Buy Roadtrip USA by Jamie Jensen at Barnes and Noble. Today Montpelier's economy is based around government, insurance, and tourism. Your arrival in Montpelier is foretold by the gold dome of the capitol building hovering in the valley ahead. Constrained by the Winooski River on one side and the narrow valley on the other, Montpelier is so compact that you can park your car and find all the sights within a 10-minute walking distance. Atop the hill behind the capitol lies Hubbard State Park, a favorite rest and recreation spot for locals.
Montpelier residents take their eating seriously.
Very good and very inexpensive food is readily available, thanks to the presence in town of the New England Culinary Institute, a cooking school that operates the Main Street Bar and Grill and Chef's Table, both at 118 Main Street. An atmospheric breakfast place is the Coffee Corner, on the corner of State and Main Streets. Near Montpelier, watch sap being turned into delicious maple syrup at the Morse Farm and Sugarhouse, three miles northeast from the capitol dome along Main Street. Montpelier thrived off the granite quarries of the nearby town of Barre. Inc. All Rights Reserved.