Vermont is spliced down the middle by the Green Mountains, which run through two-thirds of the state in the north-south direction. Their highest peak is Mount Mansfield at 4235 feet. The 370,000-acre Green Mountain National Forest that gives Vermont most of its outdoor pleasures has nearly 500 miles of trails riveting through the mountains, affording hikers spectacular views and a passageway to the Appalachian Trail. Tourists travel for many miles to play in this area rich with recreational resources. They come to ski the mountains, hike the trails, paddle the waterways, and relax with country-style comforts. Quaint villages dot the region, blessed with New England charm.

Montpelier, America's tiniest capital, exudes a sense of rustic dignity. It sits smugly in the heart of Vermont beside the Winooski River, hugged by the gently rolling Green Mountains. The State House's golden dome was gilded with 23.7 carat gold leaf. Inside, marble floors and spiral staircases embellish this relic of a lost era. On Main Street, there's a spectacular span of greenery called The Urban Farm, a four- acre expanse reserved for organic farming.

Mount Snow, one of 80 mountaintops in Vermont that peers out from an altitude of more than 3000 feet, blossoms with year-round activity. It is most popular in fall when the leaves are ablaze, and in winter when skiers zip down the slopes over a blanket of white. Located in the small town of West Dover, Mount Snow is one of the most active ski areas in Vermont. The Main Mountain is the focus of most of the downhill activity, but four smaller hills constitute an excellent course for varying skill levels, including beginners and children.

At the core of the Green Mountains in Vermont, sits a quarry town called Rutland, known in its heyday as "The Marble City." To its left are the Taconic Mountains. To its right are Killington, Pico and Shrewsbury, three majestic Green Mountain peaks. The town is peppered with shops and restaurants to meet every whim and need. Nearly 100 stores make themselves at home on Merchants Row and Center Street, and eateries of all types tag closely along. As the heart of the Lower Champlain Valley, Rutland is the closest town to the region's winter playgrounds.

Warren, a community of 1,200 residents, is home to Sugarbush Ski Resort and big time fun. Warren and sister hamlet, Waitfield, are in the Mad River Valley of Vermont. Pastoral maybe, boring never. There are shops and restaurants for every need. Activity is paramount here. If skiing is not the sport of choice, there are many others to choose from. Canoeing and kayaking is an adventure in the springtime when the waters swell, and the soft mumbling of the river invite anglers for a peaceful day of fly fishing.