In the heart of Southern Vermont’s Green Mountains, the town of Wilmington offers adventure and small-town charm. Sadly, the Boomer skier’s favorite, Poncho’s Wreck and Adam’s Farm (and those classic Winter Sleigh Rides) are no more, but Mount Snow is better than ever and now offers year round pleasures, with both hiking trails and downhill mountain biking.
What’s still open? What’s not? Read on as we invite you to explore the enchanting array of things to do in Wilmington, VT. So come to ski, certainly. But stay to shop, eat, and experience a town that has risen from the flood.
Where Is Wilmington VT?
Wilmington, Vermont, is an adorable town located in the southern part of the state, nestled within the breathtaking Green Mountains. Situated roughly 30 miles west of Brattleboro VT and about 40 miles east of Bennington VT, Wilmington enjoys a strategic location that places it between two prominent Vermont destinations.
The Deerfield River runs through it, and the Green Mountain National Forest surrounds it, rendering Wilmington an outdoor enthusiast’s paradise. The town’s proximity to Brattleboro and Bennington allows visitors to explore the unique cultural offerings, shopping districts, and outdoor activities in these nearby towns while still enjoying the peaceful serenity of Wilmington’s natural landscapes.
Looking for more weekend getaway ideas? Check out our list of romantic getaways in New England. And, our list of Romantic Getaways in Vermont.
Best Things to Do in Wilmington VT
START: Vermont Visitor’s Center on I-91
Get your bearings, and grab a free cup of Green Mountain coffee at this extremely friendly Vermont State Visitor’s Center. Helpful staff will point you in the direction of their favorite back-roads ambles.
STOP: Vermont Maple Museum – Marlboro VT
On Route 9 about 4 miles from Wilmington VT, the Vermont Maple Museum and Gift Shop has been here since 1948. It’s not much in the way of a museum. But you can purchase all kinds of Vermont maple products and meet the owner who’s been here for 38 years. A real pip.
STOP: Hogback Mountain Overlook, Country Store, and Vermont Distillers- Marlboro VT
Don’t miss the Hogback Mountain Overlook and Country Store on Route 9. Year round, the views from the top of the mountain are beguiling. And it’s a one stop shopping spot for Vermont made vittles – and the deeply flavored liqueurs from Vermont Distillers.
Adults will want to start at the tasting table, where you’ll get tiny free samples of some of the best liqueurs in the country.
A distillery rarely focuses on these sweet beverages. But Ed Metcalfe’s Vermont Distillers does them well, especially the favorite Maple Cream (which puts Bailey’s to shame). And the Raspberry Liqueur.
VISIT: Skip Morrow’s The Art Of Humor Gallery, off of Route 9
Although Skip Morrow passed away in June ’19 his artwork lives on at Skip Morrow’s Art of Humor Gallery.
Though a cartoonist since he was 22 (when he first saw someone laugh at one of his drawings), Skip Morrow’s claim to fame was his very first book, published in 1980. I Hate Cats became a New York Times Best Seller.
You can get a gander at his work in a gallery off a dirt road, humorously named “Not-A-Road,” just outside of downtown Wilmington. Morrow was a gentle man who poked gentle fun at everything, from religion to politics.
Morrow’s art fills the walls of several rooms on two floors. Though you might have planned to stop in for a few minutes, the cartoons – sort of Mad Magazine meets the New Yorker – drag you in and keep you entertained for much longer.
The Art of Humor Gallery is “self-guided.” However, it’s outfitted with “Help” buttons if you require assistance.
The Art of Humor Gallery is one of 10 quirky-romantic places to propose in Vermont.
HIKE: Molly Stark State Park, East Wilmington on Route 9
If you need another leg stretcher before entering the town of Wilmington Vermont, try the moderate 1.8 mile loop trail to the fire tower on Mount Olga at Molly Stark State Park. Named for the wife of Revolutionary War hero, John Stark (not to be confused with the Knicks basketball shooting guard, John Starks), Molly Stark SP is best known for its Mount Olga Trail.
KAYAK: Lake Raponda, Off Route 9
At a maximum depth of just 12 feet, the 121-acre spring-fed Lake Raponda off of Route 9 is the baby pool of area lakes. Although its quiet beach (Green Mountain Beach) is restricted to town residents and their guests, there’s a public boat launch popular with kayakers.
SHOP: Vermont Bowl
John McLeod ran a heating and plumbing company in Scotland before moving to, and “falling in love with,” Vermont in 1967. He borrowed $200 to set up a woodworking shop and managed to turn his hobby into a big business that he called Vermont Bowl.
