March Maple Madness – Vermont Maple Syrup
Discover the magic of Vermont Maple Syrup with maple tours, sugaring experiences, and more in Manchester, VT. Learn about the syrup-making process and taste pure maple syrup at local sugar houses.
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.
Maple Experiences
Spring Maple Open House Weekend
Saturday March 22 and Sunday March 23
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 the rich, flavorful maple syrup that Vermont is known for, temperatures must regularly rise above 32°F during the day and fall below freezing at night, creating the perfect environment for sap to flow. For every gallon of pure Vermont maple syrup, it takes approximately forty gallons of sap. The sugaring season typically ends when the maple trees begin to bud in mid-April, signaling the sap’s flavor change.
According to the Vermont Maple Sugar Makers Association, Vermont produces an average of 2 million gallons of maple syrup each year, making up over half of the United States’ maple syrup supply.
Don’t miss out on the sweet experience of sugaring season this March! Visit any of the local maple sugar shacks in the area, and if you see smoke rising from the stack, it means they’re boiling fresh maple sap into delicious Vermont maple syrup – and they’re eager to welcome you!
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
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
Indulge in a complimentary tasting flight of their expertly crafted VT maple syrups, including three delightful varieties of Barrel Aged syrups: Bourbon, Rum, and pure unaged syrup. Plus, enjoy 20% OFF any 375ml bottle of both aged and unaged syrups throughout March. They also offer tastings (for a fee) and sales of Maple Gin, Maple Bourbon, Maple Cream Liqueur, and Bourbon Maple Cream Liqueur. All made in VT!
The Spa at The Equinox
Vermont Maple Sugar Body Scrub | $205, 50 Minutes
Tapping into our trees and your senses, come and experience our locally made Vermont Maple Sugar scrub, applied with care to deeply exfoliate and rejuvenate your skin. We’ll finish with Privai’s Ultra Rich Body Butter, which will leave you feeling soft, hydrated, and springtime ready.
Green Mountain Cannabis Works
At Green Mountain Cannabis Works, we offer infused Maple Cream Soda from the Vermont-made brand YUT. Each drink contains 10mg of THC (5mg per serving). YUT’s entire soda line is naturally sweetened with pure Vermont maple syrup and features flavors like Root Beer, Maple Creme, and Ginger Pop. Must be 21 years or older to visit the store or purchase the product.
JK Adams Kitchen Store
Every day throughout March, the JK Adams Kitchen Store is offering Maple Syrup tastings – Check the Cinnamon infused – it’s great for Breakfast & Cocktails! Plus, sample Local Maple Cheeses, Cookies & Sauces, while supplies last.
Mother Myrick’s Confectionery Store
Enjoy free samples of Apple Tea Cake with VT Maple Syrup Glaze in March, and purchase other Vermont maple treats like Maple Walnut Fudge, Brittle, and their award-winning Vermont Harvest Cheesecake!
Vermont Flannel Company
Introducing our NEW Limited Edition VT Maple Syrup t-shirt! Grab yours in-store and don’t forget to pick up a bottle of Golden Dog Farm Maple Syrup while you’re here!
Hildene, the Lincoln Family Home
Maple Syrup History & Tasting, from our sugarbush to our Museum Store: Join us on Saturdays in March to learn about Abraham Lincoln’s great-granddaughter Peggy Beckwith, including her maple syrup making efforts at the Lincoln family’s home, and on Sunday, March 30th, for a taste testing with Bob Bushee who taps Hildene’s sugar maples each spring. Bob processes the sap at his nearby sugar house and then returns it to our Museum Store in the form of sweet, pure Vermont maple syrup.
Where to Stay…
Hampton Inn & Suites
Book a stay at Hampton Inn & Suites Manchester, now through May 1, 2025, and take advantage of their Maple Madness Package. Package includes 15% OFF their best available rate, a Maple Madness gift bag with Vermont-made maple syrup, maple granola, maple candies, shopping coupons, and more. To reserve your stay, call 802-362-4000 and mention the Maple Madness Package. Subject to availability at the time of booking. Other exclusions may apply.
Spring into Savings – Book By 3/21
Begin your journey by finding the ideal place to stay. For a limited time, boutique hotels, resorts, cozy inns/B&Bs, and vacation rentals are offering exclusive deals and special length-of-stay promotions to make your stay even sweeter.
Don’t miss out—Book Now to secure your spring getaway before these limited-time offers run out!
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…
