Visit Montpelier, Vermont: Dining, Shopping & Family-Friendly Activities
The name of Vermont's capital is nearly identical to that of a famous French city, but here we pronounce it Mont-PEEL-ier. With that important detail out of the way, welcome to the smallest state capital in the nation, boasting one of the oldest and best preserved capitol buildings, dating back to 1859. The walkable, quaint metropolis borders the Winooski River and contains the state's largest National Register of Historic Places district. It is famously the only U.S. capital without a McDonald's, but what really draws visitors is the array of locally owned stores, eateries and other one-of-a-kind destinations.
If you want to visit Montpelier, Vermont, here's a suggested itinerary.
Family-Friendly Activities
File: Jordan Barry © Seven Days A snowy scene at Morse Farm Maple SugarworksMorse Farm Maple Sugarworks Just a short drive from the city center, Morse Farm fills cones year-round with its own pure maple syrup-flavored creemees, the Vermont name for soft-serve. The eighth-generation operation offers sugarhouse tours and tastings, a walkable "maple trail" in the fall, and visits with the resident goats. Come during sugaring season in March and try local delicacy "sugar on snow" — hot maple syrup that turns to taffy when it's poured over a bowl of shaved ice, served with a doughnut. 1168 County Rd., Montpelier
Vermont Statehouse Visitors can tour the country's oldest legislative chambers in their original condition from Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Make sure to step back and gaze at the 15-foot statue of Ceres, the goddess of agriculture, on top of the capitol's golden dome. 115 State St., Montpelier
Vermont History Museum Learn more about the Green Mountain State, from the Abenaki to Vermont's first (and, so far, only) female governor through an assemblage of permanent and rotating exhibits. 109 State St., Montpelier
North Branch Nature Center This 28-acre preserve of forest and fields hugs the North Branch of the Winooski River and offers a quiet place to explore. Connect with nature year-round on walking and skiing trails and through education programs and workshops. 713 Elm St., Montpelier
Shop Hop
File: Jeb Wallace-Brodeur Bear Pond BooksWith a number of long-standing, homegrown shops, Montpelier offers bountiful browsing. Don't miss independent bookstore Bear Pond Books (77 Main St.) and indie record shop Buch Spieler Records (27 Langdon St.) — both downtown fixtures since 1973. Continue on to Onion River Outdoors (89 Main St.) for all things sporty, Artisans Hand (89 Main St.) for handcrafted treasures and Vermont Dog Eats (5 E. State St.) for locally made treats for furry friends.
Food and Drink
File: Jeb Wallace-Brodeur Spice-rubbed tuna at Three Penny TaproomBohemian Bakery On the corner of State and Main streets, this beautiful bakery crafts Paris-level croissants and other pastries, from cinnamon Danish to lemon curd tartlets, plus sandwiches and soup. Crunch into baguettes fresh from the oven around noon Thursdays through Sundays. This place also takes its coffee very seriously. 83 Main St., Montpelier
Wayside Restaurant, Bakery & Creamery For more than a century, this diner-style eatery — located literally on the border between Montpelier and Berlin — has served up heaping plates of pancakes, Yankee pot roast and maple cream pie. Whatever you order, don't miss the pillow-soft, fresh-baked dinner rolls. 1873 Route 302, Berlin
Wilaiwan's Kitchen Born out of a beloved Thai street cart, this small, chef-owned kitchen offers an ever-changing lunch menu. Dishes might include red and yellow coconut curry over rice noodles with braised chicken, or rice noodles with beef. 34 State St., Montpelier
Three Penny Taproom The Montpelier equivalent of "Cheers" welcomes locals and visitors with open arms — along with great beer and food. The tap list always includes several choices from Vermont's renowned Hill Farmstead Brewery, while the food menu ranges from dry-rubbed wings to pastrami-rubbed tuna. 108 Main St., Montpelier
