A Route 100 Vermont Road Trip Itinerary You’ll Want to Copy

My husband and I lived in Vermont for five years, and our favorite road trip was Route 100 – whether on our own for a weekend drive or with family and friends visiting on vacation.

Honestly, you don’t even need a guide for the scenic Route 100 (aka Vermont’s Main Street). Just drive. And stop along the way. You won’t be disappointed as there are so many things to see in Vermont all along Route 100.

However, if you have FOMO (fear of missing out) tendencies like me, here are some insider travel tips for enjoying the best Vermont road trip.

How to plan a road trip on Route 100 in Vermont

Route 100 Vermont runs from the Canadian border in the north to the Massachusetts border in the south – much of it is along the Green Mountain National Forest and Vermont’s famous ski resorts. Granted, fall foliage is very popular in Vermont as foliage season brings in a lot of leaf peepers.

Foliage season, when the leaves turn colors, is typically mid-September to mid-October in Vermont, depending on elevation and weather conditions.

You can find foliage reports online beginning after Labor Day each year. No worries if your schedule doesn’t allow you to visit during the autumn months, as Route 100 is beautiful in all seasons (even Vermont’s fifth season in late spring, known as Mud Season).

Insider tip: When I first moved to Vermont, I saw a lot of signs that read, “Warning: Frost Heave Ahead.” I had no idea what that meant. In simple terms, it means there’s gonna be a bump or two in the road caused by a freezing phenomenon that can wreak havoc on the pavement. And they’re usually big bumps, so drive carefully, especially in February and March.

So whether it’s spring, summer, winter, or fall foliage, it’s always a great season for a road trip in Vermont. Don’t forget to bring your travel cooler while on the road to keep you hydrated. As Route 100 is 216 miles long, here are only a few of my favorite stops along the scenic byway.

Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream Factory, 1281 Waterbury-Stowe Road, Waterbury, Vermont

Definitely make Ben & Jerry’s a destination on your Route 100 Vermont road trip. Aside from the best ice cream ever, they have a super cool history.

They took a $5 correspondence course on how to make ice cream in a renovated gas station and become not only one of the world’s top brands but also a leader in eco-friendly, sustainable, and socially responsible manufacturing.

I used to work at Vermont’s public television station, and the Ben & Jerry’s team regularly volunteered during our pledge drives. They were so much fun, and you could tell they loved where they worked. They have a treehouse and a slide in their offices, can make up their silly titles, and receive three free pints of ice cream daily.

You can also have fun and sample free ice cream when you take the 30-minute Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream Factory tour. Consider using one of these best tour booking sites to get started.

You can also test other flavors in the onsite scoop shop. You might be familiar with the pints of ice cream in the freezer section, but you’ll be introduced to many flavors when you visit their factory. The basic tour includes the company’s history and a sneak peek into its manufacturing process.

If you’re an ice cream fanatic, you may want to immerse yourself in the VIP Flavor Fanatic Experience. Here’s what it includes.

• The factory tour
• A 30-minute session in the Flavor Lab, where you can help make an ice cream flavor (also includes tasting)
• A flash drive of photos capturing all your special moments
• A tie-dyed lab coat (of course)
• An ice cream cone from the Waterbury Scoop Shop and a coupon for a free pint later.
• 25% off any gift shop purchases

If you’re on Route 100 Vermont in summer near dusk, bring blankets to enjoy Ben & Jerry’s free outdoor movie festival. Dates and movie titles are posted on their website. RV parking is available (call ahead to make reservations for groups of 10 or more), and the grounds also feature a playground and picnic area.

You can also visit the Flavor Graveyard. Yes, it features headstones of what they call dearly depicted flavors (please bring back Dastardly Mash!). Also, if you are planning on renting an RV, it is best if you make your research first before anything else.

Open every day of the year except Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day, expect to spend 2 to 3 hours at one of Route 100 Vermont’s favorite destinations.

