Near our Cabins: Brandon, Vermont

Today you may walk Brandon's historic downtown with its entire core of 243 buildings on the National Register of Historic Places. There is a self-guided Walking Tour available that highlights the architecture of this entire district in detailed description. Pick up a copy of The Brandon Historical Village Walking Tour at the Brandon Information Center (junction Routes 7 and 73E) which is open daily. You may also read the text of the Walking Tour online.

Briggs Carriage Bookstore is a 6,000-square-foot parcel of Literary Paradise where customers can browse the shelves, relax in comfy chairs, or chat with the witty, wise, and friendly staff. The second floor features the Ball and Chain Café, which serves fair trade coffee and espresso beverages, teas, fruit smoothies, Italian sodas, fresh lemonade, and homemade baked goods. With chess and game nights, a weekly knitting circle, free wireless Ethernet, frequent musical and literary events, and a darned swell ambience, it's a world of books in a small Vermont town.

Kirby's Happy Hoofers has Mohair on the hoof. They are a very small farm devoted to producing mohair and raising registered Angora Goats and a few Shetland and Icelandic Sheep. See Angora Goats of all ages as well what is produced from our fiber. Mittens lined with mohair or socks occasionally available for sale.

Maple View Farm Alpacas specializes in alpacas. Come learn about these gentle, intelligent creatures then browse the farm store, which features garments, accessories, yarns and toys made from luxurious alpaca fiber. Farm visits are by chance or by appointment.

New England Maple Museum -- The story of maple sugaring in the world’s largest maple museum. Antiques, paintings, slide show, folk art exhibits, maple syrup samples. A simulated boiling prcess, “sap to syrup” is presented all year.

Vermont Marble Museum -- Worlds Largest Marble Museum - Movie, Hall of Presidents, Artist in Residence, Marble Office, Bathroom, Chapel, Kitchen, “Earth Alive” Geology display room, Calcium Carbonate in everyday life, Sample Room, Plaster and “Pointing” display, Marble Market, Custom Marble Work, Extensive gift shop, Quarry Trail, Historic Photographs, Relics, 100 displays and much more.

4 Conant Interiors -- Their vision combines high style with practical design to create magnificent, unexpected, and always comfortable interiors. Brent and Charles travel Europe and the Americas to acquire beautiful and one-of-a-kind architectural elements, reclaimed building materials, textiles and furnishings. In downtown Brandon.

Brandon Artists Guild -- Artists have come together to create an art gallery in downtown Brandon at 7 Center Street, representing more than 50 talented people who are juried in order to enter. Here can be seen the most recent work of such renowned artists as Warren Kimble, Liza Myers, Judith Reilly, Mike Mayone, Peter Huntoon, and many, many more whose reputations extend far beyond the borders of this very special state.

Great trails for Mountain biking and hiking are in the Green Mountain National Forest. Ride through Pittsford's covered bridges - a combination of gravel and paved roads pass over three covered bridges.

Near Brandon is Middlebury.