March Maple Madness – Vermont Maple Syrup
March in Vermont ushers in the perfect conditions for creating the state’s famous “liquid gold” – Vermont Maple Syrup. As the weather warms, local sugar houses begin gathering sap from maple trees, marking the start of the sugaring season. This annual process, which typically begins in late February and runs through early April, makes March the ideal time to experience the magic of maple syrup production firsthand in and around Manchester, Vermont.
Throughout March, local sugarhouses, lodging properties and businesses celebrate Vermont’s maple heritage with: Maple syrup tastings, Sugarhouse tours and demonstrations, Maple-inspired food and drinks and amenities, and more. Whether you’re a first-time visitor or a lifelong Vermonter, March Maple Madness offers a delicious way to connect with the land, the season, and the traditions that make Vermont special.
Plan your visit and experience why Manchester, Vermont is one of the best places to celebrate maple season in New England.
Maple Experiences
Spring Maple Open House Weekend
Saturday March 21 and Sunday March 22
It’s a celebration of the current season’s crop of liquid gold. Head out for sweet adventures in March, and stock up on your favorite sweet treat. With sugaring season in full swing, Vermont Maple Sugar Makers look forward to inviting you into their sugarhouses! See how our producers make their time-honored products with family and friends. Stop by participating sugar makers and partners, and learn all you want to know, from tree to bottle.
Some will even be offering pancake breakfasts, sugar-on-snow, sugarhouse tours, maple syrup, maple product samples & so much more!
Experience Maple Syrup Production | The Sweet Story of Sugaring Season
To produce Vermont’s rich, flavorful maple syrup, sap flows best when daytime temperatures rise above 32°F and nights drop below freezing. It takes roughly 40 gallons of sap to make one gallon of syrup, and the season typically ends in mid-April when trees begin to bud. Vermont produces approximately 3 million gallons of maple syrup each year, making it the nation’s top producer and supplying over half of the United States’ maple syrup!
While local sugar shacks will often invite visitors in when smoke is rising and sap is boiling, the best experience is during Maple House Open Weekend, March 21–22. Don’t miss your chance to see fresh syrup being made and taste the season’s sweetest flavors! Listed below are a few of the sugar shacks located within a 20–30 minute drive from downtown Manchester, VT.
Dutton Farm Stand
Well-known for their Vermont grown produce, including farmer-grown fruits and vegetables, cider, maple syrup, plants, and other unique local products. Whether it is fresh farmer-grown fruits and vegetables, cider, maple syrup, or plants, you’ll enjoy visiting a true Vermont farm experience.
Sugar Shack
Like many of the sugar houses on our tour, Arlington’s Sugar Shack combines tradition with technology to produce all four grades of Vermont’s liquid gold. Take a tour, sample hot syrup, and check out the Norman Rockwell exhibit while you’re there. Our maple open house weekend is coming up March 19 & 20. Free silver dollar pancakes, maple syrup samples, tours, and explanations in our Sugarhouse with LOTS of maple treats available in the shop.
Merck Forest & Farmland Center
Join us for Maple Meetups & Maple Open House celebrations this March! Attend one of our Maple Meetups throughout the month or experience the full flavor of the season during our Maple Open House. Enjoy exciting tapping and boiling demonstrations, hear fascinating storytelling about sugaring, and take part in fun children’s activities. Don’t forget to visit our friendly farm animals and explore the charm of a working sugar farm.
Bob’s Maple Shop
What started as a hobby, turned into a full family obsession. We are a family of Vermonters who are dedicated to providing the best maple syrup to our community. Visit our area, eat at one of the many restaurants that serve our syrup, stop by our showroom, and bring some liquid gold home with you.
Glastenview Maple Farm
Glastenview Maple Farm is a family-owned and operated Vermont Sugar House. Our maple sap is boiled over a wood-fired evaporator until it becomes Pure Vermont Maple Syrup. Our sugar season is typically mid-February until the end of March, but we are open year-round for tours and sampling of our delicious maple products.
Mance Maple
The Mance family has been carrying on the springtime tradition of maple sugaring for generations in a Vermont sugarbush that’s been cultivated for more than a century. We still make syrup in small batches over a wood fire, the old-fashioned way. If we are boiling, please feel free to stop in. Located at 217 Holliday Drive Shaftsbury.
Taste & Experience
Gear Haus
Vermont Maple Syrup Tasting
Taste three locally made Vermont maple syrups side by side from a “shot ski.” Sample, compare, and rank flavors, noting aroma, color, body, and finish. Enjoy the remaining syrup with French toast sticks and cast your vote for your favorite. Results will be shared online. Stop by the store to join the fun and experience the best of Vermont maple syrup!
Hildene, the Lincoln Family Home
Meet the Maker: Sunday, 3/22 | 1:00 – 3:00 PM
Come meet Sugar Bob, the legendary sugar-maker and entrepreneur behind Sugar Bob’s Finest Kind. Join us in The Welcome Center at Hildene to sample sweet and savory maple specialties from Bob’s flagship store and cafe.
Throughout the month enjoy cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, hiking, or walking our Maple Trail to view the sap lines woven through our maple woods.
Image from Reilly Rose’s film, Making Maple: A Short Documentary
JK Adams Kitchen Store
Join us in Dorset all through March at the JK Adams Kitchen Store to sample locally crafted Vermont maple syrup and other specialty Vermont products. Enjoy exclusive in-store specials throughout the month! Plus, for purchases over $200, receive a free 3.4 oz bottle of maple syrup.
Don’t miss our “Guess the Number of Maple Drops” contest—make your best guess for a chance to win a JK Adams Vermont Maple Package. One lucky winner will be announced at the end of March. Stop by the store for details and to taste the best of Vermont!
