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.

Took the self guided tour. The mansion were beautiful. Definitely worth checking out. There is also…read morea walking trail inside.

I've had a love affair with the State of Vermont since the 1980's when I lived in New England for a…read morefew years. Aside from the magnificent beauty of the entire state, is has the covered bridges, which are so much fun to track down and photograph. I left New England in 1985 and didn't return till 2025 but took myself (and my husband) back to VT, and yes, went covered bridge hunting. What amazed me is that even WITH the added technology of GPS, I still had trouble finding some of the bridges. GPS only works when we have cell service, and many places still do NOT... duh. Anyway, we easily found the Taftsville Bridge, and it did not disappoint. It was one of the larger bridges we rode over, and it definitely was the oldest one that we saw, having been built in 1836. It's one of the oldest in the entire country, too !

This beautiful covered bridge is hard to miss when passing by. The bridge is operational with one…read moretraveling lane at a time. This landmark makes a perfect spot for pictures. Built in 1836, covering the Ottauquechee River, the Taftsville Covered Bridge is a 189ft multiple kingpost truss bridge with multiple support arches.

While not so historic as most bridges we've seen, this bridge was only constructed in 1969, but it…read moreis still a very popular and photographable bridge. It crosses the Ottauquechee River and offers some very attractive views through the lattice wood design. I like the fact that a walkway off to one side was constructed to accommodate pedestrians, so that car traffic could safely enter the bridge tunnel.

Our recent New England fall foliage organized guided tour included a brief stop here…read more It's a working bridge so be aware of vehicles passing back and forth. There's a pedestrian walkway also. We walked across to the other side and back. The covered bridge is very rustic looking. Originally from the late 1800's and rebuilt in the 1960's. Nice photo opportunity.

Amazing place for kids and adults alike. Kids can play with this from past generations while older…read morefolks can see stuff from their childhood and before. We appreciate everything the Ice House Museum does for the community.

Outstanding collection of antique cars, paraphernalia, and kitschy retro toys and promotional items…read morehaving to do with various modes of transportation and industry through the ages. Meticulously arranged compound of vintage vehicles, machinery, accessories, signage, appliances, and so much more. This is an ideal place whether you tinker or just appreciate the ingenuity of how things used to work. So many of these old utilitarian items are also works of art unto themselves. Eager volunteers will tell you more about everything on display. A charming and truly impressive garage gallery with interesting and quirky things to admire for all ages. Hidden gem.

It is very evocative of 19th century life on a rural farm; I wouldn't last a week as a yeoman. I…read moreespecially enjoyed the "indoor outhouse" that our prior president used. Wonder how he would feel about the gold plated ones our current occupant of the White House uses. Admission is cheap cheap cheap by NY standards and there is one weekend at the beginning of the season that is free in all VT state parks and most attractions.

I had to come out of my way to get here, and yes it is out of the way. It's amazing that a 20th…read morecentury president came out of such a humble place. On Google maps, I saw it was a small town, but basically the entire town is Calvin Coolidge Town. Yes it's only like 8 buildings and the church functions on its own and the cheese shop rents, but still. As a presidential house connoisseur, this is really a top experience because of the extent of the buildings and the authenticity and preservation of the objects. And unlike any other presidential house, this also doubles as the site a president was sworn into office. There is a thorough exhibit hall where you buy tickets, watch a movie, and see all about Coolidge's presidency with some interesting artifacts and interactive audio elements. They also have the lamp which lit the inauguration in here, and it's a pretty sweet lamp. The video introduction to Coolidge was really engaging and well-made, and one of the top videos I've seen at a historic site as well. Tours start at the general store (which is also cool, take a look before), go through the 2 barns that house antique cars and farming equipment, next to his birth house, to across the street to his later boyhood home. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and really painted Coolidge as a hard worker from a young age and how his dad, a hater of the telephone, was a public notary and personally swore him in at 2:47 am one fateful night. Coolidge should get more attention. Painting his story from the death of his mother to the death of his sister, to the death of his son really painted a picture of a figure outside of politics, and having all the buildings as they were at the time, on a quiet forested part of Vermont, was a really interesting way to spend the day. Definitely a 5/5 and worth a few hours on site. Keep cool and keep Coolidge.

