Choose a madly romantic adventure…

The Sunset Ledge hike is popular for a reason. Not too long (1.3 miles), not too steep (400 foot elevation gain), and a beautiful view from the top. To add romance, pack a rucksack with wine, local cheeses, and headlamps for the hike down. Start hiking two hours before sunset and toast your sweetheart from the summit as the sun sets over the Adirondacks in the west.

For a refreshing romantic dip, blow up your inner tube and take a float down the Mad River. Park your car in the lot behind The Artisan Gallery and “put in.” Try the easy run from the bend at Rocky Beach to the bridge, or take a two-to-three hour float from the covered bridge to where the river flows under Tremblay Road. Check the water speed and height here. If you decide on the full trip, note that it’s slow and sleepy and often shallow, so wear your water shoes for wading and use a waterproof case for your phone. Whichever dip you take, make sure to splash and laugh.

Three Valley options await the driving and putting prowess of you and your honey. For serious golfing duos, head to the lush green links of the Sugarbush Golf Club. Enjoy the driving range, a head-to-head match, or for a real treat take a couples private lesson with golf pro Roger King. If the weather threatens, or the snow falls early, check out the new golf simulation machines at the Sugarbush SHARC that can analyze your form while you virtually play Pebble Beach. Or finally, if you and your honey want a quirky challenge, check out the hyper-local Woodchuck Golf Course. Tell ‘em Mad River Romance sent you.

Have you heard of disc golf? Or frisbee golf as some people call it? It’s a perfect outdoor adventure for you and your honey. Similar to traditional golf, disc golf takes place on a course with the objective to land the disc into a target basket (instead of a golf ball into a hole). Throw your disc, walk, throw, repeat until the disc chings against the chains. If you are competitive types, play one-on-one. If you prefer cooperation, play “best disc,” optimizing the team score. Mandatory kisses on every par. To play in the Valley, put some snacks and beverages in your backpack, lace up your hiking shoes, and enjoy the hills and valleys of the mountainside course at Sugarbush.

Blueberry Lake is warm and calm (well, compared to the Mad River), and a perfect spot for a picnic or water adventure. Bring your own float, canoe, kayak or paddleboard or rent one from Clearwater Sports. This fresh-water lake has a sandy shallow entry, but gets deep enough for a dive once you get into the water. The nearly 400 acres around the lake are protected by the Green Mountain National Forest, so there are quiet and romantic spots galore for strolling hand in hand around the lake or floating hand in hand on top of it.

While it’s not your average romantic adventure, if you want to combine a workout with the wonders of nature and an adrenaline high, you and your sweetie should try mountain biking. There are dirt roads, Strava app finds, chairlift-served trails, and maintained paths galore in the Valley. To learn all you need, check out Mad River Riders. Trails in the woods are open from May (post mud season) to November (hunting season) and offer everything from beginner to expert. Bikes, shuttles, and should you need it, repairs, can be found at Stark Mountain Bike Works and Sugarbush Resort.

Are you looking for an adventure to set your heart aflutter? Would you like to experience the beauty of the Mad River Valley from an entirely new perspective? Then look no farther than Warren-Sugarbush airport.

Book a 20- or 30-minute flight with Sugarbush Soaring and an FAA-certified commercial flight instructor will take you aloft in one of the club’s high-performance sailplanes. Your heart can’t help but soar as the aircraft releases from the tow plane, banks right, and the panorama of the Mad River Valley and beyond spreads before you. There’s no engine noise to detract from the beauty, only the whistle of the plane’s long fiberglass wings slicing through the air.

To learn more about soaring and to book a scenic flight, visit: Sugarbush Soaring.

If you are looking for a relaxing yet energizing experience to share with your honey, try the new saunas at Madbush Falls. You can warm in the state-of-the-art steam room and cool in the freezing clear waterfall a few yards away. It's the perfect yin and yang of heat and cold, indoor and outdoor. Enjoy!

If you and your bestie are looking for a unique museum experience, look no further than the Madsonian Museum of Industrial Design on Bridge Street in Waitsfield. Among the more than 2000 objects in the museum, you’ll find everything from an award-winning DeSoto automobile to a contemporary teapot to the iconic Frank Gehry “Wiggle Chair.” Great design is what ties this eclectic collection together.

Clearly, flexibility and fitness reign in the MRV judging by the multiple places for you and your significant other to enjoy yoga classes that stretch your body or meditation sessions that relax your mind. Check out these fabulous studios: Mountain Rose, Blyss Yoga, Salt and Sand Studios, Valley Soul Yoga, and the Sugarbush SHARC.

While there are hiking trails galore in the Mad River Valley, not everyone has the ability or inclination to tackle a strenuous uphill climb. Thanks to the good people at the Mad River Path, there’s an easier way.

The Mad River Path is a series of continuous walking trails connecting the towns of Warren, Waitsfield, Fayston, and Moretown. Choose a flat trail that borders the Mad River, an elevated boardwalk that passes a beaver dam, or find your own favorite.

