Vermont Travel Guide

Mt. Mansfield is Vermont's highest peak at about 1,339 m, its ridgeline resembling a human face in profile. In winter it hosts the Stowe and Smugglers Notch ski areas; in summer a network of trails opens up, including the famously steep Hell Brook Trail, and the rocky summit ridge of the Long Trail delivers panoramic Green Mountains views.

Ricker Pond State Park sits around the quiet Ricker Pond near Groton in Vermont's Northeast Kingdom, within the Groton State Forest. Pines ring the shore, with boating, swimming and fishing on offer; cabins and tent sites suit family holidays, and in autumn the maples mirror themselves across the water.

St. Johnsbury is a charming New England town nestled along the Passumpsic River in northeastern Vermont. Its crown jewel is the St. Johnsbury Athenaeum, built in 1871 and considered one of the oldest and most beautiful public art galleries in the United States, housing over 120 paintings including Albert Bierstadt's majestic western landscapes. The town is also home to the Fairbanks Museum and Planetarium, the only planetarium in Vermont, offering visitors a chance to explore the night sky. The Maple Museum celebrates Vermont's status as the maple syrup capital of America. Strolling through streets lined with Victorian architecture, visitors can feel the rich heritage of 19th-century industrial prosperity and the unique pastoral poetry of Vermont.

The Shelburne Museum in Shelburne, Vermont, is one of America's largest and most distinctive open-air museums combining art and folk life. Founded in 1947 by Electra Havemeyer Webb, daughter of a streetcar tycoon, the 18-hectare museum houses over 100,000 objects spanning American decorative arts, folk life, transportation, and fine art. Its most unique feature is the relocation of 25 historic buildings to the site, including a round barn, blacksmith shop, schoolhouse, tavern, and lighthouse, forming a complete New England village architecture museum. The most striking are the 1783 Stagecoach Inn and the uniquely designed Round Barn. The museum also holds extensive collections of early American quilts, embroidery, decorative arts, and fine art including works by Monet and Cassatt. The steamboat Ticonderoga is docked at the lakeshore, offering visitors a chance to experience 19th-century Great Lakes steamship luxury. Strolling through gardens, historic buildings, and artworks, visitors feel transported to 19th-century New England pastoral life.

The Vermont Teddy Bear Company in Shelburne, Vermont, is a world-renowned handcrafted teddy bear maker. Known for its high-quality handmade bears, factory tours and personalized customization, it is the only large-scale handcrafted teddy bear company in the US and a warm, charming, family-friendly attraction. Free guided factory tours let visitors watch the complete handcrafting process — cutting, sewing, stuffing, eye-setting and styling — and learn about the craftsmanship. Enthusiastic guides share teddy bear history and factory stories. The "Bear Hospital" repairs bears needing "treatment" — a whimsical touch. The retail shop offers various bear styles, and visitors can customize their own bear — choosing fabric, eyes, outfit and name — a unique, heartfelt gift. Visiting the factory and witnessing the birth of handmade teddy bears is a heartwarming, whimsical Vermont experience.