A Local’s Guide to Montpelier, Vermont

A short history

Long before the town, the flat meadows along the Winooski were Abenaki corn ground — good soil, sheltered, near the meeting of several streams. Montpelier was chartered in 1781, and the first settlers arrived in May 1787: Jacob Davis and Parley Davis, from Charlton, Massachusetts, who cleared the forest and built a log house by the North Branch of the river. The name comes from Montpellier in France — there was a wave of French goodwill just after the Revolution. Montpelier became the state capital in 1805.

The State House and downtown

The State House has a gold dome topped by Ceres, the goddess of agriculture, and dates to 1859. It’s among the oldest and best-preserved statehouses in the country, and free volunteer-led tours run through the warmer months.

Downtown is a few walkable blocks of mostly independent shops — bookstores, a record shop, clothing and crafts — with the Savoy, an art-house cinema, and a handful of galleries. The Green Mountain Film Festival takes over in March, and the Capital City Farmers’ Market sets up downtown on Saturday mornings through the growing season.

Where to eat and drink

Three Penny Taproom is the one we keep going back to — local drafts including Hill Farmstead, good food, and a small patio. Pho Capital does a great bowl of pho; Royal Orchid is the long-standing spot for Thai; and Buddy’s Famous does a quick, higher-end take on the fast-food burger — get the tots and a shake.

Red Hen Baking, which started up the road in Duxbury back in 1999, recently moved its café to Main Street downtown; the bread and pastries are some of the best in the state. Capitol Grounds roasts its own beans a few doors down, and Carrier Roasting sells beans to take home. For a drink, Barr Hill — the Caledonia Spirits gin distillery — has a bar with really good cocktails, small bites, and an outdoor space in summer.

Getting outside

Hubbard Park rises right behind downtown — a couple hundred acres of trails and an old stone observation tower, a few minutes’ walk from Main Street. The North Branch trails follow the river out of the north end of town.

Back at the estate, Boyer State Forest begins within walking distance, so you can spend the morning on the trails and drive into town after lunch.

Getting there, and where to stay

Montpelier sits just off I-89, about twelve minutes from Boyer Estate in Berlin, on the edge of Boyer State Forest. If you’re looking for where to stay near Montpelier and would rather be in the woods than downtown, the estate works well: two pet-free stays and a private outdoor sauna, with forest trails from the door. Earhart Cottage is a freestanding one-bedroom with a gas fieldstone fireplace; Meadow Suite is a private-entrance king suite with a floor-to-ceiling landscape mural and Worcester Range views. Both include the sauna.