Newport, VT

Newport is a small city in Orleans County, in Vermont's remote and scenic Northeast Kingdom, with a population of roughly 4,500 residents. Perched on the southern shore of Lake Memphremagog, it serves as the commercial and civic hub for a wide swath of one of the least densely populated corners of New England. The city has a quiet, working-Vermont character, anchored by a walkable downtown, a working waterfront, and a year-round rhythm shaped by lake life in summer and snow sports in winter. Newport sits about two hours northeast of Burlington, Vermont's largest city, and roughly two and a half hours southeast of Montreal, making it a convenient stopover for travelers crossing the border or exploring the region.

A major draw is Lake Memphremagog, a long glacial lake that stretches from Newport north into Quebec. The lake is a hub for boating, kayaking, paddleboarding, and fishing during the warmer months, and it freezes over enough in winter to support snowmobiling, ice fishing, and skating. The Newport city waterfront, including Prouty Beach, is just minutes from the downtown core and offers public access for swimming and picnicking along the shoreline.

About 25 minutes north of Newport, Jay Peak Resort is one of the snowiest ski areas in the eastern United States and a year-round destination thanks to its indoor water park, golf course, and extensive trail network. In summer, the resort's tramway offers panoramic views of the Green Mountains and into Quebec, and its mountain biking and hiking trails draw outdoor enthusiasts who use Newport as a base.

Roughly 10 minutes from the city, the Old Stone House Museum in nearby Brownington preserves early 19th-century Vermont life in a granite boardinghouse once used by Reverend Alexander Twilight to house and educate local students. The site, which is part of the Vermont State-Owned Historic Sites network, gives visitors a tangible sense of the region's early settlement history.

Just down the road in Derby Line, the Haskell Free Library and Opera House is a unique cross-border institution whose entrance sits on the United States side while its reading room and stage are technically in Canada. The building is a popular stop for travelers exploring the international heritage of the region.

Newport's appeal as a short-term rental market comes from this combination of natural beauty, four-season recreation, and relative under-the-radar status. Guests who stay here can spend summers on the lake, winters at Jay Peak, and shoulder seasons exploring historic villages and the broad, quiet landscapes of the Northeast Kingdom, all while remaining within a few hours' drive of both Burlington and Montreal.