Located in northern Vermont, Stowe is between the Northern Green Mountains and the Worcester mountain range.
Stowe, Vermont is known as the “ski capital of the east” but there are still plenty of things to do in the area, beyond the ski slopes. We discovered that you experience a lot of Stowe during a day trip.
I’m sharing more about all the adventures we experienced in Stowe as a day trip but you could easily extend your stay for more time to explore.
I have recommendations toward the bottom of the article for great stops on the way to Stowe.
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Enjoy the Scenic Views From The Trapp Family Lodge
700 Trapp Hill Rd, Stowe, VT
The Trapp Family Lodge encompasses a resort, farm, and brewery on 2600 acres.
You can experience incredible scenic views of the area from the Trapp Family Lodge.
The von Trapp family’s story inspired the popular film musical “The Sound of Music” which debuted in 1965.
The family fled Austria in 1938 and toured the US as the Trapp Family Singers in the 1940s.
The family settled in Stowe, Vermont on land that was originally a farm.
The family purchased the property as a farm in 1942. In 1950, the 27-room lodge was added to the property.
Many of the foods at the resort are locally sourced on the property.
The lodge displays of family photos show the Trapp family over the years on the lower level.
The new 96-room lodge replaced the old one after a devistating fire to the original lodge in 1980.
The scenic views from the property are definitely worth a visit. There is also a gift shop near the lobby if you want to purchase a gift or souvenir.
Stroll the Grounds of the Trapp Family Resort With a Property Pass
If you aren’t staying on property you can purchase a Property Pass.
The Property Pass gives you access to the grounds, chapel, family cemetery, gardens, farm animals, and hiking and biking trails.
Activities Offered at the Trapp Family Resort
- Guided Tours (von Trapp History, Farm Tour, or a Forest Tour)
- Mountain Biking
- Hiking
- Disc Golf
- Yoga
- Massage Treatments
- Horse-Drawn Carriage Rides
- Tennis
- Rock Climbing
- Water Classes
- Seasonal Classes
- Culinary Experiences
- Cross Country Skiing/ snowshoeing
You can find vacation rentals at The Trapp Family Lodge here.
Dine at One of Vermont’s Largest Breweries – von Trapp Brewery & Bierhall
1333 Luce Hill Rd, Stowe, VT
“A Little of Austria, A Lot of Vermont”
The von Trapp Brewery & Bierhall craft brewery features Vermont-made, Austrian-style beers.
In addition to Austrian-style beer, there is KIS Kombucha, Artisan Hard Cider, Rookie’s Root Beer or Maple Lemonade, and soft drinks on tap.
Make reservations in advance because this is a popular dining option. We made a reservation on the same day and killed time at another brewery before our visit.
The menu at the brewery shares more about the history of the von Trapp Family.
I ordered the Chicken schnitzel and substituted the regular bun for a pretzel bun. It was the right decision because their pretzel bun was delicious.
The chicken is schnitzel style with lingonberry mayonnaise coleslaw and house pickle.
I’m typically not a sauerkraut fan but I really enjoyed their Sauerkraut mashed potatoes as my side.
I’m sharing the other menu items that our table enjoyed.
“Bratwurst, knackwurst, bauerwurst” served with sauerkraut mashed potatoes, braised cabbage, tomato salad and pickles.
Beer Braised Pulled Pork Sandwich made with Champlain Valley Farm Pork braised in Vienna lager and mustard, with coleslaw, pickled red peppers, and fennel.
Grilled Bratwurst Sandwich served on a pretzel bun topped with house bacon apple sauerkraut.
Enjoy a Creative Craft Beer at The Alchemist Brewery
100 Cottage Club Rd, Stowe, VT
This Alchemist began as a 60-seat brewpub in Waterbury in 2003, but Hurricane Irene destroyed it in 2011.
They opened a small production brewery in Waterbury in 2011 and shifted to the Brewery and Visitors Center in Stowe in 2016.
There are a lot of unique design details to appreciate as soon as you walk into the building.
Look up and down, side to side to see all the colorful and intricate art.
This is the only place Heady Topper, their flagship double IPA is available on draft daily.
They also serve canned beer, bottled beer, non-alcoholic drinks, wine, and coffee.
The Brewery doesn’t serve food but Thursday-Sunday Warren’s Food Truck is onsite.
