Visit NEK

Whether you’re visiting Vermont or relocating to the NEK, here’s an exciting list of things to do with your children!  Enjoy this list of family activities and day trips!  Get out there.  Play, play, play!!!

1.  Take an old fashioned horse-drawn sleigh ride.  Contact the beautiful The Wildflower Inn for ride schedules.

2.  Go for a swim and family BBQ at Crystal Lake State Park.

3.  Check out the Bread and Puppet Theater in Glover.  Click here for contact information for tour dates or the museum.

4.  Drive the NEK’s backroads and soak up the natural beauty of dirt roads, fall folliage and eye-popping color.

5.  Enjoy yummy ice cream at Carmen’s (the perfect after-activity family destination!)

6.  Catch a band concert on the Lyndonville Green (Wednesdays at 7pm throughout the summer).

7.  Don’t miss the annual Stars & Stripes parade/festival!  In 2010, it’s on July 17th!  Kids love this classic parade.

8.  Take the kids to Burke Mountain to Learn to Ski.  Simply one of the best places to learn to ski.

9.  Stuff raffle tickets in shoe-boxes at the Burke Fall Festival, catch the morning parade through town, then enjoy music and food on the town green, kiddie games, and the annual ducky race.  Last Saturday in September.

10.  Learn to cross-country ski!  Click here for a list of nordic ski areas in the Kingdom.

11.  Watch and cheer on skiers at the Craftsbury Marathon or cheer on runners at the Dandelion Run.

12.  Take the short drive down I-91 to Fairlee to catch a drive-in movie at the Fairlee Drive-in Theater.  With only a handful of drive-ins left in America, this family activity isn’t something you want to miss. 

13.  Explore the Fairbanks Museum & Planetarium.

14.  Go for a Mt. Bike ride on the Kingdom Trails (recently voted the best trail network in North America).  There’s a trail for everyone!

15.  Grab a treat from Hollyberry’s or a made-to-order ”grinder” at the East Burke Market.

16.  Pack a picnic and go to Willoughby Lake.  Enjoy fishing, swimming, boating.  Look for peregrine falcon.  In winter, check out the ice-climbers or take an intro class.  Ask around and maybe locals will feed you some tall tales, myths, or truths about the lake.

17.  Participate in St. Johnsbury’s First Night.

18.  Go apple picking.

19.  Get temporarily lost in the Great Vermont Corn Maze in Danville.

20.  Enjoy breakfast all day — think pancakes with REAL Vermont maple syrup!!! — at the Miss Lyndonville Diner.

21.  Check out how maple syrup is made at a real sugar house.  In winter, be sure to gobble up sugar on snow!!!

22.  Tour the Maple Grove Farms Maple Museum.  Sample different grades of maple syrup.  Don’t forget to try maple sugar candy!

23.  Lace up your running shoes, pull out the baby jogger and go for a run on breathtaking Darling Hill road in Lyndonville/Burke.

24.  Shop for quality toys at Frogs and Lily Pads.  Be prepared, though, your kids won’t want to leave the store.

25.  Grab coffee or espresso at Boxcar & Caboose in St. Johnsbury, sip it slowly while your children enjoy the play area.

