Burlington sits at the crossroads of it all, which makes it the easiest home base for a Vermont fall trip. Church Street fills with color from the maples lining the pedestrian mall, the waterfront path turns into a corridor of red and gold along Lake Champlain, and you're never more than a couple hours from any mountain pass or river valley worth chasing. Spend a morning walking the Bike Path or grabbing coffee downtown, then point the car east, north, or south,  the foliage doesn't wait for you to leave city limits, and neither should you. Here are six drives from Burlington that put you in the middle of the season, plus where to eat along the way.

 

Fall Foliage Collage

Route 108: Smugglers Notch and Stowe Village

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Route 108 cuts through Smugglers Notch State Park, a narrow pass once used to move goods illegally across the Canadian border during Prohibition. From Burlington, plan on about two hours. Along the way, Idletyme Brewing Company in Stowe pours a solid flight if you want to stop mid-drive. For food, Piecasso in Stowe and Prohibition Pig  or Blackback Pub in Waterbury both deliver.

Vermont Fall - Cold Hollow Cider Mill

Route 15: Cambridge, Johnson, and Beyond

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Route 15 runs through farmland and hillside towns on the way to the Northeast Kingdom. Stop in Johnson to see Johnson Woolen Mills, still making wool outerwear on-site since 1842. If you're biking instead of driving, the Lamoille Valley Rail Trail runs 93 miles from St. Johnsbury to Swanton, right through this stretch.

 

Route 100: Warren, Waitsfield and the Mad River Valley

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Route 100 through the Mad River Valley is a solid two hours from downtown Burlington, and it earns the drive. Grab lunch at The Mad Taco in Waitsfield, then walk next door to Canteen Creemee Company for dessert. Warren Falls, a swimming hole on the Mad River, is worth a stop if you've got time to pull off

Route 2: The Champlain Islands

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Head north out of Burlington on Route 2 into the Champlain Islands. Two Heroes Brewery in South Hero pours local beer and cider, and Bravo Zulu Lakeside Bar has lake views right off the water. Snow Farm Vineyard is Vermont's first commercial vineyard, worth a stop for a glass. In North Hero, Hero's Welcome is the general store to know with a deli, bookstore, gifts, all under one roof. Go as far north as you want, or turn around for the afternoon.

This is an image of the Lake Champlain Causeway or Island Line Trail. This path connects the Lake Champlain Islands to the town of Colchester.

Route 4: Woodstock to Killington | A Southern Vermont Expedition

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Route 4 from Woodstock to Killington runs through some of the state's most photographed hills. Stop at the Woodstock Inn & Resort for New England charm, Billings Farm & Museum for a working dairy farm and history, and Worthy Kitchen for farm-to-table food. Continue to Quechee Gorge, Vermont's deepest gorge, with an observation deck right off the road. Budget a full day.

Woodstock VT street during fall foliage with pumpkins on a white fence and American Flag hanging on house

Route 116 - Route 125: Bristol, Ripton, and Buells Gore

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This loop heads south through the App Gap on Route 116, then back through Ripton and Bristol on Route 125. The Ripton General Store, a working post office and country store, is worth the stop for the history alone — no website, so call ahead if you need hours. The Waybury Inn in Ripton, better known as the inn from The Bob Newhart Show, anchors the other end of the loop.