Waitsfield, Vermont is a picturesque small town with scenic views of the Mad River Valley situated along Route 100 with a beautiful landscape of snowcapped mountains. The area is most visited for the ski slopes at Mad River Glen Ski Area, but the summer months welcome hikers and nature lovers to the tiny town that is big about the arts and theater.
Mad River Glen
Mad River Glen is a ski resort founded by Navy veteran Ronald Palmedo in 1948 with one of the first single chair lifts at the time. The ski resort is found on General Stark Mountain and today is a co-op winter community ski resort with more than 1,800 owner members and is the only in the nation to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The terrain is some of the most challenges on the East Coast and is one of the last to rely on natural snow. Snowboarding is not allowed at Mad River Glen.
57 Schuss Pass Road, Waitsfield, Vermont, 05673, Phone: 802-496-3551
Lawsons Finest Liquids
Lawson's Finest Liquids is a taproom that produces high-quality beer. Lawson's features world-class IPAs and unique beer such as maple brews. The critically acclaimed taproom started in 2008 by a husband and wife who had been homebrewing for two decades. The couple has won awards at World Beer Cup, two National IPA Championships, and many other accolades. Beer brewed at Lawson's can be found in eight states for sale and on tap. Special events featuring live music are often held at Lawson's Finest Liquids. Light appetizers are also served if you get hungry while checking out the brews on tap.
155 Carroll Road, Waitsfield, Vermont, 05673, Phone: 802-496-4677
The Skinner Barn, Waitsfield, VT
The Skinner Barn is a three-level historic barn that is home to special events and cultural events in Waitsfield. The barn was constructed in Bank Barn style and features restrooms on the lower level, two ready rooms, and a lower level bar. The barn sits on a 15-acre property in the Mad River Valley next to the Von Trapp Dairy Farm and surrounded by mountains. The farmhouse was originally constructed in 1820 doctor but was purchased by the Skinner family. Skinner Barn was a dairy farm from 1927-1988 when Peter Boynton purchased it to be renovated into a special events space.
609 Common Road, Waitsfield, Vermont, 05673, Phone: 802-4964422
The Round Barn
The Round Barn is a bed and breakfast open year round featuring organic gardens and grounds. There are five ponds, and several flower gardens as well as open fields and meadows, and a wooded area that guests to the inn can walk or hike. There are more than 245 acres that can be explored, and many guests tackle snowshoeing and hiking. Bed and breakfast serve food using produce from their NOFA Certified organic garden.
1661 East Warren Road, Waitsfield, Vermont, 05673, Phone: 802-496-2276
Hartshorn Organic Farm, Waitsfield
Hartshorn Organic Farm is an educational and experiential organic farm that supplies much of the local produce to restaurants in the Waitsfield region. The farm produces fruits, vegetables, and flowers; and operates a roadside stand and offers a pick your fruits program. Hartshorn Organic Farm also harvests and makes maple syrup In their very own maple sugar house. Guests can also enjoy food and farm tours, workshops, and immersion programs. Four food festivals take place at Hartshorn Organic Farm annually as well.
54 Quarry Road, Waitsfield, Vermont, 05673, Phone: 802-279-8054
Mad River Path, Waitsfield, VT
The Mad River Path is a non-profit group dedicated to building, maintaining, and conserving the public pathways from Warren to Moretown. The Mad River Path starts at the General Wait House and leads south to Mad River Green and runs through towns and along the river and Route 100. The path through Waitsfield is 1.7 miles one way and is an easy to moderate walk.
4061 Main Street, Waitsfield, Vermont, 05673, Phone: 802-496-7284
Covered Bridges of Waitsfield
The Covered Bridges of Waitsfield are undoubtedly among some of the most beloved and cherished historical landmarks in Vermont. With dozens having been built along the states' public highways between 1820 and 1904, only two remain standing as a testament to the transportation history of Vermont: The Great Eddy Bridge and the Pine Brook. The Great Eddy Bridge, located in the Waitsfield Historic District, was constructed in 1833. It is the oldest operated covered bridge in all of Vermont, and also has the longest clear span amongst the Burr truss bridges in Vermont. Meanwhile, the Pine Brook, which is also in Waitsfield, was built in 1855 and is known for its construction's noteworthy strength and endurance.
Peasant
Peasant is a husband and wife owned restaurant that opened in 2012 and is decorated with artworks and warm colors. The menu consists of food that is comforting, hearty, and rustic European influenced. The ingredients are mindfully sourced from local farmers whenever possible, and the menu changes each season; however, the famous meatballs with red wine marinara are served all year round. The bar at Peasant features a wine list hand-curated by the chef featuring a variety of European wines that pair well with the food.