26.  Snack on freshly made bagels at Bagel Depot.

27.  Explore the Kingdom’s Natural Food Markets, like Newport Natural Foods in Newport.

28.  Take a scenic family ride on the Jay Peak Resort Aerial Tramway.

29.  Attend the Bike and Brewfest at Burke Mountain (summer), or enjoy fresh microbrew at the Trout River Brewing Co.

30.  Explore an old NEK cemetary–like the one in Burke Hollow.  Show the kids how to do stone rubbings.

31.  Take a Cabot Creamery Tour.  The world’s best Cheddar Cheese!

32.  Rent/buy or borrow snowshoes and hit the trails!

33.  Enjoy the Lyndon Burke Annual Snowflake Festival.

34.  Catch the annual Burke Mountain Music Festival.

35.  Sip fresh squeezed lemonade at the Caledonia County Fair.

36.  Soak up the beauty of Lake Memphremagog, which lies on the Canadian-U.S. border.

37.  Hike the Moose Mt. Trail in Barton or the Burke Mountain Trail in East Burke.

38.  Watch a performance by the Vermont Children’s Theater.

39.  Take the kiddies camping.  Enjoy the stars, fresh Vermont air and smores! 

40.  Enjoy a self-guided tour of the Kingdom.

41. Paddle through the Northern Forest Canoe Trail.

42.  Say hello to locals and new friends at the annual Lyndon Home Show.

43.  Shop for Vermont Gear, Clothing and Gifts at Farm-Way in Bradford.

44.  Grab a sweet treat at the new ice cream shop in Burke (opening 2010).

45.  Go snowmobiling on the VAST trails.

46.  Drive through a covered bridge.

47.  Visit the Old Stone House Museum.

48.  Dig around town for research on the famous Darling Family.

49.  See an authentic one-room schoolhouse, White Schoolhouse Museum  - Burke Historical Society.

50.  Gawk at the gorgeous BurkeLyn Mansion.

51.  Visit Peacham.  Known as one of the most photographed villages in New England.

52.  Catch a performance, show, or take a class at Catamount Arts.

53.  Go horseback riding – take a lesson or enjoy a guided trail ride.

54.  Check out the great outdoor gear–and wish you owned one of everything on display!–at the Village Sports Shop in Lyndonville.

55.  Enjoy a memorable meal at Elements, The River Garden Cafe, or Willy’s Restaurant.

56.  Look for fabulous finds at the children’s consignment shop, Village Kids Boutique, in Lyndonville.

57.  Did someone say Bag Balm?  Catch a factory tour.  Yup, it’s made in the NEK.

58.  Visit The St. Johnsbury Athenaeum, a private, nonprofit public library and art gallery.

59.  Go Ski!!!!  Try your luck on the slopes at Jay Peak, Burke Mountain, or the Lyndon Outing Club.

60.  Buy fresh flowers, fruit, veggies, or pies at a farmstand.

61.  Go golfing at Jay Peak.

62.  Pull out the camera.  Snap photos of fields, cows, old churches, wildflowers, old farmhouses and country doors or fences.

63.  Catch the big game–you won’t want to miss the area’s two rivals in action!  St. Johnsbury Academy vs. Lyndon Institute.

64.  Check out the independent businesses and boutiques in downtown St. Johnsbury.

65.  Go berry picking.

66.  Visit the Haskell Free Library & Opera House -  it actually straddles the U.S. / Canadian border!

67.  Go ATV riding on the VAST trails.

68.  Enjoy the sandy beach at Brighton State Park in Island Pond.

69.  Fish for trout at Lake Seymour in Morgan.

70.  Visit a waterfall, like Great Falls in Barnet.

71.  Look for Moose as you drive Vermont’s roads.

72.  Go diving in Lake Willoughby–a favorite of divers.

73.  Paddle down a river–hire a guide or go on your own if you’re experienced.  Be sure to grab a guide map. 

74.  Drive up the Burke Mountain Toll Road.

75.  Show the kids farm animals — bring them to see pigs, horses and VT cows.   

76.  Watch a farmer milk a cow.  

77.  Walk your dog on a trail – or visit Dog Mt.

78.  Shoot a video of your trip to the NEK and post it to YouTube.

79.  Go ice skating at the Fenton Chester Arena in Lyndon Center.

80.  Snuggle up to a fireplace or woodstove during a snow storm.  Play games, read books, laugh…enjoy time with your family. 

81.  Make snow angels.

82.  Build a snow person family!  Check out the Wildflower Inn’s Project Snowman.

83.  Erect a snow fort or igloo.

84. Roast marshmallows over a campfire.

85.  Attend a bonfire.

86.  Look for geocaches in the NEK.

87.  Go bird watching. 

88.  Try to identify animal tracks in snow or mud with your children.  Play a guessing game.

89.  Visit the beautiful The Chapel of the Holy Family on Darling Hill Road.

90.  Visit Meadow View Farm and see how all-natural feed cattle are raised.

91.  Pamper yourself at Stepping Stone Spa.

92.  Sit under a tree with your favorite book, writing journal or drawing pad.

93.  Rent a cabin, cottage, or winter home and invite your family/friends to visit, play and enjoy Vermont’s NEK. 

94.  Get lost in the stacks of books at the Green Mountain Books & Prints in Lyndonville.

95.  Grab a butterfly net or two and let the little ones try “catch and release.”

96.  Fly a kite in a Vermont field.

97.  Play Laser Tag in North Danville, ages 9-90.

98.  Attend an auction (check the local paper for dates/times).

99.  Collect Vermont maple leaves or flowers and press them–or collect mini pine cones or unique stones.  Use them for projects with the kids later in the year.      

100.  Spend the day rock climbing - find routes at Mt. Wheeler or  Mt. Pisgah. 

101. Rake leaves into piles and jump into them!

102.  Write postcards to family and friends, telling them how much you love Vermont’s NEK!

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What did we miss?  Any other ideas or favorite NEK family activities?