Discover Brandon

Brandon combines a historic downtown with art, local history and outdoor activities. A self-guided walking tour, the Brandon Museum and a gallery offer a different focus from hiking in the backcountry or snowshoeing. This range can help you choose a destination: you can consider whether culture, nature or a combination of both will shape your stay.

Historic Downtown and Local History

Brandon’s historic downtown, with its entire 243-building core, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. A self-guided walking tour gives you a way to explore this historic urban landscape. The listing covers the core as a whole, not just a single building. Stephen A. Douglas was born in Brandon; his birthplace now houses the Brandon Museum and the town’s visitor center. The museum offers insights into local industry, the economy, architecture and immigration history. If you want to learn about Brandon beyond its historic buildings, you’ll also find connections there to economic and social topics.

Art and Live Performances

The Brandon Artists Guild, a nonprofit cooperative gallery in downtown, offers another cultural perspective. It showcases works by more than 35 Vermont artists and hosts exhibitions, demonstrations and community art initiatives. While the Brandon Museum focuses on local history, the Guild brings a different form of art and cultural activity to the town. You can attend a live performance at the historic Brandon Town Hall. If seeing a performance is important to your stay, check the schedule for your travel dates.

Hiking and Nature Around Brandon

The Brandon Town Forest offers opportunities for backcountry hiking and snowshoeing along the eastern edge of the town. These activities differ from a walk through the historic downtown. The Moosalamoo National Recreation Area is also located near downtown Brandon. It covers nearly 16,000 acres and offers opportunities for hiking, mountain biking, birdwatching, camping and snow sports. If you’re looking for mountain biking, birdwatching or camping in addition to hiking and snow sports, Moosalamoo adds other types of activities to those available in the Town Forest.

A Local Connection to Production

Local production is also part of the town’s character: Foley Brothers brews beer in Brandon.

Brandon as a Destination for Your Stay

If you’d like to combine both, these topics offer different starting points for planning your trip. The historic and cultural offerings, along with the variety of outdoor activities, can help you choose what to do in Brandon based on the interests that matter for your stay.

Explore more destinations: Rutland, Danby, Mendon, Chittenden, Killington, Shrewsbury, Castleton

See the county travel overview: Rutland County.