Beautiful Towns in Vermont to Visit this Fall (Besides Stowe and Woodstock)
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First, let me say that I LOVE both Stowe and Woodstock and have written extensively about them both.
They are the most popular small-town destinations in Vermont for good reason — they’re beautiful, historic, and quirky — and they have the infrastructure to support visitors.
The downside to Stowe and Woodstock is that they are VERY well-known, and quite crowded in the fall. Does that mean you shouldn’t visit? Not at all!
But, if your goal is to get off the beaten path and explore some lesser-known spots in Vermont while still discovering fantastic fall foliage, beautiful trails, and fun historic sites, here are a few more ideas — beautiful towns in Vermont for all the fall goodness the state is known for.
Richmond
One of my favorite regions of Vermont is just east of Burlington, where the Green Mountains start to rise up from the Champlain Valley, and the busy roads surrounding the city give way to rural lanes and dirt roads through the mountains.
A picture-perfect town in its own right, Richmond is a small enclave on the Winooski River, and it’s an ideal home base for exploring rugged mountains, hidden waterfalls, and fascinating museums and historic sites.
A weekend in Richmond must include a visit to the Old Round Church, which is actually a 16-sided polygon built more than 200 years ago.
It was built to be a place of worship for five Protestant denominations: Baptists, Christians, Congregationalists, Methodists, and Universalists. Members of each denomination financed the construction of the church.
Stop by Stone’s Throw Pizza, our top choice for an easy, casual dinner. On warm evenings, you can order a pizza and craft beers and enjoy them in the cozy outdoor seating area.
The gourmet pizza menu is eclectic, with so many delicious choices! We tried the Eden with white sauce, roasted apples, bacon, blue cheese, parsley, and a honey drizzle. There are vegan choices and gluten-free pizzas, too!
In nearby Huntington, check out Honey Hollow Falls in Camel’s Hump State Park.
This is one of my favorite waterfalls to photograph because the hollow is bordered by drippy moss and drooping ferns, and it’s just a few miles from Huntington Gorge.
The falls are part of Preston Brook in Bolton and consist of several beautiful cascades tumbling over the rocks. Honey Hollow Falls is one of the waterfalls I discovered in New England Waterfalls by Greg Parsons and Kate B. Watson, one of my favorite books for finding hidden waterfalls in Vermont.
Finally, head to the Birds of Vermont Museum, also in Huntington, which is dedicated almost entirely to the art of carving Vermont birds out of wood. Based on the work of founding director Bob Spear, this hidden gem features hundreds of intricately carved birds by master wood carvers.
Bob carved his first bird when he was 18 years old in 1938 and continued to carve birds for the rest of his life. His vision was to carve all of Vermont’s nesting birds in their natural habitat. He carved more than 500 life-size birds in his lifetime!
The Birds of Vermont Museum is open between May and October, Wednesday to Sunday, 10 am – 4 pm.
Read our full weekend itinerary for Richmond, Vermont in the Fall
Ludlow
The beautiful town of Ludlow is tucked in the Okemo Valley and surrounded by the Green Mountains. With just over 2,000 residents, Ludlow is probably best known as the home to Okemo Mountain Resort.
The village of Ludlow has enough restaurants and shopping to keep visitors enthralled for a couple of days, and the outdoor pursuits and attractions in the surrounding towns mean that you’ll never run out of things to do.
Start by driving (or hiking) to the top of Okemo Mountain and then climbing the fire tower for exquisite views of the Green Mountains.
Next, check out Buttermilk Falls, a series of three small waterfalls along the Branch Brook in Okemo State Forest. The falls are practically roadside but hidden from view down an easy, 0.2-mile trail.
The river is protected by the Vermont River Conservancy and cared for by the staff at Camp Plymouth State Park. This is one of the easiest waterfalls in Vermont to get to and also one of the prettiest to photograph in the fall.
For dinner, make reservations at Homestyle Hotel in downtown Ludlow. Meals are served family-style, and the cocktails are divine!
Read our full itinerary for a fall weekend based in Ludlow, Vermont
Bennington
Tucked away in the southwest corner of Vermont, Bennington is a small town bookended by two mountain ranges (the Greens and the Taconics) and surrounded by farms and forests.
Bennington’s walkable downtown includes several breweries and great restaurants, plus a few intriguing shops.
Located just three and a half hours from New York City, three hours from Boston, and an hour from Albany, Bennington is the gateway to Vermont and well worth a visit, no matter where you’re coming from.
Whether you’ve explored Old Bennington before or are visiting for the first time, there’s a lot to discover on an Old Bennington walking tour.
