Things to do

20 Exciting Things To Do In Brattleboro, Vermont

Source : instagram

A small town, Brattleboro only has around 12000 population. This place is famous because of its local art and is an all-season tourist destination.

The town was named "the strongest town in America" in 2023. Here you can visit the Brattleboro Museum and Art Center, and the Estey Organ Museum, explore the shops downtown, or visit the retreat farm, hence, here are some more things to do in Brattleboro Vermont.

1. Explore the Shops in Downtown Brattleboro

Source : facebook

Main Street in Brattleboro has the feeling of a much bigger town. Within walking distance of downtown are sufficiently unique stores, galleries, and eateries to keep you busy for many days with shopping and culinary explorations.

Brattleboro offers a veritable avalanche of possibilities for the discerning shopper, ranging from the unending antique emporium to tiny businesses like Boomerang, which specializes in vintage clothes and apparel.

But, if you enjoy reading, you should keep Brattleboro Books in your must-visit place. It has an extensive collection of secondhand manuscripts in every possible subject. Likewise, Everyone's Books has a particularly well-curated section on politics, history, and current affairs.

2. Visit The Brattleboro Museum & Art Center

Source : facebook

If you are interested in art, visiting the Brattleboro Museum and Art Center is another best thing to do in Brattleboro.

It is located in the town's renovated Union Rail Station and holds a number of contemporary art shows all year long that showcase the use of a variety of mediums by local, regional, and national artists.

Along with the exhibitions, there are some educational activities and programs available, such as presentations by artists, workshops for adults and children, and lectures. Besides, the museum has a small cafe where visitors may have tea or coffee and a gift store with art-related products.

3. Stop By The Brattleboro Food Co-op.

Source : facebook

Brattleboro Food Co-op. is a community-owned grocery shop where, a large assortment of natural, organic, and locally sourced food goods as well as household and personal care items may be found.

They also have a cafe with coffee, tea, and baked goods, as well as a deli with prepared dishes, sandwiches, and salads if you're in the mood for a fast lunch. It opens at 8 AM and closes at 8 PM, and on Sundays, it opens at 9 AM.

4. Visit Retreat Farm

Source : facebook

Make sure to visit the farm for the well-known Food Truck Roundup if you're ever in Brattleboro on a Thursday in the summer as it is one of the best things to do in Brattleboro vt.

This farm spans 500 acres of farmlands, pathways, streams, and preserved woodlands, and serves as a community hub and a haven for rural life.

From the farm's rich history and meticulously maintained buildings to its dedication to sustainability and environmental justice, to its celebration of farm-to-table cuisine, and all the farm animals, Retreat Farm seems to have something to offer everyone.

5. Hike, Camp, And Explore At Fort Dummer State Park

Source : instagram

Downtown Brattleboro is approximately ten minutes away by car from Fort Dummer State Park. The park is a fantastic alternative for tourists who wish to stay away from hotels and motels since it offers a variety of trails for quick day treks and well-kept campers.

The three hiking trails are all within walking distance of the campground, and the campsites are dispersed to provide guests with plenty of solitude while they are there.

Similarly, the Broad Brook Trail is quite steep and may be difficult for inexperienced hikers, but it will lead to a pleasant end point a little, a charming swimming hole on Broad Brook.

6. Visit The Art Galleries

Source : instagram

There are several galleries in downtown Brattleboro where you may look at or buy locally produced goods. Visit Gallery in the Woods, which has a variety of prints and original artwork from some of Vermont's finest modern artists, as well as exquisite ceramic items, jewelry, and intricately designed felt creatures.

With hundreds of one-of-a-kind paintings adorning the store and central displays featuring indescribable sculptures made from scrap metal, recycled bottles and cans, and traditional materials like clay and paper mache, Harmony Collective is more akin to a miniature museum.

Likewise, there are a lot more galleries to pick from, and you could easily visit many galleries during a weekend in Brattleboro.

7. Drift Down A Serene River At The Vermont Canoe Touring Center

Source : facebook

The Vermont Canoe Touring Center in southern Brattleboro is a great place to visit if you enjoy being on the water. On the Connecticut or West Rivers, you may rent stand-up paddleboards, kayaks, and canoes.