See Related: Best Places to Visit in December

Cold Hollow Cider Mill, 3600 Waterbury-Stowe Road, Waterbury, Vermont

Vermont has many fabulous cider mills, but Cold Hollow Cider Mill is our favorite on scenic Route 100. It is THE cider mill less than three miles from Ben & Jerry’s.

I’m not a huge fan of ordinary apple juice, but I love Cold Hollow’s fresh apple cider. The difference is that apple cider is 100% pure juice squeezed from locally grown apples.

Try a free sample while perusing other great products in their gift shop. If you plan to take some with you, bring a cooler that needs to be refrigerated.

You can actually watch them in action in their cider press room – making apple cider the old-fashioned way. If traveling down Route 100 Vermont in the fall or early winter, you can watch any day of the week from mid-September to mid-December. They press three or four days a week for the rest of the year.

And then there’s the famous Cold Hollow Cider Mill donuts. Apple cider donuts. Made fresh every single day from their secret recipe. It’s a must-do foodie experience. Gourmet magazine ranked them as one of the best four donuts in the U.S. I agree.

And so do a lot of other people, as Cold Hollow Cider Mill makes more than 800 dozen daily during foliage season (mid-September to mid-October).

Of course, their bakery also offers apple pie, but there’s much more than just apple products. They also offer honey (you can watch the bees do their magic up close), pure maple syrup, butter, cheeses, jellies, and more. You can sample many of these, purchase them in the store, or order online.

They also serve breakfast and lunch, as well as hard ciders and local brews. If you have a large group or are on a motorcoach tour, it’s recommended that you call in advance so they can accommodate you.

And while they don’t have an onsite orchard for your apple picking, you can find several orchards online. They are open daily from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and are only closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.

See Related: Fun & Best Things to Do in Montpelier, Vermont

Green Mountain Coffee Visitor Center and Cafe, 1 Rotarian Place, Waterbury, Vermont

If you need an energy boost on your Route 100 road trip, stop by the Green Mountain Coffee Visitor Center in Waterbury. Green Mountain Coffee has humble beginnings starting as a small specialty coffee roaster (that’s how I remember it); it’s now part of the publicly traded Keurig Dr. Pepper corporation.

You’ll get a taste of that history (as well as free coffee samples) when you stop in at the Green Mountain Coffee Visitor Center and Café.

Residing in a restored train station from 1875, the visitor center includes interactive displays and videos as well as a café of coffees, specialty drinks, locally baked goods, and light entrees. And the gift shop features Keurig products right in the heart of the Green Mountains.

Open daily except Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day.

Related article: 9 Best Travel Cooler for Road Trips

Cabot Farmer’s Store, 2657 Waterbury-Stowe Road, Waterbury Center, Vermont

My favorite cheese in the world is Vermont’s Cabot Cheese Sharp Cheddar, one of the many things I missed about Vermont when I moved to the Midwest. I was ecstatic when they started distributing in Minnesota (and across the U.S.).

Not familiar with Cabot? Then stop by the Cabot Farmer’s Store during your Route 100 road trip. It’s about halfway between Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream Factory and the Cold Hollow Cider Mill. Here you can sample and purchase their award-winning cheeses.

They also offer local and international microbrews, hard ciders, and wines. The Cabot Visitor Center is located in Cabot, Vermont. Open daily except Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day.

See Related: Fun & Best Things to Do in Brattleboro, Vermont

Trapp Family Lodge, 700 Trapp Hill Road, Stowe, Vermont

Have you seen the musical, The Sound of Music, based on the von Trapp family? The real von Trapps moved to Vermont because it reminded them of Austria. The lodge and restaurant are still owned by the von Trapp family – where you can stay, eat or stop in for a drink.

Maybe your kids brought books on your road trip? Or perhaps they are looking for some? We created a list of the best road trip books for kids you check out now. The lodge includes a restaurant as well as a brewery, beer hall, and wine cellar (with weekly wine tastings).

