For 40 years now, the ZooQuarium in West Yarmouth, Massachusetts has provided a fun-filled family adventure for you to explore and discover the marvelous creatures that live close by to the busy roads of Cape Cod. At the Petting Zoo you can get right up close and feed the farm animals while learning how they came to be such an important part of human life. At the Aquarium, you’ll see up close the creatures that lurk the Cape Cod waters from Stripers to Lobsters, Frogs to Turtles. You can even pick up and touch the little critters that inhibit the shoreline at the Tidal Touch Pool. You may see hermit crabs, horseshoe crabs, mussels, sea stars, urchins, clams, fiddler crabs, and much more. At the Zoorific Theater, the naturalists present and will teach you about the animals that you may have never gotten close to like skunks, alligators, or even hedgehogs. In one upcoming event (July 18 & 19, September 5 &6), the Rainforest Reptile Show from Beverly, MA will demonstrate why reptiles are so important to the planet and will let you get up close and personal with many different type of reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates. About 25 minutes east down Route 28, is a four-diamond sea captain’s estate nestled on two acres of Cape Cod soil now called the Captain’s House Inn. Check out their many specials and packages and enjoy a luxurious weekend in Cape Cod, Massachusetts.

There is no way a true New Englander can visit Vermont without exploring the place that makes cold and delicious joy in a cup or cone. That’s right… Ben & Jerry’s. Now you can witness first hand where all the magic happens on the Ben & Jerry’s Factory Tour. Start with a “moovie” about the success of Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, watch the live action of the ice cream making process, and lastly try ice cream and check out cool stuff at the gift shop. Tours start and end every half hour and reservations are recommended for parties of 10 or more. This summer Ben & Jerry’s Factory hosted a free outdoor movie festival every saturday night. As the nights are getting colder, the last showing will be August 23rd with Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.

Ben & Jerry’s Factory – 1281 Waterbury/Stowe Road (Route 100) – Waterbury, VT – (802) 882-1240

2. Vermont Teddy Bear Company

Hop on a 30 minute Vermont Teddy Bear Factory Tour and see firsthand how those fuzzy and cute little bears are made. Throughout the year, between their location in Newport and this Shelburne Factory they will make 430,000 bears. On the tour, you’ll understand how they do it and learn their tricks and tips. The Hungry Bear Cafe serves up breakfast, lunch, and snacks and in the summer days ice cream is there to cool you off. Check out the store at the factory or online and get some great ideas for birthday and christmas presents. You can customize any bear to whatever your recipient likes and stitch their name in the bear too! All bears are sent as a Bear-Gram which comes with gourmet caramels, a friendly colorful note written by you, and a fun box with air holes to ensure the bear gets nice fresh air.

Factory – 6655 Shelburne Rd – St. George, VT – (802) 985-3001

3. ECHO Lake Aquarium and Science Center at the Leahy Center for Lake Champlain

This recently renamed and rebuilt aquatic center muse their name and teach Ecology, Culture, History, and Oppurtunity at the Lake Champlain Basin. Witness the daily ECHO encounter as they do live animal feedings, demos, and entertainment. Stroll through the museum along with at least 60 species of fish, amphibians, and reptiles. Get the whole family together on a hands-on experience as you star in, edit, and take home a DVD of your own show on the Be A Watershed Weather Reporter. At the end of the day relax to panoramic view of Lake Champlain and the Adirondack Mountains on the upper deck. Or have an interesting dinner at the Think! Cafe and learn the connections thro

ugh how we eat and it’s effect on the environment. ECHO Lake Aquarium and Science Center is open year around (except certain holidays) from 10am-5pm at a reasonable price.

1 College Street – Burlington, VT 05401 – 1-877-ECHOFUN

4. Cabot Creamery of Vermont

With more than 10 national awards for the best cheese you know you’ll have to keep Cabot in your fridge. Stop by one of their three locations to be your own taste tester in Waterbury/Stowe, Quechee, or the little village of Cabot) or all three if you want! The Cabot Quechee Store is their newest location with plenty of free sampling and products and is located in a town with many more attractions such as a vintage mini-railway and antique stores. So test for yourself the skillful work of Marcel Gravel, the Master Cabot Cheddar Maker. Visit their website for the daily recipe on how to use their state of the art cheddar cheese.

Cabot Quechee Store – 5573 Woodstock Road – Quechee, VT 05059 – (802)295-1180

Cabot Annex Store – 2657 Waterbury/Stowe Road – Waterbury Center, VT 05677 – (802)244-6334

4. Cold Hollow Cider Mill

The McIntosh apples that come from Cold Hollow Cider Mill are so delicious that it’s worth leaving the McIntoshs at the best supermarket behind. Come to the factory any time of year and watch as apple cider is made old fashioned style with a rack and cloth press. Best of all, take the tour at no cost but with one requirement to arrive on an empty stomach because you must try every sample. In the summer, see real bees and how they make that delicious honey… behind a glass wall, of course. Gourmet Magazine claims that their legendary cider doughnuts are one of the four best in the country. In addition to all these sweets, Cold Hollow Cider Mill sell jellies, mustards, applesauce, fudge and from the bakery made every day are apple pies, pumpkin rolls, maple cream cheese pockets, apple-cheddar squares and much more.

3600 Waterbury-Stowe Rd, Waterbury Center, VT -(802) 244-8771‎

420 Center Rd, Montpelier, VT – (802) 244-8771‎

5. Umiak Outdoor Outfitters

Umiak is Vermont’s ultimate paddle sports shop with full service retail including 85 top brands, boat demos, and rental canoes and kayaks. Provided by well known and respected paddlers are paddling and safety instruction course, river trips, lakeside rentals, kids programs and more. In the winter, rent some TUBBS snowshoes and journey on your own or follow with a group for adventure ending with a fire, food and drinks. Highlighted on the website are a few Snowshoe Tours one being The Ben & Jerry’s Snowshoe and Ice Cream Too! Catch a telemark ski clinics at the Stowe Mountain Resort and try a demo if you’re thinking of taking up the sport. Umiak carry telemark skis made by K2, Atomic and Karhu, Garmont, Scarpa, Black Diamond, G3 and Rottefella.

Coast of Lake Champlain Location – 60 Institute Rd - Burlington, VT – (802) 865-6777‎

Other Location – 849 S Main St - Stowe, VT – (802) 253-2317‎

7. Lake Champlain Chocolates

Check out how Lake Champlain Chocolates makes their secrets and sample as many as you like. Tours start every hour, on the hour, daily. Every Saturday, a few blocks away at the Church Street location, watch hand-whipped Copper Kettle Fudge made and try some of their 12 different kinds of fudge. What person doesn’t like chocolate? So search around the website for some great holiday gifts from White Chocolate Ghosts to Autumn Chocolate Truffles to Organic Chocolate Squares. Bulk sized gifts work great for the big chocolate lover families and look around at the different event favors you can do with Lake Champlain Chocolates.

Factory Store & Café – 750 Pine Street – Burlington, VT 05401 – (802)864-1807

Chocolatier & Café – 63 Church Street – Burlington, VT 05401 – (802)862-5185

Route 100 has developed the name “Enticement Alley” since the congregation of popular attractions. Together Ben & Jerry’s, Cabot Cheese, Green Mountain Coffee, Mesa Pottery, Zeimke’s Glass Blowing, Cold Hollw Cider Mill, the exciting town of Stowe, and much charm make this ten-mile sector of highway a hot spot.