You’ll most likely recognize McLeod’s designs. His first, a sturdy wood salad bowl that flares out at the top, was sold through Dansk. Subsequent bowl designs are now available at Crate & Barrel, Williams Sonoma, and of course, here at their source. The spotted “Ambrosia Maple” bowls are particularly unique and beautiful.
HISTORIC BUILDING: Former Norton House Quilting
A quilter’s mecca – Norton House Quilting – once occupied a 1760 home that was moved, by oxcart, to this riverside location in the 1830’s. Quilters came here from all over the country for nigh on 50 years. During the 2011 Hurricane Irene, water rose to the ceiling rafters, and all inventory had to be tossed due to mold. But the original wide 1760 wooden floors were preserved, if now a bit warped. You can still visit the historic building, but Norton House Quilting now exists solely online.
SHOP: Austin’s Antiquarian Books
Austin’s Antiquarian Books focuses on Natural History and Sportfishing. It also happens to encompass the largest stock of Theodore Roosevelt letters and documents in one place.
One, a sad letter from Roosevelt to his friend Arthur Lee, a member of the British Parliament, informed Lee that his (Roosevelt’s) son had died in combat during WWI.
The oldest artifacts include a 1613 framed botanical print, and the 1768 “Present State of the British Empire in Europe and America,” printed when our country was still a British colony.
SHOP: Bartleby’s Book Store
A great indie bookshop, Bartleby’s Book Store is the perfect place to buy an actual paper book to read by a roaring fireplace.
SKI/BIKE/HIKE/GOLF: Mount Snow, West Dover
Mount Snow Resort is a mere 8.5 miles up Vermont Route 100 from the center of Wilmington, in West Dover. Southern Vermont’s most popular downhill mountain resort, you’ll also find cross country skiing trails nearby. According to the ski resort’s website: “One of the most beautiful sections of the Catamount Trail, Section 3, runs 7.4 miles (one way) from Route 9 in Searsburg to the Somerset Reservoir, traversing a gorgeous, remote area due west of Mount Snow. It’s generally flat with a few steep uphills and some small stream crossings.
RENT BOATS: High Country Marine on Lake Whitingham/ Harriman Reservoir
When the weather warms up, locals take to the 11-mile long Lake Whitingham, aka, Harriman Reservoir – a quick 5 minute drive from town. Rent a Waverunner – or pontoon or sport boat at High Country Marine. They come stocked with fishing poles, tubes, and tow ropes. Oh – and the first tank of gas is included.
Wilmington VT Restaurants
EAT: Robert’s Roadhouse
Who’d have thought they’d hear the words “Roadhouse” and innovative cuisine in the same sentence? Yet, this rustic-fine Vermont restaurant, near Mount Snow, delivers. Food is fresh, and most traditional, but, yes, there are items on the menu for adventurous taste buds.
EAT: Locals Love
Dot’s for breakfast (chili omelets!). Folly (small, upscale, in a refurbished home). The Village Roost (coffee, baked goods, sandwiches). And The Anchor Seafood Restaurant (seafood, tasty broth-like chowder). Alpenglow Bistro for Austria-German cuisine. Valley View Saloon for burgers near Mount Snow.
Where to Stay in Wilmington VT
STAY: Wilmington Inn – Wilmington VT
The Wilmington Inn, a rambling white antique farmhouse, sits up on a hill on the edge of town just beyond the shops, and across from the modest river that became a deathly torrent when Hurricane Irene blew through.
Its tidy, eclectically well-dressed interior isn’t what you’d expect from a country inn – not a doll, doily, or floral bedspread to be found.
Built by carriage-maker, Joseph Courtemanche, in 1894, the Wilmington Inn became a lodging in the 1950’s. As of February 2017, the new owners are Megan and Charlie Foster.
About seven miles from Mount Snow, the Wilmington Inn tends to draw people who want to ski in the morning and do other things, like shop and explore the town, in the afternoon.
Guest rooms sport deeply-hued walls and just enough eclectic furniture. Mine, the Wilmington, encompassed a country-cupboard armoire, art-deco leather chair, wood chest, flat screen TV, and a modified sleigh bed clad in a soft and cloud-like white duvet, lending the whole large room a contemporary air. The bathroom, featuring a Jacuzzi bath/shower, is clean and roomy.
Breakfast is the star here; gourmet fine, hearty and fresh. Though you can order several things from the menu, including Pancakes and Belgian Waffles, opt for the signature “Cast Iron Frittata of the Day,” which comes piping hot still in the pan. Divine.
