Eastern Vermont - through Fall, hurricane and beyond ...

The choice of vacation rentals in the east of Vermont is stunning. You can choose from many pretty towns dotted around beautiful, rural countryside. From Amsden to Woodstock, Ascutney to Vershire, Barnard to Windsor and everywhere in between, eastern Vermont offers something for everyone.

Vermont's capital is the smallest in any state. Montpelier, an historic town and centre of state government, as a population of just 7,000. From here, it's a short drive south on Highway 89 to some of the best towns you could rent a vacation property in.

Woodstock has been heralded 'The Prettiest Small Town in America', and the locals certainly wouldn't disagree. The Rockerfeller family invested a great deal of money - and the town continues - to keep its authentic feel. There are wooden covered bridges over the Ottauquechee River, village greens, original stores, tiny lanes with old street lamps and beautiful hanging baskets of flowers behind white picket fences, museums and old-fashioned farms. It is picture perfect. From the green you can take tours all around the historic buildings, including the brick court house and all of the homes, restaurants and boutiques scattered around the green and alleys.

A must stop is the Woodstock Inn, built by the Rockerfellers. Here, you can relax in the spa, play golf, enjoy fine dining or alpine ski in winter. Don't miss the Billings Farm & Museum, just half a mile away. Open from May until the end of October, this is a working farm from the 1890s. There are lots of activities for children and adults and tours of the nearby mansion, once owned by the Rockerfellers.  Vermont's only national park is right next door, too. Another important stop is the Vermont Raptor Centre, which treats birds of prey and welcomes visitors to learn about these birds. More than twenty types of raptor are here, plus snowy owls, falcons and the eponymous bald eagle. During the winter, there is a ski resort that it family friendly despite its rather alarming name: the Suicide Six Ski Area! You can also enjoy cross-country trails, Nordic skiing, sleigh rides and more.

Under ten miles away along Route 4 is the settlement of Quechee, in Hartford district. It's rightly famous for having one of the most fabulous displays of Fall foliage throughout New England. But there's much more to the village and surrounds. Each Father's Day there's a spectacular hot air balloon festival, welcoming thousands of spectators. Luckily, there are more than twenty inns and B&Bs plus many vacation rentals. The moment you reach the village, you'll see what all the fuss is about: a world-class gorge, Vermont trees and whitewater all around. Then you'll be right in the heart of this tiny community, with an old mill perched above the cascading mill stream. Here, you used to be able to eat whilst looking over the weir, listening to the rushing water and birdsong. There are homes along the river of historic importance.

But the town was devastated by flash floods in the wake of Hurricane Irene in 2011, when more than 11 inches of rain fell in just a couple of hours. Half the historic covered bridge destroyed, the old mill decimated and other almost uncountable damage to this idyllic community. It is therefore more important for the local economy than ever that visitors come to Quechee, as they rebuild in the wake of natural disaster. The mill, now a glassblower workshop owned by artist Simon Pearce, is almost finished in a massive restoration project whilst hundreds of locals have rallied round to recover the bridge.

Your vacation rental can mean a great deal to the community - as well as to you.