Or take in the beautiful views of the mountains on its 2,500 acres. They also offer several tours:

• History tour of the property
• One-mile maple sugar tour
• von Trapp gardens
• von Trapp brewery
• Horse-drawn sleigh rides (winter) and carriage rides (year-round)

Vermont Ski and Snowboard Museum, 1 South Main Street, Stowe, Vermont

While I haven’t had the opportunity to visit, the Vermont Ski and Snowboard Museum is located near Route 100 and Route 108. It features several exhibits and a hall of fame celebrating the history of skiing and snowboarding in Vermont.

Here you can find 8,000 items, including 275 pairs of boots, 400 pairs of skis, 100 pairs of poles, and much more. Housed in the Town Meeting House, built in 1818, the museum is open daily except Mondays and Tuesdays.

See Related: Fun & Best Things to Do in Killington, Vermont

Stowe Mountain Resort, 7416 Mountain Road, Stowe, Vermont

If you’re looking for a little adventure, check out Stowe Mountain Resort for its TreeTop Adventure, where you’ll ride zip lines and conquer suspended bridges, nets, swinging logs, rope ladders, and more.

And for the even more adventurous, there’s the world’s fastest ZipTour, where you’ll zipline down Vermont’s highest peak, Mt. Mansfield – reaching speeds as fast as 60 mph.

See Related: Gifts for Couples Who Travel

Check out roadside chainsaw carvings

When I asked my husband what he remembered most about Route 100, his immediate response was chainsaw carvings and the Cold Hollow Apple Cider Mill.

While there are several chainsaw carving places in Vermont, you’ll find two of the most popular in Stowe near Route 100: Mouse Trap and Spinning Wheel. We still have a bear on our front porch and a raccoon in our basement – both chainsaw carvings from Route 100.

See Related: Best Family Travel Hacks

Moss Glen Falls, Stowe, Vermont

Make sure to stop at Moss Glen Falls in Stowe, Vermont. The 68-foot waterfall is right off Route 100 (north of Stowe, about 3 miles).

See Related: Where To Stay In Stowe, Vermont

Killington Ski Resort, 4763 Killington Road, Killington, Vermont

While Killington is well-known as a ski resort (the largest in New England), it is a year-round destination near Route 100 – and offers something for everyone. In addition to skiing, snowboarding, lodging, golfing, and hiking trails, it offers several activities and attractions.

The gondola ride runs all year round, where you climb 1.25 miles to the top of the 4,241 ft. Killington Peak. You can get out at the top, enjoy lunch, and take beautiful photos.

Mountain biking is also pretty popular. The largest bike park in New England, Killington provides three lifts and more than 30 miles of trails at all difficulty levels.

The Killington Adventure Center is a playground for the whole family and includes a Woodward WreckTangles obstacle course, a ropes course, and (my favorite) an alpine coaster. This venue also hosts a summer music concert series.

See Related: Fun & Best Things to Do in Middlebury, Vermont

More than 100 covered bridges

With more than 100 bridges in Vermont, you’ll likely stumble across one or two. Here are a few located near Route 100.

• Gold Brook Covered Bridge, Stowe, Vermont
• Power House Covered Bridge, Johnson, Vermont
• Red Covered Bridge, Morristown, Vermont
• River Road Covered Bridge, North Troy, Vermont
• Scribner Covered Bridge, Hyde Park, Vermont
• Warren Covered Bridge, Warren, Vermont
• Waitsfield Covered Bridge, Waitsfield, Vermont

See Related: Fun & Best Things to Do in Dorset, Vermont

And so much more to explore on Route 100 Vermont

This is nowhere near an exhaustive list of all the quintessential things to do on your road trip through this iconic Vermont route. But it’s a great place to start and learn why Route 100 Vermont is consistently voted one of the most scenic road trips in New England and the U.S. Safe travels while visiting Vermont!

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