If you’re in the East, Vermont is a nice little escape to the mountains. Especially if you’re into Cross Country Skiing – the Trapp Family Lodge is something else – you may just feel like you’re in Austria!
Activities
Burlington
Hotel Vermont was a wonderful place to stay! Nice, clean, good location, and they have cute events going on at night, like games night or live jazz musicians, etc.
- Walk the Waterfront (or take a boat there in the summer)
- Check out the University of Vermont (maybe see a hockey game)
- Walk Church Street and check out the shops and food
- Go to the Echo Leahy Center – it’s like a science centre for animals and the environment, and great if you have kids!
Stowe
If you can, try and book earlier and stay at one of the resorts, like the Trapp Family Lodge or Stowe Mountain Resort. That being said, it was nice to be in between the mountains and Main Street for all the food. We stayed at Grey Fox Inn and Resort, and although the renovations made the rooms nice, the walls were PAPER THIN!
- Rent snowshoes (or pack your own) and cross country skis at the Trapp Family Lodge and go exploring! Snowshoe to the Bierhall for lunch and a drink (the path to the Bierhall is very downhill, so I only recommend cross country skiing there if you’re good on skis! You can also sign up for a cross country ski lesson, which I highly recommend!
- Go for a tour of Ben & Jerry’s and sample some ice cream
- Walk along Main Street for the shops and food
- Do a mini hike, like Moss Glen Falls (super short, easy, and includes a waterfall)
Other activities that I didn’t get a chance to do, but were recommended and/or researched:
- Do a tasting at CitizenCider on Pine Street (Burlington)
- Check out Alchemist Brewery and/or Stowe Cider (Stowe)
- Take the Gondola up Stowe Mountain (it was closed the day we went, because the wind was too strong)
- Hike Sunset Rock and/or Wiessner Woods (Stowe)
Now to the Food…
Restaurants Burlington
- American Flatbread – great pizza and wonderfully accommodating with intolerances
- Hen of the Wood – sooo good! Best meal in Vermont, and worth the price
Restaurants Stowe
- Stowe Bee Bakery and Cafe – so cute for breakfast/lunch/warm beverages
- Harrison’s Restaurant – just decent food from our one experience, but came highly recommended
- Plate Restaurant – do this one up! So delicious!
- Butler’s Pantry – good for breakfast
- Cork Wine Bar and Market – small menu, but everything was amazing! I recommend the Butternut and Brussels – it tastes like Christmas!
- Green Goddess Cafe – we may have been really hungry, but those were the best sandwiches EVER!
Other Restaurants that I didn’t get a chance to try, but were recommended and/or researched:
- Archives Bar (Burlington)
Hope you enjoy the mountains and then cozy up somewhere wonderful!