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Highest-rated free things to do in Vermont by visitors

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Josep Suria // Shutterstock
Josep Suria // Shutterstock
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Being an American can be incredibly expensive. While workers in the United States have seen a 1,015% increase in wages over the past 50 years, those gains haven't caught up with the ever-growing cost of living, according to a 2025 report from Consumer Affairs. Between 1973 and 2023, the national consumer price index increased by 586%.

Although Americans have about 63% more purchasing power than 50 years ago, that quickly dissipates when factoring in the increased costs of housing and education. Housing costs have jumped about 1,045%, private college tuition has risen by 158%, and public college tuition has increased by 177%.

That imbalance has put a huge strain on the average American. In 2023, a record-high 42.9 million households were cost-burdened, according to an analysis of Census Bureau data by the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies.

It's no wonder that maintaining savings, paying down debts and mortgages, and regular expenses are taking precedence over vacations. But not everything that's enjoyable has to come at a high price. In fact, there's a roster of completely free things to do in Vermont.

From touring landmarks and historical sites to getting out into nature, you can find all this and more without swiping your credit card or crossing state lines.

To help you find your next free activity, Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated free things to do in Vermont using data from Tripadvisor. Tripadvisor ranks places using a combination of metrics, including overall rating, reviews, and number of page views. As a result, an activity with a 5 out of 5 overall rating might rank lower than one with a 4 out of 5. Data is as of Aug. 18, 2025. Only locations that received at least 20 reviews were included.

Read on to start planning a weekend of free fun near you!

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#30. World's Tallest Filing Cabinet

Tripadvisor

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#30. World's Tallest Filing Cabinet

- Rating: 3.8/5 (331 reviews)
- City: Burlington
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#25. Gold Brook Covered Bridge (Emily's Covered Bridge)

Tripadvisor

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#25. Gold Brook Covered Bridge (Emily's Covered Bridge)

- Rating: 4.2/5 (246 reviews)
- City: Stowe
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#19. Dog Mountain Home of Stephen Huneck Gallery

Tripadvisor

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#19. Dog Mountain Home of Stephen Huneck Gallery

- Rating: 4.9/5 (234 reviews)
- City: Saint Johnsbury Northeast Kingdom Verm
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#15. Vermont Antique Mall

Tripadvisor

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#15. Vermont Antique Mall

- Rating: 4.3/5 (310 reviews)
- City: Quechee Hartford
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#14. Thundering Brook Falls Trail

Tripadvisor

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#14. Thundering Brook Falls Trail

- Rating: 4.5/5 (212 reviews)
- City: Killington
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#12. Bragg Farm Sugar House & Gift Shop

Tripadvisor

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#12. Bragg Farm Sugar House & Gift Shop

- Rating: 4.6/5 (326 reviews)
- City: Montpelier
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#10. Morse Farm Maple Sugarworks

Tripadvisor

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#10. Morse Farm Maple Sugarworks

- Rating: 4.5/5 (508 reviews)
- City: Montpelier
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#9. Lake Willoughby

Tripadvisor

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#9. Lake Willoughby

- Rating: 4.7/5 (181 reviews)
- City: East Burke Northeast Kingdom
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#1. Church Street Marketplace

Tripadvisor

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#1. Church Street Marketplace

- Rating: 4.4/5 (2,018 reviews)
- City: Burlington
- Read more on Tripadvisor

This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Jill Jaracz, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 51 states.

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