The capital of Vermont is Montpelier, the smallest state capital in the United States. Founded shortly after American independence, the town was named after Montpellier, France, in recognition of France’s support during the American Revolution. Montpelier has remained remarkably small over the centuries and today still feels more like a quiet town than a state capital. Above is the Vermont State House.
Above is one of Montpelier’s historic government buildings near the center of town. The compact downtown and small population make the capital easy to explore on foot.
Few people would plan an entire vacation around Montpelier, but it’s definitely worth stopping if you’re already traveling through Vermont. Above is the Capitol theater, one of the small entertainment venues in the downtown area.
Another downtown attraction is the Vermont History Museum. Between the museum, the State House, small shops, cafes, and restaurants, there’s enough here to comfortably fill part of a day.
Montpelier doesn’t have enough attractions to keep most visitors busy for days, but the compact downtown has a reasonable selection of shops and restaurants. Above is one view along Main Street.
Here’s another view of central Montpelier. What I liked most was how small and walkable everything felt. Even the main commercial streets still had the atmosphere of a small New England town rather than a busy capital city.
Main Street is where most visitors will probably spend their time, but I actually enjoyed wandering through some of the nearby residential neighborhoods as much as the center itself. Above is one of the neighborhoods close to downtown.
Montpelier sits along the Winooski River, which runs directly through the city. Above is one of the small bridges crossing the river near downtown.
I visited in mid-October and was surprised by how much green remained. Even though Vermont has a reputation for long, cold winters, the weather was still comfortable enough that plenty of people were outside enjoying the parks and walking around town.
Biking also seemed popular around Montpelier, and I noticed several pieces of artwork made from old bicycles. The creation above was one of a few similar displays I came across while exploring the capital.
Ben & Jerry’s
And finally, one of my favorite stops from the trip: Ben & Jerry’s. I had never really associated ice cream with a state famous for cold winters, but the company was founded in Vermont in the late 1970s. The factory is located near Montpelier in Waterbury and makes an easy side trip from the capital.
The factory offers tours that explain how the ice cream is made and tell the story of how Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield started the company. Naturally, the best part is getting to sample some ice cream along the way.
Above is a van similar to the one Ben and Jerry used during the company’s early years while traveling around to promote their ice cream. Seeing some of the old branding and memorabilia made the factory feel like part tour and part company museum.
Since I visited close to Halloween, the Flavor Graveyard fit the season perfectly. Retired ice cream flavors are given their own mock gravestones, usually with a short humorous poem explaining their demise. It’s a silly attraction, but easily one of the most memorable parts of the visit.
Montpelier itself is small enough that you can explore most of the center in a few hours, but combined with the surrounding countryside and a stop at Ben & Jerry’s, it makes a worthwhile stop on a trip through central Vermont.
