A place that could offer a surprisingly fun culture shock for Southerners is Vermont. Known as the Green Mountain State, most of the land is heavily forested hills and mountains, and the outdoors are a huge part of Vermont’s culture.
The town of Stratton in Southern Vermont had only 216 residents in 2010, but it has thousands of visitors annually, especially in the winter. Located at the bottom of Stratton Mountain, the downtown area called “the village” features many unique buildings, restaurants, shops and bars.
The main activities are skiing, snowboarding, and tubing offered November to March, depending on how severe the winter is. Stratton Mountain offers many skiing and snowboarding trails for all levels of experience and many lodges. Skiers and snowboarders can park their equipment outside and go inside for a nice hot chocolate or local beer.
Every year, at the base of the mountain, Stratton hosts the Penguin Plunge, and some ski or snowboard across a pond in freezing cold water. There are prizes and rewards, such as free ski passes to those who make it all the way across without falling into the water.
Even if you are not participating, it is a wonderful experience to attend. The Penguin Plunge supports athletes with intellectual disabilities in Vermont and is open to anyone brave enough to take the Plunge. Businesses, schools, families, sports teams, and groups of friends form teams to raise funds and take the Plunge together, according to the Penguin Plunge website.