with asthma, COPD, or heart disease – are advised to limit prolonged or heavy exertion outside, especially during the haziest periods.
Those with prolonged exposure may notice throat irritation, mild coughing, or even eye discomfort – particularly during intense exercise.
Residents can track real‑time conditions using the federal AirNow “Fire and Smoke Map” and Vermont‑specific dashboards, which show localized AQI readings as plumes shift during the day on Thursday.
How the smoke is affecting storms, heat, and humidity
The same smoke that is changing the sky’s color is also subtly reshaping the weather over Southern Vermont.
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Forecasters note several key effects. These include solar dimming, where smoke particles in the upper atmosphere scatter and absorb sunlight, acting as a partial sunblock. This can shave a few degrees off daytime highs, compared with what might otherwise occur under clear skies.
It can also include “capping inversion.” By warming the air aloft, the smoke can create a “cap” – a warm layer that suppresses rising air. This can weaken thunderstorms, even when surface heat and humidity are high.
Another key effect is cloud microphysics, where extra smoke particles provide millions of tiny surfaces for water vapor to cling to, producing many “very tiny” droplets rather than fewer larger raindrops. These smaller droplets don’t fall as easily, which can reduce heavy rainfall and the actual structure of a storm.
For example, on Tuesday night, Southern Vermont sat under extremely high humidity fueled by warm southerly winds pulling tropical moisture up the East Coast ahead of a cold front. Under normal conditions, that setup could have produced stronger thunderstorms. Instead, wildfire smoke likely muted the intensity of those expected storms, leaving the region with more of a muggy “soupy” feeling than the explosive severe weather that many expected.
Short‑term outlook for southern Vermont
Through Wednesday and into Thursday, forecasters expect the following for our Southern Vermont region:
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Sky conditions – Persistent haze and milky skies, with periods of thicker smoke as the plumes shift southward and then rise again. The sun may remain reddish or orange at times.
Temperatures and humidity – Highs in the mid‑80s, with oppressive humidity at times, especially ahead of the next cold front.
Air quality – AQI values are forecast to remain in the moderate range, occasionally bordering on “unhealthy for sensitive groups” during heavier smoke intrusions (these are expected through Thursday).
Showers and storms – As another cold front approaches us on Thursday, scattered showers are expected with isolated downpours and localized “non‑severe” thunderstorms. (Smoke may again limit storm strength somewhat.)
By Friday, higher pressure and drier air are expected to build in from the west, bringing more seasonable temperatures in the upper 70s to mid‑80s, lower humidity, and improved air quality – though some high‑level haze may linger.
For now, we will continue to look at our landscape through our “rose-colored” glasses.
The National Weather Service has issued a Severe Thunderstorm Watch for northern and central Vermont, New York’s North Country and northern New Hampshire until 4 a.m. Wednesday. Storms Tuesday night into Wednesday could contain damaging wind gusts up to 70 mph, hail up to two inches in diameter, frequent lightning and torrential downpours. A tornado or two is possible, but not guaranteed.