The outdoor patio and green space behind the brewery is nice for guests to enjoy on a beautiful day.
You don’t need a reservation for the brewery and there is plenty of seating throughout the brewery.
Guided 40-minute brewery tours are offered at varying times daily. The tour includes a commemorative glass and a can of beer.
Explore Historic Downtown Stowe
The downtown historic village of Stowe has a variety of local shops and restaurants.
A few popular shops are Stowe Mercantile, Bear Pond Book Store, The Butchery, and Lake Champlain Chocolates.
Every Sunday from May to October you can find Vermont-made products at The Stowe Farmers Market.
Several historic buildings are in the downtown village of Stowe, including the Vermont Ski and Snowboard Museum, Stowe History Museum, and the Stowe Free Library/Helen Day Art Center.
You can find a full list of buildings for a self-guided historical and cultural tour here.
Hike to Moss Glen Falls
513 Moss Glen Falls Rd, Stowe, VT
This short hike to a waterfall is a 5-minute drive from the Stowe Historic Downtown Village.
Moss Glen Falls is part of the C.C. Putnam State Forest, the fifth-largest forest in Vermont at 17,503 acres. The Moss Glen Falls Natural Area consists of 82 acres.
The .4-mile trail starts on a boardwalk and takes about 20 minutes to the falls and back.
You can enjoy scenic views of the stream along the way.
There are sections of stairs and a gradual incline that will get your heart pumping as you get closer to approaching the waterfall.
Moss Glen Falls is the tallest waterfall in Vermont at 85 feet.
If You Have Additional Time in Stowe, Vermont
Here are additional ideas for adventures in Stowe if you have more time.
Drive Smugglers’ Notch Scenic Highway
Smugglers’ Notch is a winding scenic drive between Stowe and Cambridge on Vermont Route 108. In 1978 the highway became Vermont’s first official state scenic road park of Smugglers Notch State Park.
The name is a nod to its history of smuggling as a great hiding place for contraband with an abundance of hidden caves and dense forests.
It was a secret route for smugglers to transport embargoed goods from Canada to the US in the early 1800s and for smuggling alcohol during Prohibition in the 1920s.
Smugglers’ Notch Resort is a four-season family ski resort in the area with 6 lifts and 78 trails. You can save on your stay at Smuggler Notch Resort here.
Spend Time at Stowe Mountain Resort
5781 Mountain Rd, Stowe, VT
Stowe Mountain Resort has bragging rights as the:
- Birthplace of alpine skiing in Vermont
- The first lift-served run on Mount Mansfield in 1937
- Birthplace of the 10th Mountain Division
- Home to the nation’s oldest Ski Patrol established in 1934
Stowe Mountain Resort has 485 skiable acres, 12 lifts, 116 ski trails, and the highest skiing elevation at 3625 feet.
The Stowe Gondola Skyride is very popular in the fall transporting guests to the top of Mt. Mansfield, Vermont’s highest mountain at 4395 feet.
Guests can dine on top of Vermont’s highest peak at The Cliffhouse Restaurant on top of Mt. Mansfield.
The restaurant is open for lunch only and reservations are strongly encouraged. If you visit on the weekend allow additional time for gondola lines. The Waffle is an option if you’re in the mood for a sweet treat.
You can save on your stay at Stowe Mountain Resort here.
Additional Adventures Near Stowe, Vermont
We made all of these stops on our way to Stowe. They’ll appear in the order of our visit.
Tour Ben & Jerry’s Factory
1281 Waterbury-Stowe Rd Route 100, Waterbury, VT (13 minutes from Stowe, VT)
Learn about one of America’s favorite ice cream brands at Ben & Jerry’s.
Book Your Ben & Jerry’s Factory Tour in Advance
Tickets for the Ben & Jerry’s Factory Tour open two weeks in advance. I’d recommend setting your alarm on your calendar so that you get your desired date and time.
The factory tours are popular and fill up quickly.
Guests are asked to arrive 15 minutes in advance of their factory tour.
The highlight of the factory tour was getting to sample ice cream in the Flavor Lab.
That day the sample flavor was “Dirt Cake” made with vanilla pudding ice cream, chocolate sandwich cookies, and chocolate cookie swirls.
If you have additional time before your tour you can take a picture with the pint photo lid, and browse the gift shop.
Of course, no visit to Ben & Jerry’s would be complete without eating ice cream.