If you feel as if you’ve already “done” all the paths, think again. Each section is unique and ever-changing with the seasons. And the path network continues to expand, with the recently opened one-mile Spaulding Greenway trail inviting people of all abilities to stroll through active farmland along the Mad River.

Search the Mad River Path trail map and plan your next adventure!

Theater in the Mad River Valley can be thought-provoking, humorous, intense, professional, or amateur–sometimes all in the same production. During the summer, you and your honey can enjoy Phantom Theater plays, music, dance, and The Moth productions in an ancient barn. For nearly year-round entertainment, try the cozy theater space of the Valley Players on Main Street. No matter which production or venue you choose, you and your date will always have plenty to talk about afterward!

Need a dark room where you can hold your love’s hand? The Big Picture Cafe & Theater makes for an ideal date night. The movies range from commercial blockbusters to indie films, and the in-house restaurant offers a terrific selection of meals, with many of the ingredients sourced from nearby farms. Dine at one of the cozy booths in the restaurant or bring your dinner into the movie theater.

Pro tip: buy your tickets, use your coat to reserve a spot on the sofa or one of the cozy velvet seats in the back of the theater, then get a beverage from the bar. Then sit back, relax, and enjoy your drink, your dinner, and each other.

Near the covered bridge in Waitsfield, you’ll find a river bank waiting for a romantic picnic. Pick up wine and treats from the Taste Place or Mehurons and and sit with your honey at an outdoor table or on a blanket along the banks of the Mad River and relax to the sounds of the bubbling waters.

What’s more romantic than a driving tour of the Mad River Valley covered bridges? Stop, park, stroll, kiss, and repeat. Start in Warren and check out the Warren Bridge. Continue your tour at the Big Eddy Bridge in Waitsfield -- the oldest continuously operating covered bridge in the state. Complete the tour a little farther south at the tiny Pine Brook Bridge on North Road just past the Trembly road intersection.

The Valley is full of artists of all types, including many musicians. Most weekends, and some weekdays, you can listen, dance, or drink to live music. Check out these venues:

—Emily’s Bar and Bistro offers live music most Saturdays and occasional Karaoke on Mondays

—Lawson’s Finest Liquids Taproom often has live bands on Tuesdays

—Mount Ellen’s upstairs Green Mountain Lounge has bands on many Thursdays and Saturdays (when Mount Ellen is open)

—CastleRock Pub at Sugarbush livens most Saturdays and many holidays in winter (and try the Wunderbar, too!)

—Phantom Theater presents a mix of live music (and theater) throughout the summer

In addition, follow the MRV Chamber of Commerce calendar to find live music and other events throughout the Valley.

Mid-November means deer hunting season for many Vermonters. You might be readying for a generations-old annual event, or you might be a newbie exploring the sport. You might rise early and venture into the mist. Or maybe you travel to your “camp” for rugged off-grid living. If you are lucky, there is fresh snow on the ground to help with the tracking. If not, you look for evidence, closely observing the wonder of the forest and its inhabitants. Hunting is an adventure that requires training, a license, and a lot of planning. It can be a powerful way to experience nature while helping to manage the deer population and fill your freezer with delicious venison.

Enjoying the brilliant fall foliage in the Mad River Valley doesn’t take much effort. Pretty much any drive through the Valley counts as “scenic” during fall foliage days, with vibrant reds, oranges, and yellows popping across the meadows and mountainsides. But if you’re looking for a total fall foliage immersion experience, treat yourself to a drive or bike ride along these country roads:

Golf Course Road in Warren offers breathtaking scenery and the extra advantage of the Sugarbush Golf Club, where you can dine on the deck of Hogan’s Pub and enjoy a “surround sound” of color along with your burger and fries.

The Common Road in Waitsfield rewards with cows in pastures, expansive views of the nearby ski trails, and the Von Trapp Farm Store, where you can pick up delicious homemade soup to ward off the fall chill.

Bragg Hill Road in Waitsfield offers sweeping mountain views that will take your breath away. Trust us on this one.

For more scenic outings featuring jaw-dropping vistas, iconic views, and historic covered bridges, check out these excellent drives compiled by the Mad River Valley Chamber of Commerce.

If you and your love are up for a unique adventure, try Walt’s After Dark at Sugarbush’s Mount Ellen. Either skin up to this midstation lodge or take the last chairlift of the day to secure a coveted spot in this cozy restaurant. You’ll enjoy the best grilled cheese sandwiches you’ve ever had and might want to pair it with a cold Lawson’s brew. After the sun has set, strap on your headlamp and ski down a groomed trail, guided by the lights of the Valley floor and the carpet of stars overhead. If ever there was a time to enjoy a kiss in the moonlight, this is it!

Open most Saturdays January–March.

