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© The Mountain Times 2010
Added Attractions
If you like to do different things, to get off the beaten track, to do the unusual, the extraordinary, you won’t be disappointed in the Crossroads of Vermont. Whether it’s seeing the breathtaking views from Killington or Pico summit, enjoying the thrill of descending from summit to base by Alpine Slide, or cheering the modified racers at Devil’s Bowl Speedway, it’s all there for you with the fresh air and multi-shades of Vermont green as a backdrop.
How about a covered bridge tour? Covered bridges are one of the enduring symbols of Vermont’s past, yet they remain practical and functional today. They were built to protect the bridge from exposure to the rigors of winter, and they also allowed horses to cross without being spooked by the flowing water below. There is an old superstition that says you should hold your breath whenever you pass through a covered bridge - give it a try! There are many historic covered bridges and other points of interest for your enjoyment at the Crossroads of Vermont.
If you like to do different things, to get off the beaten track, to do the unusual, the extraordinary, you won’t be disappointed in the Crossroads of Vermont. Whether it’s seeing the breathtaking views from Killington or Pico summit, enjoying the thrill of descending from summit to base by Alpine Slide, or cheering the modified racers at Devil’s Bowl Speedway, it’s all there for you with the fresh air and multi-shades of Vermont green as a backdrop.
How about a covered bridge tour? Covered bridges are one of the enduring symbols of Vermont’s past, yet they remain practical and functional today. They were built to protect the bridge from exposure to the rigors of winter, and they also allowed horses to cross without being spooked by the flowing water below. There is an old superstition that says you should hold your breath whenever you pass through a covered bridge - give it a try! There are many historic covered bridges and other points of interest for your enjoyment at the Crossroads of Vermont.
Billings Farm and Museum
Rt. 12N & River Road (GPS: 5302 River Road), Woodstock • (802) 457-2355 www.billingsfarm.org
Explore one of the finest Jersey dairy farms in America and a museum of Vermont’s rural past. Get comfortable with our cows, sheep, horses, oxen, and chickens through daily activities and programs. The operating farm, engaging farm life exhibits, and award-winning 1890 Farm House showcase this Woodstock landmark. Open daily, May-Oct., 10-5.; Weekends: Nov.-Feb. 10-3:30.
Devil’s Bowl Speedway
Rt. 22A, north of West Haven • (802) 265-3112
Competitive stock car racing in the 358 Modified, Sportsmen, Street Stock, and Hobby Stock divisions every Sunday evening at 7pm, May through Sept., with a special Little Devils Club for the children.
Flipside Skate Park
Preville Ave. at Giorgetti Park, Rutland • (802) 775-7976
Open summer hours. Skateboard, inline, or bmx on the 5 foot mini pipe. Watch for competition dates. Helmets required! www.flipsidepark.com
Green Mountain Rock Climbing Center & Vermont Adventure Tours
Woodstock Ave., Route 4, Rutland • (802) 773-3343, www.vermontclimbing.com, www.vermontadventuretours.com.
Have an indoor or outdoor rock climbing adventure. Choose from a huge indoor facility in Rutland or our smaller wall at Snowshed Lodge in Killington. Our indoor facilities are always sunny and temperature controlled. Kid friendly, we invite climbers from ages 3 years and up. Choose our outdoor adventures and let our safe, and knowledgeable guides take you on a natural high. Open seven days a week.
Hathaway Farm & Corn Maze
741 Prospect Hill Rd, Rutland • (802) 775-2624, www.hathawayfarm.com,
Stop in & see us for fun on the farm with your family & friends! We are a 3rd generation family farm raising all natural beef & we have been maple producers for over a century. On the weekends in March we invite you to share the maple sugaring experience with us. Help gather sap (when it’s running), see it boiling & then taste the syrup! Beginning in late July-Oct., we run the largest Corn Maze in Vermont...a themed maze with clues, bridges, punches to find & lots more. You’ll be Lost...Laughin’...and Lovin’ it! Visit the farm animals, have a hayride, pick some pumpkins & enjoy some of the best views in our state all at Hathaway Farm & Corn Maze.
The Inside Scoop and Antiques By The Falls
22 Park St., Brandon • (802) 247-6600
Two shops under one roof right next door to the Brandon Inn. Enjoy a treat from the ice cream parlor / soda fountain while meandering the nooks and crannies of an antique shop in an 1840s building. The Inside Scoop features Wilcox, Vermont's Original Ice Cream. Old-time specialties include sundaes, floats, milkshakes, and banana splits. Vermont food products, Vermont maple products, and penny and nostalgic candy varieties. Antiques By The Falls is an antiques and uniques shop with an eclectic offering of antiques, collectibles, smalls, glass, whimsical, toys, art, and furniture. Also specializing in original folk art, paintings, prints, and ephemera, and souvenir china. Large selection of antique, retro, and silver jewelry. Featuring Mexican folk art, wood carvings, masks, and Day of the Dead. 802-247-6600. www.brandon.org/insidescoop.
