This is a gorgeous waterfall and swimming hole about a 45 minute drive from Burlington, VT! My…read morewife, two teenage sons, mini-poodle, and I came here in July 2024 on a hot summer day to cool off for an hour. Lots of pluses. First, it has a wide receiving pool area that is conducive to large groups and is more kid-friendly than other swimming holes (such as Warren Falls). Second, parking is generally available on the side of the road above the falls. You can descend along the second pathway down which is less steep than the first pathway. Third, dogs with a leash are allowed in the area. Would strongly recommend bringing water shoes (river shoes) if you don't like the pain of multiple rocks on your bare feet. Also, it tends to be a bit more quiet from 3pm-4pm, but got crowded when we departed at 5pm. Overall, this is a great place to experience a swimming hole in Vermont - especially if you are staying nearby in Burlington, VT.

I am into cold plunging for health and wellness. It was a cold rainy Aug. day and we headed to…read moreBristol for food and falls. Bartlett falls are amazing. Very accessible and pristine. We had a lovely swim. We parked on the side of the road and walked down..easy peasy.

Great view of Lake Champlain and beyond, the Adirondack Mountains. Probably a fantastic spot for a…read moresunset but I missed that this afternoon. The park has a huge parking area, some walking areas and several benches facing the proper direction of the view. The park is linked with the Burlington recreational paths so try it as a destination or trailhead. [Review 18508 overall - 107 in Vermont - 2030 of 2022.]

My friend showed me this adorable little overlook when we were up in BTV. Unfortunately, we came…read moreon an overcast day, but it was still nice to take in the lovely views! This is an amazing place to see sweeping views of the beautiful mountains and Lake Champlain. I imagine it would also be worth checking out at sunset. This is also a great spot for budding photographers. There is a small parking lot here, plus a couple of picnic tables. I'd say this is a must do for first time visitors to this fabulous city! Plan to spend 10-15 minutes here.

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!

A really fascinating place to visit for a decent hike/ tour. It's a self guided tour after you grab…read moreyour tickets inside the gift shop. There are some pretty incredible views & a few astounding caves you can explore. The trail features quite a bit of stairs & winding paths so come prepared (eg. walking stick if need be). We saw plenty of families, children & seniors on the trail so it's suitable for an array of people. We saved the coolest part for last: cracking open a few geodes. This is completely random but it's enchanting to wait & see what color is inside! We love this place.

Such a great day for kids while in the Adirondacks! The geode popping and activities at the end of…read morethe trail were fun.

Hiked Otter Creek Gorge Trail on Friday afternoon. After a long drive up to Vermont, decided to…read morestretch our legs at this dull trail, which was quick and uneventful. Quality: Otter Creek Gorge Trail is a short trail that starts near a dam on Otter Creek. It is a piece of a larger trail that circles all of Middlebury. The trail is short and pretty boring. Other than the fun bridges at the entrance and a small waterfall, which isn't actually visible from the trail itself, there is not much to see. It also has quite a few bugs that were very irritating. Okay for a quick stroll, but not worth a visit unless you live in the area. Quantity: There were a few different trail options in the Middlebury Area Land Trust, but we decided to stick with the shorter Otter Creek Gorge Trail, which was just under two miles. Value: No cost to park or hike this trail. Ambiance: Otter Creek Gorge Trail is located a little north of Middlebury, Vermont. It is a short trail that follows along the creek in a forested area before opening up to a large field. The trail is very easy with minimal elevation, but also very few viewpoints. There are two unique bridges that you traverse over the dam, which are the most exciting part of the short journey. Crowd: We saw cars in the lot, but no people on the relatively short trail. Service: Signage was not the best on the trail, but it is still easy to follow. The trail itself was well-maintained and the recent heavy rains did not impact the quality. Parking: Small dirt parking lot at the trailhead, not well marked.

