So, you want to walk the walk and talk the talk and get the real Vermont experience #stickseason. Well, let’s start by testing some basic knowledge:
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Where is a Vermonter most likely to have a second home?
a. Stoweish
b. Woodstock
c. Newport? Danby? Idk, somewhere in the Northeast Kingdom.
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What is the first line to the Vermont state song?
a. “These Green Hills and Silver Waters”
b. “The snow is falling, it’s a wonderful day”
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Where are the worst drivers from?
a. New York
b. Connecticut
c. Massachusetts
Alright, even if you got those right, don’t give yourself a pat on the back just yet — I know it was due to the process of elimination, not any wisp of insider knowledge. That being said, I am not a Middlebury resident and cannot claim to have the inside scoop. I’m from southern Vermont — Brattleboro, to be precise. Before coming to Middlebury, I had never heard of or wanted a SuperPuff to brave the cold, and I still don’t know how to pronounce Arc’teryx.
Being from Vermont means going to your town bar on Blackout Wednesday with everyone who graduated from your high school in the last 20 years, never learning world geography in your public school education and hiding from your second-grade teacher at the farmers market. It’s about knowing where to find the crispiest cider donuts, placing wagers on the first frost when conversation falls short and having a family friend who carves fiddles in the woods.
Now I don’t mean to sound harsh or full of hate for my leaf peeping comrades. On the contrary, I would like to offer a roadmap of sorts for some things to do around our state that may have slipped through the cracks. Let’s call it: “A guide of arts and happenings in our brave little state.”
Dog Mountain – St. Johnsbury
A haven for dog lovers, complete with a chapel honoring past furry friends, sculpture-dotted trails and a real-life guardian black lab who seems ageless, almost as if he inspired the entire mountain himself.
Dog Mountain was created by folk artist Stephen Huneck and his wife, Gwen, after Stephen survived a fall that left him relearning how to walk – helped along, as he liked to say, by the constant company of his dogs. Today, the walls of the Dog Chapel are filled with thousands of poems, drawings and handwritten notes that cover nearly every surface, commemorating furry friends nearest and dearest.
Norton’s Gallery – Orwell
I stumbled across this gallery while musing over an artist-ghost from my past. The funny thing was that I discovered Norton doing the same, turning over memories of loss: He was in the middle of carving 1,000 little red cardinals in honor of his late wife. His woodshop was filled with carvings, yet the two of us simply sat together and watched the lake, sharing some kind of quiet understanding.
Brookfield Floating Bridge – Brookfield
A wooden bridge that literally floats on the water — equal parts charming and mildly concerning. Built in 1820 by Luther Adams and his neighbors, it’s the only floating bridge east of the Mississippi, bobbing on pontoons beneath Sunset Lake. And yes, it has been known to occasionally sink…
Big Picture Theater & Café – Waitsfield
Big Picture almost closed for good in 2024, but the community wouldn’t let it disappear. Neighbors formed a nonprofit, rebuilt the place piece by piece, and reopened it as “The Bigger Picture.” It’s now a cozy mix of movies, live music, a small bar and the kind of couch seating that makes every screening feel like you’re watching a film in a friend’s living room — the kind of spot that survives only because a whole town decides it matters.
Lemon Fair Sculpture Garden – Shoreham
I come here often, as it is right down the road from Middlebury. A retired doctor turned farmer and avid art lover filled his fields with grand sculptures for all to explore — a perfect five-minute escape from campus. Whether it’s made of wire, metal, concrete or some other material, you’re sure to discover your next favorite sculpture somewhere within the fields. Or, even contribute to a collaborative work of art. The garden most recently featured a community art project where anyone could contribute by tying fabric strips to a metal structure.
The truth is, many of these places aren’t niche, underground secrets – well, maybe one or two (I didn’t even know about half the Addison County spots until I moved here). Most of them I found by typing “art” or “museum” into Google Maps and clicking whatever popped up. This kind of research is only possible in Vermont: you get just enough options so that there are technically choices, but not so many that you feel overwhelmed. And honestly, that kind of planning leads to the best adventures. The kind where you set out for a tiny garage gallery with no real expectations, only to stop at three general stores, discover the oldest maple leaf fossil in North America and leave unexpectedly moved by the process of uncovering the artist’s world of passion.
So, if you ever find yourself bored on a Saturday or just needing to breathe air that hasn’t been circulated through Davis for 12 hours, take this as your invitation to wander a little. Pick a dot on the map, follow a hand-painted sign, let yourself get lost in a back road or two. Vermont isn’t loud about what it has to offer, but it rewards anyone willing to go looking. And who knows — you might just end up with a new favorite place, or a story that belongs only to you.
