I recently bought a family pass so that my wife and I with our two tweens and two teens could…read morechallenge ourselves this winter. We've gone twice this week and can't wait to go again. It's a unique way to engage everyone in the family at the same time without anyone complaining. They all love it. We've been able to strengthen the family bond while engendering trust, encouragement and life's boundless joy. It really reduces the screen time as well. Bonus!

It was mine and my husband's first time climbing and Steve was great making us feel comfortable. We…read morearrived within an hour of closing but it was our last night in town so we were okay with it being a shorter session but Steve welcomed us and stayed open late and insisted we keep going. The facilities were clean and there was lots of easy parking. Super nice staff and we saw they tailored the instruction based on the person's experience. It seemed like a great place for both new and more experienced climbers.

Always a pleasure to go here to swim cook an just enjoy freedom outside with family fun an food…read more Love going here it always brings back childhood memories. Used to come here as a kid now get the chance to bring the new families here to enjoy the same kind of entertainment. What a pleasure.

We had a great time at the beach! There is also a playground, but my guys didn't get out of the…read morewater. There was also a large area so that my fiancé & his friends could play horseshoes. My only problem was that they didn't have a lot of sizes left for their t shirts at the gift shop, but it was mid August when we were there. It didn't stop me from buying a bunch of stuff from them. We'll definitely be back next year!

As one of our (currently) 433 National Park sites, this one tells the story about why we have…read moreconservation and the story behind the families who have contributed to our conservation efforts. Located just on the edge of town, this park is huge and I would have loved to hike in the back country. Unfortunately we arrived late in the day and only had enough time for a mansion tour and to take a short hike on the 'Jr Ranger Loop'. The house itself is beautiful and I highly recommend stopping in for a tour. Loved chatting with the rangers here.

Last weekend, my wife and I were thrilled to discover that Vermont is home to its very own National…read morePark and it's located right here in Woodstock! As longtime supporters of National Parks, we couldn't wait to experience it for ourselves. Entry to the park is free, though ranger-led tours of the mansion run about $9 per adult. The park's history is absolutely fascinating. It preserves the boyhood home of George Perkins Marsh, a pioneering environmental thinker whose book Man and Nature laid the foundation for conservation in the U.S. Another interesting fact: the park includes the oldest continuously managed scientific forest in the country, originally reforested by Frederick Billings as a model of sustainable forestry. We opted for a ranger-led mansion tour (worth every penny), which brought the estate's legacy of stewardship to life through beautifully preserved furnishings, art, and stories of the Marsh, Billings, and Rockefeller families. After the tour, our ranger highly recommended a scenic trail hike. It was an easy, peaceful walk that led us to a lovely lake loop - perfect for stretching our legs and soaking in nature. The trail meandered beneath shady trees and felt like a serene escape from the world. All in all, if you're curious about conservation history or just looking for a peaceful, enriching outing in woodland surroundings, this park is a gem. The blend of free admission, affordable ranger tours, compelling legacy, and gentle trails make it a memorable and meaningful stop in Woodstock.

I stayed in the cabin moose and it was absolutely terrific! Very clean and spacious. The ceiling…read morefan kept us cool even during late summer heat. The bathrooms and showers were also very clean (just remember to bring quarters because you do have to pay for showers). There's lovely restaurants and nearby day hikes. 10/10!

