Killington, VT

A Killington institution since 1981, Casey's is the kind of restaurant that locals and return visitors claim ownership of. The menu runs from steak and seafood to loaded mac and cheese and burgers, the fireplace crackles in winter, and the après-ski happy hour is one of the best-value windows on the Access Road. Rustic in the best sense.

A restaurant built on the banks of Summit Pond that earns its reputation as Killington's most scenically situated dining room. The menu aims higher than most resort-area spots — braised short rib, Vermont cheese boards, seasonal mushroom risotto — with a wine list that reflects real effort. Summer patio dining on the pond edge is genuinely lovely.

Set inside the Inn at Long Trail right where Route 4 meets the Appalachian Trail, McGrath's is a proper Irish pub with Guinness on tap, live Irish music on weekends, and shepherd's pie that actually tastes like someone's grandmother made it. The hiking crowd mixes with ski-season visitors in a room that feels genuinely transported from Cork.

A Killington standby that has been feeding the resort community for over 35 years with a menu broader than almost anyone else on the Access Road — rotisserie meats, fresh pasta, seafood, and homemade burgers alongside a proper bar. It's consistently dependable in a market where consistency matters.

A sports bar and tavern on the Access Road with a rooftop deck, seasonal pool, and the kind of pub-menu-plus-game-on-every-screen vibe that earns its place in a ski town. The food goes beyond bar snacks — flatbreads, decent wings, and burgers — without trying to be a serious restaurant. Honest about what it is.

One of Killington's longest-running operations, the Wobbly Barn has been the après-ski landmark on the Access Road since 1963. The steakhouse kitchen serves hand-selected Angus beef aged a minimum of 21 days, alongside seasonal dishes and live music most nights. It functions simultaneously as a serious steakhouse and one of the area's busiest bars.

An Italian-leaning restaurant on the Access Road that takes its name seriously — garlic features prominently across a menu of pasta, brick-oven pizza, and classic Italian-American preparations. The room is warm and casual, the portions are resort-generous, and it's a reliable option when the après-ski crowd thins to actual dinner.

A breakfast institution on Route 4 in Mendon, between Killington and Rutland, operating out of a working sugarhouse that produces its own maple syrup. Pancakes, French toast, and waffles here are dressed with syrup that came from the trees surrounding the building. It's the real article — not a maple-themed restaurant, an actual sugar operation.

The most popular approach to Killington Peak (4,241 feet) — Vermont's second highest summit — runs 7.5 miles out-and-back through hardwood forest before emerging on open ridge with 360-degree views. The trail gains 2,600 feet and is genuinely challenging. On clear days you can see from Whiteface Mountain to Mount Monadnock.

A 2.1-mile moderate loop from the Inn at Long Trail parking area to a dramatic open ledge overlook above Sherburne Pass. The trail climbs 900 feet to a rocky viewpoint looking south over Route 4 and the Coolidge Range. It's one of the most satisfying short hikes in Vermont given the elevation gain-to-view payoff ratio.

A challenging 5.6-mile loop connecting the Long Trail to the Pico Peak summit (3,957 feet) with route sections on both the Sherburne Pass Trail and the Pico Link connector. The summit has an open observation area with views east toward New Hampshire and west toward the Adirondacks. Less trafficked than the Killington Peak routes.

The resort's summer activity complex at the base area runs the Beast Mountain Coaster, sky rope courses, zip lines, a disc golf course, and hiking trail access. The mountain coaster — a wheeled sled descending 3,600 feet of mountain-side track — is the standout attraction for non-hikers. Activity tickets can be purchased à la carte or as bundles.

A classical music festival running annually in July and August, bringing trained chamber musicians from major conservatories to perform in intimate venues around the Killington area. The programming mixes orchestral works with chamber music and solo recitals in a setting that has no business being this musically sophisticated for a ski town.

The Wobbly Barn's entertainment operation is separate from its steakhouse — the barn hosts live bands most nights during ski season and select summer weekends, ranging from Vermont bands to touring regional acts. It's been the center of Killington's nightlife since 1963 and shows no signs of slowing down.

An 18-hole mountain golf course offering dramatic elevation changes and views of the surrounding Green Mountain peaks from multiple fairways. The course plays longer than its yardage suggests due to uphill holes, and the scenery is genuine Vermont — not manicured resort artifice. Green fees are reasonable by Vermont standards.

Vermont's largest ski area covers six peaks with 155 trails, 21 lifts, and a vertical drop of 3,050 feet — the highest in the East. In summer the mountain runs gondola sightseeing rides, mountain biking, and the Killington Adventure Center with a mountain coaster, zip lines, and sky ropes. The scale is genuinely impressive even without snow.

Killington's sister resort on Route 4 offers a quieter, more intimate ski experience with 58 trails and a significantly smaller crowd. The mountain is included in some Killington lift packages and has its own devoted regulars who prefer its family-focused atmosphere and genuine New England ski area character over the main resort's scale.

A short 0.5-mile walk from a roadside parking area to a series of dramatic waterfalls on Thundering Brook, with impressive volume after spring snowmelt and following heavy rains. The trail itself is easy and the falls are genuinely spectacular — it's the kind of stop that rewards the 10 minutes it takes without requiring any athletic commitment.

A small state park at the junction of Route 100 and Route 4 featuring one of Vermont's last remaining stands of old-growth northern hardwood forest — sugar maple, yellow birch, and basswood reaching 300-400 years old. The park connects to the Appalachian Trail and Long Trail. The forest itself is the draw, not the facilities.