This region in northern Central Vermont area has something for everyone. Montpelier, the smallest state capital in the nation, offers many restaurants, local bookstores, coffee shops, boutiques, and the like. Barre, not far from Montpelier, has a rich history of granite quarrying and carving. Tucked in the hills surrounding Montpelier and Barre are numerous small towns and several small lakes in the towns of Woodbury and Calais. Wrightsville Reservoir in Middlesex also offers swimming and boating opportunities.
Montpelier, although small, is full of interesting things to do and see. Home of Lost Nation Theater and the Vermont History Museum, the city has generous helpings of culture throughout, including a lively local music scene. Tours are available at the historic Statehouse where the Legislature meets, and right behind the Statehouse is the 185-acre Hubbard Park. Montpelier also hosts the popular Kellogg-Hubbard library. In the summer and fall, the city hosts a very popular Capitol City Farmers Market outdoors on Saturdays, and it continues twice a month indoors in winter. In Calais, the Unadilla Theater offers theatrical performances in a unique rural setting.
The neighboring city of Barre offers a glimpse into the past through its still viable granite industry. Downtown Barre has restaurants and stores lining Main Street and the Barre Opera House offers a wide variety of musical and other cultural events. Nearby you will find the Rock of Ages granite quarry, the world’s largest, with tours of its facilities for the public. Barre is also host to the Vermont Granite Museum.
Those staying at Vermont vacation rentals in this region are ideally situated to take advantage of many of the outdoor opportunities that Vermont has to offer. One of the state’s tallest mountains, Camel’s Hump, is northwest of Montpelier. Fishing sites are abundant in the area’s many lakes and streams. For skiing and snowboarding, four ski resorts can be reached within an hour’s drive or less: Stowe, Sugarbush, Bolton and Mad River Glen. There are cross-country areas nearby as well, including East Montpelier's Morse Farm just three miles out of Montpelier. As in most of Vermont, snowmobile trails are open in winter to those who buy a state pass. Both mountain biking and road biking are popular in warmer months. Central Vermont Back Road Tours offers a guide to bike touring the area. East Barre's Millstone Hill offers a 70-mile trail network for mountain biking, walking, snowshoeing and groomed cross-county skiing.
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Centrally located, the Montpelier region can be easily reached on I-89. Amtrak passenger service and Vermont bus service are available to the area. If flying, there are airports in Burlington VT (40 minutes away), and both Boston MA and Manchester NH are within 3 hours of the city.
