Welcome to stick season in Vermont. This period of late fall 鈥� when the trees are mostly bare, the frenzy of foliage tourism has subsided and the snow hasn鈥檛 started to pile up 鈥� can be a great time to explore the state.
We suggest spending some time in southern Vermont, and have highlighted several cozy, spooky, outdoorsy and historical activities to get your itinerary started.
Read our travel guides for northwest Vermont and the Northeast Kingdom, published in June.
Journalists from the New England News Collaborative have been on the road, seeking out the best local spots in the region. Find ideas here for other New England states.
What to do if you鈥檙e a鈥�
Book nerd
Southern Vermont is full of literary history, thanks in no small part to students and faculty of Bennington College. This region of the state has been pivotal in the lives of Robert Frost, Bret Easton Ellis, Jonathan Lethem, Donna Tartt, Lucy Terry Prince, John Irving, Rudyard Kipling and Shirley Jackson, among others.
Follow the Brattleboro Words Trail
Download the app on your phone 鈥� or visit the website 鈥� and put on a pair of headphones. This project has dozens of audio stories that you can listen to as you wander through downtown Brattleboro and beyond. You鈥檒l learn about the region鈥檚 connections to people like , who is believed to be the nation鈥檚 first African American poet, and author John Irving. Stop by the in downtown Brattleboro to listen to the story of Rudyard Kipling, who lived in nearby Dummerston and liked to visit the Brooks House.
- Bonus: Rudyard Kipling鈥檚 home in Dummerston, called , is owned by Landmark Trust USA and open to the public on select weekends of the year for self-guided tours. For the rest of the year, you鈥檒l have to rent it out for at least three nights if you want to sit at the desk where The Jungle Book came into existence. (There鈥檚 also a state historical marker on the corner of Route 5 and Black Mountain Road.)
In North Bennington, explore the world of Shirley Jackson
Jackson is known for the unsettling short story and the gothic horror novel The Haunting of Hill House.
The village celebrates Shirley Jackson Day with readings and festivities each June, if you happen to be visiting then, but fall is also an apt time to marinate in Jackson鈥檚 work.
Jackson lived at 12 Prospect St. and 66 Main St. The homes are not open to the public, but you can view them while conducting your own . The Bennington Museum has several cat figurines that were owned by Jackson. Stop by the McCullough Free Library to find another of Jackson鈥檚 cat statues among the shelves 鈥� and what better place to sit down with some of Jackson鈥檚 literary works or her biography?
More from Brave Little State: What Draws So Many Writers And Poets To Vermont?
More from 开云体育: Rediscovering Shirley Jackson
Visit Robert Frost鈥檚 house in Shaftsbury
Frost wrote at the house in June 1922, and he was also living there when he received his first Pulitzer Prize in 1924. The house is now a museum owned by Bennington College and is open select days from spring to early fall. From November to April, you鈥檒l have to make an appointment and perhaps pay an additional fee; After exploring the house, drive about 10 minutes south to the to pay respects (and perhaps read some poetry) at Frost鈥檚 gravesite.
More from 开云体育: Bennington College to acquire Robert Frost's Shaftsbury home
Go book shopping
A day in this part of the state wouldn鈥檛 be complete without browsing through a bookstore, and there several shops to choose from:
- Bennington Bookshop claims the title of Vermont鈥檚 oldest independent bookstore, dating back to 1928.
- Northshire Bookstore in Manchester was a historic inn before it was converted to a bookstore nearly four decades ago. It boasts a whole floor for children鈥檚 books as well as a bakery and cafe.
- The staff at Bartleby鈥檚 Books in Wilmington are ready with recommendations, and you can browse local art upstairs.
- Everyone鈥檚 Books in Brattleboro, founded by peace and anti-nuclear activists in 1984, specializes in books about social change and progressive topics. You鈥檒l also find bumper stickers (covering the walls, and for sale) and T-shirts that match the peace-and-love vibe.
All four of these bookstores are on the , so you can start gathering stamps. If you visit at least five bookstores, you can win prizes 鈥� but the real prize is recognizing the value of these bookstores in Vermont鈥檚 communities.
Creative
Admire the unsung artistry of stone walls
Walk around at Scott Farm in Dummerston any time during daylight hours. This is where experts in dry stone walls have shown off their mastery. You can also stop by Scott Farm Orchard for heirloom apples and other fruit. Rudyard Kipling鈥檚 home (see above) is right next door.
More from Brave Little State: Where did all Vermont鈥檚 stone walls come from?
Check out the contemporary art exhibits at the Brattleboro Museum and Art Center
Pro tip: The museum has several fun traditions including a Domino Toppling Extravaganza every fall (in 2024, it was on Oct. 6) and a recurring 鈥淕lasstastic鈥� exhibit that has glass artists make real sculptures based on kids鈥� drawings of imaginary creatures.
Steep yourself in even more visual art
Bennington Museum boasts the largest public exhibition of Grandma Moses鈥� paintings in the world, along with other exhibits of art, pottery and local history. About 40 minutes north is the Southern Vermont Arts Center in Manchester, with another impressive suite of exhibits.
Historian
Explore a restored Pullman railcar and learn about the Black porters
Abraham Lincoln鈥檚 son, Robert Todd Lincoln, built an estate in Manchester that鈥檚 now known as Hildene, the Lincoln Family Home. You can tour the mansion, formal gardens, farm and trails. Don鈥檛 miss the restored Pullman railcar (Robert Todd Lincoln was president of the Pullman company) and explore the exhibit about the Black porters who worked for the Pullman Company. Hildene is a stop on the .
Learn about the Battle of Bennington
prevented British troops from capturing the Bennington supply depot. The fighting took place across state lines, in New York. The former site of the depot is now marked by a tall monument where you can learn the history.
More from Vermont Edition: Examining the Battle of Bennington through history 鈥� and music
Take a walking tour of one of Vermont鈥檚 oldest towns
Buildings in Bennington date as far back as the 1760s, and the town has shared a of 27 historic highlights. Architectural and Revolutionary War history buffs, rejoice.
Nature lover
Take a scenic drive
Try the Molly Stark Byway, which is Route 9 from Bennington to Brattleboro, for some beautiful views. Stop at the Hogback Mountain Country Store in Marlboro for the famous 鈥�100 mile view鈥� overlook.
- Want to get a little more elevated? From Memorial Day weekend to Halloween, you can pay a fee to drive the in Arlington.
Cast a line into the history of angling
Fly fishing enthusiasts will enjoy the in Manchester, right next to the Orvis flagship store.
More from 开云体育: A 500-million-year-old fossil was recently found by a Vermont fly fishing guide
Take a walk
There are many options for easy hikes in the region; one is the in Wilmington, which runs along a former railroad bed and ends at Harriman Reservoir. (If it's warm, you can take a dip.)
Hike, ski, bike or get a ride to the summit of Mount Snow
This ski resort has plenty to offer even when it鈥檚 not covered in snow. Several trails take you to the top, where you鈥檒l get a view of Somerset Reservoir. In warmer months you can take the Bluebird Express lift up and down the mountain (or just down the mountain, after you鈥檝e hiked to the summit).
More from 开云体育: The magic of skipping stones at Lake Paran in Bennington
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