Killington Resort and Killington/Pico Mountain Adventure Center
Killington Rd., Killington. • (800) 621-MTNS, www.killington.com.
Summer fun rolls on long after the snow melts as the Killington Resort and the Pico Mountain Adventure Center offer many entertaining activities for kids of all ages.
Mountain Biking - Killington Resort’s Kona “Groove Approved” Mountain Bike Park features 45+ miles and a 1,700-foot vertical drop spread across five mountain areas, all served by the K-1 Gondola, offering everything from classic cross country singletrack to challenging big-bike downhill and freeriding trails.
As a Kona "Groove Approved" Mountain Bike Park, Killington offers a full rental fleet of Kona trail, freeride and downhill mountain bikes, including the Kona Coiler, Kona Dawg and the Kona Stinky.
Mountain bike and equipment rental is available in Killington’s rental and repair shop located in the K-1 Lodge, adjacent to the K-1 Gondola. Access on the K-1 Gondola with a mountain bike is weather permitting.
Climbing Wall - The Climbing Walls at Pico Mountain provide a great way to learn how to climb and a spectacular view of the mountains while doing so. Whether it’s your first ascent or you’re looking to hone your skills before heading out into the mountains, the Climbing Wall has everything you need.
K-1 Gondola Rides - Scenic rides to the peak of Killington. The K-1 Gondola leaves from the K-1 Lodge, located at the top of Killington Road, 5 miles from the junction of U.S. 4 and VT Route 100 North in Killington.
Alpine Slide - Pico Mountain gives summertime vacationers a great way to catch a breeze with the Alpine Slide. Ride the chairlift to the top of Little Pico and take off down one of the tracks. S-turns, banks and straight-aways will keep you moving as you plunge down 650 vertical feet. Or for a more leisurely descent, feel free to hike down or take the chair lift back to the base area.
Pico Power Jump - Combine a trampoline and a bungee jump and you get one of the wildest and exciting contraptions around at Pico Mountain.
Mini-Golf - Pico Mountain offers 19 fun-filled holes of mini golf that will be sure to challenge, delight and amuse individuals of all ages.
Long Trail Brewing Company
Jct. of Rt 4 & 100A, Bridgewater Corners • (802) 672-5011
Vermont’s best selling craft brew! Take a close-up look at the brewing process while sampling their fresh brews and enjoying a delicious lunch in the friendly and casual atmosphere. Relax on our sunny, riverside deck in the summer or cozy up to our Vermont Castings wood stove in the winter. Visitor Center & Pub and gift shop open 7 days a week from 10-6. Visit ecobrew.net and discover how a brewery can help keep our environment green. www.longtrail.com.
Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park
54 Elm St., Woodstock • (802) 457-3368
Home to pioneer conservationist George Perkins Marsh, the park includes a model forest developed by Frederick Billings and continued by granddaughter, Mary French Rockefeller and her husband Laurance S. Rockefeller. The park focuses on conservation themes and the stewardship of working landscapes and agricultural countryside. The Carriage Barn Visitor Center is open from Memorial Day weekend through October. Tours of the forest, mansion, and gardens are offered daily. www.nps.gov/mabi
Montshire Museum of Science
One Montshire Rd., Norwich • (802) 649-2200
The Montshire Museum of Science is a hands-on museum offering dozens of exciting exhibits relating to the natural and physical sciences, ecology, and technology. The building is located on a 110-acre site near the Connecticut River, and the Museums' outdoor environment is a large part of the visitor experience. Science Park is a two-acre exhibit area in a beautiful, park-like setting. Also outside is a network of easy-to-moderate walking trails for visitors of all ages and fitness levels. The Montshire Museum is an official visitor center for the Silvio O. Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge. Open daily 10am-5pm. www.montshire.org
New England Maple Museum
Rt. 7, Pittsford • (802) 483-9414
The story of maple sugaring is in the world’s largest maple museum. Antiques, paintings, slide show, folk art exhibits, maple syrup samples. A simulated boiling process, “sap to syrup” is presented all year. Gift Shop with mail order service. In-Season open daily, 8:30-5:30pm.
Paramount Theatre
Center St., Rutland • (802) 775-0903
Opened in 1914, The Playhouse Theatre of Rutland was considered by many to be one of the finest theaters in New England through the early part of the 20th century. Today as we embark on the 21st century The Paramount as it has been known since the early 1930's has been completely restored as the "Jewel of Downtown Rutland".
The Paramount Theatre is more than just a beautiful building that embraces the remarkable history of the area, it is a living performing arts venue that echoes with the voices of Sarah Bernhardt, Ethel Barrymore, Harry Houdini, Groucho Marx and others.
