About the Plainfield Campus
Campus Map
Driving Directions
Transportation Options
Lodging Options
The Plainfield campus in central Vermont is about a 15-minute drive from Montpelier, the Capital of Vermont, and an hour from Burlington, one of Vermont’s largest cities.
Greatwood is the historic heart of campus. In 1938, Goddard bought the Greatwood Estate, a “gentleman’s farm” dating back to the 1800s and devoted to raising cattle and prize-winning sheep, from the Martin family to house the newly chartered college. This part of campus consists of the original formal gardens, farm buildings, and the Martin family home. The farm buildings have been converted into a residence hall (Kilpatrick Dorm), offices, dining hall, community center, the Haybarn Theatre, and meeting rooms. The gardens are still gorgeous. Greatwood’s buildings are connected to each other via brick walkways.
The Village for Learning, “The Village”, built in the 1960s, consists of small residence halls, each with no more than eight rooms and a lounge. Two have been converted into office space for admissions, financial aid, student accounts and the business office. The Village is reached via a gravel road, and connected by gravel and grassy pathways.
The Eliot Pratt Center, the most contemporary of the Goddard facilities, houses the library, registrar’s office, financial aid, students accounts, business office, human resources, and WGDR 91.1 FM / WGDH 97.7 FM, a community radio station.
Meeting and workshop rooms, faculty offices, and gathering spaces are primarily located on the Greatwood side of campus. In addition to being used for workshops and presentations during the residency, the Manor houses the academic affairs office. Admissions, information technology, the president’s office, and advancement are located in Studies. and the help desk are located in Studies. The Community Center houses community life, the access and disabilities support office, student services, the help desk, the cafeteria, the Haybarn Theater, and a student lounge, in addition to offices and meeting spaces.
The Help Desk, located on the first floor of the Community Center, is the operational hub of the campus during residencies. Check-in and check-out take place at the Help Desk, as do housing assignments, providing room keys, and conducting shuttle service on campus. The Help Desk staff can assist students with schedule changes, area resources, facilities needs, lost room keys, etc. Fans and Ethernet cords can be rented from the Help Desk. The Help Desk stocks sundry items and Goddard t-shirts, sweatshirts, coffee mugs, etc. for sale. Questions and issues can be brought to the Help Desk for assistance or referral to the appropriate college office or community resource.
There is a computer lab on campus, in the Community Center located outside the Helpdesk area, with support provided by the Information Technology (IT) Office. The computer lab equipment includes: PCs running very basic systems such as internet browsing and an older version of the Microsoft suite; internet access via WIFI; and a colored printer that you can get access to by submitting a ticket. Workshops and individual assistance are offered each residency by the College’s information technology team. Students and faculty are highly encouraged to bring their own laptops to residencies.
The Eliot Pratt Library has a wealth of print and electronic resources and provides research and reference assistance. Students are encouraged to attend orientation sessions and research workshops during the residency. The Reference Librarian is also available for individual and/or group appointments.
Meals on campus are served in the Community Center dining hall and feature locally grown produce, as well as vegetarian and vegan options. The kitchen staff works very hard to respond to special dietary needs, including allergies and low-salt diets. If you have any concerns about meal service, please contact the Chef prior to your residency so he can plan accordingly. There are also restaurants and cafes within walking distance in Plainfield, and within a short driving distance in Montpelier.
Residency housing consists of simply-furnished double rooms, with access to common areas. Dormitories are located on the Greatwood side of campus and in the Village of Learning. All our two story buildings with housing available on first or second floors. The buildings are not air-conditioned. All buildings used for Goddard residencies are fragrance-free and non-smoking. Camping is not permitted on the campus. There are several areas for parking, both on the main campus and near the Eliot Pratt Library. Pets are not permitted on campus.
Driving Directions
There are a number of ways to travel to the Goddard campus in Plainfield, Vermont. Driving is one of the most convenient methods, as it gives you more flexibility over your travel schedule. However, driving is not an always option for everyone attending a residency. We encourage those attending to carpool. For those not driving, you can travel to Vermont via train, bus, or air.
Goddard College is located in Central Vermont in the town of Plainfield, approximately ten miles east of Montpelier, the state’s capital, and fifty miles southeast of Burlington, the state’s largest city.
View or download a PDF map with driving directions to the Plainfield campus.
Driving Directions
From the South:
Take Interstate 89 North to exit 7, merging onto Rte. 62 East. Remain on Rte. 62 for about 1 mile and bear right onto the ramp toward Rte. 302 West / Rte. 2 / Montpelier. Take the first left onto the Barre Montpelier Road / Rte. 302 and continue until you enter the roundabout (circle). Take the 1st exit off the roundabout onto Rte. 2 East toward East Montpelier / Plainfield. After traveling through East Montpelier through one traffic light, continue for about 3 miles and turn left on Rte. 214 at the Goddard College sign, just before entering Plainfield. The entrance to Goddard’s main campus is the first road on your left. (If you use Interstate 89 Exit 8, follow the directions from the North below.)
Exit 7, Berlin to Goddard Map from the South
From the East:
Rte. 2 is a rural two-lane highway and can be followed west from as far away as Bangor, Maine. After entering Vermont on Rte. 2 you will travel through St. Johnsbury (approx. 30 miles from the New Hampshire border) and Marshfield (approx. 18 more miles) before entering Plainfield, where you should look for the Plainfield General Store on your right. Turn right at the next intersection on Rte 214 North. The entrance to Goddard’s main campus is the first road on your left.
St Johnsbury to Goddard Map from the East
From the North:
Take Interstate 89 south to exit 8 (Montpelier / Rte. 2) merging onto Rte. 2 East. Travel through Montpelier and East Montpelier and just before entering Plainfield, turn left onto Rte. 214. The entrance to Goddard’s main campus is the first road on your left.
Montpelier to Goddard Map from the North
Transportation Options
Arriving by Air
Burlington International Airport (BTV): 1-hour drive to campus
Manchester Airport (MHT): 3-hour drive to campus
Arriving by Train
Amtrak: Montpelier-Barre, VT (MPR). Call 1-800-872-7245 for reservation and schedule information.
Arriving by Bus (Montpelier, VT)
Service to Vermont: Greyhound
Local Bus Service: Green Mountain Transit Agency
- Choose – Montpelier Link Express for Burlington to Montpelier
- Choose – US 2 Commuter for Montpelier to Plainfield (Goddard Campus)
Recommended Taxi Service
From Burlington Airport: Vermont Tour and Charter or call 802-734-1293
From Montpelier & Burlington Airport: Green Cab Central VT or call 802-864-2424.
Lodging Options
Marshfield Inn and Motel, small, rustic motel/inn just 3 miles from the Goddard campus.
Hollister Hill Farm Bed and Breakfast, enjoy a farm experience at this B&B only 1 ½ miles from campus.
Pie-in-the-Sky Farm Bed and Breakfast, country setting for this rustic B&B about 5 miles from campus.
Capitol Plaza Hotel, larger city type hotel with restaurant in downtown Montpelier, about 10 miles from campus.
The Inn at Montpelier, elegant inn in downtown Montpelier, about 10 miles from Goddard’s campus.
Betsy’s Bed and Breakfast, quiet B&B in a residential neighborhood of Montpelier, 10 miles from campus.
Comfort Inn and Suites, closest motel to Interstate 89, in Berlin, about 12 miles from Goddard’s campus.
Onion River Campground, with a 3-mile bike path to Plainfield.