Spectacular Stowe! We enjoyed a lovely weekend in Stowe in June, The Stoweflake resort had a special for Vermont residents that we took advantage of with another couple, they love The Stoweflake and it was our first time so we were excited.
Stowe is super charming, much like Woodstock, it’s definitely a tourist town though my friends who live there will fight me on that, if you’re a local there’s a fantastic community too it’s just very classic and traditional (ha or maybe I’ve just grown accustomed to scruffy little Bennington lol). It’s primarily a ski town and Stowe ski resort is renowed for east coast skiing, but there’s lots to do in summer too. We loved the Stoweflake, it’s a tiny bit worn, which is just how things are in Vermont, there’s nothing super fancy here, but it had a great pool and we had a huge, comfortable suite.
The thing I probably loved the most about Stowe is the beautiful trail system that runs through the town, wonderful for running, biking or walking! Get up early and you’ll have it to yourself, so serene and peaceful and a great way to get acquainted with the town! There’s good shopping too, Shaw’s General Store and Country Store on Main are always faves.
And coming from Bennington, the restaurant selection was a real treat, we hit Stowe Sweets daily for their chocolate and maple creemee soft serve, and we actually ate two nights in a row at Matterhorn: trust me, you want to dine here. Absolutely delicious food and a gorgeous porch on the river where you might see a bear and can enjoy a lovely evening with the river rushing past.
We drove up to Smuggler’s Notch, this is a must do, and there are tons of hiking trails, the Notch is closed in winter, obviously, but it’s an amazing drive up, very steep, and a well-marked trail system for all different levels. And a tiny drive down the road takes you to Morrisville which is a charming little small town. There’s also Stowe Cider and various distilleries if that’s your thing.
There are tons of blog posts and information about Stowe, my main takeaway is: the trails are awesome, the restaurants are great, and I saw my first Maserati with Vermont plates!
A year ago I would have said “this is my town!” since that used to be more of the stuff that was important to me (okay don’t get me wrong food still is lol) but I really loved the trails and beautiful vistas the most. But it’s a town that would be great fun in summer, fall or winter so I plan to go back for all, it’s definitely a must-do for a Vermont visit.
