Vermont Bike Tour Special Edition

Today's ride starts off on a bike path as we depart Burlington. A few miles in, you are in for a treat as we will pedal on the causeway that connects mainland Vermont with the Champlain Islands. This abandoned rail line makes for a scenic and serene ride across this expansive lake. There is a 200 foot gap in the causeway to allow boats to pass through, a distance we will cover via the local bike ferry. After crossing the lake, we'll continue our cruise on South Hero Island and enjoy a casual lunch at a local farmstand. Those who want more miles can continue farther north to Grand Isle before making their way to lunch. We recommend enjoying a maple creemee for dessert - no fall trip to Vermont is complete without one! If your legs need a rest, call it a day and hop in the van for the return trip to Burlington. Otherwise, we'll pedal back to our hotel. Tonight Burlington is yours to explore. Be sure to take a stroll down Church Street, a vibrant pedestrian-only street line with shops and restaurants.

Today you journey eastward across Vermont to uncover more stunning fall foliage. Bike paths will give way to quiet roads and miles of pristine countryside as you ride along the banks of the beautiful Winooski River. For those who want an extra challenge this morning, make the turn on Wes White Hill Road for a short but punchy climb topping out at 15% before returning to the river. We hope you have worked up an appetite because you have many options to choose from when you reach the quaint town of Waterbury. You may also choose to browse local boutiques and gift shops like Green Mountain Coffee Roasters or the Craft Beer Cellar. After lunch, the group will gather for a shuttle to Ben & Jerry’s for dessert. Choose from many interesting flavors for your afternoon treat! From there, it is a short drive to Stowe, where you'll get settled at the Green Mountain Inn for the rest of the week. Tonight, Stowe is yours to explore for dinner, however your guides will arm you with a list of their favorite local establishments.

Start with a hearty breakfast to prepare you for the day's activities. Your morning ride will take you past the site of the original settlement of Stowe, which dates to the late 1700s. Enjoy a fantastic loop through lush Vermont farmland that passes through the village of Morrisville. Then tackle the beautiful rolling hills on Stagecoach Road before returning to Stowe for a picnic lunch spread at the hotel. Late this afternoon, you'll head to a local sugarhouse for a private tour and maple syrup tasting—you’ll come away with a newfound appreciation for the art and science of “sugaring." Afterwards, we'll enjoy dinner at Idletyme, where you can sample a flight of their microbrews with your meal.

Featured meal:

Idletyme Brewing

After a full day experiencing the splendor of the Green Mountains and the vibrant seasonal display, your group will come together for an enjoyable dinner at cozy Idletyme Brewing. Operating as a cider mill in the early 1900’s, this site has a unique history that has shaped the present. Once the cider mill closed, it transitioned into Camp Idletyme in the 1930’s, a popular place of social gathering – a legacy that continues to exist today. Idletyme is dedicated to offering a relaxing atmosphere to appreciate real food and brews, and great friends and times! This Brewery is also a proud partner of the Vermont Fresh Network, which cultivates relationships between farmers and chefs to bring consumers fresh, healthy, and local food.

Continue exploring today by heading north on Route 100 for another spectacular ride through the colorful landscape decorated with white church steeples, bright red barns, and fields of lazily grazing cows. Pedal into the town of Johnson, a charming village nestled in the mountains, and take some time to explore its unique shops and boutiques, including the Johnson Woolen Mills factory with its iconic selection of signature woolen goods. After lunch, decide whether you’ll shuttle in the van or hunker down for the climb up the west side of Mount Mansfield to Smuggler’s Notch and the rewarding descent back to Stowe. This evening you and your traveling companions will gather for a round of drinks at the Inn before heading out to Cork for our final dinner. We'll toast to new friends, great adventures, and your week experiencing quintessential New England culture and the autumnal landscapes.

This morning’s loop is the perfect final ride and farewell to Vermont's beautiful fall foliage as you cycle the quiet roads surrounding Stowe, past the Gold Brook Bridge—one of the oldest and most storied (and allegedly haunted) covered bridges in Vermont. Soak in the New England countryside one last time and ride up to the Trapp Family Lodge, a reconstructed version of the grand lodge once home to the family whose story inspired "The Sound of Music." If you’d rather skip the ride, you can sleep in, have a leisurely breakfast, and then enjoy a final stroll through the streets of Stowe to savor a few last moments of your week and maybe pick up some souvenirs and gifts. A private Trek Travel shuttle will depart from the Inn at 11:00 AM to take you to Burlington.