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Sugaring season is a special time of year in Vermont and as the country’s largest and best producer of maple syrup, we look forward to showing off our production process every year at the annual Maple Open House. It’s not meant to celebrate making some of that sweet syrup, but also a way to let loose at the end of a long Winter and get together as a community for some maple-based festivities.
Taking place across two weekends (this year is March 25 & 26 and April 1 & 2), you can get a tour of an active sugar shack to see the process involved in going from tap, to sap, to syrup, chow down on some Maple classics (looking at you sugar on snow with a pickle), and of course, taste the freshest and most mouthwatering maple syrup imaginable. Straight from the tree!
We’ve made a list of our favorite places to stay that are close to some of the best sugar shacks and maple festivals in the state, as well as some that offer their own Maple celebration packages. Bottom line, if you’re looking for Vermont Maple, these are the places to stay. Sweet!
Grafton, VT
2.9mi. to Plummer’s Sugar House
The Grafton Inn is the ideal home base for your Vermont Maple getaway. The rustic luxury of the rooms, suites, and cabins will welcome you to the Green Mountains and the incredibly gracious staff will make you feel perfectly at home during your stay. Be sure to take in a meal at the attached Phelps Barn for some amazing gourmet pub fare.
Just a five-minute drive from the gorgeous front porch of the Grafton Inn, you’ll find Plummer’s Sugar House. As equally quaint and picturesque as where you’ll be staying, Plummer’s has been making syrup for more than 60 years, and you can feel and taste their expertise.
What guests are saying: “The location is exactly what one would expect from a rural Vermont inn, I recommend taking the extra 5 minutes to take the slow road rather than the highway, it will set the scene perfectly, complete with opportunities to buy as much maple syrup as you want (from local independent producers, of course).”
Stowe, VT
3.9mil. to Nebraska Knoll Sugar Farm
The von Trapp family brought a taste of Austria to Vermont in the early 1940s and have been welcoming guests for over half a century since. The lodge is one of the most stunning we’ve ever stayed at and is only possibly outdone by the views of the valley below. In addition to touring the nearby sugar shacks, von Trapp Brewery should be high on your list.
Another Stowe family adding their taste to Vermont, the Coty family has been boiling and making syrup since 1980 at Nebraska Knoll Sugar Farm. Conveniently located just a few minutes from downtown Stowe as well as the Trapp Family Lodge, be sure to visit for tours, tastes, and family fun! Their maple doughnuts are to die for, so grab a few and enjoy them by the bonfire.
What guests are saying: “We visited for their maple sugaring tour and rode a bicycle. The tour was really informative and I have a whole new regard for maple sugar! The guide was kind enough to add me last minute. Beautiful property!”
Woodstock, VT
4.2mi. to Bourdon Maple Farm
Just because you’re going out exploring the woods and learning about boiling syrup doesn’t mean that you need to be roughing it when you head back at the end of the day. In fact, the award-winning suites and spa at the Woodstock Inn & Resort will help make sure that any roughing it is quickly and luxuriously forgotten. Your stay in Woodstock is bound to be something you never forget.
An organic maple farm with over 10,000 taps in their sugarbush, Bourdon Maple Farm goes all out for Maple Open House. We’re talking maple waffles and ice cream, syrup tastings, a fire pit, games and activities, and of course sugar shack tours. If you’re looking to celebrate the maple season, there’s no better place.
What guests are saying: “My wife and I spent five wonderful days here. Our room was amazing (a suite in the Tavern wing), the staff were incredibly friendly and helpful, and the atmosphere was both relaxing and luxurious.”
Manchester, VT
3.3mi. to Dutton Berry Farm
When you visit Equinox Resort you can’t help but be impressed by the history and presentation. An elegant vacation destination for past Presidents (be sure to visit Hildene - Abraham Lincoln’s son's estate-turned-museum nearby), the grand columns of the Equinox are regal and pristine. Inside, you’ll find just as stunning accommodations and a staff that will gladly guide you to the best of Manchester, and ensure your stay is nothing short of superb.
Just a few miles away from the Equinox, Dutton Berry Farm is also a local treasure. With year-round farmstore selling their berries, veggies, and baked goods, a stop into Dutton’s is always delicious. Each Spring, Dutton’s makes syrup in their sugar shack and has been for decades. Offering tours, tastings, music and activities, as well as a farm petting experience, you’ll be able to get into the full Maple celebration when you visit.
What guests are saying: “We had an excellent experience at the Equinox. The resort is well kept, authentic, surrounded by mountains, and maintains a lovely ambiance. Our room was large yet cozy, and the public spaces were beautifully decorated. The pool and hot tub are gorgeous.”
East Montpelier, VT
1.1mi. to Bragg Farm Sugarhouse
A stay in our State’s capital city of Montpelier is looking extra golden when you find yourself at this cozy cottage. Beautifully renovated yet staying true to it’s rustic charm, you’ll have everything needed for an enchanting Vermont Maple adventure at your fingertips. Just outside of downtown Montpelier, yet close enough to explore the restaurants, coffee shops, and storefronts that make this town so special. Not to mention, you’re less than 5 minutes away from a maple heavy-hitter, Bragg Farm.
