[vter]

What is your favorite part of Vermont and why? Thought it would be a fun way to learn about different parts of our great state.

I have travelled to every corner of Vermont and pretty much everywhere in between. I have 2 favorite areas, not 1!

#1: The Northeast Kingdom: This is the part of Vermont that time has forgotten. It also hasnt been "touristified" like the southern part of Vermont. Many say its the last part of "real" Vermont left. It's absolutely gorgeous - beautiful lakes (Willoughby, Crystal, Joes, Memphremagog, etc) and mountains (Burke area). Nice small towns - Danville, Burke, Sutton, Barnet, Newark, Peacham.

#2 Middlebury area: The Middlebury area is a good blend of the old Vermont vs. the new Vermont. Middlebury is in Addison County which historically is Vermont's #1 dairy farming county. The soils in the Champlain Valley are great for farming. Drive through the Bridport/Shoreham/Addison area and you'll see many farms. The beautiful and they smell great this time of year
In the immediate Middlebury area you'll see more of the "new" Vermont. Nice restaurants, shops, etc. The thing I like best about Middlebury is how the two Vermonts blend together. One one street I can shop at Agway for my farm/garden supplies, Vermont Soap Co. for some nice soaps, and pick up a growler of beer at Otter Creek Brewing. South of town I can hit up the Paris Farmers Uniom Store, get some hardware at Martin's true value, and grab a nice bottle of wine and a good sandwich from the Grapevine Deli. In the Middlebury area you can hit up a good concert/lecture at the college and the next night go to a tractor pull at Addison Cty Field Days. Gotta love it.

[harry chickpea]

If it as a view of Camel's Hump, I'll probably like it. This is about the only mountain I know that has such a distinctive shape that it is instantly recognizable, and that outline is visible from a number of different angles. Sometimes it feels as though the mountain turns to present its best side.

Spots to love - canoing/drifting down the Winooski below Bolton Falls. Climbing the hogback east of Waterbury Center. Lake Willoughby on a calm day. Any part of Lake Champlain about 7 AM, when the water is like glass and the business of the day hasn't started. The Big Spring in Smugglers Notch. Parts of the back road through Morristown on the way to Johnson. The Sunday buffet at the inn in Jeffersonville. A number of other places that hopefully will remain undiscovered for a while, some that exist only in the past, like Carbur's the way it was in Burlington, the Cree Mee stand in WIlliston before Ben & Jerry's, or T-Bones with the Stanley Steamer, or the Shakeys in south Burlington that had Smokey Carey pickin banjo better than most Nashville groups.

Good choice for a thread.

[quickdraw]

The Mad River Valley- I can't explain it, but it's just so laid back and peaceful with an artsy feel. I love the Drive from Waterbury to Warren-always finishing up with a sandwich at the general store in Warren

[1luvvt]

when after driving though nj and ny to get to vt and seeing the," welcome to vermont sign," a big sigh of relief and knowing if i am lucky that i will not see anyone from nj or ny. saying hello to my nieghbors and just sitting by the lake and hearing the sound of silence. then at night seeing all the stars that i haven't seen since i was a kid, priceless.

[Sherylcatmom]

Don't know if I have a favorite place. I enjoy almost every part of Vermont that I've seen.

Today we took a drive to (and several walks through) the Upper Valley: White River Junction/Hartford, Sharon, S. Royalton, and Bethel. The White River is so beautiful and varied depending on where you view it from. The water was high and foaming with intensity in places. The old houses are gorgeous and I like to imagine what life around them looked like when they were new.

Then we drove home to Rutland via 107/100/4 and walked two of our cats, Bailey and Sammy the Serpent. They romped with abandon, rolled joyfully in the dirt, ate grass (and cacked it up), then came inside and fell on their sides, exhausted and happy.

What a gorgeous day! It was another one of those, "Ahhhh, I really live here," kind of days.

[square peg]

I truly enjoy living in the Northeast Kingdom. The beauty of the back roads, hiking on the Long Trail, Lake Memphremagog, Jay Peak, the 7 covered bridges in Montgomery, though just outside of the kingdom. Hazen's Notch. All of the small towns and their residents who, for the most part are very approachable. Willey's Store in Greensboro, Currier's in Glover and The Evansville Trading Post; All true general stores that are a pleasure to spend some serious time in. Main Street in St. J is among the most charming anywhere. The Fairbanks Museum and The Athenaeum are great rainy day destinations, as is the Old Stone House Museum in Brownington.

But I also enjoy Burlington. Church Street, The Flynn Theater and the waterfront are some of my favorite places in the world, let alone Vermont.

I really could go on and on...

[NYLIER]

By far my home is my favorite place. Everything I love is here. I have a river going through the property. I love to sit on the swing and just listen to the sound of the river. It is so peaceful. I asked my husband to give me his opinion and he agreed w/me. Second choice for him would be Mallett's Bay near Burlington. I haven't been there but it sounds beautiful. I have been to North/South Hero and Grand Isle which I loved. Any place where I can see both water and mountains to me is heaven on earth.

[68vette]

My favorite part of Vermont is Malletts Bay in Colchester. I'm bias because thats where we live, but it is breath taking. Anywhere on the lake for that matter is beautiful. On of the most spectacular sights that you can see is a sunset over the Adirondack mountains while on the Vermont side looking over the lake. The best sunsets are in the summer(won't be long now) and a place to veiw it is in Burlington.

[flu189]

There are so many spots in Vermont that have a special appeal whatever the season. I enjoy where I live in the western foothills of Camel's Hump which on my road presents several nice views. A nice mixture of terrain, forest types, and the Huntington River for swimming, yet close enough to commute to work and other attractions of the region rounds it out. Overall, I would have to say that the 274 mile Long Trail running the length of the state from Mass to Canada rates as my favorite. There is just so much variety along the route which has provided me the best memories of the state.

[Lilybeans]

I like the Kingdom quite a bit, but I think my favorite spot is Silver Lake in Barnard.