Vermont's Breathtaking Road Trip Route Travels Through Some Of New England's Most Stunning Fall Foliage Scenes

"I'm so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers." This timeless sentiment came from Anne Shirley, the titular character in Lucy Maud Montgomery's "Anne of Green Gables," in admiration of the surrounding fall foliage. There's something about fall colors that inspires art and poetry, with its mirage of bright reds, oranges, and yellows. While Anne of Green Gables is set in the fictional town of Avonlea, in the not-so-fictional Prince Edward Island in Canada, you don't have to go to Canada for autumn foliage views. The United States' Northeastern states are a veritable haven of scenic fall drives and stunning views. Perhaps none more so than Vermont, with its gorgeous Green Mountains that turn into an iridescent mix of deep rust, orange, and burnished bronze every October.

If you have a long weekend or can spare a few days this fall to go leaf-peeping, there's one particular Vermont road trip that will guide you through the state's top fall destinations. The route begins in the north, in the artsy town of Burlington, surrounded by gorgeous mountains and situated right alongside the state's largest lake, Lake Champlain. It then curves its way down south, veering slightly to the east to sample the views at Stowe and Woodstock, before ending in Manchester.

Try to keep your luggage to a minimum, because you don't want to waste time packing and unpacking every day. If you struggle with chronic over-packing, check out some of these tips for packing light on a road trip. Also, some of the spots on this route don't allow large vehicles, so a small, family-friendly sedan is ideal for this road trip.

Your road trip begins in Burlington, an urban town with an artsy, cozy feeling. Spend the morning downtown, sipping on coffee made out of specialty roasts at Onyx Tonics Specialty Coffee. Or have a classic American breakfast of pancakes or eggs at Henry's Diner, a local favorite, established in 1925 and rated 4.3 on Tripadvisor. When you're done, head over to Waterfront Park for a light walk with stunning views of Lake Champlain and the red and orange trees along its shore. If you want to stay an additional night in Burlington, you can also take a sunset cruise through the Spirit of Ethan Allen cruise line or explore the town's famous breweries. Enjoy dinner and live music at Foam Brewers, or have a meal at Vermont's oldest brewpub, the Vermont Pub and Brewery.

When you're done exploring Burlington, it's time to head 36 miles out towards Stowe, named the best U.S. fall destination in 2025 by Lonely Planet. Drive down Interstate 89 towards Montpelier, then take Exit 10 to Vermont Route 100 towards Stowe. The exit is in the charming, artsy town of Waterbury, known for its delicious food, so take a short break here to enjoy Ben and Jerry's ice cream the original way, on a tour of their Waterbury factory, or grab a bite to eat at Prohibition Pig, one of Vermont's most famous brewpubs. Once you're done eating, head on towards Stowe, about 10 miles away. The entire journey from Burlington to Stowe, excluding rest stops and meals, should take around 45 minutes to an hour. The journey from Waterbury to Stowe is part of Vermont's famous Scenic Route 100, a 146-mile-long byway that highlights some of Vermont's most picturesque destinations and is filled with stunning fall colors.

At Stowe, check out Innsbruck Inn for a relatively affordable stay (around $300-plus per night in peak fall season). The rustic inn is at the base of Mount Mansfield, the highest peak in Vermont, and offers well-equipped rooms in a traditional alpine design. If you can splurge a bit, check out Hyatt's The Lodge at Spruce Peak (around $500 to $1,250 per night). The Lodge offers luxurious rooms with balconies and slopeside views.

In the fall, the view from Mount Mansfield is a stunning tapestry of reds and oranges, demonstrating why Stowe is the Fall Color Capital of the World. Beginning right before The Lodge is Smugglers' Notch, a road once used as a smugglers' route; now a fall foliage hotspot, with narrow roads along the mountain, set in between thick groves of orange-red trees. Two miles from The Lodge is Mount Mansfield's peak, with panoramic views of the town. You can drive up the Auto Toll Road beginning at Stowe Mountain Resort since you don't need to be a guest to use the road. However, there is a fee to use the it that costs around $35 per car with one person, and an additional $13 per passenger. The road takes you to the summit parking lot, from where it's a short uphill hike to the summit. However, if you really want to enjoy the views, take the Mount Mansfield Gondola Skyride from Mountain Road just past the Lodge. You'll get incredible panoramic aerial views of the Mountain's fall colors, making it a much more relaxing and scenic ride than the Auto Toll Road, with its sharp turns and twists. Set off in the evening from Stowe to Woodstock. The 73-mile-long drive down Route 12 to Woodstock is also filled with incredible fall colors.

Woodstock has plenty of places to stay, with rustic, simple inns and more luxurious accommodations available. If you prefer to stay in luxury, check out Woodstock Inn & Resort (around $470-plus per night). With a range of themed rooms and bucolic dining halls, Woodstock Inn offers a relaxing experience. You can take advantage of their spa and heated pool before leaving town to relieve any lingering aches and pains from your travels. For a more affordable option, try out Sleep Woodstock Motel, which has clean rooms to spend a night in (around $120-plus per night) and is highly rated on Tripadvisor (4.8 stars).

With a history going back more than a decade before the creation of the United States, Woodstock is an amazing place to explore American historical places, like the Middle Covered Bridge, a rustic covered bridge with mountain views in the background. To take a historical tour and catch sights of amazing fall foliage in one go, head over to the Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park, a Victorian mansion with extensive trails that exhibit stunning fall colors in September and October. You can also take a 15-minute drive out of town to Cloudland Farm for lunch, where you'll get fresh farm-to-table food with gorgeous fall countryside views.

In the early evening, leave Woodstock to drive almost 60 miles down Vermont's Scenic Route 100 to Manchester. This hour-long drive (on average) is set along one of Vermont's most picturesque routes, with thick groves of trees on either side. A spectacular, deep green in the summer, the same trees turn into a lovely mix of fall colors in September and October.

At Manchester, check into the Kimpton Taconic Hotel ($230-plus per night) for luxurious rooms and amenities and easy access to the heart of Manchester. Or you can stay at the Mountain View Hotel ($145-plus per night), built to look like a beautiful stone cottage with gorgeous fall mountain views right from your room.

Manchester's premium fall destination is the Equinox Valley Nursery, a garden center with educational tours and quirky decor items available for purchase. The Nursery transforms every autumn into a Halloween-themed extravaganza, with a field full of pumpkins ripe for picking and a tall corn field maze. To really admire the views of the surrounding Green Mountains and Taconic Mountains, take their wagon ride around the fields. The ride gives you an excellent vantage point to see the mountain slopes covered in autumn colors.

This four-day-long trip ends here in Manchester. But, if you're still ready to hit the roads, you can embark on a new one — this New England scenic road trip that begins in Manchester and explores some of the best small towns across four states.