Wow ! What a hidden gem ! We were visiting Ludlow VT and saw this fall . Kids wanted to enjoy…read morewater and this was a perfect choice for us . The water was colddddddddddd though. Ufff . Very cold . The first dip was tough ! Later once you get use of it , it felt a bit better . Pathway was a bit crazy , in some places .it is about a 2 mile walk but we just went not too far : .. the lower and middle falls is also accessible from car parking lots outside . Parking is outside and sometimes you have to park 5-8 mins away from the falls . Not much of restrooms around . Lots of dogs in the water :) It was an amazing tint though ! Loved it . 5 stars !

As we were staying near Ludlow, I had put this on our schedule as a "check it out whenever time…read morepermits" item. We drove back after visiting some places to the north, and were passing this around 4 p.m. so we checked it out. This was in early October and the sun was just starting to go down. Though it was pre-dusk, it would be better to visit this site in full sunlight. There are 3 separate falls (the creatively named upper, middle, and lower). You access them from the main highway via a side road that starts as paved but soon becomes (good) dirt/gravel. The total length is less than 2 miles. You first get to a wide spot / parking area from which you can access the middle and lower falls. A trail leads down a hill where you must choose which falls to visit. The middle falls is impressive. It is probably the easiest one to access. The area from which you have the best view is a bit rocky, but navigable. It makes for nice photos. The lower falls appeared accessible from a side trail that descended a bit more steeply. You can also see it from above (somewhat) without descending. It appeared smaller and less photogenic than the middle falls. We then drove another 1/4 mile up the road (to its end) to check out the upper falls. There is a sharp short descent from the road to the top of the falls. It appeared to have a fairly large pool at the bottom and a flat dirt/sand area where some people had laid out a blanket for a picnic. The light was fading more so we skipped walking down the relatively gentle slope to check it out further. If you are in the area and have time, this is a nice spot to visit. It is within 3 miles of Ludlow. I cannot comment on what the swimming is like, but I saw references to that online (during summers, I guess).

Okay, I love, love, love Maple Street Park. I have two young children and this is definitely one…read moreof our favorite places to hang out. I love the ratio of equipment for the age of my kids--plenty of baby/toddler swings and slides. Also little rocking ride on equipment. The only thing that could make it a little better for us would be a swing for special needs kids as my older daughter can't sit safely in a regular swing due to her needs. But we make do with what is there very nicely :) The grounds are super well kept and part of a larger park which includes a baseball and soccer (I think) field. I am kind of obsessed with the beautiful flower garden that they have in the parking lot. I would love to be able to steal their gardener for a day to help me make something similar. There is a pool as well with a waterslide. We've never actually used the pool but it very popular and always crowded. There is also a skate park for older kids which is really cool. At least it looks cool--I don't know the first think about skateboarding. I am always impressed by how respectful the skaters seem to be about safety rules. It looks like a lot of fun. Anyhow, this is a really nice park with great shade on hot days. There are always lots of super friendly people there to chat with as well.

I love this park…read more It is beautiful. It is clean and well kept. I remember coming here after school with a few hours to waste, would buy snacks on the way and just lazy around enjoying the sunshine. What a life, it really just makes me so happy. Coming here again brings back good memories.

This is a gorgeous park along the shore of lake Champlain, with a wonderful walkway for locals and…read moretourists to enjoy the beauty of the landscape. The downtown Burlington is visible from the park. There's also tiny beach like sand area available. The adjacent park is also very popular among locals. The area bbq stations setup. Multiple playground areas with slides, swing, and marry go round. The park has two parking areas. One closer to main park, another one is further in, closer to the tree house. Both are paid parkings, but when we went on Sunday, we didn't have to pay. There are couple of volleyball fields next to the treehouse. We saw a bunch of people playing. The treehouse itself was underwhelming. Still it is a beautiful park to visit.

