stowe

Vermont

Vermont is a beautiful state full of great beers and great views

Vermont Tips:

  • Don’t miss Hill Farmstead Brewery: This spot is about an hour from the Waterbury & Stowe areas but absolutely worth the detour. They make some of the top beers in the country in a relaxed, simple atmosphere. Located in Greensboro Bend, VT.

  • Waterbury > Stowe. Stowe gets the hype but Waterbury is much cuter, walkable, and quaint.

  • Here is my blog on how to plan a long weekend in Vermont!

  • On a New England road trip? Check out my New Hampshire recommendations here!

Waterbury Recommendations

  • Freak Folk Bier: A top-tier brewery located in Waterbury. It is a cute little space with a front patio and superb beers. Their staff is incredibly kind and this is truly one of the top breweries in the country!

  • Blackback Pub: A bar/restaurant with a great tap list in Waterbury. Everything on the food menu is delicious and the nachos sound crazy with maple syrup on them but they absolutely slap.

  • Prohibition Pig: ProPig is a restaurant in the front and a brewery in the back. They have a barbecue focused food menu and solid beers. They are also known for their margaritas.

  • Stay at the Old Stagecoach Inn, located in the heart of Waterbury. The Inn is historic and charming, with apartment-style rooms and a nice large deck to relax on. Your stay also includes breakfast each morning which is incredible.

  • Check out Salt & Rind for tasty cocktails and oysters, along with a full food menu.

  • Ben and Jerry’s: The factory location is home to the Flavor Graveyard, factory tours, and more. Expect a line for the ice cream itself.

  • Cold Hollow Cider Mill: A popular attraction with cider, donuts, and a slew of other things in their market. The also have breakfast, lunch, hard cider, and a few local beers in their restaurant space across from the market.

  • Vermont Artisan Coffee and Tea: A coffee roastery that has a café along with tours and classes.

Stowe Pinnacle

Stowe recommendations

  • The Alchemist: This brewery created Heady Topper, a famed IPA which they have on hand pull at the taproom. They have a neat space and a large outdoor area in Stowe. There is a rotating seasonal food truck onsite.

  • Movement Coffee: A great coffee spot on the outskirts of town with breakfast eats too!

  • Mount Mansfield Auto Toll Road: This road is 4.5 miles long and takes you to the near top of Mount Mansfield at 4,395ft of elevation. It is open from 9:30-4:30 daily. It’s pretty pricey at $35 per car and driver, $13 per additional passenger. Once at the top hike to The Chin—

    • The Nose to The Chin via Long Trail: This trail is 3.5 miles long with 1,053ft of elevation gain. It takes just over 1.5 hours to complete and brings you to the highest point in Vermont. The views are great throughout the entire trail from the Nose to the Upper Lip to the Chin. Though this trail is rated moderate it is not difficult and very nice. The bugs can be pretty awful in the summer months. To climb The Chin from the base instead of from the toll road you can follow this steeper trail.

  • Woodland Baking and Coffee: A nice little spot for breakfast and coffee with baked goods as well.

  • Doc Pond’s: A solid restaurant with a fun vibe and g0od beer list.

  • von Trapp Brewing: A Lager focused brewery with a full food menu and restaurant style vibes. They have decent views and are connected to the von Trapp Lodge.

  • Lawson’s Finest Liquids: An OG New England brewery located in Waitsfield. They have a small food menu and their taproom connects to the Heart of the Valley Trail.

  • Stowe Pinnacle Trail: This trail is 5 miles long with 1,561ft of elevation gain that takes about 2.5 hours to complete. It is located in CC Putnam State Forest right outside of Stowe. I would recommend going early to avoid crowds, but in general it was very quiet. The trail is rated hard and is steep at points but is quite nice overall with beautiful sweeping views at the summit.

Foam Brewers

Burlington Recommendations

It’s just about a half an hour from the Stowe/Waterbury area to Burlington! This is a cool, artsy city on the water.

If you are traveling to Vermont via plane you are most likely flying into Burlington so you can explore the city either after you land or before your depart to make things convenient.

Winooski Neighborhood:

  • Howl Bier: Incredible beer bar with great taps, a beautiful space, and a small food menu.

  • Mule Bar: Right across the circle with 17 taps. They have a “neighborhood bar” vibe with a full food menu as well.

  • Four Quarters Brewing: A solid brewery that also has a food menu, cocktails and wine along with their beers.

Downtown:

  • Foam Brewers: A great spot with great beers. They have a nice patio space where you can juuuust see Lake Champlain across from Waterfront Park. The tap list is IPA heavy, but their mixed culture spot House of Fermentology occasionally has beers available as well. They also have a small food menu.

  • Waterfront Park: A gorgeous park on Lake Champlain with the mountains in the background. It is a great spot to watch the sunset.

  • Farmhouse Tap & Grill: A farm-to-table restaurant with a solid beer list.

  • Vermont Pub & Brewery: This historic brewery is in the heart of downtown with a full food menu and mid beers.

South Burlington:

  • Burlington Beer Company: A good brewery with a food menu, massive tap list, and nice space. The tap list is IPA-heavy and their flights are preset.

  • Zero Gravity Brewery: A lovely space with delicious food, but the beer is pretty average.

Essex:

The Essex Experience is a giant shopping center full of local Vermont businesses. Highlights:

  • Black Flannel Brewing and Distillery: A great brewery, distillery, and restaurant with lots of patio seating and plenty of room inside as well. Their beers are top notch, the food is all delicious, and their team is super friendly.

  • Bramble: A farm to table restaurant with a great food menu, creative cocktails, wine and beer.

  • Uncommon Coffee: Delicious spot for coffee/breakfast.

  • Indian Brook Park: This reservoir is just up the road and has a two mile loop trail around it.

  • Vermont Cider Lab: A cute little spot with cider, cider cocktails, and small food menu.

  • Stay at Essex Resort and Spa: The property is massive and beautiful! Inside they also have two onsite restaurants, The Junction and Lazy Goat Tavern.

  • Stone Corral Brewing is about 20 minutes past Essex en route to Waterbury. It is a solid brewery with a delicious food menu.

If you need a hotel right by the airport in Burlington the Best Western Plus Windjammer Inn & Conference Center is sufficient. Don’t stay at the Hampton Inn Colchester. I had a pretty terrible experience here and would never recommend it.

Ten Bends Beer

Lamoille County Recommendations

  • Sterling Mountain Farm: Here they offer winter sleigh rides and summer/fall carriage rides, but the “unleashed tour” is what I would most recommend. Owner Deb and her 3 golden retrievers, Sasha, Kelly, and Addy, will take you around their maple syrup farm to learn about their property and process. Deb is incredibly sweet and passionate about her work, and the pups are truly magical. End your time with a maple syrup tasting!

  • Smugglers Notch State Park: This is a pretty big park with plenty to choose from, but the Bingham Falls Trail is a nice easy trail to a pretty waterfall.

  • Elmore State Park: Another great state park with hiking options and a beach.

  • Bop around Morrisville—You can do this via e-bike with Lamoille Valley Bike Tours as well!

  • Jeffersonville also has a few spots to check out:

North Hero Island

The Champlain Islands

On your way to the islands, be sure to detour to 14th Star Brewing Company in St. Albans. They have great beers, chill vibes, and an incredible restaurant inside—Black Radish.

North Hero:

  • Kraemer & Kin: A super cute brewery in a converted house with nice lake views. They also have a pizza food truck onsite that has rave reviews if you are hungry!

  • Knight Point State Park: located just down the road with a nice 1 mile loop trail.

South Hero: