An Underrated Artsy Vermont Town Is Full Of Eccentric Attractions And Some Of The State's Prettiest Ponds

Glover, Vermont is a mostly forested town, so it's easy to overlook when passing through. However, those who decide to make a pit stop there will be treated to a delightfully quirky municipality engulfed in an artsy spirit that's home to attractions you won't find anywhere else and some of the most picturesque ponds you'll ever see. With a population of just over 1,100, Glover really is the sort of idyllic place where just about everyone knows each other. In fact, they all come together to celebrate the uniqueness of their town every year for Glover Day, which consists of a road race that participants of all ages can join, live entertainment, delicious food, and other festivities.

Due to the remoteness of Glover, there aren't a whole lot of places to stay in town. However, there are plenty of lodging options in surrounding areas, such as the Rodgers Country Inn & Cabins in West Glover, the Pine Crest Motel & Cabins in Barton, and Lakeview Cabins, which is also in Barton. The closest airport to Glover is Burlington International Airport, which is about 90-120 minutes by car. Sure, it's out of the way, but part of the drive from the airport to town overlaps with a route known as "Vermont's Main Street," which shows off the state's charming towns, resorts, and natural beauty, and makes for a great trip on its own. Summers are fairly mild in and around Glover, though it can get a bit humid during that time of the year. But then again, why would you want to go anywhere in New England when it's not fall and miss out on all of that stunning autumnal foliage? 

Glover has many of the activities you'd find in a small rural community, like hiking, fishing, and mountain biking. However, what sets Glover apart from many other little towns are its oddball attractions, as beneath its rustic exterior beats a wildly imaginative heart. While most museums showcase works from talented artists or important relics from mankind's past, the Museum of Everyday Life showcases, well, everyday life. That's right, a museum dedicated to the objects we use almost every day, like matches, keys, and toothbrushes. This may sound like a joke, but the purpose of the museum is to get visitors to think about their relationships with these types of objects and the roles they play in our existence. Nurse and puppeteer Clare Dolan is the founder and curator of the Museum of Everyday Life, and she told the New York Times that, "We need to celebrate what is mundane and ordinary but beautiful." Admission is free, but just make sure you turn the light on before you enter, and remember to turn it off when you leave.

Another off-the-wall thing to do in Glover is to catch a show by the Bread and Puppet Theater. Starting as a New York City theater company that put on productions for children in 1963, Bread and Puppet eventually produced bigger and more elaborate shows that took on a clear political bent. The company moved to a large plot of land in Glover in 1974, where it has remained ever since to delight and provoke the masses with its socially aware performances. The property consists of multiple performance "venues," including the Circus Field, the Pageant Field, the Memorial Pine Forest, and Papier Maché Cathedral. Another artsy Vermont area is this storybook college town that boasts cute shops and art galleries.

If you're looking for a small, tranquil body of water for relaxing, hiking, or fishing, then Glover is the place for you. Daniels Pond is a quiet freshwater lake that's surrounded by majestic trees, making it a great place for some peace and quiet. There are plenty of outdoor activities to do here, like fishing, swimming, bird watching, biking, kayaking, and more. Plus, winter brings even more stuff to do, like ice fishing and snowmobiling.

Parker Pond, also known as Lake Parker (there seems to be a fair amount of overlap between "pond" and "lake" in Vermont), is another slice of heaven on Earth in Glover. It's not as popular as some of the other destinations in the area, so you're more likely to have an uninterrupted day with Mother Nature. There's a nice variety of fish to be caught in this pond, and with a boat launch, it's an ideal place to get some quality fishing done. For some even more serene adventures in Vermont, stop by this once-bustling rail town that's now a hidden retreat wth wildflower walks.

Of course, no pond has as much historical significance to the town of Glover as Runaway Pond, which was once a larger body of water called Long Pond. An attempt in 1810 to redirect water from the pond to nearby farms that were going through a drought led to the unintentional draining of the pond, which caused a massive flood. Considerable damage was done to the surrounding area, though no one died, fortunately. Today, the small lake is nowhere near as large as it once was, but it still makes for a relaxing day outdoors, with tons of amazing wildlife to see at the surrounding park.