Bragg Farm Sugarhouse is one of our favorite maple producers around. This is in no small part due to the fact that they make the best maple creemee we’ve ever had. But even if we don’t factor the creemee into the equation, the old-school way that Bragg Farm continues to make and produce all of their maple products leaves us as big fans. Check out their Maple Open House with tastings, tours, gift store, and of course, maple creemees.
What guests are saying: “This cottage is absolutely perfect - comfortable, charming, convenient - with the added bonus of a beautiful garden and lovely outdoor spaces. The owners were friendly and helpful. I would heartily recommend this property.”
Lyndonviller, VT
9.6mi. to Pure Gold Sugaring
The Wildflower Inn is set on the ridgeline of Darling Hill Road. With sweeping views of the stunning mountains and valley below, you’ll find yourself continually drawn to all the outdoor activities that the Northeast Kingdom offers. Sugaring season can seemingly be over in a snap up in the NEK, but when you’re enjoying your stay at the Wildflower, you’ll be sure to come back each and every year.
Pure Gold Sugaring is a 7000 tap, 4th generation sugaring operation. What was once a garage has been transformed into a modern sugarhouse, but still maintains it’s Northeast Kingdom roots. A visit during Maple Open House will find you enjoying a tour of the facilities, free maple tastings, and maple doughnuts. We’re in.
What guests are saying: “I almost don’t want to comment on how wonderful this place is, in fear of it becoming too popular…”
Dorset, VT
5.1mi. to Merck Forest & Farmland Center
The Dorset Inn is a classic Vermont beauty. The white clapboards and green shutters that help make downtown Dorset so iconic are there to greet you as you pull up to the front door. Inside, you’ll find the warm cozy interior that has been welcoming visitors for generations. The fireplaces and wide plank flooring are the perfect backdrop for a Vermont adventure. The Dorset Inn smartly goes above and beyond and offers a Maple Package with lodging and dining included, and of course, a maple goodie basket to welcome you.
Less than 10 minutes away from the Inn you’ll find Merck Forest and Farmland Center. If you have children and have not yet been to Merck Forest, do so immediately. Over 3000 acres (not a typo!) of forest, hills, trails, and meadows, Merck Forest is downright magical. With a thriving sugarbush helping to support the Merck Forest mission of sustainability, the Maple Open House is ideal for all the little maple-lovers in your family.
What guests are saying: “This is our happy place! They just know how to make people feel special and comfortable. The entire staff always go the extra mile ! The inn is beautiful, the food in their lovely restaurant and lively tavern is fantastic! Working wood burning fireplaces in both that are lit and make your dining experience even more special”
Killington, VT
18.8mi. to Baird Farm
Now it might be a bit more of a trek to Baird Farm from the door of your chalet than from some of the properties on this list, but trust us, both the house and the syrup are worth it! Perfect for large groups, this adorable ski house has a cathedral-ceilinged bunk room and two master suites making it the ideal spot for multiple families. Private, yet just a stone's throw from all that Killington has in store, you’re gonna dig it here.
Baird Farm can be found in North Chittenden, and the drive over from Killington is a beaut. Once there, you’ll find yourself in the middle of Vermont Farmland with fields, meadows, and pastures on all sides. For Maple Open House, Baird rolls out the maple red carpet offering up free rosemary maple waffles, sugar shack tours, maple-themed beer by Mount Holly Beer Co., and maple giveaways. As we said before, these folks are definitely worth the drive.
What guests are saying: “If you’re looking for something special, seriously out of a magazine, with convenience to the slopes and Killington restaurants - unload here. The Cub House ticks every box. A fun, comfortable mountain vibe combined with huge windows that make the most of snowy evenings.”
Burlington, VT
While not offering the close proximity to a sugarhouse that all the other lodging options possess, Hotel Vermont certainly makes up for it with their Spring Maple Madness Package. Starting things off with a maple cocktail upon arrival at the always delicious Juniper restaurant, followed by a jar of Sweet Abby’s Organic Maple Syrup waiting in your room. Next, you’ll enjoy breakfast for two back at Juniper (with the recommendation of the blueberry pancakes with Templeton Farms Syrup), and concluding with a Vermont Maple Sugaring Itinerary of Palmer’s Sugarhouse in Shelburne, VT. Considering that Hotel Vermont is one of our favorite boutique destinations in the State, you won’t have to twist our arm in the slightest to book a stay.
What guests are saying: “Highly recommend this hotel to experience a uniquely excellent stay in Burlington. Warm, modern, rustic vibes greet you at every turn in this thoughtfully appointed property — from the loaner bikes and local suggestion cards, to coffee and tea bar on every floor and the in-room amenities, to Sunday morning cider and cider doughnuts — someone though of every detail that might make ours stay more pleasant and it was pretty awesome. Well done!”
