There are lots of great places to swim along the Mad River — you need only look for parked cars to find the sweet spots. Two well-marked areas couldn’t be more different: Dramatic Warren Falls is one of those rope-swing spots that attract shirtless adolescent boys. The family-friendly Lareau Swimming Hole is a peaceful bend in the river that is shallow enough for kids in some places and, in others, deep enough for a real dip. PHOTO: MATTHEW THORSEN

A river runs through it, and there are mountain ranges on either side. But that’s only part of what makes the Mad River Valley so scenic. The farms and settlements are charming, too. The best way to see it all is from two wheels. A 16.3 mile loop takes you off the main thoroughfare — Route 100 — onto the back roads of Waitsfield, Warren and Fayston, through covered bridges and along ski slopes, past art galleries and antique shops.

Addison County is a biker’s dream come true. The terrain ranges from flat, open expanses along the lake to rolling roads dotted with dairy farms.

It’s easier to negotiate Stowe on a bicycle than in a car, and the popular year-round bike path is a welcome alternative to the congested Mountain Road. The 5.3-mile trail starts next to the Stowe Congregational Church and crosses the West Branch River 11 times as it meanders north past shops and restaurants.

The Charlotte-Essex, NY Ferry offers a good glimpse of Vermont’s gold coast. Drive to the dead end of Ferry Road, hop the ferry, and twenty minutes later, you’re in Essex, New York, a historic little village with its own leafy charm. You can explore the downtown on foot, but the better way to go is by bicycle. The whole area, from Westport to Willsboro Point, is a two-wheeler’s paradise. Not as much traffic on that side of the lake, either.

When it gets really hot in Chittenden County, the locals head for the Bolton Potholes. Running alongside the road up to Bolton Valley Resort, Joiner Brook tumbles downstream to make five separate waterfalls. The stream’s curviness, and distance between individual potholes, makes the swimming area seem bigger and more private than it is. You can hang upstream, far from the madding crowd, or watch adolescent boys diving through an impossibly narrow chute of rock into a deep pool.

(Published in 7 Nights 2009-10)

It’s not easy to get the recipe right in small but sophisticated Montpelier. The capital city is both crunchy and world-wise, localvore and price-sensitive. 

Pam Root satisfies all the constituencies at That’s Life Soup, a cozy café on Elm Street that serves up soothing, steaming bowls to state workers, townies and tourists — not to mention the hungry lawmakers who take over Montpelier for four-plus months a year. 

(Published in 7 Nights 2009-10)

Only a few Vermont restaurants consistently deliver exquisite food and gracious service. Michael’s on the Hill, located on a scenic stretch of Route 100 between Waterbury and Stowe, is one of them. There, in an intimate farmhouse setting, Michael and Laura Kloeti reign over the kitchen and dining room, respectively. When it’s warm enough, seating extends to an enclosed wrap-around porch with views of the surrounding countryside. 

(Published in 7 Nights 2009-10)

Franklin County is meat-and-potatoes country. But if you happen to be a vegetarian — or a whole-foods aficionado — your best option is tiny Foothills Bakery, located right across from the entrepreneurial Food Venture Center. 

Pleasantly cluttered with homey décor, the restaurant has a lived-in vibe. Going there for a meal is like stopping in on friends.

The Burlington Bike Path runs for miles along the city’s shoreline, north through Colchester and out onto a narrow old railroad causeway that connects Chittenden County with the Champlain Islands. The Island Line Trail ends at “the cut” — except on certain weekends when there’s ferry service across the water. Be sure to stop for “penny candy” at the historic Auer Family Boathouse, where the Winooski River flows into the lake.