Since the waters of these two rivers are usually calm, but it is normally dependent on the Brattleboro weather, paddlers of various skill levels can experience it.

Depending on the craft, prices range from $20 for an hour to $60 for a full day. Talking about its opening hours, in warm weather months, often open from midday until five o'clock.

8. Discover The Estey Organ Museum

Source : facebook

It is a tiny museum dedicated to a moderately unusual instrument. Inside the former factory buildings where Estey Organs were made, you may find the museum.

It is devoted to the history and legacy of the Brattleboro, Vermont-based Estey Organ Company, which produces pipe organs, melodeons, pump organs, and reed organs.

There are dozens of organs and pianos on exhibit inside. While some organs can be powered by electricity, others need to be turned by hand crank or foot pedals in order to make any sound. The best part is that guests may play any instrument in the structure.

9. See A Performance At The Latchis Theater

Source : facebook

The Latchis Theater's marquee and the Art Deco Latchis Hotel above it are just impossible to miss. There may be a Gilbert and Sullivan operetta or a Windham Philharmonic concert at the Latchis, which is actually four movie theaters with three of them doubled as performance venues.

All of the theaters are completely accessible, and the exquisitely renovated main theater, which can accommodate 750 people, boasts the biggest screen in southern Vermont. Also, headphones for descriptive audio technology, closed captioning goggles, and audio amplification are free of charge.

10. Check Out Stone Church's Live Music

Source : facebook

It's quite simple to understand why The Stone Church is one of Brattleboro's most popular and well-known tourist attractions. The church's stunning Gothic architecture offers a performance space unlike any other in Vermont, and it was rebuilt to provide a distinctive venue for artists visiting Southern Vermont.

Legendary musicians like Don McClean have performed at The Stone Church, which regularly hosts gifted performers from New England and beyond. Nearly every weekend, the Stone Church hosts live music performances in a wide range of genres.

11. Fill Your Tummy At Whetstone Station Restaurant And Brewery

Source : facebook

Whetstone Station Restaurant and Brewery is one of the famous Brattleboro restaurants to eat, drink, and socialize, offers small-batch craft beers and a straightforward food truck-style menu that highlights ingredients that are sourced locally, such as pierogies served with a homemade maple bacon chive sour cream sauce.

This restaurant from Whetstone Brattleboro vt often offers live music, and if you can, reserve a table in the Bier Garten, an outdoor space with views of the harbor.

If you position yourself correctly, you may drink your beers in two states at once, as the restaurant is situated through the official Vermont/New Hampshire state boundary.

12. Go And Learn About The New England Circus Center Arts

Source : facebook

A non-profit circus school is the New England Center for Circus Arts (NECCA). It is an organization dedicated to teaching and performing circus arts. These consist of juggling, aerials, parkour, acrobatics, balance, and much more.

In 2017, the school relocated from its previous location in Brattleboro's Old Cotton Mill to a brand-new, specially constructed building at 10 Town Crier Dr., which includes an 8,600-sq-foot trapezium.

In addition to regular classes, NECCA provides seminars and lessons for both adults and children. Visit for the experienced teachers and cutting-edge facilities, and come for the incredible demonstrations of balance and coordination.

13. Stay At Latchis Hotel

Source : facebook

If you want to be able to stroll to everything Brattleboro has to offer, the Latchis's downtown location is the one. Only two Art Deco structures remain in Vermont, including this.

The facility is managed by a local non-profit organization called the Brattleboro Arts Initiative. It is conveniently located in downtown Brattleboro, making it the starting point for all your indoor and outdoor Vermont excursions. It also has a big, historic 750-seat movie theater.

So, enjoy a film while you're there at the Latchis Theatre, which was built alongside the hotel and is now a well-known component of the community's arts and culture.

14. Visit The Vermont Jazz Center

Source : facebook

The Vermont Jazz Center provides both teaching and performances, much as the New England Center for the Circus Arts. The organization provides programs for vocalists and instrumental artists of all ability levels, as well as workshops, courses, and jam sessions.

