It's hard not to find some recreational activity at any time of the year in Addison County. State Parks and private campgrounds on Lake Champlain and Lake Dunmore and other areas of the county offer camping, fishing, boating, picnic and recreational areas. The Moosalamoo National Recreation Area is located in the heart of the 400,000 acre Green Mountain National Forest where numerous recreational opportunities can be enjoyed. When snow covers the land, skiers of every ability will find groomed cross-country trails at the Rikert Touring Center located on the Middlebury College Breadloaf campus and the Ralph Myhre Golf Course adjacent to the College's main campus. Logging and hiking routes abound for those who like to blaze their own trails. The Middlebury College Snow Bowl offers challenging downhill skiing, lessons and equipment rental.
Bird-watching or biking, Addison County has something for everyone.Click on these links to learn more about birding in the Champlain Valley www.lakechamplainbirding.org and biking www.champalinbikeways.org
There is no limit to the cultural and entertainment offerings of Addison County. From the stylized displays at the Frog Hollow Vermont State Craft Center in Middlebury to the fun and farm flavor of the annual Addison County Fair & Field Days in New Haven, there is activity and participation for all. Artists and craftspeople thrive in the scenic and creative atmosphere of our area. Classes and private lessons may be had in the visual and performing arts. History comes alive at the Henry Sheldon Museum, Vermont Folklife Center, DAR John Strong Mansion Museum, Rokeby Museum, Chimney Point, Mount Independence and Hubbardton Battlefield State Historic Sites, Fort Ticonderoga in New York State and the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum on Lake Champlain. The products of the area's fine furniture makers will be tomorrow's priceless antiques. In Pittsford, south of the villages of Middlebury and Brandon on Route 7 is the New England Maple Museum which offers a trip through over 200 years of maple sugaring history. For entertainment - local artists, fiddlers' contests, workshops, professional performers, and Friday Flicks - check out the Vergennes Opera House located on Main Street (Route 22A) Vergennes and the soon to be completely renovated Middleubury's Town Hall Theater.
Through its concert/lecture series, Middlebury College makes available to the community outstanding performers, speakers, and exhibits. The college drama and art departments bring to the area, offerings which are both familiar and unusual.
Each of the towns and one city of Addison County has a library and historical societies who serve as a source of reading and reference material and for its residents and visitors alike. The libraries also host meetings, forums and other community activities and many offer WiFi.
If you want to hear a storyteller or a folk singer, dance in the street to bluegrass or the sounds of the golden oldies, plan on attending the Festival on the Green in Middlebury in July or attend an evening performance during the winter months offered by the After Dark Music Series. And wherever you go in Addison County you will find dining experiences for every pocketbook and taste.
One of the best ways to see the region as well as experience our cultural offerings is by taking one of five driving tours found in the Mid Vermont Heritage Guide . Tours are outlined on maps and follow state highways and back roads that meander through our disticnt landscapes, towns and villages.
This is just a sampling of what our area offers. For further information email the Chamber to request more information.