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New England

Vermont

Walkable villages, a spine of scenic driving, and a fall season worth planning a weekend around.

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Vermont rewards a small plan. The state is compact, the good parts are close together, and the mistake most first-time visitors make is treating it as a checklist rather than a place to settle into for a few days.

Route 100 runs most of the length of the state and links a lot of what people come for — villages, farm stands, overlooks, and a reasonable supply of places to stay. Picking one or two bases along it and driving out from them beats moving hotels every night.

Fall is the season Vermont is known for, and it is genuinely worth it. It is also the season where timing is least predictable and lodging is tightest, which is why the guides here spend more time on when and where to base than on what to photograph.

Know before you go

  • Foliage timing moves with elevation and weather. Official reports update weekly through the season — check one before committing to a driving route.
  • Peak-weekend lodging in the well-known towns books well ahead, and minimum-night stays are common in fall.
  • Distances look short on a map but the roads are two-lane and slow. Plan fewer stops than seem possible.

Where this comes from

Hours, prices, and conditions change. For anything time-sensitive, check the official source above before you go.