This is a kid-friendly swimming hole that is only a few miles away from Ludlow, VT. Our family…read morestopped by for a visit with our dog in July 2026. Here are 3 tips for newbies. First, it can get very crowded along the road (there is no official parking lot). Be sure to pack your patience. If you arrive mid-afternoon, more spaces near the entrance may open. Second, no public restrooms are available. So, plan accordingly. Third, the middle falls are easiest to access if you're here for a short time. Overall, it was a nice place for a quick visit. However, Buttermilks Falls are not as impressive as other Vermont locations with swimming holes such as Bartlett Falls or Warren Falls. The latter is particularly scenic with a high cliff jump that is for brave teenagers and adults only. The state of Vermont is blessed to have so many natural swimming areas!

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 !

Easy access hype…read more This Gorge is easily accessible from the road and worth stopping for a few minutes. It is not a destination worthy but provides a scenic rest stop on your way to elsewhere. Many road trippers and tourist traps are here. There are about 20-30 parking spots near the East side of the bridge. There is an info board and a trailhead at the parking lot. The trail meanders below the road bridge to the Quechee Gorge. This summer (9/25) has been quite dry, so not big cascades but better views into the Gorge can be had. There's a big construction going ON the bridge so there was some traffic (yup). The construction probably will be completed before the winter. PSA - The best vista to this Gorge is actually from the bridge which is a very short walk from the parking lot.

This place has always been a home for me . Home away from home . It is cost efficient due to the…read morehigh hotel rates these days . I remember when a hotel stay would be less than 100.00 a night with amenities. Anyways, this campground is close to work, entrainment and many food choices. It is clean and well managed with a friendly and competent staff. I never felt unsafe or financially cheated. This will always be my go to spot ! Thank you Quechee !

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!

A must-visit for all ages! Highly recommend! Wish we had left more time for this. We were 6 adults…read morein our early 30's and 60's. The birds here are all unable to survive in the wild. Mostly outdoor exhibits with well maintained paths. Lots of shade. Enjoyed the very well done Raptor presentation appropriate for all ages. Plenty of room for families with younger kids to "frolic in nature" as one of the VINS inspirational signs shared. Beautiful grounds including a Canopy walk with optional Tower! Pleasant friendly staff. Picnic tables to bring your own food. Would love to go back next time we're in VT. Very reasonably priced Adoption program if looking for a gift. Nice souvenir shop. For a $2 off per ticket, pick up a VINS 5x9 card in racks showing local attractions.

I wish we lived closer to this institute because we would probably visit every weekend! The Vermont…read moreInstitute of Natural Science does praiseworthy work by rescuing aviaries and raptors from the side of highways, etc. These once injured birds are now thriving and the staff working here really care for the inhabitants. It is wonderful to see. It is worth the money to come visit! Kids love it and adults do too. Besides the beautiful rescue stories and gorgeous creatures living here, the nature walk and look out tower is another fun experience! There is a netted trampoline that is many feet up towards the back of the nature walk. It gives kids cool views of down below and is fun to prance on top of! The look out tower walk up is a great work out for the adults and the promising view up top is worth it. The gift store has some lovely treasures as well. I hope we can visit again soon!

This is a small state park off US 7 about 10 miles north of Manchester Center VT. It's a 5-10…read moreminute walk from parking lot to the lake. The lake is fairly shallow, it's very clean, not a large beach area and very picturesque. It's not Lake Tahoe by any means but it's very pleasant and refreshing.

This is a beautiful park with a Great Lake for swimming. Parking is plentiful and close to the…read moreswimming area. The bathrooms and changing areas are clean.

Just had an amazing time at the only Caves in the Adirondacks! We had a blast walking down and…read moreexploring the caves. All the caves are outdoors and can be self guided! Perfect for families but be careful to wear sneakers as some areas are slippery! We brought our newborn and it wasn't too bad! Just go slow if you're also with elderly parents. Fun place!

Absolutely beautiful. Loved every minute of trekking through the caves, bridges and trails. This is…read morea must see attraction in the Adirondacks and a great way to see the natural landscape. Grab a walking stick and get ready for a fun outdoorsy adventure and don't forget to check out the gem & gift shops on the way out!

The nicest park around. Gardens, toys, tunnels, picnic tables with gazebos. This is where you…read moreneed to take your dog. They even have bathrooms! My dog has met many friends there and so have I.

