2 Best Sights in Stowe, Northern Vermont

The closest thing you'll get to a Willy Wonka experience in Vermont, the 30-minute tours at the famous ice cream brand's factory are unabashedly corny and only skim the surface of the behind-the-scenes goings-on, but this flaw is almost forgiven when the samples are dished out. To see the machines at work, visit on a weekday (but call ahead to confirm if they will indeed be in operation). Another highlight is the "Flavor Graveyard," where flavors of yore are given tribute with tombstones inscribed with humorous poetry.

You can watch apples pressed into possibly the world's best cider on a vintage rack-and-cloth press at this working mill and sample it right from the tank. Its store sells all the apple butter, jams and jellies, and Vermont-made handicrafts you could want, plus the legendary cider doughnuts. Kids love watching the "doughnut robots" in action, which can make up to 15,000 doughnuts per day. The tasting room is open daily with numerous hard ciders on tap, and an on-site café serves Vermont classics for breakfast and lunch.