48 Hours in St. Johnsbury

Weekend Itinerary

Home to 7,500 residents, St. Johnsbury is the largest town in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont. Here you'll discover quaint, off-the-beaten-path gems, while also enjoying the regional hub of shopping, dining, innovation, and creativity. St. Johnsbury is the perfect home base when you’re visiting Vermont's Northeast Kingdom for skiing at Burke Mountain or mountain biking at Kingdom Trails, both less than 30 minutes outside of town. But, St. J (as the locals call it) is full of its own charms.

Check out the itinerary below for a weekend's worth of ideas to delight you right here in town, and make sure to check out our Calendar for events, performances, and fun activities taking place during your stay.

Friday​​

Hiking with Dogs

There’s only one St. Johnsbury (that’s true – there are no other locales with the same name). And here in St. J, there’s only one Dog Mountain, a bucolic 150 acre dog park and cultural destination. Leashes are optional, and the site includes hiking trails and dog-friendly ponds. Visit the one-and-only Dog Chapel, where the walls are covered with notes visitors have written to dearly departed pets. Developed by late artist Stephen Huneck, it is also the site of the Huneck Gallery, where you can find gifts and artwork all dedicated to man’s best friend.

Grab a Craft Beer

Vermont is internationally known for its craft beer scene, and St. Johnsbury has its own local breweries to sample. After your run with the dogs, take a seat outside in downtown St. Johnsbury at Whirligig Brewing and try what owner Geoffrey Sewake has brewed. The beers are made in small batches, and the malts, grain, and hops come from local Vermont sources for true local beer terroir.

Dinner Next Door

Follow your local beer with local food, right next door at Kingdom Table & Taproom. The pub downstairs offers one of the best tap and bottle lists around, and their upstairs sister restaurant offers an eclectic new American menu. At both locations, the craft cocktails are well-poured, and the beers on tap always include selections from nearby Greensboro’s award-winning Hill Farmstead. On a warm summer evening, sit outside and plan your shopping tomorrow on Railroad Street.​

Saturday​​

Start at Cafe

St. Johnsbury was named “best small town for outdoor adventure” by National Geographic Adventure, and you’ll want to fuel up for the morning’s activities. Kick off the perfect weekend at one of our local cafes. Locally Social Cafe, Cosmic Cup Cafe, and Boule Bakery all serve a variety of great espresso drinks, pastries, and other breakfast items. 

OPTION 1: Bike, Hike, or Ride Your Horse

The Lamoille Valley Rail Trail starts in St. Johnsbury and by the end of 2022, will extend across northern Vermont all the way to the western border. For now, you can hike, bike, or even ride a horse on the mixed-use recreational trail built on a defunct railroad bed, 17 miles out to Joe’s Pond in West Danville. Or, check out one of the local NEK Gravel routes that start in St. J and take you all throughout the 'Kingdom'. 

For those interested in pedal power, LINK Vermont offers by-donation bike repair services and bike lending. You can find E-bikes for rent at All Around Rental and Lamoille Valley Bike Tours. And, check out our Recreation listings for locally-based bike guides to show you around.

OPTION 2: Explore our Creative Landscape

St. Johnsbury is home to a wealth of creativity. Fine art galleries at Catamount Film & Arts and the Backroom Gallery at the Northeast Kingdom Artisans Guild host rotating shows featuring both local and internationally-recognized fine and contemporary artists.

The downtown itself is also a gallery, with storefronts on Eastern Avenue and Railroad Street hosting seasonal displays by local artists for the community arts program St. J Art on the Street. Or, get started on the Downtown Scavenger Hunt by finding some of the sculptures and murals that beautify St. Johnsbury's downtown.

Caledonia Farmers Market

Every Saturday morning from May through October, the Caledonia Farmer’s Market sets up in downtown St. Johnsbury from 9am - 1pm. It’s a local party each week, with live music, organic produce from area farms, crafts, and prepared foods. Try Genuine Jamaican for an authentic jerk kick, or Maria's Kusina for Filipino cuisine for a snack or lunch to-go.

Flavors from Halfway Around the World

If you didn't find enough global flavors at the farmers market, be sure to stop by Vermont's only Filipino restaurant. Pica Pica features authentic and delicious Filipino cuisine in an elevated setting. It's also conveniently located on Main Street as the jumping off point for your next adventure...