The center was rewarded with an Acclaim Award from Chamber Music America in 2014. The majority of the center's programming is funded by donations and other sources rather than grants.

The Jazz Center appropriately called "Big Band" is well-known in the community for its amazing concerts, so even if you're not a musician, you may still enjoy a visit.

15. Taste The Local Flavor At Grafton Village Cheese Co.

Source : instagram

A local favorite, Grafton Village Cheese Co. offers much more than simply cheese. Cheese is typically manufactured by hand using milk from nearby family farms, and the proceeds are donated to different charitable causes around the state.

The store is "a full-service artisanal cheese shop housed in a 2,500-sq ft classic barn-like structure." Grafton Spring Brook milk cheese won the 2014 International Cheese Awards' "Best USA Cheese trophy" in 2014.

Gourmet sauces and dips, handcrafted chocolates, sweets, and many more delectable delicacies are available on the storefront if cheese isn't your thing. There is also the Brattleboro Specialty Cheese and Wine Shop, which is located just adjacent to Retreat Farm.

16. Go Retro Shopping

Source : facebook

This place has become the destination for consumers seeking anything retro, vintage, upcycled, or used. It is the place to go if you're looking for decent, sturdy furniture for an apartment or fashion from the 1970s or 1980s.

Check out Boomerang on Main Street for apparel as it offers a selection of new and vintage items for both men and women. Similarly, Persephanii, which is situated across from the Latchis Theater and is nearly concealed in a recessed entryway, offers a unique assortment of handcrafted, antique, and upcycled items that are arranged with consideration for interior design.

You'll probably find what you're searching for here, whether you want to equip a room in mid-century modern or outfit your kitchen with antique 1940s painted-handle utensils.

17. Click Pictures at Covered Bridges

Source : facebook

Remember to take pictures at the covered bridges while you're in Brattleboro. The Creamery Covered Bridge, a traditional red bridge with a covered pedestrian walkway erected in the early 1900s, is visible from Western Avenue before the Brattleboro Farmers Market.

A new bridge has bypassed it, carrying traffic to the well-known Living Memorial Park. The town is welcoming and you may discover a group of local musicians rehearsing inside the bridge on a pleasant afternoon.

Likewise, the 1872 West Dummerston Covered Bridge spans the West River only seven miles north of town on Route 30. It is a two-span Town's Lattice Truss structure, similar to Creamery Bridge. At 271 feet, it is the longest covered bridge currently in service in Vermont and more than three times longer than the Creamery Bridge.

18. Check Out The Stone Walls At Scott Farm

Source : instagram

Picking or purchasing apples is why you visit the picturesque Scott Farm. It is maintained by the non-profit Landmark Trust USA and features orchards of over hundred types of heritage apples. The Stone Trust uses the property as a teaching ground for the craft of building dry stone walls.

These aren't the walls you see beside fields and roadsides in northern New England, constructed by farmers in the past to remove undesired rocks from their crops.

Take a stroll in the park and observe wallers at work in the workshop beneath the enormous barn. The farm served as the primary location for the filming of Cider House Rules, if it seems a little familiar.

19. Watch The Annual Ski Jumping Tournament At The Harris Hill Ski Jump

Source : facebook

The yearly ski jumping competition at the Harris Hill Ski Jump is one of the most thrilling occasions in Brattleboro, Vermont. The jump, which is among the highest in the US at 90 meters, was initially constructed in 1922 and is of almost Olympic caliber.

Nine national championships and Olympic qualifying events have taken place at the Harris Hill Jump over the years. Usually, the event happens on the final weekend of February.

If you are in Brattleboro, during the time of this event, don't forget to come here and watch the tournament.

20. Try Vermont Country Deli

Source : facebook

Visit the Vermont Country Deli for a true Vermont experience. In addition to prepared dishes, sandwiches, and bakery pastries, you may get your favorite comfort foods from New England and Vermont here.

At this hospitable gourmet-to-go marketplace, test a specialty like macaroni and cheese or a steaming cup of soup or chili. The environment there is very family-friendly and don't be surprised to see the packed parking.