Overview
Rutland is a city of about 17,000 people in Southern Vermont. It is the third largest city in the state. It is a good starting point for exploring the Green Mountains, and is very close to several major ski areas. The town has over one hundred houses on the National Register of Historic Places. This article also covers the nearby village of Chittenden.
4 sights · 4 things to do · 6 places to eat · 2 bars & cafés · 5 places to stay
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Best things about Rutland
Vermont State Fair
Held at the racetrack on South Main Street every September.
Chaffee Art Center
Art gallery with changing exhibits and art classes and workshops
Paramount Theater
Historic performance theater with many events and touring shows visiting every year
Pine Hill Park
Park with large well-maintained trail system for mountain biking and hiking
Mead's Falls
A nice waterfall just west of town on Otter Creek. It is crossed by a gargantuan railroad bridge and littered with huge slabs of authentic Vermont marble. It is accessible from Old Falls Rd, opposite the junction between…
New England Maple Museum
Museum with the history of maple syrup
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: May–Sep. Summer highs reach about 83°F; winter lows dip to about 13°F. Cold months (Jan, Feb, Dec) can bring snow and ice; check road conditions. Wettest: Jul and Oct. (climate data from nearby Hanover)
Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).
Getting there
- From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
- RUT Rutland - Southern Vermont Regional Airport, Rutland — 6 mi away. Directions
- LEB Lebanon Municipal Airport, Lebanon — 33 mi away. Directions
- ALB Albany International Airport, Albany — 73 mi away (major hub). Directions
Route 4 runs east-west through town and Route 7 runs north-south. Business Route 4 runs along the southern edge of the downtown. Generally, it is a 5-hour drive from New York City, a 3-hour drive from Boston and a 4-hour drive from Montreal.
Full “Get in” guide ↓Budget & where to stay
No prices are listed for this place yet. See the Sleep guide ↓ for options.
Sample 2-day itinerary
Day 1
- Morning Chaffee Art Center, Paramount Theater
- Lunch West Street Grill
- Afternoon Mead's Falls, Green Mountain Rock Climbing Center
- Dinner Sugar and Spice
- Evening Hop'n Moose Brewing Company
Day 2
- Morning Pine Hill Park, Vermont State Fair
- Lunch The Sandwich Shoppe
- Afternoon New England Maple Museum, Hathaway Farm & Corn Maze
- Dinner The Village Snack Bar
- Evening Vermont Tap House
Stops are grouped by area so each day needs little backtracking. Check opening hours before you go.
Food for you
Cuisine (tap to filter)
What to ask about, for your diet
Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder
Photos
Map
Every listing with a location. Tap a pin for its Google Maps link.
Understand
Rutland has many pretty historic houses in its Historic District. A bit further south on Route 7, there is a fairly large area of modern shopping malls, car dealerships, chain stores, and restaurants.
Get in
By car
Route 4 runs east-west through town and Route 7 runs north-south. Business Route 4 runs along the southern edge of the downtown. Generally, it is a 5-hour drive from New York City, a 3-hour drive from Boston and a 4-hour drive from Montreal.
By bus
There is a Greyhound bus terminal at 102 West St, downtown.
Vermont Translines route 7 connects Rutland with Burlington.
By train
- Route stopping at Rutland:
- Ethan Allen Express operating daily between Burlington and New York City including in Middlebury, Rutland, Saratoga Springs, Schenectady, Albany (Rensselaer), Hudson, Rhinecliff, Poughkeepsie, Croton-on-Hudson, and Yonkers.
By plane
Go Rutland–Southern Vermont Regional Airport (RUT)
Cape Air runs a few flights daily from Boston Logan aboard their Cessna 402 and Tecnam P2012 Traveller propeller-driven airplanes. This is a very small airport somewhat distant from town, so be sure to arrange transportation ahead of time. It's about 2 hours by car to Burlington.
Get around
Downtown Rutland is easily walkable, but to go anywhere else you'll either need a car or take public transit. There is a local bus service called The Bus. The Bus also runs to Killington for $2.
See
See Mead's Falls
A nice waterfall just west of town on Otter Creek. It is crossed by a gargantuan railroad bridge and littered with huge slabs of authentic Vermont marble. It is accessible from Old Falls Rd, opposite the junction between Rt 3 and Business Rt 4.
Do
Buy
Eat
Eat West Street Grill (Was Little Harry's)
An unexpected gem; a warm and friendly restaurant with an imaginative menu.
Eat Sugar and Spice
Vermont-themed restaurant built around a working sugarhouse. Also has a gift shop with many Vermont products for sale.
Eat The Sandwich Shoppe
A great little lunch spot with a huge menu
Eat The Village Snack Bar
A summer favorite of locals, features typical snack bar fare made to order. Indoor and outdoor seating. Open April through September
Eat Gill's Delicatseen
Classic deli options
Eat Roots the Restaurant
Localvore-focused cuisine in a nice atmosphere. Seating is limited.
Drink
Drink Hop'n Moose Brewing Company
Brewpub with a large selection of unique drinks and wood-fired pizza.
Drink Vermont Tap House
28 regional brews on tap and wood-fired pizza
Sleep
Go next
- Nearby Proctor, an old marble cutting town, is home to the Vermont Marble Exhibit. The town is pretty and also a little quirky because just about everything is made out of marble. Even the sidewalks.
- Killington, the largest ski resort in the Northeast, is only a 20-minute drive to the east. They offer skiing in the winter and various recreational activities (mountain biking, hiking) in the other months of the year.
Nearby
Killington
City / town · 9 listings · 10 mi away
Plymouth
City / town · 8 listings · 14 mi away
Brandon
City / town · 4 listings · 14 mi away
Rochester
City / town · 4 listings · 20 mi away
Ludlow
City / town · 22 listings · 20 mi away
Woodstock
City / town · 16 listings · 23 mi away
Brownsville
City / town · 1 listings · 27 mi away
Quechee
City / town · 4 listings · 28 mi away
My experience
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