How to Spend a Vermont Summer : Where to Go & What to Do
Vermont is a BEAUTIFUL state filled with lots of mountains, ski resorts, untamed land, and much more. Growing up in upstate New York, I have done my fair share of Vermont traveling, mainly to Burlington and different ski resorts. However, I have found MANY of my favorite places and things to do when it comes to traveling in Vermont, specifically during the summer.
In this article, you will learn all about how to spend a summer in Vermont. You will also learn about summer festivals, vacation spots, summer resorts, the best Vermont summer resorts for families, where to stay in Vermont in the summer, and much more.
This post is all about Vermont Summer.
Vermont Summer:
Vermont Summer Vacation Spots
There are many different places you and your family can vacation in Vermont, specifically, at many different mountains and lakes. If you are a lake/outdoor person, then I HIGHLY recommend considering visiting or vacationing in Vermont this summer. There are many Vermont summer rentals for lake houses that you can choose from within the state of Vermont. This is another great website that will list you different houses to choose from. AirBnB is also a great website to look at for lake houses. Here are some of the best places to visit in Vermont in the summer:
- Crystal Lake
- Lake Willoughby
- Lake Saint Catherine
- Lake Champlain & so many more lake vacation rentals that you can find here.
- Glacial Lake
- Colchester Causeway Trail, close to Burlington on Lake Champion
- Burlington, Vermont
- Killington & Pico Mountains
- Jay Peak
- Mad River Glen
- Stowe, Vermont
- Stratton Mountain and Climb Mount Everest
- Bromley, Vermont
- The Green Mountains
- Maple Syrup Farm
- Lavender Farms
- Woodstock, Vermont
- Vermont Summer Festivals
{Related Post : Best Lakes on the East Coast}
Burlington, Vermont Summer
There are PLENTY of things to do in Burlington, Vermont. It is a GREAT small city to explore. Which is why I HIGHLY recommend visiting or staying here if you want a central location to stay in while you do all your other festivities in Vermont. Here are some of the things I recommend doing while in Vermont this summer.
- Go to Ski the East store, gift shop, and BREWERY.
- Go on a bar crawl and go to Rí Rá’s, and other notable bars you can find here.
- Here are some restaurants I would try and eat at, also GO TO Henry’s Diner for breakfast, it has great prices and food but it’s also very small and gets crowded easily.
- Visit the University of Vermont Campus.
- Go to REI and get all the outdoor gear you need in Williston, VT, about 15 minutes from Burlington.
- Go to many of the nearby bike paths in Burlington and ride/rent a bike.
- Mountain bike at one of the nearby mountains in Vermont (Stowe).
- Hike Mount Mansfield (Vermont’s highest peak) or Camel’s Hump (Vermont 2nd highest peak), Mansfield is about an hour and Camel’s Hump is about an hour and a half from Burlington.
- Visit Shelburne Farms, about 15 minutes from Burlington.
- Go to Bromley to ride the Alpine slides, or their High Ropes Course about 2 hours and 15 minutes away from Burlington.
- Go to a Winery.
- Visit Stowe, about 40 minutes from Burlington.
Stowe, Vermont Summer
Alright, Stowe is actually known for being a great ski resort, that is about 40 minutes from Burlington. That being said, there are great things to do at Stowe in the summer. Stowe is one of Vermont’s largest ski resorts, unfortunately, also, it’s now operated by Epic. Here are some of the best things do to at Stowe in Vermont and here is a list with even more fun things to do.
- Paddle Board
- Hiking
- Mountain Bike
- Regular Biking
- Disco Golf
- Golf
- Fishing
- Zip lining
- Swimming
- Spas
{Related Post : The Best Ski Resorts in Vermont}
Hike the Green Mountains
The Green Mountains are a beautiful mountain range within the state of Vermont. The Green Mountains span a total of 250 miles from north to south in Vermont. Here are some great trails, that I recommend you hike within the Green Mountains.
- Mount Olga
- Deer Leap Trail
- Monadnock Mountain
- Jay Peak
- Pico Peak
- Baker Peak
- Burke Mountain
- Bald Mountain
- Stratton Mountain
- Killington Peak
- Hike all the 4,000fters in Vermont (there are 5 of them)
- Hike the Long Trail (only for EXPERIENCED backpackers, a total of 272 miles)
Vermont Summer Festivals
When the sun is out and the days are long, Vermont is a GREAT place to hold festivals. Vermont is known for its endless untamed land, which makes it a perfect atmosphere for festivals. So, here are the best festivals ranging from arts festivals, to jazz festivals, and everything in between, listed below.
- Green Mountain Bluegrass & Roots Festival
- Quechee Hot Air Balloon and Crafts Festival
- Vermont Maple Festival
- Festival of Fools
- Burlington Jazz Festival
- Blueberry Bash
- Brewers Festival
- Trapp Family Lodge Oktoberfest
- Vermont Sheep & Wool Festival
- Springfield Vermont Steampunk Festival
- Renaissance Faire
- Vermont Shakespeare Festival
- Vermont Cheesemakers Festival
Vermont Summer Weather
Now, Vermont summer temperatures are much like upstate New York. In the mountains, it’s much more unpredictable, however, in Burlington, it tends to follow the weather stations much more accurately. Typically, the weather never reaches over 95℉, usually the summer temperatures will stay around 70-85℉. However, in July and August, you will see more of the 90 and sometimes 95℉ weather. And Vermont, much like upstate New York, can get very humid, so the heat really feels like 100℉ sometimes based on how humid it is.
{Related Post : Everything You Need to Know Before Visiting Upstate New York}
Where to stay in Vermont in the Summer
There are plenty of places to stay in Vermont during the summer. There are a lot of different Vermont summer resorts to stay at, and great Vermont summer resorts for families. It all depends on the location that you want to be in. For example, if you want more of a resort feel I would stay at one of the ski resorts, like Stowe.
However, if you want to explore more and know you’re going to drive/travel to a lot of different places, then I would stay in Burlington, VT, for a more central location/easy getaway to other places. Below are some great resorts to stay at, and here are some great AirBnB’s to stay at in Burlington.
And that wraps up everything you need to know about how to spend a summer in Vermont. Vermont truly is a beautiful, peaceful, quiet state in America. If you are in need of some peace and quiet, and beauty, then Vermont is for you. Thank you so much for reading and I hope you get to visit some of these awesome places to see, take care!
