Vermont in pictures
I hadn’t been to New England since I was about 10 years old, so I decided on a whim to use the long Labor Day weekend to take a drive up there for some hiking, sightseeing, and brewery visiting. Despite being drenched on Sunday by the remnants of Hurricane Harvey, the road trip was worth every minute.
If it were closer to family, Vermont would be the kind of place I’d love to live. It boasts beautiful landscapes; its people are friendly and laid-back, and unlike large portions of the country, they generally don’t elect neanderthals or implement barbaric policies.
To the contrary, for being such a tiny state (45th in land area and second only to Wyoming for lowest population), Vermont has made some remarkably positive contributions to America — from progressive politicians like Bernie Sanders to socially responsible companies like Ben & Jerry’s. (Take the tour of the ice cream factory if you visit; you won’t be disappointed.)
Imagine if it had the political clout of, say, Texas. This country would be a much better place.
I started my visit in Burlington, the state’s largest city despite its modest population of just over 40,000. Home to the University of Vermont, it’s a lovely college town situated on the eastern shore of Lake Champlain, less than an hour south of the Canadian border. With a lively pedestrian mall and a wealth of excellent restaurants, coffee shops, and pubs, it reminded me a bit of Iowa City, where I attended college.
Then, of course, there’s the beer. Burlington boasts a thriving craft beer scene. I only had time to hit up three of its offerings, but all were excellent — Foam Brewers along the downtown waterfront, as well as Zero Gravity Craft Brewery and Queen City Brewery just south of downtown.
From Burlington, I headed east toward the idyllic Stowe region. In addition to world-renowned ice cream and a ski resort, you’ll find plenty of locally-owned and sourced food and drink establishments, not to mention a wide variety of outdoor activities. This area is home to the state’s highest peak, Mount Mansfield, as well as miles of trails that trek through rugged forests, meadows, and even alpine tundra.
Though the town clearly caters heavily to tourists — or, more likely, precisely because of that — Stowe might be the ideal prototype for a postcard-perfect, bucolic New England village. Strolling down its main street on a pleasant late summer morning with a cup of locally roasted organic coffee in hand, you might just forget, if only for a moment, how quickly this country is going down the toilet.
Speaking of pastoral towns, if you head a little further east from Stowe and Waterbury, Vermont, you’ll reach Montpelier, the state capital. With a population of under 8,000, it’s the smallest state capital city in the country, but it still has a lovely little downtown area with plenty of local shops and eateries, as well as an impressive state house with a gold leaf dome.
To be sure, Vermont has its problems like anywhere else. The winters are long, cold, snowy, and dark. The employment opportunities are limited compared to states with much larger cities and job markets. There’s a serious heroin epidemic here, perhaps largely a result of both the aforementioned.
No place is perfect. But to the extent that this country still offers wonderful destinations and people — as I sincerely believe it does — Vermont is a great example. It’s a worthwhile place to visit, and if you’re like me, you might actually be tempted to move there.
