★ 4.4Part of the eastern Northeast Kingdom.
A 19th-century Fairbanks-scale fortune left St. Johnsbury a museum, an athenaeum and a walkable Main Street.
Where to stay in Caledonia County
In St. Johnsbury it is worth being up near Main Street, where the museum, the athenaeum and the restaurants are all reachable on foot, rather than out by the I-91 interchange where every errand becomes a drive. East Burke, twenty minutes north by US-5 and VT-114, is the other obvious base and the one that fills first: Kingdom Trails weekends from June through October are taken months ahead and the village is very small. The farm villages west of the interstate, Danville, Peacham, Barnet and the roads around Groton State Forest, are quiet, properly dark at night and beautiful in late September, but expect dirt roads and a drive to dinner. Lyndonville sits between the two and is usually the cheapest bed with a supermarket close by.
Hand-checked stays
Stays in Caledonia County
★ 4.4
★ 4.4
★ 4.2
★ 4.3On the ground
Things to do in Caledonia County
- Fairbanks Museum & PlanetariumA barrel-vaulted Victorian cabinet of curiosities with Vermont’s only public planetarium.
- St. Johnsbury AthenaeumA National Historic Landmark library and art gallery, unchanged since 1873.
- Kingdom TrailsOne of the best mountain-biking networks in the East, centered on nearby East Burke.
- PeachamRegularly called Vermont’s most-photographed village, especially in foliage season.
Getting around & the essentials
Transport
I-91 runs the length of the county along the Connecticut River valley and I-93 ends at St. Johnsbury, making this the easiest part of the Northeast Kingdom to reach by road, roughly three hours from Boston and an hour and a half from Burlington. Burlington International (BTV) is the nearest sizeable airport; there is no Amtrak service here, as the Vermonter runs west of the county. A car is required, as distances between villages are long and there is essentially no public transport.
Good to know
Common questions
What exactly is the Northeast Kingdom?
It is the informal name for Vermont’s three northeastern counties, of which Caledonia is the southern and most settled. The label was coined in the 1940s and has stuck because the region really is different: emptier, colder, poorer historically, and less shaped by tourism than the rest of the state.
Where should I base myself?
St. Johnsbury is the practical choice, with the museums, restaurants, supermarkets and the junction of I-91 and I-93. Lyndonville and East Burke suit anyone here for the trails or Burke Mountain, and the small villages suit people who want quiet above convenience.
Is it a good foliage destination?
Very much so, and colour typically peaks here a week or so before southern Vermont, often in the last days of September into early October. Roads through Peacham, Danville and the Groton forest are the classic drives, and crowds are lighter than around Woodstock or Stowe.
Is anything open in winter?
Yes, but selectively. Burke Mountain, Nordic and fat-bike trails, and St. Johnsbury’s year-round businesses carry the season, while many rural cafes and seasonal attractions close from November. Days are short and cold, and back roads can be rough after a thaw.
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