Vermont Summer Family Adventure Planner
Looking for summer fun in Vermont? We can help you! Plan epic day or weekend trip full of educational farms and museums, mountain adventures, historical sites, and family fun centers.
Get Outside
Head the mountains or find a swimming hole to cool off this summer. There are so many ways to enjoy the beautiful summer weather and landscape of Vermont.
Vermont Institute of Natural Science (VINS)
Location: 149 Natures Way, Quechee, VT
Hours: Daily, 10am to 5pm
Get tickets: vinsweb.org/visit/
Join us for an unforgettable family-friendly experience at the VINS Nature Center. Kids can watch hawks, owls, and eagles up close during our Live Raptor Programs and visit wild birds on exhibit. Explore the Forest Canopy Walk, scenic trails, and interactive exhibits designed to spark curiosity about the natural world. Climb, play, and imagine in our natural playground, then stop by the Nature Store for snacks, lunch, and nature-inspired gifts. We also offer high-quality Nature Camps for kids during the summer and over holiday breaks. The VINS Nature Center is open daily—check vinsweb.org for special events in every season.
Smugglers' Notch Resort
Location: 4323 Route 108, Jeffersonville, VT
Hours: Summer Season is June 12 – September 1, 2026
Get tickets: www.smuggs.com
From water play to hiking, indoor family fun to events galore, Smugglers' Notch summers offer something for everyone! Bootleggers Basin is so popular that Smuggs has extended new operating hours to 7pm this summer. In addition more canoe and kayak rentals will be available and the resort is adding new water inflatable obstacle courses ideal for hours of playtime! Waterside games of cornhole, ladder toss, and quick disconnect keep the fun happening in and out of the water and a beverage cart loaded with goodies makes this a spot you won’t want to leave soon.
Plan a Daycation this summer at Smuggs and get access to water play, plus the Funzone 2.0, a 26,000 square foot family entertainment complex with rock climbing, inflatables, indoor mini-golf, an arcade, and more. Access to mountain biking, disc golf, guided hikes, and more are included. Passes start at $99 for Vermont families (up to 4 people in immediate family size). Available online at smuggs.com/daycation!
Parks, Trails and Playgrounds
There are so many ways to get out and explore the beauty of Vermont during the summer months. Whether you want to tackle peaks as a family or simply go for a stroll in a park, we got you covered. Check out our lists of hiking trails, playgrounds, and parks! Our friends at All Mountain Mamas also have great guides to family-friendly hikes at ski areas around the state. Check them out: https://allmountainmamas.skive...
Looking to immerse the family fully in the great outdoor? Find great family campsites here and book your spot for the summer. What camping experience would complete without a little fishing? Find the tops fishing spots for kiddos here: https://findandgoseek.net/fish....
Swim & Splash
When the summer starts warming up, let us help you beat the heat! Do your littles love to get their toes in the sand, build castles and moats, and splash in lakes and ponds? Check out our list of family-friendly beaches in Vermont! Or perhaps you prefer the shade of the forest and the flowing water of rivers and streams. Vermont is packed with wonderful, scenic swimming holes. Find them here!
Don't forget paddling around as an options. Check out the top spots for kayaking and canoeing, or taking the family boat out!
If your favorite past time is eating creemees by the public pool, find you local cool off spot for slides, splash pads, and sweet summer memories. We have a broad list of pools and splash pads across Vermont.
Vermont Lake Monster's Baseball
Location: Centennial Field, 98 University Rd., Burlington, Vermont
Hours: Game times vary, May 30 - August 8, 2026
Get tickets: vermontlakemonsters.com
The Vermont Lake Monsters play at the historic Delta Dental Diamond at Centennial Field, which is one of the oldest ballparks in use. Each summer, nearly 100,000 fans come through the gates to cheer on the team and laugh at the crazy antics of the team's mascot, Champ! Special game activities and promotions include Kids Run the Bases nights, giveaway games, face painting, post game fireworks. On Wednesdays kids eat free! Each child 12 and under will receive a voucher redeemable for a free hot dog, bag of chips and bottle of water upon entrance to Centennial Field! See the full schedule.
Vermont Museums for Fun Interactive Education
Explore science, ecology, history at these interactive museums and science centers in Vermont.
Shelburne Museum
Location: 6000 Shelburne Road, Shelburne, Vermont
Hours: Open10 am - 5:30 pm, May 9 through October 25, 2026
Get tickets: shelburnemuseum.org
Shelburne Museum offers a truly unique experience for visitors of all ages. Set on 45 beautiful acres with 39 buildings, many of them historic and relocated to the campus, and dozens of gardens, a visit to Shelburne is magical. Experience Impressionist art, contemporary art, and American folk art. Ride a 1920s vintage carousel. Walk the decks of the 220-foot Ticonderoga, the last boat of its kind to ply the waters of Lake Champlain before coming to rest in its grassy basin at the Museum. See a blacksmith and printer at work at the Blacksmith and Print shops, and step back in time to see what people purchased at the General Store.
