Stowe & The Green Mountains

The Green Mountains have long been a popular region with British visitors, with many beautiful villages to base yourself in and explore.

Stowe is one of the most well-known and this charming, traditional resort, with its small shops, attractive B&Bs and stylish restaurants is great for summer hiking and biking, in autumn for viewing the gorgeous fall foliage and a world-class ski resort in winter. Its picturesque backdrop is dominated by Mount Mansfield,  which at 4,393-foot is Vermont’s highest peak.

Just south of Stowe, is Waterbury, home to Ben & Jerry’s ice cream factory; take the tour and then test taste one of the new flavours.

Burlington, on Lake Champlain, is the state’s biggest city, even though its population is a mere 40,000. Check out Vermont-made crafts in the Frog Hollow shop; cruise the lake aboard The Spirit of Ethan Allen III.

Some of the state’s prettiest villages are in the southern section of the Green Mountains such as Grafton, with its tavern, village store, historic homes, cheese making company and romantic covered bridges. Then there is Manchester where for fisherman the Orvis flagship store and American Museum of Fly Fishing are a draw, while history buffs want to see Hildene, the family home and estate of President Abraham Lincoln’s son, Robert. Shoppers head for the designer outlet village, where top brand names are discounted year-round.

Nearby, the surprisingly steep Skyline Drive leads to the summit of Mount Equinox (3,848 feet) where you can enjoy panoramic vistas over four states.

Climb the 306-foot-tall obelisk – which commemorates the 1777 battle against the British –  for super views in the village of Bennington or visit the Bennington Museum to see the work of farmer’s wife-turned-painter, Grandma Moses.

Woodstock is one of the state’s most photogenic villages, with its 19th-century white clapboard  homes and the venerable Woodstock Inn. Nearby is Quechee, where old mill buildings now house Simon Pearce’s fine restaurant and glass-blowing studio.