48 hours in Vermont
Two days is enough to hit Burlington, taste 3 local cheeses, and stand on a covered bridge — if you plan tight and drive smart.
Day 1: Burlington and Lake Champlain
Start on Church Street Marketplace with a maple latte from Muddy Waters on Main Street (around $5). Walk down to the ECHO Center on College Street for the lake, then rent a bike at Local Motion on the waterfront ($30 for a half day) and ride the Island Line out toward the Colchester Causeway. Back in town, lunch at American Flatbread on St. Paul Street for a wood-fired pie (around $18). End with sunset at Battery Park and dinner at Hen of the Wood on Bank Street — book a week ahead.
Day 2: Stowe and Waterbury
Drive I-89 south 40 minutes to Waterbury. Ben & Jerry's factory tour on Route 100 costs $6 and takes 30 minutes with samples. Continue north to Stowe: hike Sterling Pond off the Route 108 notch (2.4 miles, closed in winter) or ride the gondola at Stowe Mountain Resort ($34). Eat lunch at The Bench on Mountain Road for wood-fired flatbread and Vermont beer. Stop at Cold Hollow Cider Mill on the way back for a $2 cider donut before returning to Burlington.
Where to sleep
Base yourself in Burlington to skip repeat drives. Hotel Vermont on Cherry Street is the sharp choice at $280-$380; the Made INN Vermont B&B on North Willard runs about $220 with breakfast. Budget travelers should look at North Beach Campground on Institute Road ($40 tent, walk to town) or the Burlington Hostel on Main Street from $55. Avoid staying in Stowe unless you’re skiing — the drive back on Route 100 after dinner is dark and full of moose.