The New England state of Vermont is famous for its beautiful covered bridges and country inns as well as offering recreational activities such as biking, hiking, and cross
country skiing. It’s well known as the home of Lake Champlain and the Green Mountains and it also borders the Canadian province of Quebec to the north.
Montpelier is the state capital while Burlington is the largest city. Other popular cities include Rutland, Essex, Colchester, Barre, Winooski, St. Albans, Newport,
Bennington, Milton, Springfield, and Hartford.
Vermont is one of the smallest American states as it’s the sixth smallest in size and the second smallest in population with about 650,000 residents. The region was
inhabited originally by Native Americans and was then ruled by the French and British before becoming the 14th state to join the Union back in 1791.
Much of Vermont is covered by forest, mountains, uplands, meadows, ponds, lakes, swamps, and wetlands. Some of the best outdoor
areas to visit are the Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park and the Appalachian National Scenic Trail. Lake Champlain of course is a great spot and there are quite a
few historic sites as the state has a pretty rich history.
Burlington has a great jazz festival in the summer and the Green Mountains region shouldn’t be missed, especially if you’re an avid skier or snowboarder. There are also
some other great ski resorts at Killington/Pico, Rutland, Sugarbush, Jay peak, Mount Snow, Bromley, and Stowe.
There are numerous other festivals in the state, including the Vermont Maple Festival, the Vermont Dairy Festival, the Apple Festival, Festival on the Green, the
Marlboro Music Festival, the Vermont Brewers Festival, the Green Mountain Film Festival, and the Vermont Mozart Festival. There’s also a symphony orchestra, poetry society, theater
company, and puppet theatre.
The climate is ideal for outdoor activities as it provides humid, warm summers along with cold winters. However, many visitors love to show up in the autumn as the
leaves on the trees turn into beautiful orange, red, and gold colors. Animal and plant lovers are also common visitors as Vermont is home to many interesting species of amphibians,
reptiles, fish, birds, mammals, insects species, and plants.
Because the state is so small and scenic, it’s a fantastic place to drive through to see all of its beauty. The road system is top rate and the bus service is pretty
good too. Railroad service is also available via Amtrak and a few other regional services. You can take a ferry over to New York State from Charlotte, Burlington, Shoreham, and Grand
Isle. When flying in, there’s an international airport in Burlington, and a regional one in Rutland.
Sports are popular in Vermont, especially basketball, baseball, soccer, hockey, and snow sports, but there aren’t any major-league franchises. There is a minor-league
pro baseball franchise called the Vermont Lake Monsters and an American Basketball Association team as well as a semi-pro football team. University sports also attract a large
following.
When it comes to finding a place to stay in Vermont, there’s a lot to choose from as there are some wonderful country inns, bed and breakfasts, ski resorts, and motels
and hotels to suit all travel budgets. There are also a lot of excellent restaurants to choose from for American and international dishes.
Vermont may be small in size but it’s one of the prettiest states in the country with its quaint towns and colorful landscapes. It also offers many historic sites and
activities to keep its many visitors interested and busy.
About Vermont