It is also the place were the hustle and bustle of theatre goers fill the auditorium and Center Street with excitement and exhilaration from seeing a performance or experiencing a special event. The applause of a live audience is still the magic that makes The Paramount come to life as Vermont's premiere showplace. Don’t forget to checkout The Brick Box for small, personal performances as well as artist exhibits. Visit www.paramountlive.org for a full line up of events.
President Calvin Coolidge State Historic Site
“Vermont’s Brigadoon” Plymouth Notch, Vermont • (802) 672-3773
Plymouth Notch, birthplace and boyhood home of Calvin Coolidge, is one of the best-preserved presidential sites in the nation. The small Vermont hill town is virtually unchanged since August 3, 1923, when, in the old family homestead, Vice President Coolidge was sworn in as the 30th President of the United States by his father.
The homes of Coolidge’s family and neighbors are carefully preserved, as are the village church, general store, cheese factory (still making cheese using the original 1890 recipe), and community dance hall that served as the 1924 Summer White House office. Among the amenities are a modern Visitor Center, two museum stores, two walking trails, an on-site restaurant (serving breakfast & lunch), and a sheltered picnic area. And, a special part of any visit to “The Notch” is the steep hillside cemetery where Calvin Coolidge rests with seven generations of his family.
Plymouth Notch is located 6 miles south of U.S. 4 on VT 100A, about midway across the state. Nearby is the Coolidge State Forest.
The President Calvin Coolidge State Historic Site is part of a statewide system of historic sites owned and operated by the Vermont Division for Historic Preservation. There are now 12 buildings open to the public at Plymouth. 2010 Season: May 29 - Oct. 17, 9:30am-5pm, daily.
Visit our web site: www.HistoricVermont.org/Coolidge
Rutland Bowlerama
158 South Main St., Rutland • (802) 773-7707
Large, full service bowling facility. Shoe and ball rentals. Pool tables.
Rutland Railway Association
Center Rutland Depot, Rutland, VT
Former Rutland Railroad depot. Museum exhibits the Rutland Railroad. HO & N scale models. Open Saturdays 11am-1pm. www.rutlandrailway.org
Spartan Arena
Diamond Run Mall Road, Rutland • (802) 775-3100
Come play with us! The multi-use recreational facility houses an ice skating rink from July-March, a turf field from April-May, and a dry floor season in May-June. And check out hockey games! www.castleton.edu/spartanarena/index.htm
Vermont State Fair
Rt. 7 South, Rutland • (802) 775-5200
Labor Day week, Sept. 3-12, 2010. Midway, exhibits, rodeo, demolition derby, tractor pulls, nightly entertainment, Grandstand events, agricultural exhibits, farm animals, culinary, vegetable and floral exhibits, a maple sugar house and dairy barn and MORE! The Fairgrounds also hosts a 4th of July Celebration (Rutland Chamber of Commerce, 800-756-8880), the Annual RAVE (Rutland Area Vehicle Enthusiasts) Classic Car Show, Monster Truck Show, Model Railroad Show, Gun Show, Recreational and Figure Skating (Mandigo Arena). Call (802) 775-5200 for a complete schedule of events. www.vermontstatefair.net
VINS Nature Center
Rt. 4 (just West of the Quechee Gorge) Quechee • (802) FLY-5000
www.vinsnaturecenter.org or email: info@vinsweb.org. Open year round, seven days from May 1 - October 31, and Wednesday through Sunday November 1 - April 30, except Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years Day. Visit the VINS Nature Center and discover the nature of Vermont. VINS Nature Center offers a family-fun experience with live birds, flight programs, walking trails and a nature shop.
Covered Bridges
One of the enduring symbols of times gone by, these great bridges continue to be both practical & functional:
• Sanderson or Lower Bridge, Otter Creek off Rt. 7 Pearl St., Brandon.
• Depot Bridge (1840), Otter Creek, west off Rt. 7, Depot Hill Rd., North Pittsford.
• Cooley Bridge (1849), Otter Creek, Elm Street, Pittsford.
• Hammond Bridge (1843), Otter Creek, west off Rt.7, Florence Rd., Pittsford.
• Twin Bridge (1850), East Creek, off Rt. 7, Chittenden Rd., Rutland.
• Brown Bridge (1880), Cold River, east off Rt. 7, No. Shrewsbury Rd., Shrewsbury.
• Taftsville Bridge (1836), Ottauquechee River off Rt. 4, Woodstock.
• Middle Bridge (1869), Ottauquechee River off Rt. 4, Woodstock.
• Lincoln Bridge (1986), Ottauquechee River, south, next to Rt. 4, Woodstock.
• Gorham Bridge (1841) Otter Creek. Old Proctor/ Pittsford Road, Pittsford.
All copy © The Mountain Times 2010