Historic Landmark

Visit the St. Johnsbury Athenaeum, which serves as the public library for the town of St. Johnsbury. A National Historic Landmark, the building has gorgeous woodwork throughout, with spiral staircases in the main reading room and a painted ceiling in the lecture hall on the second floor. Settle into a comfy chair to read, or step into the attached art gallery filled with Hudson River School paintings and dominated by the recently restored Domes of the Yosemite by Albert Bierstadt. The gallery has undergone little change since its opening almost 150 years ago.

Shop Downtown!

Ready to scratch that shopping itch? Stroll along Railroad Street and Eastern Avenue for souvenirs of your visit. Moose River Lake and Lodge is an emporium of delights—clothing, antique and modern jewelry, household goods, and a vast wine selection that fills an old bank vault at the rear of the store. If you’re looking for a good read, visit Boxcar & Caboose, an independent bookstore with a great coffee bar and a large children’s section with games, puzzles, and a play space. Don’t miss the jelly beans and other sweets in the in-store candy shop. Under the purple awning, the Northeast Kingdom Artisans Guild features high-quality crafts and art made by Vermont and New Hampshire artists. Other quirky and inspired goods await at the highly curated second-hand store Haven, artistic gift shop Art & Joy, holistic wellness and crystals store Luméire VT, curiosity shop Ysbrydoliaeth, and dozens more to be found on our Shop directory.

Craft Cocktails

The St. Johnsbury Distillery creates craft spirits in downtown St. Johnsbury. Stop by the speakeasy-style Tasting Room to have a cocktail and watch the process of making rum from the windows that overlook the distillery. Make sure you check out the restrooms with hundreds of pennies embedded in the floors!

Spice Up Your Meal

Next door to the distillery, enjoy dinner at Salt Bistro, a chef-owned restaurant with a menu that skews Italian. The restaurant’s name refers to the ten different flavored salts available for tasting. Most nights, Salt Bistro has live music during dinner, and the outside patio seating is delightful.

Movie Night

St. Johnsbury is a small town that boasts two downtown movie theaters. Take your pick of a first-run blockbuster or family-friendly flick at the Star Theater, or go for an indie or foreign film screening at Catamount Arts. Between the two theaters there are five screens, so you’ll have plenty for your viewing pleasure.

Don't forget to check the Calendar page to see if there are special performances or events during your stay.

Sunday

Time for Brunch

There’s nothing like Sunday brunch to round out the perfect weekend. Central Café serves its full brunch menu starting at 8am, but if you'd rather sleep in a bit, grab a meal at Kingdom Table, which opens at 11am. Central's menu standouts include their varieties of toasts and rice bowls—avocado, kimchi, or mushroom—plus great espresso drinks and home-baked pastries. Table brings you elevated brunch classics, including all the 'benny's' and bloody mary's your heart could desire. 

Stroll Down Main Street

St. Johnsbury is renowned for its nineteenth century architecture, developed when the Fairbanks family was the town’s major employer and benefactor. Walk off your meal by taking the self-guided Main Street Walking Tour of magnificent homes and structures that line the stately avenue. Don’t miss Brantview on the campus of St. Johnsbury Academy, or the Tiffany window in the Grace United Methodist Church.

Walking Tour PDF

Polar Bears & Hummingbirds

End your walking tour at the Fairbanks Museum and Planetarium. The building, on the National Historic Register, was built in 1889. When you step inside, you’ll be amazed by its incredible arched ceiling and collections of taxidermy animals. Rotating natural science exhibits, bug art, and a STEM exploration station make the Fairbanks a delight for kids of all ages. The Lyman Spitzer Jr. Planetarium is the only public planetarium in Vermont, and it presents different shows every hour.

Close Out Your Stay with Free Live Music

If you're in St. Johnsbury in July and August, you'll be treated to an exceptional and one-of-a-kind performance series. The Levitt AMP St. Johnsbury Music Series, presented by Catamount Film & Arts, hosts free live music performances at Dog Mountain every Sunday evening starting at 5pm. Dog friendly, kid friendly, and wallet friendly too, you won't want to miss this one. For dinner, there are food vendors on site, or...

Dine Out

Make a stop for dinner before you leave town. Just down the hill from Dog Mountain, you’ll find Riley’s Fish Shack, a casual spot for fresh haddock, fried clams, or a lobster roll. Don’t forget the ice cream! Or, pop in to Eastern & Main Deli for dinner to go. Their signature sandwiches are named after local favorites such as the “Athenaeum,” the “Fairbanks,” and the “Catamount Club,” and you’ll be reminded of your visit to St. Johnsbury in every bite!

St. Johnsbury Chamber of Commerce
​51 Depot Square, Suite 100
St. Johnsbury, VT 05819
802-748-8575