As temperatures soar outside, trapping many of us indoors, it's a pleasant diversion to imagine oneself in a cooler climate underneath the shade of a mature oak tree. Free from urban congestion, pollution, haze, ozone alerts and all of the price tags that come with city life and even suburbia, Quechee, Vermont, is the stuff from which daydreams are made. To visit this peaceful and stunningly beautiful town confirms that those places to which you flee in your mind in fact do exist.

This town with a funny name has something to offer during the summer months beyond its cooler temperatures. Although outsiders (more specifically, non-New Englanders) sometimes envision Vermont as a winter wonderland where residents remain housebound for significant portions of the year, that's far from the truth. In fact, Quechee residents center their pasttimes around the outdoors regardless of the season. During the winter months, of course, there's skiing -- both Nordic (also known as cross-country) and downhill, and lots of it. That's only the tip of the iceberg (no pun intended); snowboarding, snowshoeing, ice fishing, ice skating, hockey and snowmobiling are among the locals' other favorite outdoor sports. During the fall, foliage-watching and hiking rank as the top two most popular activities. Quechee's tourism industry soars during the month of October, when bed and breakfast accommodations are booked solid (often a year beforehand).

During the spring and summer months, hiking, trout fishing, boating and bike riding -- not to mention shopping -- are favorite activities shared by locals and visitors. The weather remains much cooler here, albeit humid on occasion, than in other regions of the United States. The evenings are the most pleasant times to be outdoors, when temperatures fall to the point where a light sweater is necessary. And the night sky displays an unforgettable array of stars that you'll never see underneath the bright city lights of the average metropolis.

Quechee's history dates back to the Ice Age, when a receding glacier left waters that continually cut into a ridge of bedrock. The result was Quechee Gorge, a fascinating display of nature that draws visitors from throughout the state, as well as greater New England. During the mid-1700s, settlers built mills along the banks of Ottauquechee River and put down stakes in what would become the village of Quechee.

During the later part of the 19th century, the Woodstock Railroad Company decided to build a bridge across Quechee Gorge. As trains began to transport goods back and forth across the Gorge, Quechee's local economy quickly diversified and prospered. The rail line traversing the Gorge later was converted into a highway.

Quechee's once-active mills slowed to a standstill during the mid-20th century, when the South and its wealth of available laborers stole the town's thunder. The town nearly came to a complete stop as residents left in droves, abandoning their homes and businesses. Fast-forward to the late 1960s, when a group of forward-thinking resort developers took one look at this rolling green landscape and let their imaginations fly. Their efforts led to the establishment of a quaint village town that has something to offer its permanent and seasonal residents during all four seasons. Tourists quickly noticed, and B&Bs popped up everywhere. Quechee's B&Bs, such as the Quechee Inn at Marshland Farm, offer the quintessential Vermont experience: sleigh rides in the wintertime, stringing cranberries by the fire and all of the other required elements of a Courier and Ives Christmas. A stay at a B&B during the warmer months offers smaller crowds both in the inn and in town, and most important, much-needed peace and quiet -- which often means no televisions or telephones.

Because Quechee was designed as a resort town back in the 1960s, you'll find many planned communities in the area that are meant to accommodate enthusiastic, sports-minded residents. The 5,500-acre Quechee Lakes development is one such community. Among the amenities offered at Quechee Lakes are a polo field, swimming, two 18-hole championship golf courses, hiking and skiing trails (even a private, 2,700-foot hill) and an ice rink. Prices are extremely competitive, even in this resort-minded community. You can find plenty of attractive three- and four-bedroom homes in the mid-$100s all the way up to $500,000 and above. Some homes have been converted into duplexes and townhomes, and Quechee also has a significant inventory of condominiums, many of them priced from about $55,000 up to $100,000. Most communities offer weekly and/or monthly rentals for seasonal residents and tourists, as well (be prepared to pay anywhere from $1,500 to $4,000 and up per month for a seasonal rental, the price depending upon number of bedrooms and other amenities). Regardless of the asking price of the home, it's hard to find a residence with a bad view in Quechee; the landscape is breathtaking from nearly every location.

More than reasonable real estate prices and beautiful scenery, Quechee's best selling point is perhaps its locals, known for their friendliness and strong sense of community. A good example is the 21st Annual Quechee Balloon Festival and Craft Fair, which takes place June 16-18. As brightly colored balloons set sail over the green valley, locals artists will sell their creations, children will fly kites, visitors will sample local delicacies, fiddlers will entertain passersby in a lighthearted competition, an 18th century replica of a village will tell the tale of Quechee's beginnings, and everyone will celebrate the strong ties that bind them to this magical place. Even if you're a mere visitor to Quechee, you can't help but become entranced by the village, the scenery, and particularly its people.