Blow-Me-Down-Farms National Park for the Arts is a wonderful new initiative in the Upper…read moreConnecticut Valley, uniting the land and building infrastructure resources of the Saint Gaudens National Historic Park, with the artistic and immeasurable talent of Opera North, a non-profit performing arts organization in Lebanon, NH since 1984. If you're aware of the works and legacy of Augustus Saint Gauden, you may remember that it was Charles Beaman, a New York City lawyer and patron of the arts, whose friendship with Saint Gauden brought the artist to Cornish in 1885. The farm, dating to the 1770s, was bought by Beaman in 1882 and renamed Blow-Me-Down Farm after the nearby brook. Beaman immediately began building his "Blowmedown" cottage, a three story barn, and continually improved the farm adding several buildings and houses. He developed orchards and gardens and had considerable livestock. He also bought the land to the east that is now the Saint-Gaudens National Historic Site. Beaman leased this property to Augustus Saint-Gaudens and his family, who came to Cornish for the first time in 1885 at Beaman's invitation. Beaman's real estate investments and his work attracting artists to the area was key to the creation of the Cornish Art Colony. The Blow-Me-Down Farm property was eventually purchased by the Saint-Gaudens Memorial, a non-profit operating partner of the Saint-Gaudens National Historic Site. In 2010 the 42.6-acre Blow-Me-Down Farm was transferred to the Saint-Gaudens National Historic Site. A local farmer grows corn and hays the fields. The performing arts center has a large circus tent and ample grounds for both indoor and outdoor concerts. While the original farmstead and original auxiliary buildings are being totally renovated, the place serves as both a historic place and a concert venue. We went there for one of their concerts under their relationship with Opera North and the National Park Service. Havana Nights was a superb mix of orchestral music and both, variety skits and circus acts of immense quality. Musical works of Bizet, Lecuona, Bernstein. Valdés and Rodrigo were followed by stupendously performed parts of Man of La Mancha. It was an afternoon to remember. The New Hampshire/Vermont Upper Valley. Is no stranger to culture, with an Ivy League university, several colleges nearby, and one of the most educated populations in the nation. The addition of the Summerfest is just more icing on the cake for this beautiful area's cultural heritage

This place does not have the victorian mansion, it is across this place but they share parking…read morespace with the farm. Tours are set at times depending on the crowd and sells ticket on the spot. A good half day to fully be involve but a day worth of trip if you are going to read every description. A good place for a family visit. Lots of awards and family history.

We visited Billings Farm because it kept coming up as a must-see stop on our New England road trip…read more I don't like leaving negative reviews, but with 4 teenage kids, the experience was very underwhelming. The highlight was definitely the baby calves, so be sure to time your visit since that area is only open during certain hours. You can only pet two of the milk cows in the barn, and beyond that there were a few horses, pigs, sheep, and chickens. It felt more like a large petting zoo than a destination worth the admission price. For our family of six, it cost over $100 to visit, which didn't feel like a good value. We have very similar farms in California that are either free or only a few dollars to enter. If you have very young children, it might be worth a visit, but for adults or families with older kids, I wouldn't recommend it.

The Little Red Schoolhouse, built in 1817, was the boyhood school of Paul Harris, founder of…read moreRotary International. A small edifice made of red brick with a skyscraper of importance. It is a genesis and source of the 1.2 million organization of 35,000 clubs throughout 200 countries around the world. Paul Harris lived two doors down in a beautiful colonial home. But this was one of his homes, the other one being in Racine WI. The schoolhouse became the site of the Wallingford Rotary Club. Decades later, the building was transferred to the Rotary District. While the inside is a historical treasure, the memorial gardens outside are amazing. It is a beautiful historical site.

Easy little hike to the tower and the payoff is nice and peaceful. Great for kids and dogs.read more

Cool little park with an easy walk/hike up to the historic Ethan Allen Tower. It's pretty easy to…read moreget up to the top of the tower and has a great view once you're there!

This bridge gets the award for the prettiest approach to a covered bridge. It's down a dirt road…read morethrough the woods. Gorgeous! This bridge was built in 1870. And doesn't look like it has been changed much since then. It looks authentic. It looks like what a beautiful old covered bridge should look like.