The Montshire Museum of Science
Location: 1 Montshire Rd., Norwich, Vermont
Hours: 7 days a week, 10am to 5pm
Get tickets: montshire.org
At the Montshire Museum, enjoy a truly unique experience, with over 150 exciting hands-on science exhibits, both indoors and out and100-acres to explore along the Connecticut River, spectacular views, and amazing opportunities for discovery. This summer, enjoy outdoor water play at the David Goudy Science Park, hidden adventures in the Healing Forest, and the visiting special exhibition, Creatividad Silvestre/Wild Creativity, a dynamic limited-time exhibition that looks to nature for inspiration in order to solve engineering challenges.
Enjoy easy, free parking, and bring a picnic. There are seating areas inside and out for snacks and lunch. Take a walk on one of the Montshire’s six serene walking trails, from the Woodland Garden to The Planet Walk. There's an adventure for everyone at the Montshire!
Wonderfeet Kids' Museum
Location: 66 Merchants Row, Rutland, VT
Hours: Tuesday - Sunday, 10am to 4pm
Get tickets: www.wonderfeetkidsmuse...
Bring the whole family for summertime fun at Wonderfeet Kids' Museum in Rutland. Kids and grownups alike are encouraged to play and learn together. Whether that means getting creative or flexing your STEAM-skills in the Jr. Mint, using your imagination to go on an adventure on the train, or having four-seasons' worth of fun in the Killington exhibit, there is something for everyone, all ages and stages.
Bring a lunch to enjoy in the lobby, or pop out to a local eatery in Rutland and come back after your meal. Read a book, create a project to take home, and make core memories with the ones you love. Come have fun!
ECHO, Leahy Center for Lake Champlain
Location: 1 College St., Burlington, Vermont
Hours: 7 days a week, 10am to 5pm
Get tickets: www.echovermont.org
This summer, discover ECHO—Vermont’s science and nature museum on Lake Champlain. At ECHO, science and nature are right at your fingertips.
Join us for:
• Vermont’s largest aquarium showcasing the Lake's incredible biodiversity
• Design and test your own creations in our Engineer It Lab
• Watch water freeze and enter a tornado’s vortex
• Snap a photo with our 30-foot Champ plesiosaur model
• Experience immersive films in our 3D Theater
• Dinosaur Safari, an exhibit where life-size animatronic dinosaurs come to life
• Champ's Legendary Creemees on the waterfront
Indoor Ideas for Rainy Days
When it's time to cool of indoors or escape the weather, we have a packed list of indoor fun to explore.
Rainy Day Club @ Eat and Be Hoopy
Location: 155 Dorset Street, South Burlington, Vermont
When: Announced based on weather and availability
Learn more: www.eatandbehoopy.com
Kids move, explore, and create through sensory play, movement and open-ended fun in Eat and Be Hoopy's colorful studio space on select rainy or super hot summer days. Rainy Day Club play dates will be announced throughout the summer based on weather and studio availability. Families can follow along on Instagram or join the email list to learn about scheduled play dates
Most of our playful pals are ages 6 months–8 years, though all are welcome to join the fun.
Farm Visits and Berry Picking
Your kiddos love animals? Check out Vermont's wealth of farms and orchards for summer fun. Looking for a sweet summertime activity the whole family will love? Head out to pick your own berries! Juicy red strawberries are at their best in May and June, perfect for little hands to pluck. Cherries ripe on the tree in mid-summer. And if your crew loves blueberries or blackberries, you’re in luck—they stick around a bit longer, usually from June through August.
Sweet Roots Farm
Location: 4702 Ethan Allen Highway, Charlotte, Vermont
Hours: Daily, 9am-6pm
Visit: www.sweetrootsvt.com
Join in the fun at Sweet Roots Farm this Summer! The on-site Farmstand is open Memorial Day to Halloween featuring farm-grown organic produce, berry creemees and so much more.
Open seasonally for Pick Your Own blueberries 9am - 6pm. Find details and more info on their website and find them on Instagram and Facebook.
Liberty Hill Farm
Location: 511 Liberty Hill, Rochester, Vermont
Hours: Farm tours by appointment
Visit: Libertyhillfarm.com
Discover Liberty Hill Farm, nestled in the scenic White River Valley, where guests and visitors can relax, reconnect, and experience life on an authentic working Dairy Farm. For more than forty years, the Kennett family has welcomed guests from Vermont and from across the world to take part in hands-on farm tours where you can feed baby calves, try your hand at milking a cow, and learn how they care for their Holsteins every day to keep them healthy and thriving.
Overnight guests enjoy comfortable lodging, hearty farm-fresh breakfasts and dinners, and the kind of warm hospitality that makes the farm feel like home. Whether you’re looking for a peaceful getaway or a memorable family experience close to home, Liberty Hill Farm offers a true taste of Vermont’s working landscape.
Road Trips
Looking to move beyond borders and try something new? Here is a road trip ideas close to Vermont, but with a whole different feel!
28 Hours in Montreal
Head north of the border for a little cultural immersion. Quebec feels miles from home with French-speaking citizens and the metro-style of Montreal. We did a quick weekend to the city last summer and it was unforgettable. We drove to Montreal on a Saturday morning from Burlington for an overnight. The plan was to explore the city with two solid kid-friendly destinations and at least one stop for a family favorite – poutine.
Read more about our explorations in the Old City, a free visit to the Montreal Science Centre, views from the tallest ferriswheel in Canada, and the Insectarium and Olympic Park! https://findandgoseek.net/the-...
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