Vermont, the Green Mountain State, has a strong independent streak. When the rest of the U.S. first banded together, Vermont chose to go it alone and remained an independent nation for 14 years before joining the Union as the 14th state. The state's constitution, first drafted in 1777, was the world's first to outlaw slavery.
Today, Vermonters are still doing things their own way: They elected the only socialist in the U.S. Congress—Bernie Sanders, who now represents the state as a U.S. Senator registered as an Independent; and the Vermont legislature was the first in the nation to sanction civil unions between same-sex partners. Although the state is viewed as one of the most progressive in the country, tradition is also important. In the continuation of a 200-year-old tradition, many locales still adhere to the official Town Meeting Day, held the first Tuesday in March, when residents gather to vote "on the floor" on town and school budgets.
Vermont also stands apart as a travel destination. That, too, comes at least in part from the temperament of its citizens: The small towns have a real sense of community—visible even to outsiders—and progressive thinkers have gone so far as to pass a law prohibiting billboards.
Of course, the other reason that Vermont is a great vacation spot is its natural beauty (which inspired the antibillboard legislation). The state, whose name is French for "green mountain," is home to quaint villages, twisting rural routes, stone fences and tree-covered mountains. Known for its spectacular scenery, Vermont maintains more than 50 state parks as well as Green Mountain National Forest, which extends nearly two-thirds the length of the state and has hundreds of miles/kilometers of hiking and biking paths.
Several of the state's most popular ski areas (Stratton and Sugarbush, for example) also lie within the National Forest. Although downhill skiing is the state's forte, cross-country skiing is also popular, and there are some 40 ski-touring centers spread throughout the state.
Despite Vermont's many attractions for winter-sports enthusiasts, the state is at its most spectacular in the fall, especially late September to mid-October. Visitors hoping to see fall foliage will find it as close as the nearest rural road. But the chairlifts at most of the state's ski areas, including Killington, Stratton Mountain and Stowe, also offer exceptional views of the color show. Visitors planning to arrive during autumn should make reservations months in advance: The changing leaves always draw big crowds.
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