40 Bridge Street, Waitsfield, Vermont, 05673, Phone: 802-493-6856
Mad River Barn
The Mad River Barn is an Inn, Restaurant, and Pub that began as a bunkhouse in the 1930s for the Civilian Conservation Corps. In the 1950s, the bunker was turned into an inn and then purchased by the founders of Mad River Glenn in the 1970s. Today the Lynd family owns the Mad River Barn which features 18 guests rooms, six family style suites, and a loft unit. Breakfast is included with all rentals, but the restaurant and tavern are open to the public. A game room is on site that provides a place to play cards, board games, foosball, or other tabletop games.
Route 17 2849 Mill Brook Road, Waitsfield, Vermont, 05673, Phone: 802-496-3310
Big Picture Café and Theater, Waitsfield
The Big Picture Café and Theater is the self-proclaimed cultural center of The Mad River Valley and serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, and snacks in the afternoon. The café uses locally grown produce and cheeses and meats that were raised and produced in the valley. The Big Picture café is a favorite coffee spot for locals and serves specialty drinks and fresh desserts. Two to three movies are shown each day, and special film screenings are available for schools.
48 Carroll Road, Waitsfield, Vermont, 05673, Phone: 802-496-8994
Hyde Away Restaurant
The Hyde Away Inn & Tavern is a historic property dating back to 1824. Located between Waitsfield and Warren, the Hyde Away first opened as Ulla Lodge in 1949. The inn offers spacious suites perfect for families, dorm rooms for skiers, and standard rooms for vacationers. The restaurant and tavern use only the freshest, local ingredients, and the ginger beer and mason jar cocktails are made in-house. Micro-brews and wine are also available at the legendary tavern that offers full-service dining, lodging, and a bar all in one place.
1428 Mill Brook Road, Waitsfield, Vermont, 05673, Phone: 802-496-2322
Artisan's Gallery
The Artisan's Gallery started as a collaboration between six incredibly talented women who decided it was time to create a nurturing and welcoming space for artists to sell their beloved ware. They sold their own pieces diligently to afford a small gallery space in 1995, and just a few years later they found their forever home in the 1830's general store of the Historic Waitsfield Village. Today, the Artisan's Gallery is home to over 150 artists who exhibit and sell their spectacularly crafted pieces through an exceptional collaboration. Artisan's Gallery features a number of styles of art with woodworking, pottery, jewelry, glasswork, and more available for purchase.
20 Bridge Street, Waitsfield, Vermont 05673, Phone: 802-496-6256
Madsonian Museum of Industrial Design
Admire over 2,000 pieces of beautifully designed and artistically manufactured curiosities at the Madsonian, a museum of Industrial Design located in the historic village of Waitsfield. The Madsonian is home to a mind-blowing array of objects with their exhibits showcasing anything from cars to toys, canoes to golf gear, and radios to toasters. All items on display originate from between the early 1900s up until the present day and highlight the incredible way the world's industrial designers have brought together beauty and functionality through mastery of their craft. Many designers' works can be found at the Madsonian including famous designers like Frank Lloyd Write, Ludwig Mies Van der Rohe, Raymond Loewy, and Frank Gehry.
45 Bridge Street, Waitsfield, VT 05673, Phone: 802-496-2787
Things to Do in Waitsfield, VT: Bundy Modern
If you’re looking for a great road trip destination in Vermont, the Bundy Modern is definitely worth adding to your list. After all, a beautiful drive down Route 100 and a turn onto a nondescript dirt road is an enjoyable trip to take to visit this stunning gallery. The Bundy Modern is situated in the middle of spectacularly manicured grounds with a relaxing pond just at its front. Sculptures can be found all around the area in addition to the lovely paintings found within the gallery’s exhibits. Meanwhile, the gallery itself is a work of art and is characterized by walls of glass, enormous wooden beams, and lovely brick parapets. In true European fashion, the gallery is open only on weekend afternoons, and only during the summer.
361 Bundy Road, Waitsfield, VT 05673, phone: 802-583-5832
Wu Ledges Forest
Come to Wu Ledges for a leisurely time outdoors but stay for the outstanding and breathtaking view of the Mad River Valley and its neighboring landscapes. Owned by the Waitsfield Township, Wu Ledges features 145-acres of forest with a sprinkling of bedrock outcrops, lovely shorelands, and extensive woodlands to explore and hike through. The forest features a network of trails of moderate difficulty, amounting to 1.6 miles in total. These trails are open to hikers and bikers as well as snowshoe trekkers and skiers in the winter months and feature packed dirt/earth surfaces. Pets are also welcome at the Wu Ledges Forest, which is open from dawn to dusk, seven days a week.
Hastings Road, Waitsfield, VT 05673