Vermont's unspoiled forests, mountains, and countryside beckon to travelers to come and play — and they holler even louder when they're coated in sparkling, cold white stuff. Vermont is New England's undisputed winter sports capital — from skiing to snowmobiling to snowshoeing to sledding. Don't overlook Vermont's other three seasons, though. Spring brings the annual magic of maple sap simmering to become glorious, amber syrup. Summer is chock-full of outdoor recreational possibilities including hiking, biking, boating, fishing, and golfing — in fact, Vermont has one of the highest numbers of golf courses per capita in the United States. And fall is, in a word, spectacular. Vermont's covered bridges and white church spires are photographed incessantly when autumn provides its vivid backdrop.

In Vermont, the cities are more like small towns, and even though there are no longer more cows than people, the total population still barely tops 600,000. You'll feel right at home among the natives and the thousands of “transplants” who have discovered that a taste of Vermont is simply not enough.