Gifford Woods State Park is a great location for hikers (or any visitor to the Killington area for…read morethat matter) to bunk for a couple of nights. The park hosts 4 cabins, 22 tent/RV sites, and 21 lean-to sites located around two paved/well-maintained dirt roads on the premises. It appears to be open Memorial Day weekend to late October. It is a breeze to find, easily located just off Route 100. The Appalachian Trail runs right through the park so you may catch a glimpse of some thru-hikers on their journey between Maine and Georgia! The park is very well-maintained! The campsite was neatly raked, the fire pit cleaned out for use. I stayed at campsite #1 and it was quite spacious...a bit further removed from the road than the other campsites. The whole site was marked out with a fine gravel, plenty of room for parking and maneuvering the car. Each road loop contains modern bathrooms and coin-operated hot showers. There are areas for picnicking, volleyball, horseshoes, trash/recycling, and drinking water. Kent Pond is just across the way complete with boat launch and fishing! Booking and check-in were a breeze for this location. I called 10 days before our intended arrival and got a site no problem. On arrival, the ranger at the park office was very friendly and sold us firewood and ice straight from there. If you need any assistance during off-hours, the ranger lives in a cute house attached to the park office. They encouraged us to knock on the door at any time if we needed help. The campsite is pet-friendly and I came across quite a few well-behaved dogs during my stay. Quiet hours are from 10pm-7am. The park itself is pretty quiet all day long... I heard nothing but birds chirping, trees rustling, and a bit less-welcoming: the traffic from Route 100. This didn't bother me so much since I generally wear earplugs to sleep but something to consider if you prefer a more rustic atmosphere when camping. Tent sites are between $20-$22/night, $27-$29 for a lean-to site, and $50 for cabins. There is a 2-night minimum for reservations. Affordable, clean, convenient... I would definitely stay here again!

Vermont is gorgeous, and this is one of the best places to camp…read more I recommend one of the sites on the south side of the pond - there are other sites that are right on the shore of the pond but they are more cramped. we stayed at Aspen and it was very spacious, complete with a large lean-to which proved very important during the wild summer thunderstorm. you can buy ice and firewood at the ranger station and rent boats to paddle around the pond. There is a strict Quiet Rule in effect after 10 pm, guaranteeing a good nights sleep. There is a 5 mile, well-marked trail from the campsite leading to nearby Lake Bomoseen. if the park staff had refilled the soap dispenser in the bathroom, it would have really been a 5 star camping experience.

First time to half moon state park, but certainly not my first to Vermont state parks…read more My mom and I went to half moon for our annual girls weekend. We got a nice big campsite that had a basic picnic table and a nice fire pit. A little too close to the neighbors and they had a dog that barked at us constantly and once the dog got loose and made a run for us. It was just a pug and not intimidating at all, plus I love animals so it really didn't bother me much. The park itself is very nice, the bathrooms are top notch for a state park, I was very impressed with them! One of the stalls was out of TP the first day that we were there and on the second day the middle stall was out of order. The park is nice and quiet at night despite there being quite a number of people, I think 10 pm is reasonable time to ask people to be quiet past. If anything that's a generous time, 9:30 would have been alright too! I'm happy to hear they reenforce the quiet time rules because some people like a good night sleep and if your coming here to party, go else where. The pond is small but a interesting ecosystem, we rented two kayaks and floated around the lake for about a half hour before heading back in. The Lilies were beautiful! At the beach some people must have been feeding the fish because they were grouped up close to shore and when i stepped into the water, they seemed very interested in me to the point of following me around like little water bound dogs. It was really remarkable and for some reason or another I really enjoyed them. Glen lake is just up black pond road, huge lake with clear, clean water and it would make a really good place to go boating. There is a trail that is probably around 3-4 miles, pretty easy and has a lot of nice views of the lake especially up on the vista which is a slightly more difficult hike up, hiking shoes would be useful here because its a little steep and rocky in places. Very quiet trails, we only saw 2 different groups of people. If you find you need some supplies, go right on to route 30, will go down to lake bomoseen and castleton area. There is a nice general store that actually accepts credit cards! We picked up some cabot american cheese for our burgers and gram crackers for s'mores. Penny candies (5 -25 cents) too, I couldn't resist! All and all it was a wonderful weekend.

What skiing and boarding used to be...., before hedge funds and satanic corporations bent on…read moreextracting every penny from the public went on acquiring the vast majority of ski areas. Middlebury still has the mojo. It still has the customer service. It still has the small town ambiance. Still a place where kids can get dropped off by mom and dad to have fun. We came here through Indy Pass, the multi-resort pass that honors and supports independent ski areas. What a joy We got here and it was evident we were going to have a great time. No crowds. The customer service people were just super. A couple of skiers gave us points on where to go. The place has glades galore. A couple of the best runs can be pushers and so is the top transition between the two mountain side terrains. Other than one or the main runs used for racing and therefore groomed accordingly from top to bottom, some of the rest were groomed but still leaving plenty of room for ungroomed runs and natural skiing. We got there at 9:30 and had freshies and powder to suit us. Their cafeteria is small but plenty for the place. Truly a congenial and old school ski area. May it multiply to bring the best experience to every skier and rider.

