The state of Vermont has clean air, charming small towns, great leaf peeping in the fall, and amazing ski options in winter, but parts of the state can feel just a bit too far for New Yorkers looking for a second home. The town of Bennington, four hours from the city by car, is one of the closest options.

Beside its location, another benefit to Bennington is the fact that it's home to Bennington College, a small liberal arts school. That means the town has cute coffee shops, restaurants, and cultural events.

The house pictured above is less than a mile from downtown, and abuts a conserved forest.

image

The brick steps and pretty landscaping are inviting.

image

image

A full dining room with a bay window looks onto the tree-lined street outside, and the living room has a wood-burning fireplace (perfect for warming up post-ski—Stratton Mountain is an hour away, Mt. Snow is 45 minutes, and there's cross-country 15 minutes away in the Prospect Mountain Ski Area—or after a winter walk in the woods).

image

In warmer weather, you can relax on the front porch, or the screened one out back. 

image


image

According to the listing, the kitchen was renovated this year with new appliances and quartz countertops. It also has a breakfast nook and a sliding door that leads to the backyard.

image

image

image

image

A large master bedroom suite comes with its own en-suite bathroom and a double closet. The two remaining bedrooms share a full bath.

The finished basement level has a family room with a second fireplace (!), a three-quarter bathroom, and a laundry room/storage closet.

There's also a two-car garage with remote overhead doors and a bright workshop downstairs.

Bennington is less than half an hour from the charming Berkshires town of Williamstown, just over the border in Massachusetts and home to another liberal arts college, as well as North Adams, home to the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art.