Our Why
This series was born out of the needs we have as queer travelers. If you are an LGBTQ+ traveler, you already know that traveling as someone who is gay, lesbian, bisexual, pansexual, gender fluid, nonbinary, or transgender is widely different than traveling as someone who is straight. Our mission as a traveling queer woman couple is to seek out and support the local LGBTQ+ community wherever we go and to highlight and patronize the LGBTQ+ owned and LGBTQ+ friendly businesses we find. The hope is for this guide to provide you with a jumping off point and sample itinerary that you can feel good and confident about as an LGBTQ+ traveler.
Table of Contents
How Did We Arrive at Addison County, Vermont?
Firstly, we were invited by a collective of partners within Addison County, Vermont, to go and visit the towns of Vergennes, Middlebury, and Bristol as part of a little mid-December, winter getaway in December. Unbeknownst to us, we would find ourselves snowed into a winter wonderland that left us feeling like the stars of our own LGBTQ+ holiday romcom.
When you think of LGBTQ+ friendly destinations, what often comes right to mind? Big cities, right? But what if we told you there are little pockets of visibility and representation in small towns across the United States as well? Places that you’d least expect it. Our trip to Addison County, Vermont revealed itself to be just that.
Definitely read on to see what our experience was like. And be sure check out the handful of queer-owned businesses you can support!
The Local Queers
To be honest, when speaking to the LGBTQ+ business owners throughout these cities, we realized there was some surprise to us being invited to the area. They were surprised that the cities invited us to come out as two queer women. They were surprised that they were highlighted as LGBTQ+ businesses.
We learned that the local LGBTQ+ community was small and dispersed, but that there are ongoing efforts to collaborate and gather. Although there are no specific gay or lesbian bars in the area, we saw virtual flyers for game nights and meet-ups.
As a whole, Vermont is a welcoming state for the LGBTQ+ community – especially queer women. In fact, it was one of the first U.S states to legalize same-sex marriage in September 2009. Overall, we have had a positive experience as a queer couple in every Vermont city we have visited thus far!
As a queer person visiting, did you feel safe?
Firstly, as a couple, we fit right into the tapestry of Vermont’s open arms for diversity and inclusivity. With Alex presenting androgynously, no one contested or treated her with any less than the utmost respect.
Ultimately, we can only speak to our experiences as cis, white, queer women with one of us identifying as a lesbian and presenting androgynously/ masculine and the other identifying as pansexual and presenting more femme. We always make sure we provide that context because unfortunately, not every letter of the LGBTQ+ acronym will have the same experience of a destination.
Our Gay Agenda for Vergennes, Middlebury, and Bristol
So you can have a gay (as in happy) day, but also a gay as in gay day. All of these businesses are LGBTQ+ owned and operated!
Minifactory and V Smiley Preserves ( Bristol, Vermont )
Part café, grocer, and food and jam manufacturer, but all the creation of V Smiley.
After health issues impacted their gut, trained line-cook, V, turned their dietary reset into a full-scale operation. They did so making preserves made from honey, an untraditional choice when it comes to jams. Their partner, Amy, grows the aromatics, and their mother helps to harvest and plant fruit what they call “Lil To Do Farm”. You get extra points for buying some V Smiley Preserves “fruit food” to take on the road with you. You can find the selection at the cafe and it’s also available online!
At Minifactory, fill your gay appetite with the wholesome food, drink, and jam-infused cocktails. We highly recommend any of the items that are blessed with the V Smiley Preserves on them like the renowned Jammy Waffle and the Smashed Potatoes. The Jammy Waffle came with buttered nuts, syrup, and plummy whip. The Smashed Potatoes included pickled cherry, poached egg, garlic confit, and paprika salt. Then indulge in a latte in a cup large enough to stave off caffeine withdrawal for the rest of the day. We ordered egg nog and chai lattes and in true Vermont fashion, the milk was from a local dairy farm.
Schmetterling Wine Shop ( Middlebury, Vermont )
Owners Erika and Danielle are a married power couple who proudly proclaim on their website that, “queerness radiates from the business” – and it’s true! With “queer-owned” listed right on the front door there can be no confusion. That and the rainbow doormat. Presently they specialize in curating natural and cold weather wines, and you can even stop in for a tasting (on Saturdays!). However, if you’re opting out of vino, they have an impressive new and used vinyl collection for connoisseurs of the music variety.
LINT ( Vergennes, Vermont )
Part thrift store, part up-cycling operation, all inviting of queer joy. Mac gives clothing, accessories, jewelry, décor, etc., new life with their talented vision and sewing machine.
©www.itschrisandalex.com
A stop into LINT also means some pet therapy time with their shop dog, Ro, and their new kitten! Chris picked up a beautiful stainless steel chain from our visit. Mac hopes to launch an online shop soon but if you’re local you can bring items to them to up-cycle for you!
Good Judy ( Vergennes, Vermont )
But also everywhere! To begin with, the name of the shop is an homage to Judy Garland being a fervent LGBTQ+ rights supporter. The phrase, “Good Judy”, has grown to be a term of endearment to describe a trusted friend. Laura’s vendors are women, BIPOC, and/or LGBTQIA+ owned and operated. PLUS, 10% of the profit from each sale goes to non-profit organizations supporting women’s empowerment, LGBTQIA+, BIPOC, furry friends, and people in need!
Indeed, Good Judy carries everything from apparel, décor, candles, accessories, cards, etc. The products make great gifts for the special people in your life (including yourself). Fear not, her goods are available for shipping online if you don’t find her at a local artisan market during your time in Addison County!
Our Takeaways
As creators, we think it speaks volumes whenever a destination requests our presence. LGBTQ+ folks like ourselves just want to go where we are welcome and where we can feel safe. Therefore, the fact that Addison County, Vermont, made it a point to have us come out, create content, and take up space on their feed for everyone to see, speaks volumes to us about how they are working to create an inclusive destination.
The reality is, there are queers who love living in suburbs, small towns, and rural areas. Not everyone is called to live in a big city – like Burlington, Vermont, less than an hour north – or loves to vacation in a large, overwhelming metropolitan area.Some of the LGBTQ+ folks we connected with in Addison County weren’t born and raised there but chose to move and live there. Others had grown up there, left, but were called back.
Undoubtably our largest takeaway was that LGBTQ+ people exist everywhere, whether people like to believe so or not. They always have and always will. Vergennes is the smallest city in the state of Vermont, clocking in at a mere 2.5 square miles. You could easily drive right through the town and never know it. That being said, even across that small surface area, we found queer visibility.
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