Wowwww. I loved this lil mountain. One of the last remaining holdouts that hasn't been usurped by…read moreevil-company-that-shall-not-be-named, & you can literally feel it in the air when you get there. The vibes are so good. I can't even remember the last time I got a hand-written lift ticket - I laughed out loud when I got mine! It was only $55 for a half day which was 1 PM to 4 PM. That would be like one bazillion dollars if it was run by evil-company-that-shall-not-be-named. A pass for an ENTIRE day (9 AM to 9 PM) is $75 on non-peak days & $85 on peak days. That would be like fifteen bazillion dollars if it was run by evil-company-that-shall-not-be-named. I went to Middlebury Snowbowl with two friends, both of whom needed to rent gear. The attendants in the rental shop were super friendly & fun to converse with, & my friends were both geared up (snowboard & skis respectively) for a sensible $50, helmet included. It was time for me to put my teaching chops to the test, so we tackled the bunny hill first. It was equipped with a magic carpet thingamajig & had the perfect amount of slope for beginners - Not too flat so that you have to scootch uncomfortably to get any speed, & not too steep that it's intimidating for a newbie. We made excellent progress! My BFF/student was ready to tackle the chairlift, so that's where we went next. We asked the liftie if he could slow the lift down, since it was my friend's very first time riding a chairlift - & on a snowboard, which is even scarier! He gave us an evil grin, reminding me of Scar from the Lion King, & I swear he SPED the chairlift up. No matter. We made it work. So we took the Sheehan Chair up & the Lang Trail down. The best conditions I've ever seen? Absolutely not. Still very much enjoyable? Absolutely. After our tired & very accomplished newbie retired to the lodge, my skier friend & I explored the other side of the mountain using the Worth Mtn. Chair. Not as good! Many ice patches! Many flat spots! I even had to unstrap & basically ice skate across a flat sheet of frozen terrain at one point. We went back to the original side of the mountain & ran Lang & Kelton a few times to cleanse our palettes. We retired just before 4 PM, feeling incredibly satisfied & like our money was well spent. The whole experience honestly made me a bit emotional. Bear with me here. For me & so many other people, snowboarding has become almost inaccessible. I started at Yawgoo Valley (shout out Yawgoons) in 2011 on borrowed gear & a dream. For years after, I just made it work. I slept on couches, took 5 AM busses, saved up my paychecks to buy season passes, waited in line for Burton warehouse sales, rocked FLOW BINDINGS (ew) until they snapped, & generally just lived the snowboard bum lifestyle. I snowboarded, like really snowboarded, all the time. That's basically impossible now. It's not ONLY the fault of evil-company-that-shall-not-be-named, it's also the fault of the commodification of the entire industry, with a generous sprinkle of isms. That's why the SPARK is gone. That's why it costs more & not only do you GET less, you FEEL less. When an industry defined by "bum culture" is now financially, logistically, & socially impossible for bums to partake, what happens? It becomes a ghost of what it once was. If you've made it this far in my review/rant/diary entry, I commend you. Thanks for coming along for the ride. Shoutout Middlebury Snowbowl, I will definitely be coming back.

I have been attending Killington Boot Camp and Wellness for a few years. Great variety of classes…read morefor all levels from boot camp to blocking. Beth and all her instructors are excellent plus it's fun! Even recruited my husband!

Killington Boot Camp offers a wide variety of classes and instructors. I would recommend the…read morewellness center for those traveling on vacation and those who live locally looking to get fit. They have helped me reach many fitness milestones.

Love this park! Open space. Lovely colorful trees. And a nice waterfall to boot!…read more Lovely place to have a picnic!