The dual Sugarbush mountains of Lincoln Peak and Mount Ellen deliver boundless adventures for winter lovers: trails for the novice, intermediate, and expert alpine skiers, parks with jumps and features for boarders, uphill travel for skinners, and events and live music almost every winter weekend. Treat yourself to the best grilled cheese ever at Walt’s at the Mount Ellen mid station, hold your honey’s hand on Slide Brook–the longest chairlift in the world, and when your quads call it quits, meet your honey at the Wonderbar for a glass of something warming. Photo credit: John Atkinson

Still have energy left after skiing, skating, or skinning? Try sledding–yet another great way to enjoy winter in our beautiful Valley! While there are no tubing parks in the local area, everything you need for an exhilarating ride is right here in the Valley.

You’ll find plenty of sleds for purchase at Bisbee’s Ace Hardware Store, Kenyon’s Variety, or Clearwater Sports. If you want to go hyper-local, consider a Mad River Rocket, a super-fast sled that was designed right here in the Valley You can purchase one online or at Clearwater Sports.

Once you have your sled of choice in hand, find a slope! The Sugarbush Golf Course has lots of slopes and parking options. The main clubhouse (on Golf Course Road) is the place to start for gentle slopes. For more aggressive pitches, try along West Hill Road.

When you’re ready for more extreme sledding, try Lincoln Gap Road. Closed from November to March, the long curvy stretch of road is perfect for skinning, hiking, and break-neck sledding. Helmets strongly encouraged!

Once the snow begins to fall in earnest, the entire state of Vermont becomes a playground. Buy, rent, or borrow two sets of snowshoes, strap them on, and you and your main squeeze are ready to experience the beauty of the forest from an entirely new perspective. You’ll find snowshoe trails aplenty throughout the Mad River Valley. Check out the trails at Ole’s Cross Country Ski Center, Sugarbush Resort, Blueberry Lake, and Mad River Glen. If you’d like to get off of the beaten path and are looking for an adventure that pegs the romance meter at 100, book a guided moonlight backcountry tour through Clearwater Sports. They’ll provide snowshoes and poles, you provide the romance.

Take your honey on a quirky, eclectic adventure at the Mad River Glen ski area, an iconic skiers’ mountain. The runs are challenging off the one-of-a-kind Single chair, downright calm off the Birdland chair — two mountains in one. Runs from both chairs offer woods drops and winding trails where the two of you can feel alone together. Treat yourself and your partner to a home-baked raspberry square in the Basebox at lunch time, and when your quads are done for the day, order a limited edition “Still Single” Lawson’s brew in the bar and toast to your glorious day.

Enjoy the gentle swoosh of skis in a quiet wood as you and your honey cross-country ski on the groomed trails, rolling hills, and flat plains of Ole’s Cross Country Ski Center or Blueberry Lake Cross Country and Snowshoeing Center. With the slower pace of this sport, you have time to appreciate the views of the distant mountains at Ole’s or the pines iced with snow at Blueberry Lake. Also known as nordic skiing, this sport is the peaceful cousin of downhill skiing. It’s easy to learn, with one lesson usually sufficient to teach you either the classic (shuffling) or the skating (faster) techniques. And it’s a perfect sport for days when the downhill resorts are too cold, too windy, or too hectic. Not to mention it’s a great workout. Go enjoy!

(Photo credit: Ole’s)

If the wind is blowing too hard to downhill ski, or your muscles are protesting another cross-country adventure, then it may be time to explore another fun way to play outside in winter: grab your honey by the hand and head to the Skatium.

This outdoor ice rink is just off Route 100 in Waitsfield, near Shaw’s grocery store. Half of the rink is for skaters exclusively, and the other half is for hockey players. Weather permitting, the rink is open every day for skating enthusiasts of all abilities.

Skates are available to rent, and those who need their skates sharpened can get them tuned up right there.

Before you go, call (802) 496-8845 to confirm hours or check facebook.com/skatium for updated ice conditions and opening times.

40 Slow Rd Waitsfield, VT 05673

For glorious views of the Mad River Valley, hike to the summit of Lincoln Peak at Sugarbush and picnic at the Observation Tower. In the winter, ride the Heaven’s Gate chairlift, unload and hike about 30 yards to your left. In the summer, ride the Bravo chairlift and hike up the winding Jester trail. Once at the platform it’s time to indulge in your picnic of choice: chilled rose and caviar from The Taste Place? Craft beers and cheeses from Von Trapps? Meatball subs from Mehuron’s paired with fresh mountain water? Enjoy the sun and the spiraling hawks as you reach for your honey’s hand and kiss it.

The Mad River Marathon happens once a year, in July. While this adventure is more strenuous than most, if you and your honey are ready for the challenge of running up steep hills, through covered bridges that connect lush green farms, all while being cheered on by volunteers ringing cowbells, please join in the fun next year. If running 26.2 miles is a little too daunting, fear not. The “world’s most beautiful marathon” celebrated its 12th year by adding a 5K and a 10K route to the full and half-marathon courses. Check out the website for 2024 information.