What a nice park! It really has everything. Hiking trails by the river, playground, sports court,…read moreand the view! The playground has 2-3 sections so it's not over crowded at the same area. Along the hiking trail, there are equipments for physical therapy. The day we went was chilly but still quite a lot of people biking and hiking. The treehouse is cool but I think it will have better view in summer. Lots graffiti inside tho. I didn't like that. Parking lot on site (kiosk to pay fee?)

Charlotte Beach is a playground and beach in Charlotte. It has bathrooms, pickleball and tennis, a…read morecovered bridge, a swim dock, easy parking, and swings. There are no dogs allowed, there are lots of gnats in spring, and you have to pay. It is only open in a little bit in spring and all of summer. I would recommend sunscreen, bug spray, and extra layers. I felt excited there,I give it . -Ayla Grade 3

This place is pure natural gorgeousness. I mean wow. Lovely beach area (no sand, rocks) on Lake…read moreChamplain. There are several floating docks in the water that you can swim out to to lay out or relax. Views for days..... stunning . There's a few picnic tables and benches around the area. Right down the road is a beautiful old covered bridge. If you're in Charlotte, check it out!

Ausable Chasm, NY - billing itself as "the Grand Canyon of the Adirondacks" is a shamelessly…read moreambitious boast for an attraction that I'd more accurately describe as Watkins Glen with the consumer interface of Bushkill Falls, but there's no denying Ausable Chasm is a fun, scenic, and daring adventure for all ages! We came during the off season at the end of April, before the more high thrills activities like rafting & tubing, riverwalk, Via Ferrata adventure trail, rappelling, rock climbing, etc. were open for the season (usually around late-May to June through autumn). That was no problem as we are visiting with our toddler who isn't old enough to do most of these activities anyway, and, as we discovered, it was actually perfect and to our advantage, since as first-time visitors we only wanted/had time to explore the chasm itself. And as there were very few other visitors on a weekday, it was as if we had this private park all to ourselves! No need to jostle for views/photos, can enjoy lunch & snacks at the best picnic tables by vista points, and it's also more pleasant than hiking in hot summer, though many of the trails are shaded. The basic "trails only" admission is about $20 for adults & teens, $12 for kids 5-12, and free for under 5. All the other activities have additional fees, which can add up so you might explore packages, or even stay overnight at their campground & cabins. We are a family of hikers so wanted to do the whole perimeter and see the entire gorge (about 2 miles). But if you only wish to see the exciting parts and leave time for other activities, then you can turn back halfway and do the shorter loop (1 mile if you do the Inner Sanctum Trail which I 100% recommend as this is the "signature" trail along the canyon's edge. But note it has many stairs up & down). We took the Inner Sanctum (yellow) trail, crossed over to Big Dry Chasm and hiked to the Whirlpool Basin Overlook at other end, then looped back around on the orange trail via Little Dry Chasm. The trails are well maintained, with most of the outer edge trails on comfortable soft padded ground. They're mostly well marked except the end part is not really shown clearly on the park map so I used AllTrails. The orange trail (Dry Chasm Trail) is marked as more difficult, but it's basically just a regular wooded hiking trail that's not paved, with rooty and rocky sections. The park is very walkable for most able-bodied people. Even our 3yo was able to hike the whole thing by himself, with a bit of help over the orange trails. We loved our visit and are excited to come back when our child is older to do more activities! Will update my review when we've had a chance to experience all the action-packed adventures the park has to offer. TIP #1: No trail maps are given out so take a photo ar a screenshot. But there are maps placed along the trails marked with where you are. TIP #2: Porta-potties only on either end of the trails, so I recommend taking your nature break before setting out. TIP #3: There's a cafe by the Welcome Center but it's only open seasonally. Bring water. No garbage bins along the trails (cos bears!) so trash is carry-in carry-out.

This place is the best. Great for families. Do the explorer package with river walk...ropes…read morebridges are awesome. Boat is mild, it's not white water rafting. Very safe. Go here and enjoy!