From the owner: The Fur Haven dog park is volunteer-managed and donation funded. There are 2 areas...one for large…read moredogs and one for small dogs. Both areas have a picnic table with shade canopy and play structures. Access to water right outside the park and a pavilion with picnic tables and bathrooms close by.

Pond Loop trail on the Equinox property was not quite what I expected but enjoyable nonetheless. I…read moreended up walking from the Equinox resort to this loop trail and back and the overall round trip took me less than one hour with a decent pace. Seeing the trail map, I expected to be walking the perimeter of the pond at water's edge the entire time, but this was not the case. The majority of the trail does not have a view of the water. Only at the very end, if walking counter-clockwise, is there a small section where the pond pavilion is located, can you walk up to the water. Also take note, there isn't any public parking for this trail so I would recommend coming on foot or even biking up to the entrance. Overall, a pleasant nature walk, though it's more woodland trail than waterside promenade.

I found this hike thanks to Yelp! What an amazing place!…read more ****you will get a ticket if you park at the bottom of the hill!*** I went ahead and drove up and parked at the trail head, and was fine, the two cars parked at the bottom of the hill got tickets. The trailhead has a nice picture of the trails. I only did the pond loop, which is absolutely gorgeous! Dog friendly!

Easy walk to the falls with kids and adults on a walkway surrounded by wildflowers. Tougher but…read moremanageable hike to the top if you want to go for it! We saw a couple who took lunch and sat on a rock right next to the falls - fabulous idea for next time!

I was looking for a short and easy hike with views and this place popped up after searching the…read moreinternet. There's a dirt road that leads to the parking area for this trail. The parking lot was packed when we went but some people were parking on the side of the road. There's a sign at the beginning of the trail which is a boardwalk. The boardwalk was nicely maintained and easy to walk on. The whole trail is 0.5 miles and it's out and back. Once we got to the dirt trail, there were a couple of other trail entrances which connects to the larger Appalachian Trail; we decided to head to the waterfall. There was a viewing platform and the waterfall was majestic! We climbed up to near the top of the waterfall and it was steep but worth it. If you're looking for an easy and kid-friendly hike, this is the one you can't miss if you're in the area. I also think it's stroller friendly.

Anytime of the year is perfect for the rewarding view. Maybe a little tough during snow and mud…read moreseason, but still doable. Table Rock faces the Bellows Falls are from New Hampshire, just across the Connecticut River. We're in our 60s and needed to stop a few times on the way up, but it was never too steep or treacherous, just a long steady hike. You want bring good hiking shoes with serious treads. No fees. Dogs allowed.

Phenomenal trail!! Definitely in my top 5 fave hikes - especially for the fall colors (my visit was…read morein early October)!! And it's a killer workout too! The view from the top is breathtaking- but not for the faint of heart - I have a fear of heights and it took me a while to work up the nerve to go sit on the edge lol! AllTrails has this trail labeled as "moderate" - but it was insanely muddy and very wet when I hiked it - took me ages and totally wore me out - so in those conditions I'd call it moderate-hard. And also with the rock scrambling at the top - it can be quite difficult. Very steep and especially narrow at the top - can be dangerous if you're not careful. I did a total of 2 miles round trip - it's an out and back trail. In those 2 miles, my tracker showed an 800 foot elevation gain so it's definitely a butt burner. And along the trail there are numerous areas of rock scrambling (some are very steep) and stream crossings during the wet season - get ready to be covered in mud lol! You will definitely need decent hiking shoes - and poles would've been so helpful I think! There were quite a few other hikers around. The trails are very well marked with colorful tree badges - but in some spots between the markers, I needed my trail map bc the ground was covered in leaves and mud and it wasn't as obvious. Once you get to the top of Table Rock, the stunning view will absolutely take your breath away! It's a sweeping vista of the entire forest area with the lake and resort below to the left and the long stretch of road through the park to the right - perfect for taking in all the colorful autumn splendor!! The top is a long, very narrow and flat tableau. It seems pretty stable - but has extremely steep (and deadly!) drop offs either side and no safety rails or fencing or anything so be aware. Drones aren't allowed in the park (according to the State Park website) but someone was flying one and buzzing us closely at the top which made it very distracting and scary unfortunately. Dogs are allowed - there were many on the trail and at the top. Parking is a small dirt lot pull out on the side of the road at the trailhead - Google maps took me right to it (just put in Table Rock Trailhead). It's located in Dixville Notch State Park (you can see my review of that for more detailed info). The park doesn't have bathrooms that I could find. And I think it's free. I didn't see any fee areas and their website doesn't list it as a fee area.