We got ice cream after our factory tour for an even greater appreciation of the flavors.
We ordered the small size for each of our ice cream flavors of choice “Chunky Monkey,” strawberry cheesecake, and “Marshmellow Sky.”
It was the perfect amount of ice cream after sampling ice cream on the tour.
The gift shop has a lot of witty t-shirts and gift items.
The Ben & Jerry’s campus has
- Ice Cream Flavor Graveyard
- Playground
- Picnic Tent
- Designated RV & Bus Parking
- Gift Shop
- Factory Tours
- Scoop Shop
- Outdoor Water fountain/ Dog Bowl
- Pint Lid Photo Op
- “Cowmobile”
Younger guests can burn off extra energy on the playground. There are also designated areas for accessible parking for guests.
If you’re craving Ben & Jerry’s after you visit you can even find their ice cream flavors on Amazon if you can’t find them at your local grocer.
Visit the Ice Cream Flavor Graveyard at Ben & Jerry’s
If you don’t have a factory tour booked you can still visit the Ice Cream Flavor Graveyard.
This is where ice cream flavors that weren’t as popular go once they’ve been discontinued.
Each tombstone states the name of the ice cream flavor, a witty description of its departure, and the years it was available.
It’s fun to walk around and reminisce about the flavors you recognize.
Fill out a request for Ben & Jerry’s to “resurrect” an ice cream flavor on their website.
Share your favorite flavor and why and they’ll resurrect the most popular.
Shop for Artisan Cheese at the Cabot Creamery Store
2657 Waterbury-Stowe Rd, Waterbury Center, VT (11 minutes from Stowe, VT)
The Cabot Creamery Store is the perfect stop to load up on Cabot cheese products and specialty food.
Cabot Cheese was formed in 1919 by 94 families from Cabot, Vermont, who formed a cooperative to produce high-quality dairy products.
The farmers in the cooperative own Cabot and McCadam products brands and 100% of the proceeds of every purchase go back to the farmers.
You can try a variety of cheese samples in the store to help narrow your selections.
They also have a selection of fun t-shirts so I had to purchase their “Cheese the Day” t-shirt and a few packages of their cheese.
Sample Spirits at Smugglers’ Notch Distillery Tasting Room
2653 Waterbury-Stowe Rd, Waterbury Village Historic District, VT
Smuggler’s Notch Distillery Tasting Room shares the same parking lot as Cabot Creamery Store.
The distillery was founded by a father and son in 2006 and won the Double-Gold award for their Smugglers’ Notch Vodka within nine months of its release.
The distillery has continued to win awards for its craft spirit products including vodka, gin, rye whiskey, rum, bourbon, and liqueurs.
Apple Cider, Donuts, and More at Cold Hollow Cider Mill
3600 Waterbury-Stowe Rd, Waterbury Center, VT (10 minutes from Stowe, VT)
Cold Hollow Cider Mill has a Cafe & Tasting Room with breakfast and lunch menu items. The cafe also serves Vermont craft beers and hard ciders.
The Main Entrance for Cold Hollow Cider Mill has a variety of apples, fresh pressed apple cider, a bakery serving delicious cider donuts, within a large retail store with gourmet foods including Maple products, apparel, souvenirs, and more.
You can watch employees working on an authentic cider press from the large viewing windows within the store.
Watching the cider-making process on the rack-and-cloth press will give you a greater appreciation for their Vermont McIntosh cider.
Looking for More Adventures in Vermont?
Check out these outdoor adventures, local restaurants, and more for your next visit to Vermont.
- Eat, Play, Stay – Top Things to Do in Ludlow, Vermont (Less than 2 hours from Stowe)
- History With Modern Touches – Vacation Rental in Ludlow, VT (Less than 2 hours from Stowe)
- Vermont Road Trip Ideas – Things to Do Around Woodstock, VT ( Less than 1.5 hours from Stowe)
What is the Closest Airport to Stowe, Vermont?
- Burlington International Airport, (BTV) Vermont – (34 miles)
- Plattsburgh International Airport (PBG) New York (41.5 miles)
- Lebanon Municipal Airport (LEB) New Hampshire (61.3 miles)
- Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport (YUL) Canada (86.6 miles)
- Manchester-Boston Regional Airport (MHT) New Hampshire (123.8 miles)
