When people think of Vermont, they typically picture visiting in winter for the lure of the amazing ski resorts or during fall foliage to view the beauty of autumn’s changing colors. But the Spring and Summer months offer so much for families to see and do in Vermont! We recently traveled to Vermont during the summertime to visited family in Brownsville for a simplistic vacation. We also had our first ever RV experience! Vermont we will definitely repeat. The RV experience we have decided is a true “once in a lifetime” for us!
We live in the suburbs of Philadelphia, so the drive was doable for us. We got to enjoy barn life on the hills of Vermont’s Ascutney Mountain for a few days. The kids loved visiting the stables, caring for the donkey and horse, and swimming in the pond. It was a vacation for our dog too! Being able to swim and run free was as enjoyable for the pups as it was for us to watch. Had we not been able to stay with family, we would have returned to Ascutney Mountain Resort where we have stayed before and highly recommend. It is located in the same small town and offers a beautiful Vermont getaway.
Vermont is home to Harpoon Brewery, which is awesome for kids and adults alike. They have plenty of great food and lots of beer options for adults. For kids of all ages, there are outdoor giant games to enjoy, including giant chess & baggo, a playground and even a volleyball court and outdoor movie screening area to pass the time in the nearby shops. In the same area you can visit and stock up on Vermont maple creeme (ice cream), visit the Distillery and enjoy VT Cheddar Cheese sampling.
Prior to visiting Harpoon, we did a 2 hour float down the Connecticut River using our own floats & paddle boards (but there are plenty of local companies offering rentals and tours). The best part is that it drops you right at an artsy park which leads into the brewery entrance.
A must do for families with kids of all ages is Okemo mountain. This is home to the “Timber coaster” which races down the slopes of the mountains using a brake system that can be controlled even by kids. They offer a day pass or the option to buy individual tickets for this attraction as well as the: Rock wall, Marshmallow jump, Bungee bounce, High & Low Ropes course, Mining rocks in the geocaching area and mini golf. And not to be forgotten was the amazing waffle station for snacks in the resort! They also have an amazing zip line experience, but we decided to save that for another visit.
Brownsville is also home to lots of farms and stables where we got to visit the horses awaiting the GMHA Green Mountain Horse Association. South Woodstock Store next to Kedron Valley Inn is a great place to grab a quick bite to eat and stock up on some local favorite foods.
A great local spot for a fabulous sit down meal is the old and still active Windsor Station. Wonderful food in a timeless setting as this restaurant is a former train ticketing station. We got to dine in the ticket booth since we had a bigger group dining together.
Woodstock, VT offers great shopping, dining and of course, ice cream. We have dined before at Bentley’s, which offers great food and spirits. You are never far from a shop selling Vermont maple creemee, which is a local specialty ice cream flavor. Perusing Woodstock while the kids enjoy their creemee makes for a great day.
Sugarbush Farms was a wonderful free stop near Woodstock, VT. They have a great little petting area with farm animals and small play equipment for the kids to enjoy. Beyond the farm you’ll find the cheese and maple syrup sampling’s with knowledgeable guides to explain the aging process and differences between the different cheeses and syrups. When you step into the storefront, you are able to enjoy a sampling of other toppings and spreads. You can walk through the self-guided tour of the Sugar house and learn lots about maple tapping and syrups.
Another nearby brewery in Woodstock is Long Trail Brewery. We enjoyed checking out the hops and learning about how their beer is brewed before having a great outdoor dinner in their picnic bench area. The kids and adults alike loved passing the time while waiting to be seated by skimming rocks in the stream out back and exploring the shallow river.
We had to laugh when we got home and realized that all of our souvenirs were edible or drinkable! Vermont…maple cured bacon, maple syrup, lots and lots of Cheddar Cheese, beer from the local breweries & bourbon from the local distillery!
Vermont has so much to offer in the non-ski months! Not to mention the hours of bbq time, s’mores by the fire pit, enjoying the beautiful starry nights, fishing holes, biking trails, blackberry picking and hikes. Having a local to guide you is definitely a huge plus, but the resorts offer plenty to newcomers. Let Whitney World Travel be your guide to your next New England vacation!
