★ 4.0Located in the east-central section next to the New Hampshire border.
Deep-country Vermont — hill farms, white-steepled greens and back roads made for slow driving.
Where to stay in Orange County
Decide first which side of the county you want, because the two halves face different worlds. Randolph and Randolph Center on the western side sit beside I-89 with the Amtrak stop, and are the obvious base if you are combining the county with Montpelier, Woodstock or a drive north. On the eastern side, Bradford, Fairlee and Thetford put you on I-91 and the Connecticut River within reach of the Upper Valley, and Fairlee in particular suits a summer stay for the lakes. If what you actually came for is the back-road Vermont of hill farms and white steeples, look at the small villages in the middle such as Chelsea, Tunbridge or Strafford, and accept the trade-off: little to no dining after dark, long drives on dirt roads and a real need for decent tyres in mud season. Rooms are few everywhere here, so foliage weekends in late September and early October need booking well in advance.
Hand-checked stays
Stays in Orange County
★ 4.0
★ 4.0
★ 4.0On the ground
Things to do in Orange County
- Justin Morrill HomesteadThe Gothic Revival home of the senator behind the land-grant colleges, in tiny Strafford.
- Chelsea’s twin greensA rare New England village built around two side-by-side commons.
- Connecticut River paddlingQuiet flatwater and river beaches along the New Hampshire border near Thetford.
- Covered-bridge drivesBack roads north of Randolph string together some of the county’s prettiest bridges.
Getting around & the essentials
Transport
I-89 clips the western side of the county at Bethel and Randolph while I-91 runs up the Connecticut River past Thetford, Fairlee and Bradford, with VT-14, VT-110 and VT-25 connecting the hill towns between them. The Amtrak Vermonter stops at Randolph, and the nearest airports are Lebanon, New Hampshire and Burlington International (BTV) at about an hour and a half; a car is essential once you arrive.
Good to know
Common questions
What is Orange County actually like?
It is deep-country Vermont: hill farms, dirt roads, white steeples and very small villages, sitting between I-89 in the west and the Connecticut River in the east. There is no resort town and no crowd, which is the point.
Where should I base myself?
Randolph in the west is the largest village and sits near I-89 with an Amtrak stop, while Bradford and Fairlee on the eastern side put you on I-91 and the river. Both are within an hour of Woodstock, Montpelier and the Upper Valley.
Is a car necessary?
Yes, without qualification. Distances between villages are long, roads are frequently unpaved, and there is no meaningful local transport. A vehicle with decent clearance is a comfort on the back roads in mud season, roughly late March into April.
When is the best time to visit?
Late September and early October for foliage on the hill farms, or high summer for swimming holes and the lakes at Fairlee. Avoid mud season in early spring, when dirt roads soften and many rural attractions have not yet opened.
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Nearby towns
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