Driving to Vermont?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It takes 9-11 hours. The first 4.5 are relatively easy---straight up 95. Slightly north of NYC you start taking the interstate through NY State. Have never had the time to pick a Hudson Valley town to stay in for the night but that would be my recommendation. That 3 hour stretch of interstate is relatively dull but not hectic like 95. Then you can either veer off and go north through Vermont or continue north through NY and then cross into Vermont (if you are headed to Burlington, e.g.). Those last three hours are on 2 lane roads, so slower driving but scenic. NOTE: I would NOT recommend making the drive in 1 day in winter because it gets dark very early and you can easily run into snow/ice. That happened to me last year and the last 2 hours of driving was harrowing. And take a paper map because if you are headed into the ski areas the cell service/GPS can be really spotty.

This is very helpful to know. Thank you.

You can also download the region to Google Maps on your phone ahead of time - it works just like normal when you have cell service, just without traffic data. Very seamless.

[Anonymous]

We went to Stowe this summer and stopped in western MA right off interstate 91. We just drove as far as we could and then picked a hotel. I do agree driving at night in the winter isn't a good idea. It is SOO dark. We stayed around Northampton, MA. Getting north of Springfield is a good goal. Springfield is kind of dumpy so don't recommend that.

[Anonymous]

I didn’t find it terrible .. we left at 8:30 and arrived in Stowe around 6pm. We also fly and so easy - DCA to Burlington.

It’s a long drive but not crazy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is the best route, how long does it take and what is a good place to stay overnight en route, with two small kids? TIA!

If you are going in summer and to the northern part of VT, I highly recommend driving up through NY, breaking it into two days, and stopping in Saratoga Springs overnight - they have a lovely park with carousel and beautiful downtown area with shops and restaurants. We also stayed at a farm which our kids loved at the time. https://saratogafarmstead.com/ Then, the next day, you can keep driving and either take the ferry over or the bridge - the kids may really enjoy the ferry. Also, Ausable Chasm https://www.ausablechasm.com/ is just beautiful for a pit stop and quick snack.

Thank you! This sounds like fun. Is it worth visiting in the winter?

Not PP but used to live there. It has a walkable downtown with many restaurants. May be a bit less fun during Covid though