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"Unhurried, unspoiled and unforgettable"

The Inn, centrally located near the beautiful Champlain Valley and the Green Mountains, is the perfect jumping off point to a variety of unique Vermont attractions, farms, wineries, breweries, museums. The outdoors beckons on Brandon's doorstep with world-class biking, hiking, boating, golfing, fishing, and skiing just a few miles away.

A stroll out the front door of the Inn brings you to our compact downtown. Browse and buy from a variety of small privately run shops and galleries from antiques and gifts to fine art and artisan crafts, to unique clothing and books, all within a short walk. There are also several parks, two with waterfalls

Brandon has 243 buildings on the National Historic Register. The self-guided Walking Tour available at the front desk will whisk you back a century or two as you meander through our tree-lined streets and discover our architecture, history, and some of our colorful former residents. Steven A Douglas nicknamed the "Little Giant" was born in Brandon in 1813. He was a candidate against Abraham Lincoln and is best remembered for the famous Lincoln-Douglas debates. The Douglas home and birthplace is now The Brandon Museum and Visitor Center.

A former Governor called Brandon "The Heart and Soul of Vermont" , referring to its central location in the Green Mountain state and the abundance and variety of artists that live and work here. Learn more about our artist community by visiting the Brandon Artists Guild and Brandon Music.

Here is some additional information to help plan your visit.

Arts & Music

Brandon Artists Guild – A vibrant and varied collection of artists make up the Brandon Artists Guild. Stop by their downtown Brandon gallery to see why no tour of the Vermont art scene is complete without a visit to this special community of artists – there's always something new at the Guild!

Compass Music & Arts Center – CMAC was created to entertain, educate and inspire visitors through engagement with exhibits, performances and workshops that celebrate music and the creative arts. A 250-seat performance hall provides an ideal space for live music, dance performances and art exhibits.

Barn Opera - Vermont's newest opera company presents quarterly concert opera in the relaxed and intimate environment of a renovated barn.

Museums & History

Brandon Museum at the Stephen A Douglas Birthplace – The Museum has historical exhibits and information about Brandon's industry, business, architecture and immigration as well as the anti-slavery movement and the story of Stephen A. Douglas, one of America's most prominent 19th century statesmen.

New England Maple Museum - The history of maple sugaring from Native American to present day is depicted in over 100 feet of murals hand painted by a local artist. The exhibits also include the most complete collection of maple sugaring artifacts in existence.

The Henry Sheldon Museum – Built in 1829 and furnished in 19th century fashion, the Museum showcases Addison Country and Vermont history.

Mount Independence – The Revolutionary War fort site name for the Declaration of Independence is one of the nation's most significant Revolutionary War sites, offering six miles of trails along the archaeological remains of the fortification including the fort's foundation, stockade, block houses, gun batteries and hospital.

UVM Morgan Horse Farm – The Farm is home to the oldest, continuous Morgan horse breeding herd in the world. Established in 1878 and operated by the University of Vermont, this beautiful historic site is a working farm of 40+ Morgan's whose goal is to perpetuate and improve the state's official animal.

Lake Champlain Maritime Museum – Offering a complete history and archaeological record of Lake Champlain, the museum has collections, a working forge and a 54' replica of the Philadelphia Revolutionary War gunboat.

Shelburne Museum – The Museum is an unparalleled and unique experience of American history, art, and design, designed to allow visitors the pleasure of discovery and exploration contained in 39 distinct structures on 45 acres and reflecting some of the interests of Shelburne Museum founder Electra Havemeyer Webb in 1947.

Fort Ticonderoga – Located in New York state, this unique fort at the southern end of Lake Champlain is a short ferry ride across the lake. Learn about the French, British, and American soldiers that possessed this fort throughout history Explore the beautiful gardens, discover the epic history, find adventure in signature events, march with the Fifes & Drums, and learn about a historic trade.

Vineyards, Cider & Breweries

Red Clover Ale – Ranking #7 on USA Today's best new breweries in 2021, Red Clover Ale Company is a small 3 brewery and taproom. Their goal is to brew an array of delicious beers and to have an ever changing tap list to allow for new beer drinking experiences, inspired by their backgrounds in farming, the changing seasons, and the natural beauty of Vermont.

Foley Brothers Brewing – A family affair, Foley Brothers produces a variety of beer and hosts a tasting room. Their motto, " do it the hard way" means no shortcuts in making the beer that has their family name on it.

Neshobe Winery – This small family run winery is located in the foothills of the Green Mountains and the Neshobe River runs through the front of the property. They have a small vineyard and supplement with grapes obtained from selected vineyards in Vermont and the Finger Lakes. Wine products and tastings.

Lincoln Peak Vineyard – Beginning in 2020 this 12 acre vineyard north of Middlebury has gone "all in" on reds, specializing in two varieties, Marquette and Farnsworth, from which they produce a tantalizing range of small-batch red and rose wines.

Woodchuck Hard Cider – The largest cider company in the US, crafting a wide variety of hard cider. The Cidery has tours, a gift shop and tastings.

