Vermont is in the New England region, otherwise known as Back East. It borders New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and New York, as well as the Canadian province of Quebec. The border between New Hampshire is formed by the Connecticut River.
Where is Vermont on a US map?
Vermont is not the northernmost state, but it does share a northern border with Canada. When counting right to left from Maine, it is the third state after New Hampshire and before New York.
Interesting Facts about Vermont
Vermont is the only New England state to not border the Atlantic Ocean somewhere. It is entirely landlocked.
Vermont is the sixth smallest state by area and the second least populous state. Interestingly, Wyoming is the first least populous state, but Vermont is significantly smaller.
Vermont is a very small state, about a quarter of the size of South Korea or Iceland. It would fit into the state of Texas twenty-eight times.
It declared itself an independent territory on January 18, 1777 and became the 14th US state on February 18, 1791 after the end of the American Revolutionary War.
Vermont was the first state in North America to abolish slavery.
Robert Frost lived four decades of his life in Vermont. The famous poet had a log cabin in Ripton where you can go on tours dedicated to Robert Frost and his work. He is also currently buried in Bennington.
Vermont is also the location of the Tallest Filing Cabinet on Earth. It was erected by a local artist in 2002 and was designed to be a commentary of bureaucratic messes.
While Montpelier is Vermont’s capital, the largest city in Vermont is actually Burlington, with a population of roughly forty thousand.
Vermont’s Capital
Montpelier, Vermont’s Capital, is the least populous capital in the United States. As of 2020, the population was roughly eight thousand. However, due to the amount of people commuting to Montpelier during the day, the population grows to over twenty thousand.
The climate in Montpelier is characterized by long snowy winters, short springs and autumns, and humid summers. The average yearly snowfall is nearly 100 inches. On the flip side, temperatures hardly get above 90 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer.
Reasons to Visit Vermont
Vermont is excellent to visit in the fall because the landscape turns a vast array of colors.
Skiing is big in Vermont as there are plenty of mountains with ski slopes. This includes Killington, Manchester, Mount Snow, and Stowe.
While Vermont is inland, Lake Champlain has beautiful beaches and water sports to partake of as well.
Vermont has a lot of educational and historical sites to visit including Shelburne Farms or the Trapp Family Lodge. The Shelburne Farms and museum is still a functional farm and has various tours involving cheese, tea, and other options.
Many surrounding states in New England like to visit Vermont during the summer because it is quiet and an almost idyllic getaway from the chaos of city living.
Ben & Jerry’s started in Vermont, and you can schedule a factory tour at the ice cream factory. Along with the factory tours, you can try samples of whatever ice cream they are testing or producing as well as freshly-made cones.
Every Memorial Day, artisans from all over come together for Open Studio Weekend. Vermont boasts a community of over 1500 craftspeople including furniture makers, glassblowers, metal workers, painters, potters, printmakers, quilters, sculptors, and weavers. You can visit Open Studio weekend and buy goods directly from the maker.
There are plenty of fine art venues to peruse in Vermont, including the Robert Hull Fleming Museum, the Southern Vermont Art Center, the Springfield Historical Society, Miller Art Center, the Chaffee Center, and the Middlebury College Museum of Art. These venues are all over the state.
Reasons to Move to Vermont
Vermont has plenty of options for outdoor activities. You can easily stay in shape with hiking, kayaking, rock climbing, skiing, snow-shoeing, and swimming. Regardless of the season, there is something to do outside in Vermont.
For people looking for sustainable produce, there are a lot of co-ops and farm-to-table restaurants in Vermont. Vermont has a lot of cows, so any cow byproduct is going to be locally sourced if you live there.
Vermont’s dairy industry is giant and there are cheese tours all over the place. So if you enjoy dairy and cheese, Vermont may be the place to move just for that.
Vermont is also big on incorporating maple into everything, so if you like maple syrup, prepare to see a lot of it!
Because Vermont is both small and not particularly populous, most cities and towns are going to be on the smaller side. But, this means that the locale is much more relaxing and conducive to being outdoors enjoying nature.
Since 2018, Vermont has been rated the safest state, the best state to live in, the best state to have and raise a baby in, the healthiest state, and the state with the greatest number of breweries per capita.
Despite being a very rural area, Vermont is easily traversed. Vermont is serviced by Amtrak and has the American Orient Express during the winter months. Additionally, there are three major north-south routes and three major east-west routes that will take you the lengths and the widths of the state respectively.
Vermont also has very clean spring water that can be collected and drunk immediately. There are a lot of ordinances to keep spring water areas clear of litter and debris in order to keep the water supply clean.
Conclusion
Vermont is a great place to be if you are looking for a creative and artistic community but also in a rural location. Vermont seems to balance those different values with ease.
The state has an excellent climate and many outdoor activities to keep people active and entertained. It is easy to get around in Vermont and tour whatever interest suits your fancy. Plus, the state is safe, healthy, and easy to raise a family in.
