As spring approaches, here are some fun activities to do in the local area!

Spring is here!  While our winter was not the fiercest, we can feel the temperature rising, spring showers approaching, and see the green returning to the Vermont scenery.  Unwrap yourself from your heated blankets, and prepare to enjoy the outdoors!  The Bennington area offers tons of great places and activities to do as the weather gets warmer.

 
1. Go Outside.  Get your base-tan.  When it is sixty degrees in the fall, we bundle; sixty degrees in the spring, we tan.  But after a long season of being cooped up, it’s time to appreciate fresh grass.  Take a walk to the Bennington Monument, or head down to Friendly’s with some friends.

2. Hiking Trails.  If you haven’t checked out the hiking trails behind Everett Mansion, they are some great hikes to start off on.  Otherwise, try to make a trip to the White Rocks in Bennington, or Mt. Greylock Wilbur’s Clearing Trail in Adams, Massachusetts, featuring its own waterfall.

Figure 1 Mt Greylock Wilbur’s Hiking Trail

3. Covered Bridges.  Taking the back roads near the Silk Road covered bridge leads to some breathtaking exploring.  You will find plenty of beautiful sceneries, a few vegetable stands, and maybe even some homemade Vermont maple syrup and honey.

4. Ice cream at The Dairy Bar.  It won’t be long until Billy T’s Dairy Bar will re-open – they have already started their opening process!  If you haven’t tried their ice cream yet, go – and if you have, you know you’ll be the first in line.

5. Lake Paran.  When it gets warm enough to think about swimming, Lake Paran is only a fifteen-minute drive from campus.  You can canoe, jump off the decks, or just set up a towel on the lawn with some iced tea.

6. The Dorset Quarry.  It’s a bit longer of a drive, but the Quarry is another great spot to check out with some friends.  Have fun jumping off cliffs into this huge swimming pool!