One Of New England's Best Retirement Towns Is An Artsy Gem With Gallery-Lined Streets And Nearby Waterfalls
When it comes to quintessential Vermont towns, Brandon looks every bit the part. About halfway between this storybook college town that boasts cute shops, art galleries, and New England charm, and this walkable Vermont city with trails, galleries, and good eats nestled in New England's mountains, Brandon comes with the classic accoutrements of small town Vermont. Along Center Street, its main thoroughfare, find a cluster of shops, cafés, restaurants, pubs, churches, and municipal services inhabiting historic brick buildings, and even a small waterfall along the Neshobe River, which bisects the town. In fact, the entire downtown is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Walkable residential neighborhoods surround but don't go far before the rural landscape takes over. That's because Brandon is home to just 1,900 people.
Despite the low population, Brandon still projects a lot of life. A lively arts community has earned it the moniker of "the art and soul of Vermont," and this manifests in a number of galleries and studios, including Judith Reilly Gallery, Brandon Artists Guild, Vermont Folk Art Gallery, and Aleshire Gallery. Much of this is due to the notoriety and success of folk artist and resident, Warren Kimble, whose New England scenes appear on products everywhere, as well as galleries in New York City and Boston. Brandon's creative spirit also shines in community events. SolarFest, an annual arts festival powered by the sun, hosts live music, movies, food trucks, and workshops on environmental topics. For 30 years, Brandon has also hosted the Basin Bluegrass Festival.
Brandon perks for retirees
All of these ingredients, and more, make Brandon appealing to retirees, as demonstrated in the demographics. After children 10-20, adults 50+ make up the largest population block. Housing costs are also low for Vermont, with an average price of $305,000 for a home. Wellness facilities and a small medical center offer on-the-spot treatments, while major regional hospitals are in Rutland and Middlebury. But perhaps the greatest retirement perk in Brandon is the walkability. Indeed, downtown is just 10-15 minutes away by foot from the surrounding neighborhoods, and all the essentials are available there — grocery, pharmacy, restaurant, cafés, hair salons, banks, post office, and public library.
That Brandon sits on Route 7, running the entire length of the state, and farther to Norwalk, Connecticut — a buzzy harbor city on Long Island Sound with art, oysters, and New England charm — means it gets a steady tourist traffic. That helps elevate Brandon's downtown restaurants and cafés above the usual small-town assortment. Café Provence is a case in point, with a French chef turning out all breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner with a French flair. A block or two away in all-day breakfast and lunch at Mae's Place, pizza at Morningside Bakery Wood-Fired Pizza and Provisions and Brandon House of Pizza, and burgers and sandwiches at 22 Park Eatery. Craft beer fans can tap Vermont's brewing fame at downtown's Red Clover Ale and a mile north at Foley Brothers Brewing, also home to Neshobe River Winery
Entertainment and Tips for Brandon
Historically, Brandon's biggest claim to fame is as the birthplace of Stephen A. Douglas, the 19th-century statesman who famous debated Abraham Lincoln in the Lincoln-Douglas debates. A small museum and visitor center now resides in his 1802 home and is a stop on Vermont's African American Heritage Trail. Two miles southwest, just across the Historic Sanderson Covered Bridge, is the Barn Opera House, showcasing opera classics inside a wood red barn. Head the same distance northeast of town and golf action against mountain views at the 18-hole Neshobe Golf Club. Or ditch the clubs and take a nature hike at Hawk Hill, a 3-mile network of trails behind the high school that includes the building remains of Brandon's first European settlers.
By air, the best way to reach Brandon is landing at Burlington International Airport and driving the 50 miles south along Routes 7 or 16. Double the distance to the southwest and reach the next nearest, Albany International Airport. Vermont Translines can also get you to Brandon by bus along the North-South bus route from Albany to Colchester, Vermont. The same bus stops in Rutland and Middlebury, both with stations on Amtrak's Ethan Allen Express between New York City and Burlington. Once you reach Brandon, find accommodation at several inns in the downtown area. The Brandon Inn, a Dutch Colonial style building from 1892, is the most central, but nearby is the country-boutique Lilac Inn, popular for weddings. Another 19th-century-home-turned-inn is the Inn at Park Street.