Photo by LXS Photography on Unsplash
Photo by LXS Photography on Unsplash
2 Days in Central Vermont: Montgomery, Montpelier, and Stowe Scenic Drive Itinerary
This 2-day itinerary covers central Vermont by SUV, starting and ending in Burlington. Day one heads north to Montgomery Center's covered bridges and the Jay Peak Scenic Overlook before settling into Stowe for the night. Day two travels south to Montpelier's Vermont State House, stops at an ice cream factory and Waterbury Village, then returns to Burlington. It is a moderate scenic driving trip suited to travelers who enjoy small towns, mountain views, and classic New England villages.
Built stop by stop, not written as an article.
Xavier starts with this location and helps you build your own version of the trip.
- Days
- 2
- Stops
- 10
- Driving
- 188 mi
- Level
- moderate
Published by Xploreum · August 2026
ARE YOU XPLORER MATERIAL?
The average Xplorer every year...
Sleeps outside 24 nights
Explores 1,800 miles
Covers 500 miles on foot, skis, bikes, boats and trails
Experiences a 120°F temperature difference
Discovers 18 new places
Does something for the first time 18 times
Sees the Milky Way 11 nights
Takes 6 people on their first adventure
Spends 240 hours away from notifications
Creates stories remembered for decades
The shape of it
How the route moves
2 days and 10 stops, covering 188 mi of driving. Every distance comes from the route records behind this Xpedition.
Route overview, not navigation
Stops are shown at place level. Each leg is coloured by the travel mode we infer from the stops at either end, then drawn along that network: blue for driving. The mode is our inference, not a confirmed record of how the route was travelled. A grey dashed leg is one we could not route, shown as a straight overview instead. This is an overview of the route, not a turn-by-turn track, and it is not suitable for navigation.
The itinerary
Day by day
All 10 stops, free to read. Every day is editable once the route is yours.
Burlington to Montgomery, Jay Peak, and Stowe
- 123 mi drive
Begin in downtown Burlington and head out for a day of scenic driving through northern Vermont. The first stop, about 65 miles along, is Montgomery Center, a historic village known for its collection of covered bridges, a distinctive feature of the region's architecture. From there, continue roughly 11 miles to the Jay Peak Scenic Overlook, where mountain views open up near the northern border area, a good spot to stretch your legs and take in the landscape. The drive continues about 47 miles to Stowe Village, a classic New England town with shops, galleries, and restaurants lining its downtown streets. Settle in for the night at lodging in the Stowe area, ready to explore more the next day.
Burlington DowntownDrive
Departure from downtown Burlington area
+65.2 mi along the route
Montgomery CenterDrive
Historic village known for its collection of covered bridges, a notable architectural feature of the region
+11.2 mi along the route
Jay Peak Scenic OverlookViewpoint
Mountain views from the Jay Peak area near the northern border region
+46.6 mi along the route
Stowe VillageDrive
Classic New England village with shops, galleries, and restaurants in the downtown area
Stowe Area Lodginglodge
Overnight accommodation in the Stowe area
Stowe to Montpelier, Waterbury, and Back to Burlington
- 65.2 mi drive
Depart your Stowe area lodging and drive about 20 miles to Montpelier to visit the Vermont State House, the state capital building known for its distinctive architecture and available self-guided tours. Next, head roughly 15 miles to an ice cream factory, where you can view the production process and enjoy tasting opportunities. Just a short distance away, less than a mile, is Waterbury Village, a charming downtown with local shops, eateries, and attractions worth a wander. From Waterbury, it is about a 30 mile drive back to downtown Burlington, wrapping up the two-day loop through central Vermont.
Stowe Area Lodginglodge
Departure from Stowe area accommodation
+19.9 mi along the route
Vermont State HouseDrive
State capital building with distinctive architectural features and self-guided tour availability
+14.9 mi along the route
Ice Cream Factoryactivity
Factory tour featuring production viewing and tasting opportunities
+0.6 mi along the route
Waterbury VillageDrive
Charming village downtown with local shops, eateries, and attractions
+29.8 mi along the route
Burlington DowntownDrive
Return to Burlington downtown area
2 days does not quite fit?
Take this route as your starting point and reshape it around your dates, your pace, and the stops you care about most.
WHAT XPLORERS ARE SAYING
I discovered Xploreum yesterday while searching for an app to plan a road trip to Newfoundland and Labrador. The conversational approach allows us to pinpoint exactly our needs and expectations and build an ideal itinerary. Highly recommended!
I took a look at the program and found it quite cool to use. I did not give it a lot of prompts and it gave me a really neat place to hike in my home state. I think it works really well.
I’m sitting and planning summer vacation trips. This year, Christian and I are going on a road trip, most likely to Eastern Europe. That also gives me a reason to tell you about this insanely cool AI model. Xploreum.io has developed a model that can help you find the coolest places that aren’t touristy, and it can actually put together an entire trip for you. It’s insanely smart. Not an ad. Just a genuine recommendation.
Before you go
What this route assumes
Only the fields this route actually holds data for.
Vehicle
Built as a suv route, scenic driving and exploration. Xavier adapts it to what you actually drive.
Level
Paced for moderate travelers. Days can be split or merged to change the load.
How this Xpedition was built
Assembled from structured route and waypoint records, not written as an article, and reviewed before publication. Confirm conditions, closures, and permits before you travel.
- Route structured
- Distances calculated
- Reviewed before publication
- Published August 2026
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Make this Xpedition yours.
Dates, pace, lodging, vehicle, and who is coming can all be rebuilt around you, starting from this exact route: 2 Days in Central Vermont: Montgomery, Montpelier, and Stowe Scenic Drive Itinerary.
You keep
- The full 2 day route, editable day by day
- Distances and pacing recalculated around you
- One conversation to change anything