This self-guided tour of Old Bennington will lead you past some of the area’s most interesting historic sites, including the Old First Church, the Bennington Battle Monument, and the site of the former Catamount Tavern.
Next, visit the Bennington Museum, which tells the story of the region through its history and art, featuring rotating exhibits and the most extensive collection of Grandma Moses paintings you’ll find anywhere.
For ethereal cocktails (seriously, the best in Vemront) and small plates in a cozy setting, make reservations at the Miller’s Toll on Main Street.
Plan a Fall Foliage Weekend in Bennington, Vermont
Wilmington
Tucked into the southern terminus of the Green Mountains of Vermont, Wilmington is a tiny village of just over 2,000 people.
It sits on the crossroads of Vermont Route 9, which runs east and west, and Vermont Route 100, which runs the length of Vermont, from Massachusetts to Canada.
Wilmington is fortunate to have both mountains and lakes close by for outdoor adventures, not to mention one of the cutest New England villages in this part of the state.
Visitors to Wilmington will find more than a dozen restaurants offering eclectic culinary options, quirky, independent shopping opportunities, and a variety of lodging choices, ranging from campgrounds and mom-and-pop motels to upscale luxury inns and resorts.
Pack a picnic and hang out on the shores of Lake Whitingham, one of Vermont’s largest lakes, before hiking to the top of Haystack Mountain or Mount Olga.
After enjoying the trails around Wilmington, head to Valley Craft Ales for a craft beer and a wood-fired pizza.
Read more about our favorite things to do in Wilmington, Vermont
Grafton
There are no major thoroughfares through Grafton. No stoplights. No sidewalks either. Just a tiny hamlet of historic homes, a single sprawling inn, and a handful of wonderful local businesses with an eye toward community building.
With its historic homes and quiet streets, Grafton is a town straight out of a storybook. Most of the homes in Grafton Village were built in the 1800s, and with a population of fewer than 700 people, it’s a very close-knit community.
If you are longing to trade that frantic pace for a bit of a meander this autumn, Grafton, Vermont, is the weekend getaway you’re after!
A fall getaway in Grafton involves thumbing through historic volumes by the fire at the iconic Grafton Inn, meandering along woodland trails with leaves crunching under your feet, and indulging in copious amounts of award-winning cheese at local restaurants. Are you in?
Check into the Grafton Inn, grab a bite to eat from MKT Grafton, and spend the day meandering past the historic homes and browsing the shops.
In the afternoon, take a hike at Grafton Trails and Outdoor Center before enjoying dinner at the Phelps Barn Pub.
Plymouth Notch
Plymouth Notch is the birthplace and boyhood home of Calvin Coolidge, our 30th president. His homestead and the surrounding village have remained virtually unchanged since the 20th century.
The village is known as the Plymouth Notch Historic District and is on the National Register of Historic Places.
Meander around the 600 acres, visit the Calvin Coolidge Museum and Education Center, and check out dozens of historically preserved buildings.
Guided tours are offered daily, allowing you to see where Calvin Coolidge was born, as well as where he was sworn into office on August 3, 1923, following the death of President Warren G. Harding the previous evening.
Be sure to stop at Plymouth Artisan Cheese for some samples, take a hike at Coolidge State Park, and stop into Long Trail Brewing for a cold beer in nearby Bridgewater Corners.
East Burke
I’d venture to bet that you’re not coming to Vermont for all-night dance parties, high-end shopping, or luxurious accommodations, although you may stumble upon those things from time to time.
The northeast corner of Vermont is a wild and sparsely populated region. It is so remote that it has become a magnet for those seeking an off-grid life or for tourists looking to escape the crowds of popular resort towns.
One of my favorite Northeast Kingdom towns is the tiny village of East Burke. It’s one of those blink-and-you’ll-miss-it towns with a gas station, country store (with amazing sandwiches), and a few great eateries, but its outdoor recreation opportunities are second to none.
Start by hiking or driving to the top of Burke Mountain for crazy-gorgeous views of the northern Green Mountains. Climb Vermont’s oldest fire for even more dizzying views.
Next, grab a trail pass and ride Vermont’s famous Kingdom trails.
With over 100 miles of purpose-built trails winding through scenic meadows, hardwood forests, and quiet dirt roads, it’s no wonder Kingdom Trails has earned a reputation as a world-class biking destination.
Fuel your adventure with a sandwich from the Northeast Kingdom Country Store, and then spend some time driving the region’s back roads with your favorite Spotify playlist.
Read more about the best things to do in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom
These are just a handful of my favorite small towns in Vermont, but there are 252 worth visiting, and I can’t cover them all in a single post. What Vermont towns are you visiting this fall?
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