Okemo Valley in the Summer
Top Picks in the Okemo Valley
Summer is your gateway to the sense of wonder and well-being that comes with slowing down and taking in your surroundings in Vermont. Plunge into a swimming hole, stroll a local festival, or simply find togetherness on the lakeshore or around the campfire. Hand-picked by the editors of Yankee Magazine, these 5 highlights are just some of what the Okemo Valley offers in the summer.
Ludlow , Vermont
Okemo Mountain Resort
What goes up must come down…right? Not at Okemo, where the fun stays elevated long after the snow is gone from the slopes. The resort’s Adventure Zone features a climbing wall, a mountainside roller coaster, and a bungee trampoline capable of launching thrill-seekers up to 20 feet into the air. There’s an aerial obstacle course—although mountain bikers may prefer to catch air at the resort’s bike park. True to its family-friendly mission, Okemo has activities gentle enough for all ages and abilities, like mini golf and disc golf. Science-minded youngsters can pan for gold at the Coleman Brook Mining Company: Identification charts help them determine what they find (which is theirs to keep, regardless).
Ludlow, Vermont
Vermont Inn-to-Inn Walking Tour
Like Vermont itself, this tour is about as far from cookie-cutter as it gets. The four-day, self-guided meander averages 10 miles a day, mainly around the villages of Chester, Weston, and Ludlow. The proprietors of the four inns along the way (a lineup that can change from one year to the next) will transport guests’ luggage inn-to-inn, Vermont sherpa–style. Participants are greeted at the end of each day with drinks and a home-cooked meal, and possibly a featherbed or Jacuzzi, too. In the morning, they’re sent on their way with a hearty breakfast, snacks for the road, a map of the walking route, and best wishes for a pleasant hike. Though the Okemo Valley’s hilly terrain means a basic level of fitness is required, a wide range of ages and abilities have completed this tour.
Plymouth Notch, Vermont
President Calvin Coolidge State Historic Site
Presidential birthplaces abound, but Vermont has preserved an entire presidential birth village. Tiny Plymouth Notch is where Calvin Coolidge was born, and he was visiting as vice president when word arrived of Warren G. Harding’s death in August 1923. Just hours later, Coolidge stood in his boyhood home as his father, John, swore him in by the light of a kerosene lamp. The visitors center exhibit uses Coolidge’s own words, objects from his life, and interactive media to relate the story of how this farm boy became our 30th president. He’s also the only president to be born on Independence Day, which gives this state historic site a great reason to throw a double birthday party every July 4.
Weston, Vermont
Weston Theater Company
From its first production in 1937 (featuring a 24-year-old Lloyd Bridges in Noel Coward’s Hay Fever), Weston Theater Company would endure much and evolve many times over the next several decades. Today, WTC holds the title of Vermont’s oldest professional theater, and it is thriving. The company’s iconic Greek Revival summer playhouse may be closed for repairs, but the show goes on at its state-of-the-art year-round venue, Walker Farm. Professional actors take to the stage in blockbuster musicals, classic plays, and groundbreaking originals from June to October; the rest of the year, ADA-accessible Walker Farm hosts musical performances and a variety of special events.
The Nature Museum, Grafton
With its hand-painted dioramas, taxidermied critters, and nifty exhibits such as live honeybees at work in a glass hive, the Nature Museum is a must-visit for those with little ones in tow. Outside is the museum’s recently expanded Magic Forest Playscape, where kids can dive into unstructured play in a natural setting. Jumping stumps and balancing logs are perfect for romping, while quieter activities could include practicing weaving on an outdoor loom. A fun little “naturalist’s cabin” overlooks the Chapman Meadow and the museum’s ongoing wetlands restoration project. Bring a lunch to enjoy at the picnic tables and save time to amble through the forest on the Village Park trails.
More to See and Do
Places to Visit In the Summer
Yankee Magazine’s editors hand-picked 5 places to visit in each Vermont region. Explore things to do in summer statewide.
