{"id":12059,"date":"2013-09-07T22:00:44","date_gmt":"2013-09-08T02:00:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/capitalcitiesusa.org\/?p=12059"},"modified":"2024-12-04T17:58:50","modified_gmt":"2024-12-04T22:58:50","slug":"stop-off-at-exit-8","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/capitalcitiesusa.org\/?p=12059","title":{"rendered":"Stop Off At Exit 8"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"07<\/a>Linda Burton posting from Montpelier, Vermont <\/i>\u2013 \u201cThere\u2019s no other capital quite like it.\u201d That\u2019s the answer; the question is: why Montpelier, Vermont? I\u2019m reading the brochure I picked up at the Information Center on I-89 near Sharon. Why Montpelier? See for yourself<\/i>, the brochure implores; stop off at Exit 8 and experience the architecture, art, artisan beers, restaurants, shopping, music, caf\u00e9 culture, river walks, and stunning views in the smallest state capital in the United States.<\/i> Smallest it is, with a population of 7,855 (US Census 2010<\/i>); the next smallest is Pierre, South Dakota, which is almost twice as big; and then Augusta, Maine, my next \"07<\/a>stop, with a population of 19,136 (US Census 2010<\/i>). Tucked in a quiet Vermont valley, on the Winooski River,\u00a0centrally located. Stay in Montpelier<\/i>, the brochure continues. Unfortunately, none of the hotels in Montpelier are pet-friendly, so I\u2019m forced to stay 35-miles away in Burlington, Vermont\u2019s largest city (where Alex and Jack are welcome at the pet-friendly LaQuinta chain, as always). Peter, the helpful volunteer at the Information \"07<\/a>Center, had commiserated with me on that problem; \u201cWe travel with pets too. I wish hotel owners were a little more understanding.\u201d He made some calls to find a place in Montpelier I hadn\u2019t already tried; no luck. So I\u2019ll be driving into Montpelier; I\u2019ll stop off at Exit 8 to check out the architecture, restaurants, and general ambiance; today I\u2019m making up my list. The brochure offers suggestions for a day, starting with morning at the golden-domed State House and a guided tour. Maybe a hike in Hubbard Park? Some of the trails wind through the woods just behind the State House, and there\u2019s an observation tower for those promised stunning views. Sounds interesting, I\u2019m warming up. Then, afternoon? <\/p>\n

\"07<\/a>Downtown is walkable; there are outdoor restaurants for a pleasant lunch and then some browsing time in locally-owned shops full of vintage treasures \u2013 handmade crafts, unique gifts, and books; that\u2019s one choice. Or spend an afternoon at the Vermont History Museum \u2013 their interactive exhibit, Freedom and Unity, covers Vermont\u2019s past from the 1600s. This is beginning to sound like a two-day stop. I read more inviting phrases in Montpelier\u2019s brochure \u2013 slow down for a day; stretch your legs; grab a picnic lunch; lounge on the State House lawn<\/i>. How nice! There\u2019s an appeal to the idea of nestling down and tucking in; no rat race, here. Do you know the geography of Vermont? Get this picture in your mind: Lake Champlain and a valley to the west; the Green Mountains running north and south for 250 miles from Canada to Massachusetts (the name of the range changes at the state line); and capital city Montpelier centrally located in the middle of the state. The highest point in the state is Mt Mansfield at 4,393 feet, about 20 miles northwest of the State House. The \"07<\/a>Vermont State Map I also picked up at the Information Center is dotted to the northwest with little red icons of skiers; Smugglers Notch Resort, Stowe Mountain Resort, Bolton Valley Resort, Cochran Ski Area. To the southwest, also within 20 miles or so, is Sugarbush Resort at Mt Ellen Base, and at Lincoln Peak Base, and Mad River Glen Ski Area. The icons have two distinct shapes \u2013 the downhill skiers dot the map near the resorts; the cross-country skiers are scattered all over the place.<\/p>\n

\"07<\/a>So, people come to the Montpelier area for nestling, browsing, and, in the wintertime, skiing. And with that many mountains, in the summertime, hiking. Vermont\u2019s Long Trail is the first long-distance hiking trail in the country; the idea came from James Taylor of Windsor, Vermont back in 1910. His mission became to “make the Vermont mountains play a larger part in the life of the people by protecting and maintaining the Long Trail system and fostering, through education, the stewardship of Vermont’s hiking trails and mountains.” Construction of the trail began in 1912 and was completed in 1930; this was a precursor of the Appalachian Trail.<\/p>\n

\"07<\/a>And people come to the Montpelier area to go to school. There\u2019s the Vermont College of Fine Arts, where you can get a graduate degree in visual arts and writing, http:\/\/www.vcfa.edu\/<\/a>; the New England Culinary Institute, one of the top three culinary institutes in the country, http:\/\/www.neci.edu\/<\/a>; and Norwich University, about 10 miles south in Northfield, one of the country\u2019s first military schools, http:\/\/www.norwich.edu\/<\/a>. Goddard College is 10 miles northeast in Plainfield; it’s\u00a0a liberal arts low-residency institution, http:\/\/goddard.edu\/<\/a>. The Montpelier area is a good place to study, and think; surrounded by peaceful mountains, and let\u2019s face it, outstanding recreational opportunities.<\/p>\n

\"07<\/a>But there\u2019s one thing more. I believe people come to the Montpelier area for tours. There’s that famed autumn foliage, of course. And my Vermont map shows all the businesses that offer tours; some of those businesses are household words around the country. Like Ben & Jerry\u2019s Ice Cream, and Green Mountain Coffee (for a number of years now, it’s my home-brewed coffee of choice). Can I possibly visit all of these interesting spots during my time in the area?<\/p>\n

Montpelier<\/p>\n