Manchester Community Library
March 14 | 11am – 12:30pm
Join a Merck Forest field educator at the library to learn about the magic of maple trees, play maple-themed games, and enjoy syrup taste tests by the campfire. Merck Forest & Farmland Center holds Second Saturday programs each month at the Manchester Community Library. MFFC field educators provide seasonally themed environmental science learning and facilitate exciting and hands-on nature-based activities. Programs are designed for kids ages 6 and up.
Mother Myrick’s Confectionery Store
Celebrate Maple Open House Weekend – March 21–22
We’re all about maple, especially during sugaring season! The weekend of 3/21-3/22, enjoy 20% off our Maple Walnut Fudge (½ lb. minimum) and indulge in our maple treats throughout the month: Apple Tea Cake with Maple Glaze, Vermont Maple Cheesecake (Taste of Vermont winner!), Maple Walnut Fudge, Maple Walnut Brittle, plus maple syrup and candy. Experience the rich flavors of Vermont maple in every bite and make your spring extra sweet!
Union Underground
Maple Highlights from Our Menu
-
Winter Fizz Cocktail – crafted with Killington Distillery Maple Cask Bourbon
-
Vermonter Salad – tossed in our house-made Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette
-
Maple-Glazed Pork Chop – served with roasted root vegetables (off-menu special)
-
Maple Apple Cinnamon Bread Pudding – a sweet finish featuring Vermont maple
Vermont Flannel Company
New Limited-Edition VT Maple Syrup T-Shirts!
Celebrate sugaring season in style with our new VT Maple Syrup t-shirts, available in-store in Manchester, VT. While you’re here, be sure to grab a bottle of Vermont-made Golden Dog Farm Maple Syrup—the perfect pairing with your new favorite shirt!
Lost Marble Brewing Company
On Tap for Maple Sugaring Season – Sugarstone Imperial Milk Stout
Enjoy Sugarstone, our Imperial Milk Stout brewed with local Vermont maple syrup and Madagascar vanilla beans. Creamy and rich, it delivers notes of maple, vanilla sweet cream, and a hint of espresso—a Vermont Maple Creemee in a glass!
Pair it with our Maple Season specials, like Chicken & Waffles or house-made churros with maple creme dipping sauce. Stop by to see what other maple-inspired delights we have brewing!
Ye Olde Tavern
Savor house-made cranberry fritters with Vermont maple butter with every meal. Other maple-inspired dishes on the menu include Maple Butter & Walnut Encrusted Brie, as well as nightcaps like Vermont-made Sapling Maple Liqueur or Boyden Valley Vermont Ice Maple Crème. Make your reservation today!
Smuggler’s Notch Distillery Tasting Room
Vermont Maple Syrup Tasting & Specials throughout March!
Enjoy a complimentary tasting flight of expertly crafted Vermont maple syrups, including Bourbon- and Rum-barrel aged varieties and pure unaged syrup. Plus, get 20% off any 375ml bottle of aged or unaged syrup. Tastings (for a fee) and sales of Maple Gin, Maple Bourbon, Maple Cream Liqueur, and Bourbon Maple Cream Liqueur are also available—all made right her in Vermont!
Maple-Inspired Dinner at The Barnstead Inn
March 18
Savor a four-course maple-themed dinner with Chef Amy Chamberlain, featuring creative maple cocktails. Menu highlights include Roasted Sweet Potato & Carrot Soup, Roasted Veggie Salad, Faroe Island Salmon or Pecan-Crusted Pork Tenderloin, and Snickerdoodle Ice Box Cake with Maple Whipped Cream.
Reserve your spot: (802) 362-1619 | $76 per person. Celebrate the flavors of Vermont maple in every course!
Turn a delicious night out into a relaxing local staycation—or make it a special visit from afar. With your confirmed dinner reservation, you’ll receive 25% off your overnight stay and the perfect excuse to savor the evening a little longer.
Where to Stay…
Hampton Inn & Suites
Celebrate March Maple Madness
Book a room between March 1 and April 15 and mention “March Maple Madness” to receive a special welcome gift featuring Vermont maple syrup and maple candies. Always start your day with Hampton’s waffles topped with Vermont maple syrup, and don’t forget—bottles of locally made syrup are also available for purchase in our Treat Shop.
Kimpton Taconic Hotel
Maple Madness Package
Celebrate Maple Season with our Maple Madness Package, including:
- Overnight stay in a king guestroom (single or double occupancy)
- Maple-inspired treats from Hazel & Bee Organics: wood-fired Vermont maple syrup, maple sugar body & face scrub, and body butter
- Self-guided visit to Dutton Berry Farm & Sugar Shack to see sugar makers tap over 3,000 trees
- $25 credit to Copper Grouse Restaurant & Bar for a seasonal maple dessert or cocktail
Sell Period: 3/1/26 – 5/28/26 | Advance Booking: 48 hours | Cancellation: 72 hours
Room Rates: From $239 + taxes & fees; availability and restrictions may apply
Manchester VT Area Lodging
Experience the charm of the area, during maple sugaring season, and find the ideal getaway for you! From stylish boutique hotels and luxurious resorts to cozy inns, modern motels, and unique vacation rentals, there’s a wide variety of lodging options to suit every traveler’s needs, budget, and preferences.
Whether you’re planning a peaceful staycation, a fun long weekend with loved ones, or a memorable family getaway, immerse yourself in the beauty of the season and enjoy the sweet tradition of maple sugaring while staying in the perfect accommodation for your trip!
Where to buy…
