 Some of the oldest villages in the state are located in southern Vermont, where the traditions of agriculture and outdoor activities hold strong. With the Battenkill River on the western side of the state, and the Connecticut River on the eastern side, these nationally-known bodies of water proudly offer legendary fishing holes and sedate streams for fly-fishing, kayaking or swimming.
Fine dining and outlet shopping are available in Manchester, Bennington and Brattleboro, and historic sites, buildings and museums are scattered throughout the area. Watch out for the moose! You may experience a real moose on your drive out of town, or as you rest by your campsite. There are several organizations that offer a night at the theatre experience, with summer-stock being held at playhouses scattered throughout southern Vermont.
 The Long Trail ends in this part of Vermont, with its southern tip intersecting with a part of the Appalachian Trail. Hiking and mountain biking are also abundantly available. Ski areas such as Bromley, Haystack, Stratton and Mount Snow are located along the spine of the Long Trail, all offering skiing in winter and hiking, mountain biking, and other activities in the warmer months.
Restored downtowns, scattered covered bridges and lakes and ponds for
swimming, boating and recreating are abundant throughout this southern
region. Somerset Reservoir and Lake Whitingham are two of the larger
bodies of water, in addition to Emerald Lake and Lake Shaftsbury.
Enjoy a weekend, a week, a month or more in Southern Vermont with drives
on beautiful country roads and highways.
 From Ethan Allen's boisterous rabble-rousing in Bennington to Rudyard
Kipling's years in Brattleboro, southern Vermont is rich with history.
You will also find an area rich in the arts, in outdoor recreation, and
in opportunities for shopping and fine dining.
The spire of the Bennington Monument towers over all of the rolling countryside
surrounding Bennington, reminding all visitors of the importance of the
Battle of Bennington in the Revolutionary War.
Even before then, the Bennington area was a hotbed of rebellion, largely
due to the presence of that larger-than-life Vermont hero, Ethan Allen,
who was determined to win Vermont's independence. Though Allen fell into
British hands and spent most of the Revolutionary War in captivity, he
succeeded in carving an independent republic out of the Green Mountains.
Visitors to Old Bennington can see the location of the tavern where Ethan
and his cronies hatched many of their schemes. Old Bennington is also
the site of the Old First Church, a beautiful and historic colonial-era
church as graceful as any in the United States. The poet Robert Frost
is buried in the adjacent cemetery. Arlington also saw much of Ethan
Allen and the Green Mountain Boys, but more recently was the home of
artist Norman Rockwell, thus exemplifying another major attraction of
the region - its many opportunities for sampling the arts.
The Bennington Museum has a large historical collection, plus perhaps
the largest collection anywhere of the works of primitive artist Grandma
Moses. Contemporary works of art are also shown in Bennington, at the
Southern Vermont Art Center in Manchester, and in the Brattleboro Art
Museum on the eastern side of the Green Mountains. The internationally
famous Marlboro Music Festival is held each August on the hilltop campus
of tiny Marlboro College (purchase tickets early).
Brattleboro, where Rudyard Kipling spent some of his most productive
years (he also feuded with a relative there and eventually fled), is
today the commercial hub of southeastern Vermont, a prosperous small
city with a vibrant downtown and many interesting restored historic
buildings.
Other attractions:
- Beautiful villages such
as Grafton, Newfane, Townshend and Dorset.
- The
hiking trails of the Green and Taconic mountains and Green Mountain
National Forest, including the Long Trail and many short day
hikes.
- A variety of activities
at such mountain resorts as Stratton, Bromley and Mount Snow, which
has its own mountain biking school.
- Beautiful country drives,
such as Route 9 from Bennington to Brattleboro, Route 100 in any
direction, Route 30 north of Brattleboro and Manchester,
and Route 7 north through the spectacular Valley of Vermont.
- Great shopping for Vermont
products everywhere and a selection of outlet stores in Manchester.
- Water recreation on Harriman
and Somerset reservoirs, the Connecticut River and dozens more streams
and ponds.
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