White River Valley in the Fall
Top Picks in the White River Valley
Vermont is world-renowned for its bright, colorful fall foliage, making the season a celebration. Hand-picked by the editors of Yankee Magazine, these 5 highlights are just some of what the White River Valley offers in autumn.
Tunbridge, Vermont
Tunbridge World’s Fair
Visitors to the Tunbridge World’s Fair might be surprised to learn that in its early days, the event used to have a rather rowdy reputation (the joke went that you needed a pint of whiskey in one hand and someone else’s wife in the other to gain admission). But it’s been decades now since the fair, which started in this small rural community in 1867, has been anything but 100 percent family-friendly. Held annually in mid-September, the Tunbridge World’s Fair offers classic carnival rides and concessions, livestock shows and demonstrations, local cloggers and cover bands, and historical artifacts and reenactments held in and around the log cabin on Antique Hill.
Brookfield, Vermont
Floating Bridge
How to cross a lake that’s too deep for bridge pilings? With a floating bridge, of course, and Brookfield’s version is the only one in the U.S. outside of Washington state. It dates to 1820, when a bridge across Sunset Pond—whose waters reach a depth of 120 feet—was built with naturally buoyant logs. The timbers were replaced as necessary until 1884, when pontoons made of tar-covered barrels were used to float a new bridge. A series of barrel-supported bridges bobbed along until 1978, when the seventh floating bridge was mounted atop Styrofoam-filled plastic containers. Today’s bridge—the eighth—opened in 2015 and is expected to last for a century. Except in winter, it’s open to traffic on Vermont Route 65, and its pedestrian boardwalks are always lined with anglers.
Braintree, Vermont
Bent Hill Brewery
Spending time at this picturesque hilltop brewpub is like visiting the home of friends who have a great view, a terrific selection of beers, and a passion for feeding their guests. On a brisk autumn day, you can gaze out at the foliage while enjoying a black bean quesadilla paired with a hearty maple stout, or maybe some Parmesan garlic fries and a Belgian-style ale. Bent Hill turns out straightforward brews as well as beers flavored with things like blood oranges, jalapenos, cinnamon, and even graham crackers. And while the menu is meatless, it never lacks in variety and flavor.
NEW WORLD FESTIVAL
– Randolph, Vermont
Every September, Randolph salutes Celtic and French-Canadian culture with a grand celebration. Performers from New England and beyond bring the musical energy of Quebec, the Maritime Provinces, Scotland, Ireland, and Brittany to a single-ticket festival that runs from noon to nearly midnight at the Chandler Center for the Arts and other Main Street venues. Audiences are treated to Morris dancing, blazing fiddle solos, and tunes filled with the spirit of distinct yet related cultures on opposite sides of the North Atlantic. There’s always plenty of food and, for kids, a musical “petting zoo” where they can try an array of instruments.
MAPLE SOUL
– Rochester, Vermont
Opened in 2018 in the tiny town of Rochester, the farm-to-table restaurant Maple Soul has made quite a name for itself. Recently chosen as one of Yelp’s 100 Best Restaurants (the only Vermont eatery on the list that year), it is deeply committed to local ingredients. Its kitchen is stocked with produce, meat, maple, and more from some 30 regional partners, who range from farms to bakeries, and breweries to cheesemakers. There’s a focus on Vermont, of course, but also on its Canadian neighbors, with the menu featuring Prince Edward Island mussels and Quebec’s poutine (made with Vermont cheddar, of course).
More to See and Do
Places to Visit In Fall
Yankee Magazine’s editors hand-picked 5 places to visit in each Vermont region. Explore things to do in autumn statewide.
