★ 4.0Situated in the center, containing Montpelier, the state capital.
The tiny gold-domed capital, the granite city of Barre and the ski-and-brewery Mad River Valley.
Where to stay in Washington County
Montpelier suits anyone who wants to leave the car parked in the evening: the whole downtown is a few blocks of State and Main, and you are within forty minutes of Stowe, Barre, Waterbury and the Mad River Valley. Waterbury at I-89 exit 10 is the better base if skiing is the point, since it sits at the top of VT-100 with Stowe twenty minutes north and the valley half an hour south, and it has the Amtrak stop and the busiest food and beer scene in the county. Barre, five minutes from Montpelier, is consistently the cheaper bed and the granite quarries are on its doorstep. Note that Montpelier rooms tighten during the legislative session from January to spring and around graduations, and Waterbury fills on winter weekends, so both reward booking ahead.
Hand-checked stays
Stays in Washington County
★ 4.0
★ 4.0
★ 4.0
★ 4.0On the ground
Things to do in Washington County
- Vermont State HouseTour America’s smallest, most walkable state capital and its gilded dome.
- Ben & Jerry’s factoryThe original Waterbury factory tour, flavor graveyard included.
- Mad River ValleySugarbush and Mad River Glen skiing above the villages of Waitsfield and Warren.
- Hope Cemetery, BarreAstonishing granite sculpture carved by the artisans of the Granite Capital of the World.
Getting around & the essentials
Transport
I-89 runs the length of the county, with exit 7 for Barre and Berlin, exit 8 for Montpelier and exit 10 for Waterbury and VT-100 into the Mad River Valley. Amtrak’s Vermonter calls at Waterbury and Montpelier Junction, and Burlington International is around forty minutes from Montpelier. Green Mountain Transit runs commuter buses on the Montpelier-Burlington and valley routes, but a car is close to essential for the ski areas and back roads.
Good to know
Common questions
Where should I base myself in the county?
Montpelier or Waterbury if you want to be on the I-89 corridor with easy runs to Stowe, Burlington and Barre. Waitsfield or Warren if you are here to ski or to spend time in the Mad River Valley, which is beautiful but a good half hour off the interstate.
Can I get here by train?
Yes. Amtrak’s Vermonter stops daily at Waterbury and at Montpelier Junction, with through service to New York and Washington. It is a genuinely pleasant way to arrive, but you will need a car or a lift once you are here, especially for the valley.
Mad River Glen or Sugarbush?
Mad River Glen is small, steep, cooperatively owned, largely ungroomed and does not allow snowboards. Sugarbush is much bigger, split across two mountain areas, with more grooming, more lifts and more lodging at the base. Locals often buy passes for one and visit the other.
Is Montpelier worth an overnight?
A single night covers the town itself comfortably, but it works well as a central base for several days. Stowe, Barre, Waterbury and the Mad River Valley are all within thirty to forty minutes, and Burlington is under an hour.
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