This picturesque rural town in the heart of the Mad River Valley has a vibrant community, a thriving arts scene, unmatched outdoor activities, and a conscience. Residents spend extra to buy their cheese, veggies, and free-range meat from local farmers, schools serve children organic food, and the Mad Bus whisks people around town for free. In this casually sophisticated valley, people wear their fleece to the choral performances, vendors at town events sell Thai and Ethiopian food, and the local cinema shows Cuban and environmental films and hosts photo exhibits with a political bent. Go see a flick and you may be sitting next to a former Broadway actor, a world-class skier, a glass-blowing artist, or an organic farmer -- all locals.
Play
Scenic Route 100 bisects town and runs parallel to the north-flowing Mad River, which draws swimmers, anglers, canoists, and kayakers. Clearwater Sports (4147 Main St., 802-496-2708, clearwatersports.com; canoe/kayak trips $75-$85, tube rental and shuttle $23) runs five-hour guided canoe and kayak trips on the river and full-moon trips on a local lake, complete with a gourmet dinner. Or, rent kayaking gear or inner tubes, get shuttled to the riverhead, and float downriver for hours.The Mad River Path Association (802-496-7284, madriverpath.com) oversees a network of hiking trails in the valley and produces an easy-to-read topographic map that highlights some of the area's best routes and daytrips. Wander along the Mad River, climb Camel's Hump or Lincoln Peak, or hike along the Long Trail.
Inverness Ski Shop (5274 Main St., 802-496-3343, iskishop.com, $25 a day) rents mountain bikes for exploring trails in the valley. Or head to Sugarbush Resort (1840 Sugarbush Access Road, Warren, 800-537-8427, sugarbush.com; bikes $25-$75 a day, lift tickets $30 a day), which offers lift-served mountain biking through its new Sugarbush Summer Adventure Center. Bring a bike or rent one, ride the lifts up, and explore 15 miles of single-track, cross-country trails, and downhill runs.
Looking for something more offbeat? Sugarbush has two new 18-hole Frisbee golf courses. Or, enjoy a bird's-eye view of the valley. Sugarbush Soaring (Warren-Sugarbush Airport, 2355 Airport Road, Warren, 802-496-2290, sugarbushsoaring.com; 20- to 30-minute ride $119-$156, Thursday-Monday, call first) offers glider rides and lessons.
Spend
Artisans' Gallery (Bridge Street, 802-496-6256, vtartisansgallery.com) is a co-op that markets contemporary crafts and eclectic works by about 180 Vermont-based artisans.The Store (5275 Main St., 802-496-4465 or 800-639-8031, vermontstore.com), located in a restored 1834 Methodist meetinghouse, carries Vermont gifts and gourmet products, imported pottery and linens, cookware, children's books, and antiques.
At Waitsfield Pottery (4366 Main St., No. 1, 802-496-7155, waitsfieldpottery.com), Ulrike Tessmer, originally of Hamburg, Germany, makes and sells a fun and unusual selection of fine pottery.
Fuel
The valley is home to another first: the birth of American flatbread. American Flatbread bakery and restaurant (Lareau Farm, 46 Lareau Road, 802-496-8856, americanflatbread.com; Friday-Saturday, 5:30-9:30 p.m., pizza $8.50-$18.50), serves delicious wood-fired flatbread pizzas.
Easy Street Cafe and Restaurant (6163 Main St., Route 100, 802-496-7234, easystreetmarket.com; daily for lunch, sandwiches $7.15; Tuesday-Sunday for dinner, entrees $15-$23).
Or, head up the hill to Timbers Restaurant at Sugarbush Resort (1840 Sugarbush Access Road, Warren, 802-583-6800; lunch $9-$12, dinner entrees $15-$26) for one of the best fine-dining experiences in the valley.
Rest
Inn at the Round Barn Farm (1661 East Warren Road, 802-496-2276, innattheroundbarn.com; $165-$315) has 12 guestrooms in a renovated 19th-century farmhouse. The inn sits on 245 acres, surrounded by meadows, mountains, and ponds, next to a round barn that hosts art exhibits and performances by local theater and music groups.Millbrook Inn and Restaurant (533 Mill Brook Road, Route 17, 800-477-2809, millbrookinn.com; summer $95-$105 with breakfast, $145-$155 with breakfast and dinner) is an 1850s renovated farmhouse. Don't miss the restaurant, which serves homemade pasta, breads, and desserts, and is known for its Indian food.
The 1824 House Inn (2150 Main St., 802-496-7555, 1824house.com; $99-$135 Sunday-Thursday, $153-$163 Friday-Saturday) has eight country-style rooms and serves a three-course breakfast with fruit, pastries, and a main entree. The inn has a great swimming hole nearby.
Do
The Big Picture Theater & Cafe (48 Carroll Road, 802-496-8994, bigpicturetheater.info, Wednesday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-10 p.m.) lives up to its motto: "A local gathering place with a global dimension." In the past year, this popular hangout has held a Cuban film festival, an opera festival, a punk rock show, salsa nights, politically themed exhibits, and performances by local bands.At the Mad River Green Farmers' Market (Route 100, on the Mad River Green, mrgfm.com, Saturdays 9 a.m.-1 p.m., May-October), you can buy locally grown fruits and veggies, baked goods, free-range meat products, maple syrup, and crafts, all while listening to live music.
The Vermont Festival of the Arts takes place each August (Aug. 3-Sept. 3, 802-496-6682, vermontartfest.com) throughout the valley, and includes more than 100 events: local theater, dance, and music performances, art exhibits and demonstrations, cooking classes, a decorated boat regatta, garden tours, and an ice cream social. Don't miss the Mad River Valley Duck Race on Sept. 2 , when more than 5,000 yellow rubber duckies race down the river to raise money for local schools, arts, and environmental groups, and charities.
The festival culminates in the Mad River Valley Craft Fair (Kenyon's Field, madrivercraftfair.com; Sept. 1, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sept. 2, 10-4; adults $3, children under age 13 free) on Labor Day weekend, when you can pick up handmade pottery, clothing, furniture, fine art, jewelry, and more. The event includes music by the big band Green Mountain Swing, artists' demonstrations, and kids' activities.
Party
The Purple Moon Pub (6163 Main St., Route 100, 802-496-3422, purplemoonpub.com) has a nice outdoor deck and a small, intimate "martini bar" feel inside, with comfy couches and a handcrafted mahogany bar. It serves Vermont beers on tap and pub fare until 10 p.m. on weekdays and 2 a.m. on weekends, and often has live entertainment on weekends.Just down the road, Localfolk Smokehouse (9 Route 17, on the corner of Routes 17 and 100, 802-496-5623) serves 18 types of draft beer until 1 a.m., Thursdays to Saturdays, and has pool tables and an outdoor deck. It's known for its hickory-smoked barbecue ribs and live entertainment, including funk, folk, R&B, bluegrass, and rock bands.
John Egan's Big World Pub and Grill (8 Route 17, 802-496-3033, bigworldvermont.com) is another popular locals' hangout that draws families and the outdoorsy set. It closes by 9:30 p.m. (call first) and doesn't have entertainment, but it's the perfect spot to get a beer (with a good burger or rack of lamb prepared on a wood grill) and relax in a casual setting that's decorated with local artwork.
