Vermont has always been an independent state; it remained an independent nation for fourteen years after the formation of the American Union, joining it thereafter. Its constitution, drafted in 1777, was the first one in the world to ban slavery.

With regard to politics, the people of Vermont do things their own way. They elected the only socialist in the U.S. Congress, one of their U.S. senators became an Independent after he left the Republican Party, and same-sex marriage was sanctioned for the first time in the nation by the Vermont legislature. Change and progress do not mean that the people of Vermont do not adhere to some traditions. For 200 years, several locals have been meeting at the Town Meeting Day, held the first Tuesday in March, to vote “on the floor” on town and school budgets.

As a travel and vacation destination, Vermont stands apart. There is a sense of community in its small towns, clearly visible to visitors, and billboards are not permitted in the state. A wonderful vacation region famed for its beauty, Vermont is known for its marvelous scenery, stone fences, quaint villages, twisting rural streets, and tangled mountains. There are fifty state parks and the Green Mountain National Forest, which extends for almost two-thirds the length of the state.

The National Forest, besides being replete with hundreds of kilometers of biking and hiking tracks, also houses some of the more popular ski areas like Stratton and Sugarbush. Plenty of mountains and trails and ample snowfall lend an atmosphere of excitement and wonder. The state is known for downhill skiing, but cross-country skiing is gaining popularity and there are nearly forty ski-touring centers scattered across the state.

The fall, late September to mid-October, is when Vermont looks its best. The chairlifts at Killington, Stowe, and Stratton Mountains offer great views. Autumn, with its changing leaves, is when most of the visitors arrive.