COLCHESTER

Colchester is the most populous town in Vermont, spread along the shores of Malletts Bay on Lake Champlain. It is a lakeside community where the main entertainment draws lean seasonal and outdoor.

The Sunset Drive-In on Porters Point Road has been running since 1948, making it one of New England's oldest continuously operated drive-ins. Four screens play double features from May through September, and the place is still owned by the same family that opened it. You tune in via car radio, and there is a snack bar, playground, and mini putt-putt on the grounds.

Colchester's identity sits between the historic Fort Ethan Allen district — a former 1894 cavalry post now converted to a mixed-use neighborhood — and the waterfront at Malletts Bay where Bayside Park hosts summer events. Saint Michael's College adds a campus presence in town.

Tip: The Sunset Drive-In runs May through September only. Arrive before dusk to grab a good spot, and bring blankets if you plan to sit outside your car.

Neighborhoods: Malletts Bay • Fort Ethan Allen • Severance Corners