Cows and scenery in Vermont - photo courtesy of Vermont Tourism

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Climbing Trees in Vermont's Northeast Kingdom

Not everyone who lives in the farthest northeast part of Vermont agrees with the local tourism board's definition of what makes up the state's Northeast Kingdom.

We learned this when we were waiting at a counter at the most popular pizza joints in the region in West Glover. We decided to sit down in the sun and enjoy our pizza from Parker's Pies with her to find out more.

Cindy, a local sales agent for a realtor, said she's never sold more houses up here…and that really, only Orleans and Essex county should be rightly called Vermont's Northeast Kingdom. I pulled up Wikipedia on my iPhone, only to have her chastise me as only a local can for questioning something as simple as this. read more

At Home With Norman Rockwell: Arlington, Vermont

"Our living room/dining room was where Norman Rockwell painted," says Julia Dickens. "The kitchen was his workshop where he mixed paint. The downstairs bedroom was his darkroom, and the upstairs bedroom was his storage room."

It wasn’t until last year that she could make such a claim. In the summer of 1999, Julia and her husband, Clint, moved east from Napa, California to purchase The Inn on Covered Bridge Green, an Arlington, Vermont country inn that was the home of painter Norman Rockwell from 1943 to 1954.

Rockwell arrived in Arlington, Vermont in 1938, escaping from city life with his first wife and three sons in tow, and originally lived up the road from the inn, which was then a tourist home called the Blue Shutter Inn (or so rumor has it)... Read more

Smugglers Notch, Vermont: Screaming Fun on Groomers and Glades

With 50 years of experience, Smugglers Notch is also known as Smuggs and it’s billed as ‘America’s Family Resort’ -- the quintessential fun spot for people of all ages and abilities. 

But, I’m a solitary alpine skier, sans husband and kiddies, and not too keen on crowds, commercialism and tiny tow ropes. I’m in luck - Smuggs is still locally-owned with acres of elbow room and for the past nine years, selected as the “Best Resort in North America” by Ski Magazine.

A family enjoys airboarding at Smuggers Notch - photo by Sony Stark

This is not a wimpy mountain, not at all, ” says Barbara Thomke, public relations director, happy to clue me in on the grown-up terrain and resort activities.

“Smuggs is a very exciting mountain and one of the best kept secrets in Vermont.  There’s even a 3-diamond run called “The Black Hole” with cliffs, obstacles and glades.  Most people don’t dare ride it without a guide!” Read more

Battenkill Valley, Vermont: Cows and Covered Bridges

On certain back roads in Vermont, you can time-travel back to a rural, simpler America, a world where lush, sinuous Green Mountains, Mom’s apple pie made from orchard fruit down the road, locally tapped maple syrup, the sweet smell of newly mown hayfields, and cool dirt roads shaded by stately, century-old maple trees strike chords you may not even know you possessed. These aren’t clichés, up here in Vermont. 

You really can time-travel back to Norman Rockwell’s bucolic version of America--those paintings featured on the covers of the old Saturday Evening Posts, depicting small-town life at its most idyllic--because, in fact, Norman Rockwell lived on one of these very back roads and drew from the surrounding community of Arlington, Vermont, his inspiration and his models... Read more

Farmstays and value-added products are among the new strategies Vermonters are adopting to save family farms. Photo courtesy of Vermont Tourism

Biking Around Lake Champlain

When Mary arrived at our house at 8AM Saturday, we were in typical pre-trip disorganization mode. Piles of clothing, gear, maps and tools covered the floor, and Mike’s bike was in the stand with a severely out-of-true wheel.

It was July and we were setting out for a tour around Lake Champlain. If we could get Mike’s wheel round again, it would be his first bike tour. Mary and I had toured all over the world and with each adventure found we loved cycling more than anything. Read more

Read more GoNOMAD stories about Vermont:

Wanderlust Festival in Vermont

Kent St. John's Vermont Fall Foliage Gallery

Vermont's Northeast Kingdom: Bucolic Beauty and Outdoor Adventure

Naked in Vermont: A Visit to a Clothing-Optional Resort

Stowe, Vermont: A Classic New England Town

Hiking Mount Mansfield, Vermont’s Highest Peak

Burlington, Vermont: Cruising, Bicycling, Dining and Ziplining

Moose Balls, Anyone?: Vermont's Benefit Game Suppers

Fighting to Keep the Farm: Vermonters Get Creative

Into the Woods: Family Outdoors Adventures in New England

Sleeping in the Hay: Farm Stays in New England