Last October, we went on a long weekend road trip through Vermont, and it was fall foliage heaven! After flying into Manchester, New Hampshire, we rented a car and set out to cover the state of Vermont in 48 hours. Below you will find our road trip itinerary.
First stop: Woodstock, Vermont
After an early flight, we were ready for a hearty breakfast to fuel up for a day full of exploring. We stopped into Mon Vert Cafe for food and hot drinks to warm up. I love that Vermont is all about locally sourced ingredients, and plenty of healthy options. 
While in Woodstock, we wandered over to Middle Bridge. Vermont is full of covered bridges, and this was the first of many we encountered.
The town was full of cute shops, including a general store and a spot that only sells flannel. So Vermont-y!
If you’re looking to splurge, the Woodstock Inn is the place to stay in town. However, no rest for these travelers. On to the next stop!
Fueled up, we hit the road again. Did you know there’s actually a website to help you find roadside attractions like this? The photographer somehow missed the main part of the photo…but ‘Gorilla Holds Aloft a VW Beetle’ is on the side of the road in Leicester, Vermont.
After high-fiving the gorilla, we set back out on the road to reach the Woodchuck Cidery in Middlebury, Vermont.
They were hosting a fall festival with corn hole, live music, and samples aplenty. Free cider flight? Don’t mind if I do. They make a seasonal pumpkin cider, so obviously that was the winner.
Woodchuck allows guests to do self-guided tours of the cider house. 
Now that I wet my whistle, we continued on our way. Onward and upward to Burlington! Approaching the city, we got our first and only glimpse of chain stores and restaurants in the state of Vermont. Burlington is the most populated city in the state, but still felt really small.
Time to eat! Sense a pattern here? Duino Duende specializes in global fare and gluten free/vegan options.
Farmhouse Tap and Grill was also highly recommended, but the wait was too long.
If you’ve got some time, you could also check out Lake Champlain Chocolates factory tour.
We made it to the waterfront before the sun set. I’m sure it’s a great spot in the summer time.
With darkness setting in, we finished our last leg of driving of the day, going further North to our AirBnB near Jay Peak, Vermont. After a good night’s rest, we woke up to see our accommodations in daylight. Sheady Acres is a sprawling property with 5 tiny cottages, each with their own theme; we stayed in the tea house. There’s a disc golf course, hot tub, and special event space on-site. It was truly beautiful and so relaxing. There is absolutely NOTHING nearby, so no light pollution in sight. The owners live on the property and were so helpful with travel tips and even offered us apples they had just picked.
Back on the road! It didn’t take long before we found a scenic overlook on our drive.
Off to Stowe we go. We started with McCarthy’s for a classic breakfast. As you can tell by the name and the bear’s accessory, it is a very Irish place. They even have a countdown clock to St. Patrick’s Day!
After spending a good amount of time in the car on Saturday, we were ready to stretch our legs out. We headed up to Bingham Falls for a little hiking.
Just a little further up the road is Stowe Mountain Resort, which has a gondola lift running even in the off-season. Leaf peepers can take the gondola up to the top of Mount Mansfield (or hike if you’re ambitious) to get a great view. There’s a restaurant at the top if you need a reward for all that exercise.
If you’ve got some more time, check out the Trapp Family Lodge, owned by the von Trapp family from The Sound of Music fame. They have accommodations in addition to a brewery and restaurant. 
After all the outdoorsy time, we hopped back in the car and headed about 10 minutes south to Cold Hollow Cider Mill. Tip: check the Yelp app for a coupon. They were giving away cider donuts to those who checked in while we were there!
Cabot Creamery has multiple locations in Vermont. Stop in for samples and stock up on some blocks of cheese.
With limited time, we skipped Ben & Jerry’s. It’s right down the road, but it was tour bus central when we drove by. No thanks!
After a cider snack, it was about time for food. We stopped in Montpelier at the Skinny Pancake for delicious salads.
Next stop: Bragg Farm Sugarhouse for maple syrup.
We found out that ‘sugaring season’ is in the spring, so we didn’t see the sugarhouse in action.
Time to get back up North before the sun sets. But first, covered bridge snapshot. 
Monday morning came too soon, but we had to get started on our drive back to New Hampshire. At least Mother Nature provided good scenery.
Along the way, we stopped in the very small town of Warren, Vermont. The Warren Store offered a full deli and lots of penny candy bins. Plus, check out the view from their patio seating!
There you have it. Vermont in 48 hours!