Things to Do in Montpelier, Vermont
What to See, Do, and Eat On Your Trip
The name of Vermont’s capital is nearly identical to that of a famous French city, but here we pronounce it Mont-PEEL-ier. With that important detail out of the way, welcome to the smallest state capital in the nation, boasting one of the oldest and best preserved capitol buildings, dating back to 1859. The walkable, quaint metropolis borders the Winooski River and contains the state’s largest National Register of Historic Places district. It is famously the only U.S. capital without a McDonald’s, but what really draws visitors is the array of locally owned stores, eateries and other one-of-a-kind destinations. Here are some highlights.
Family-Friendly Activities
Morse Farm Maple Sugarworks
Just a short drive from the city center, Morse Farm fills cones year-round with its own pure maple syrup-flavored creemees, the Vermont name for soft-serve. The eighth-generation operation offers sugarhouse tours and tastings, a walkable “maple trail” in the fall, and visits with the resident goats. Come during sugaring season in March and try local delicacy “sugar on snow” — hot maple syrup that turns to taffy when it’s poured over a bowl of shaved ice, served with a doughnut.
Vermont History Museum
Learn more about the Green Mountain State, from the Abenaki to Vermont’s first (and, so far, only) female governor through an assemblage of permanent and rotating exhibits.
North Branch Nature Center
This 28-acre preserve of forest and fields hugs the North Branch of the Winooski River and offers a quiet place to explore. Connect with nature year-round on walking and skiing trails and through education programs and workshops.
Vermont Statehouse
Visitors can tour the country’s oldest legislative chambers in their original condition from Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Make sure to step back and gaze at the 15-foot statue of Ceres, the goddess of agriculture, on top of the capitol’s golden dome.
Shop Hop
With a number of long-standing, homegrown shops, Montpelier offers bountiful browsing. Don’t miss independent bookstore Bear Pond Books and indie record shop Buch Spieler Records — both downtown fixtures since 1973. Continue on to Onion River Outdoors for all things sporty, Artisans Hand for handcrafted treasures and Vermont Dog Eats for locally made treats for furry friends.
Food and Drink
Bohemian Bakery
On the corner of State and Main streets, this beautiful bakery crafts Paris-level croissants and other pastries, from cinnamon Danish to lemon curd tartlets, plus sandwiches and soup. Crunch into baguettes fresh from the oven around noon Thursdays through Sundays. This place also takes its coffee very seriously.
Wayside Restaurant, Bakery & Creamery
For more than a century, this diner-style eatery — located literally on the border between Montpelier and Berlin — has served up heaping plates of pancakes, Yankee pot roast and maple cream pie. Whatever you order, don’t miss the pillow-soft, fresh-baked dinner rolls.
Wilaiwan’s Kitchen
Born out of a beloved Thai street cart, this small, chef-owned kitchen offers an ever-changing lunch menu. Dishes might include red and yellow coconut curry over rice noodles with braised chicken, or rice noodles with beef.
Three Penny Taproom
The Montpelier equivalent of “Cheers” welcomes locals and visitors with open arms — along with great beer and food. The tap list always includes several choices from Vermont’s renowned Hill Farmstead Brewery, while the food menu ranges from dry-rubbed wings to pastrami-rubbed tuna.
Barr Hill Distillery and Cocktail Bar
Raw honey is the singular ingredient in each of Barr Hill’s spirits, and the distillery celebrates its pollinator partners with Bee’s Knees Week every September. Take a tour of the facility, shop for spirits to take home, try a buzz-worthy Bee’s Knees cocktail and grab a snack at the bar — a James Beard Award finalist in the nationwide Outstanding Bar category.