Top 10 Attractions in Vermont

From castles to museums, and even a glimpse into the makings of everyone’s favorite ice cream, here are the Top 10 Vermont attractions.

1. Wilson Castle
   West Proctor Road
   Center Rutland, VT   05736
   802-773-3284
   

   Visitors to Wilson Castle in Vermont will be reminded of days past. The castle is an homage to, well, castles. Above and beyond that rather obvious sentiment, it serves to symbolize the complex developments of Western Civilization which ushered our country into its modern age. An architectural masterpiece, the castle will wow guests with its authentic designs and ornate embellishments. Passed down through five generations of Wilsons, the public has finally inherited the castle, and may now gape in wonder at its blend of medieval European style.

2. American Precision Museum
   196 Main Street
   Windsor, VT   05089
   802-674-5781
   

   This museum, housed in an authentic brick building dating back at least 100 years, tributes the improvements which led from the antiquities of artisans and blacksmiths to the mass-production technologies which nowadays churn out sufficient quantities of gizmos and gadgets to satiate the world. Yes, this institutionalized celebration of the American industrial revolution pits you against a world of machine tools, rifles, and a working 19th century gun shop, all behind the glass like you’ve never seen it before.

3. Ben & Jerry’s Factory Tour
   1281 Waterbury-Stowe Road
   Waterbury, VT   05676
   802-882-1240
   

   What’s your favorite ice cream? False but ostensibly accurate statistics claims that chances are two out of three you said “Ben & Jerry’s.” Another false statistic: 1/4 of all ice cream purchased in the US is of the “Chunky Monkey” flavor. Now, finally, the real statistics: we are 100% sure that guests to Ben & Jerry’s Factory Tour will enjoy a deliciously insightful time on their 30-minute guided tours into the Ben & Jerry’s factory’s scrumptious inner-workings. Educate yourself on the subject of your creamiest indulgences before you treat the family to a daily sample provided gratis by the happiness-toting BJ Co. themselves.

4. Billings Farm & Museum
   Route 12 North & River Road
   Woodstock, VT   05091
   802-457-2355
   

   You heard it from us: there ain’t nothing like real Jersey dairy. And on your Vermont trip you can find out for yourself if you didn’t already know the sumptuous goodness that comes out of these cows. See up-close and firsthand the process from cow to carton, and then take part in the interactive activities and historical exhibits which have won this Farm awards. Don’t come to Vermont without setting a day aside to visit these celebrity cows – you might even get an autograph!

5. Boyden Valley Winery
   64 VT Route 104
   Cambridge, VT   05444
   802-644-8151
   

   A vineyard in Vermont – who knew? Guests to Vermont seeking a day’s pleasurable rambling through the grape-laden fields proffered in Boyden Valley will be relived when they discover this winery’s whereabouts. Tours offered will educate guests on the intriguing fermentation process which so many empty glasses have come to rely upon. Boyden Valley specializes in producing International award-winning wines, so take part in the prestige and do a little tasting while you’re at it.

6. Cornish Colony Museum
   147 Main Street
   Windsor, VT   05089
   802-674-6008
   

   See the colonialists at their most prolific and inspired at this art gallery which features solely the work of the initial American settlers and their immediate followers. Your interpretation of these works of art may well be one of the best windows you have to viewing the world and happenings of the 17th- and 18th-century colonialists who laid down the democratic foundations of our nation as we know it today.

7. Vermont History Museum
   109 State Street
   Montpelier, VT   05609
   802-828-2291
   

   The Vermont History Museum is wholly dedicated to the preservation of Vermont’s rich history, from pre-America to the modern century. Old antiques and relics of times past are harbored behind the glass you’ll find garnishing the interior displays of this wonderful cross-section of a glorious state’s past.

8. VINS Nature Center
   Route 4, just 1/4 mile west of Quechee Gorge
   Quechee, VT   05059
   802-359-5000
   

   Learn about the natural inclinations of Vermont’s most intense creatures. We’re not talking about humans here; we’re talking about raptors, those birds of magnificent prey such as owls, eagles, hawks and falcons. The VINS Nature Center has all of these in rampant abundance, as well as 20 additional species, all for your live amazement. Nature trails and a nature shop add a major dose of green to the monochromatic hues which these fascinating denizens of nature sport around.

9. Rock of Ages Granite Quarries
   558 Graniteville Rd
   Graniteville, VT   05654
   802-476-3119
   

   Head over to the Granite Quarries on Graniteville Road in Graniteville, Vermont, and take a wild guess what you’ll find there. That’s right – granite, in abundant supply and nomenclature, in its natural setting. Join a spectacular narrated tour through the world’s largest active granite quarry, and watch as the industry of Graniteville comes to life, performing a perfectly nonchalant expose on the amazing process which starts deep within the earth and ends up at the tip of your pencil.

10. Gifford Woods State Park
    34 Gifford Woods
    267 Springfield Road
    Killington, VT   05751
    802-775-5354
    

    Don’t miss an opportunity to come to Gifford Woods State Park and hike The Appalachian Trail. The trail runs through the park, and many hikers pass through on their way from Georgia to Maine and vice versa. Visit in the fall, when you can enjoy the spectacular colors of the foliage, or take in the beautiful panoramic views from Deer Leap Mountain at any time of year.

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