Essex Junction, VT Road Trips

Admittedly, there isn't much here for the traveler to see. From some parts of town you can get excellent views of Mt. Mansfield and Camel's Hump. The rural parts of Essex offer pleasant landscapes, but these can be found all over Vermont. The older parts of town are fairly attractive, especially from late spring through fall, and that's about it. Darkroom Gallery, 12 Main St., ☏ +1 802 777-3686. Photography gallery. Essex Junction Historic District (area around 5 corners). 10 listed buildings Fort Ethan Allen, Ethan Allen Ave (Off route 15 heading west towards Burlington.). This former military base has been converted into housing and commercial space. There are many historic structures throughout the fort, especially surrounding the parade ground. Harriet F. Powell Historical Museum, 1 Browns River Rd. A small local history museum with limited hours.

Essex is home to several golf courses and parks of interest as well as Vermont's busiest exposition center. If you do end up in Essex, it's probably to see a concert or attend a fair of some kind. Champlain Valley Fair. Held at the fairgrounds in late August-early September, it is the state's largest fair. In the warmer months, the fairgrounds hosts frequent concerts. Indian Brook Reservoir. Hike or mountain bike the trails around this reservoir. Swimming, canoeing, and fishing are also options. The Links at Lang Farm, 39 Essex Way, ☏ +1 802 878-0298. Play a round of golf at one of the most affordable courses in the area while enjoying views of Mt. Mansfield and Camel's Hump. Spring Fine Arts & Crafts Show. First weekend in May Vermont Quilt Festival. New England's largest quilt show is held from June 28-June 30

Essex has the typical suburban chains like McDonald's, Wendy's, KFC, and the ubiquitous (in New England) Dunkin Donuts. However most of the restaurants are one-off local places with much better food. Most restaurants are lunch oriented due to the number of people who work in Essex, but most still serve dinner. Bagel Market, 30 Susie Wilson Rd, ☏ +1 802 872-2616. Fresh bagels and sandwiches as well as house roasted coffee. You can't miss bagel market, it's located in a distinctive bagel shaped building (ok, it was originally a tire store). They make a large variety of bagels and whipped cream cheeses. There are also breads and other baked goods to choose from. Weekend mornings and weekday lunches are incredibly popular here and the line is frequently out the door. Cafe Mediterano, 17 Park St., ☏ +1 802 878-9333. Greek, Turkish, and Bosnian food. Cody's Irish Pub, 4 Carmichael St, ☏ +1 802 878-1543. Irish pub specializing in burgers, sandwiches, and fish & chips. Lots of TVs for sporting events. Firebird Cafe, 163 Pearl St, ☏ +1 802 316-4265. Breakfast and lunch spot serving burritos, paninis, and omelettes. Everything is freshly prepared and each burrito is served with its own specific sauce. The breakfast menu is heavily southwestern influenced and features dishes like Huevos Rancheros. Firebird serves Vermont Coffee Roasters coffee in a bottomless mug for guests who dine in and provides a bottle of house-made hot sauce for each table. The restaurant itself is tiny, occupying the first floor of a small house and only has a handful of tables.

Essex, despite being the second largest municipality in Vermont, isn't a nightlife hotspot. Most people looking for a night out will head into Burlington. That being said, Essex does have a few bars. However, they are not quite like those in Burlington. The presence of IBM and the transition to a bedroom community for office workers has transformed Essex into a town of suburban yuppies, but it wasn't always that way and the old rural/blue collar Essex still exists. Unlike Burlington, most bars won't have an extensive list of microbrews, tasteful decorations, or rowdy college students. What you will find are cheap American lagers, dingy bar rooms, darts, pool, and sometimes karaoke. This is Northern Vermont, so you will always be able to find a Switchback if you don't like PBR and Rolling Rock.

For some reason, Essex only has two hotels, one of which is a luxury resort. For most tourists, this won't be an issue as you will probably be staying elsewhere, however business travelers and people visiting relatives may have to stay in neighboring Colchester, Williston, or South Burlington. Baymont Inn & Suites Essex Burlington Area, 27 Susie Wilson Rd., ☏ +1 802 316-4782. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 11AM. (updated Jul 2017) The Essex Culinary Resort and Spa, 70 Essex Way, ☏ +1 802 878-1100. A pretty expensive resort with an attached spa and two restaurants.

Routes 15, 2a, and 117 will bring you to the center of Essex. All three roads connect with I-89. 1 Essex Junction station, 29 Railroad Ave, Essex Junction. Daily 8AM-10PM. (updated Oct 2023) Amtrak, ☏ +1 215-856-7924, toll-free: +1-800-872-7245. Operates train service around the United States of America. (updated Mar 2022) Route stopping at Essex Junction: Vermonter operates daily between St. Albans and Washington, D.C. including stops in Essex Junction, Waterbury, Montpelier, White River Junction, Claremont, Bellows Falls, Brattleboro, Greenfield, Northampton, Holyoke, Springfield, Windsor Locks, Hartford, Meriden, New Haven, Bridgeport, Stamford, New York City, Newark, Trenton, Philadelphia, Wilmington, Baltimore, and New Carrollton. Burlington International Airport (BTV IATA), Airport Dr, ☏ +1 802 863-1889. Essex is only a few miles away from Burlington International Airport. Flights arrive daily via several carriers from as far away as Chicago and Orlando. Travelers from farther afield will have to make a connection in a larger city. There are non-stop flights to Burlington Airport from the following cities (some cities may be seasonal or only offer service certain days of the week): Atlanta, Baltimore, Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, New York, Orlando, Philadelphia, Toronto and Washington.

Essex Junction is small enough to be navigated on foot. Cycling can be a good way to get around the village. There are dedicated bike lanes on some streets and traffic moves at fairly low speeds, The Essex Junction, Essex-Williston, and Essex Town routes of CCTA all serve the village, however they are more useful for getting to and from Essex Junction than getting around. CCTA frequency can sometimes be low. Getting around Essex by car is the best option. VT Route 289 can be used to bypass traffic in the center of the village. There is ample parking, and the only problem you are likely to encounter is traffic at Five Corners during rush hour.