In southern Vermont they find it, starting with the natural beauty that locals enjoy year-round — wild spaces (the Green Mountain National Forest), ski areas (Bromley, Magic Mountain, Mount Snow, Stratton), and inviting waterways (fly fishing icon Orvis calls southern Vermont home). The roots of America are nourished at the Bennington Battle Monument, a Revolutionary War site, and at Hildene, the Lincoln Family Home, while contemporary attitudes inform designer outlet shopping in Manchester, the lively village of Bellows Falls, and buoyant Brattleboro, an artsy, foodie crossroads overlooking the Connecticut River.