Help with summer trip to Vermont

[Anonymous]

Thinking about a summer trip to Vermont. Would drive from DC. 2 parents, 2 boys (ages 13 and 15). We are all pretty outdoorsy - we’d like to hike, bike, rock climb, horseback ride and explore some cute towns. Ideally we’d have one home base and do day trips but not have to drive too far bc of the long drive there. Would like to rent a VRBO or AirBnB that’s not outrageously expensive - proximity to water and/or small town is a plus.

Where should we be targeting? Any tips for planning something? Should add that we might consider stopping by some colleges just to causally take a look for my 15 yo.

[Anonymous]

Bring passports in case he wants to see McGill in Montreal.

[Anonymous]

Burlington seems like the obvious choice if you want to be on the water.

Smugglers Notch is actually a pretty nice set up if you just want access to a pool (it’s more of a family resort but there are condos so you can have a kitchen and multiple bedrooms).

[Anonymous]

Downtown Burlington has a cute walkable shops/restaurant area. We did day trips to smugglers notch state park and also the cider factory/Cabot’s cheese/Ben and Jerry’s one day. There is also a fun ropes course/zip line place up there. We have family near there so have done all the touristy stuff.

[Anonymous]

I would also look into Stowe. Lots to do and easy day trip to Burlington. Burlington is great and yes on the water, but I prefer my home base to be more smaller town when in Vermont. Stowe isn’t exactly a small town (for Vermont I mean, it is a small town for the dc area!), it has a lot going on and plenty of tourist stuff but lots to do from there. Lots of hiking, mountain biking or just trails for biking, restaurants, etc. there are also lakes around. Things are fairly spread out in VT, plan on driving 20-30 min to destinations but it is so great in the summer. Having a home base and doing day trips works great. We were there a month and loved it.

[Anonymous]

Woodstock, VT

[Anonymous]

I should add we didn’t really mind the drives to things for day trips because it’s so beautiful. And I have little kids so drives are even more painful I would suspect, but it was fine. Even in Stowe things are 20-30 min away, then for day trips sometimes you’re going an hour etc but it’s a nice way to see things

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Woodstock, VT

+1 also, I posted about Stowe but this was the other town I was considering mentioning

[Anonymous]

I would target central Vermont, so that you are in triangle between UVM, Dartmouth, and Middlebury. It depends on the colleges you are most interested. If UVM is the place you want to zone into, maybe look at Colchester?

Woodstock is a good choice.

Having lived in Vermont-- agree that most drives take 20-30 minutes. But I mostly never minded.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would target central Vermont, so that you are in triangle between UVM, Dartmouth, and Middlebury. It depends on the colleges you are most interested. If UVM is the place you want to zone into, maybe look at Colchester?

Woodstock is a good choice.

Having lived in Vermont-- agree that most drives take 20-30 minutes. But I mostly never minded.

The college visits are a possible add on, not the reason for the trip. The kid is 15, for Pete sake.

[Anonymous]

Not sure what your idea of outrageously expensive is but we stayed here and loved it. Pond for swimming onsite. Can walk to hike camels hump. Another nice hike from the property.

https://www.fielderfarmvermont.com/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would target central Vermont, so that you are in triangle between UVM, Dartmouth, and Middlebury. It depends on the colleges you are most interested. If UVM is the place you want to zone into, maybe look at Colchester?

Woodstock is a good choice.

Having lived in Vermont-- agree that most drives take 20-30 minutes. But I mostly never minded.

The college visits are a possible add on, not the reason for the trip. The kid is 15, for Pete sake.

the

If you are the OP, you can go piss up a rope.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would target central Vermont, so that you are in triangle between UVM, Dartmouth, and Middlebury. It depends on the colleges you are most interested. If UVM is the place you want to zone into, maybe look at Colchester?

Woodstock is a good choice.

Having lived in Vermont-- agree that most drives take 20-30 minutes. But I mostly never minded.

The college visits are a possible add on, not the reason for the trip. The kid is 15, for Pete sake.

the

If you are the OP, you can go piss up a rope.

Nope, I’m the OP and didn’t post the above.

[Anonymous]

Area around North Hero very cute. It is on Lake Champlain

[Anonymous]

There is not plentiful climbing in Vermont that is on good rock and not super hard. There’s a lot more in the Adirondacks.

But the amount of hiking and cycling is incredible.

Lots of pluses to staying in Burlington but it won’t be cheap and some neighborhoods in Burlington are not that nice.