Who you go with makes all the difference. I've never done an organized shop hop but have done my own made up ones. Like every summer I go out to the finger lakes to visit a friend and we hit the Mennonite shops and sometimes the one in Hammondsport. Then on the way home I may hit another. One time I did my own to Glens Falls Hop as there were a couple of shops I wanted to check out.
I guess I just like to do my own thing. If I were going to participate in the VT one I would probably only hit the southern shops. Can't see driving all the way up to Derby and Newport, that is a serious haul for me. I am really close to Bennington. I also feel kind of obligated to buy something at each shop so another reason to avoid. And it isn't like I am in need of any fabric!