Otter Creek Brewing – Located on Exchange Street in Middlebury, Otter Creek brews and bottles all of its beers in small batches and uses natural Vermont water; domestic malts and hops and its own top-fermenting yeast. Otter Creek brews several year-round beers but also produces seasonal and occasional beers. On site is a pub and tasting room.

Outdoor Pursuits

The Inn, centrally located near the beautiful Champlain Valley and the Green Mountains, is an ideal location for outdoor activities, including biking, hiking and skiing.

Mount Horrid – The Long Trail to Mount Horrid is a 1.9 mile out and back trail. Accessible from Rt 73, it is the high point of the Brandon Gap and rated moderate. The view to the west of the Adirondacks is breath taking!

The Long Trail – This 273 miles (439 km) hiking trail, the oldest long-distance trail in the US, was constructed between 1910 and 1930 by the Green Mountain Club and follows the main ridge of the Green Mountains from the Massachusetts/Vermont state line near Williamstown, MA to the Canadian border near Troy, VT.

Moosalamoo National Recreation Area – Pronounced moose-ah-la-moo, the area consisting of 70 miles of trails on almost 16,000 acres, this is a treasure in the heart of the Green Mountain National Forest. The well maintained trails range from rugged cliffs to gentle slopes and provide many opportunities for hiking, biking, back country skiing, snowshoeing and wildlife watching. Stop by the Brandon Visitors Center for the brochure Brandon's Getaways to Adventure: Mountain Biking for ride information,

Robert Frost Trail – This National Recreational Trail commemorates Robert Frost's poetry and several of his poems are features along the trail in the woods and fields.

Lake Dunmore –The lake spans the towns of Salisbury and Leicester, north of Brandon. Lake Dunmore is over 3 miles long (oriented north-south) and up to 1 mile wide. This family friendly lake has kayak and paddle board rentals.

Branbury State Park – This state park occupies 69 acres (28 hectares) of the eastern shore on Lake Dunmore and offers a sandy beach, canoe rentals, and campsites.

Falls of Lana - This hiking trail is a 3.6 mile loop near Lake Dunmore. The trail, which features a waterfalls, is rated as moderate to difficult and primarily used for hiking and birding.

Road Biking - If you enjoy road biking, stop by the Brandon Visitors Center for the brochure Brandon's Getaways to Adventure: Road Biking. It describes 5 loops in the area ranging from 8.5 miles/1 hour to 45 miles/5 hours,

Neshobe Golf Course – This par-72 championship course lies among woods, farm and pasture land, and rolling hills. While Neshobe GC affords beautiful mountain views in all directions, it is not a typical "mountain course", having no severe up- or down-hill lies or blind shots. 18 distinctive holes provide a variety of challenges to all facets of the game. Driving range, restaurant and pub round out the facilities.

Blueberry Hill Cross Country Ski Center – 70km of ungroomed trails for cross country/nordic ski and snow shoe experiences. Enjoy the adventures of "backcountry" skiing and the comforts of well maintained easy to follow trails. The Center has a ski shop, rentals and lessons.

Down Hill Skiing – Several options exist in close proximity to the Inn, including Killington & Pico as well as the Middlebury Snowbowl,

Other Attractions

Vermont Country Store - Visitors love the old-world charm and rustic decor of this country store. Originally built in 1946, The Vermont Country Store in the quaint village of Weston, is chalk-full of candy, clothing, decorations, kitchenware and more.

Maple View Farm Alpacas - Maple View Farm raises some of the highest quality alpacas in the region and they open their farm to visitors. Children and parents alike will love visiting the alpacas. Call or email ahead to schedule a visit!

Vermont's Covered Bridges - Vermont is home to more than 100 covered bridges, boasting more covered bridges per square mile than any other U.S state. The Sanderson Bridge in Brandon is the closest, but there are several in the area.

Douglas Orchards – Located in the heart of the Champlain Valley on 180 acres in Shoreham, this local, family owned orchard has been proudly growing Vermont apples for over 100 years.

Here is a look at a few annual local events that happen in Brandon Vermont.

Free Summer Concert Series
Brandon Independence Day Parade
Town-Wide Yard Sale Day
For more information and details about the events happening in the Brandon area visit the Brandon Chamber website

Brandon Artists Guild

A vibrant and varied collection of artists make up the Brandon Artists Guild. Stop by their downtown Brandon gallery to see why no tour of the Vermont art scene is complete without a visit to this special community of artists – there’s always something new at the Guild!

LEARN MORE

Maple View Farm Alpacas

Maple View Farms raises some of the highest quality alpacas in the region. They also open their farm to visitors! Children and parents alike will love visiting Maple View Farms. Call or email ahead to schedule a visit!

LEARN MORE

Red Clover Ale Company

Ranking #7 on USA Today’s best new breweries in 2021, Red Clover Ale Company is a small 3 brewery and taproom. Their goal is to brew an array of delicious beers and to have an ever changing tap list to allow for new beer drinking experiences, inspired by their backgrounds in farming, the changing seasons, and the natural beauty of Vermont.

LEARN MORE

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