Stowe

Stowe is a four-season resort town of 4,400 people (2014) in north-central Vermont at the base of Mount Mansfield—Vermont's highest peak. It is home to Stowe Mountain Ski Resort. It is 10 miles north of Waterbury along Highway 100.

Snow at the ski resort

Get in

By car

Stowe is found at the Junction of Vermont Routes 108 and 100. Access is 10 miles North on Rte 100 from Exit 10 on Interstate 89. The closest major airport is Burlington (BTV) about 40 minutes away. Stowe is about 2 hours from Montreal, 3 hours from Boston and 6 hours from New York City.

By train

See also: Rail travel in the United States

• 1 Waterbury station (US Highway 2 and Park Row in Waterbury). (updated Oct 2023)
  • Amtrak, ☏ +1 215-856-7924, toll-free: +1-800-872-7245. Operates train service around the United States of America. (updated Mar 2022) Route stopping at Waterbury:
    • Vermonter operates daily between St. Albans and Washington, D.C. including stops in Essex Junction, Waterbury, Montpelier, White River Junction, Claremont, Bellows Falls, Brattleboro, Greenfield, Northampton, Holyoke, Springfield, Windsor Locks, Hartford, Meriden, New Haven, Bridgeport, Stamford, New York City, Newark, Trenton, Philadelphia, Wilmington, Baltimore, and New Carrollton.

Get around

Most of the activity in Stowe is centered in the historic Village and along the Mountain Road (Route 108) that extends from the Village about 5 miles to the ski area. It is easy to get around, and in the winter there is a free shuttle that runs frequently between the Village and the Mountain.

See

Lift outside the Vermont Ski and Snowboard Museum

• Nearby, Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream Factory, Cabot Cheese Outlet and the Cold Hollow Cider Mill are on many people's lists of favorite stops. Stowe has many photo opportunities: covered bridges, hiking trails, a river winding through town, mountains and of course brilliant fall foliage.

• 1 Vermont Ski and Snowboard Museum, 15 S Main St, ☏ +1 802 253-9911. Daily except Tu noon-5PM. The exhibits change regularly. Free will donation $3, families $5.  
• 2 Trapp Family Lodge, 700 Trapp Hill Rd, toll-free: +1-802-253-8511. Made famous by "The Sound of Music" and still owned and operated by descendants of the beloved musical's real-life von Trapp family, this is a must-see when visiting Stowe, not least for one of the area's most-scenic views. In the winter, the public can enjoy cross-country skiing. In summer, concerts in the Trapp Family Meadow are popular with visitors and locals. Inside, the sprawling lodge is decorated with vintage memorabilia from the family's singing career (though little from the Broadway musical and smash-hit film that made them internationally famous, which the von Trapps felt unfairly portrayed their beloved patriarch as a cold disciplinarian). (updated Feb 2023)

Do

Summer activities include hiking, golf, tennis, fishing, biking (both mountain and road biking), 5 Mile Recreation Path, canoe river tours, antiquing, horseback riding, shopping, back road touring, gondola ride and toll road up Mt. Mansfield, factory Tours at Ben & Jerry's.

Winter activities include downhill skiing, cross country skiing, snowshoeing, snowmobiling and several nice spas.

Ski

Stowe is considered by many to be the Ski Capital of the East.

• 1 Stowe Mountain Resort, ☏ +1 802 253-3000, info@stowe.com.  

Buy

There are lots of unique shops in Stowe; there are no chains or outlets in Stowe which is part of its charm. The retail shops are mixed in with restaurants, coffee houses, inns, offices and homes. Many of the buildings are old and interesting just to walk through.

There are no big parking lots, so you won't be trying to remember which row and section your car is in. Retail shopping is on both sides of Main Street which is also known as Route 100. More shops are spread out along the Mountain Road, or Route 108. Mountain Road forms a "T" with Main Street.

• Vermont Heritage Gifts & Crafts. 
• In Company Clothing. 
• Shaw's General Store. 
• Stowe Craft Gallery. 
• Green Mountain Fine Art Gallery. 
• Remarkable Things (Stowe Craft Gallery), 55 Mountain Rd, ☏ +1 802 253 2305, info@rthingsvt.com. 10AM-6PM. Shop stocked with local + U.S. based artisans including pottery, jewelry, clothing, gifts, customs + more. 
• Stowe Kitchen Bath & Linens. 
• AJ's Ski & Sports. 
• Harvest Market. 
• Mountain Cheese and Wine. 

Eat

Stowe Town Hall

Stowe is famous for its many fine restaurants.

• The Ten Acres Bistro. 
• The Partridge Inn. Seafood. 
• Foxfire. Italian 
• Trattoria La Fest. Italian 
• The Shed. Classic brewpub. 
• Blue Moon Cafe. For that romantic night out. 
• Olives. Mediterranean 
• McCarthy's. Popular local lunch & breakfast spot. 
• Colonial Cafe. Great breakfasts. 
• Depot Street Malt Shop. Back to the 50s! 
• The Whip. A Stowe classic. 

Drink

• The Rusty Nail. 
• The Matterhorn. 
• Piecasso. 
• Stowe Cider, 17 Town Farm Lane, ☏ +1 802 2532065, info@stowecider.com. Cider brewery with food and indoor and outdoor seating options. Frequently featuring live music. (updated Sep 2023)

Sleep

• Ten Acres Lodge Bed & Breakfast, 14 Barrows Rd (Make a left onto Moscow road and go 1.5 miles until you see a sign telling you to turn right for Ten Acres Lodge), toll-free: +1-800-327-7357. Check-in: 3-7PM, check-out: 11AM. The main lodge is an 1830s farmhouse, complete with hand hewn beams and family antiques. The Hill House Suites offer hotel privacy or you can choose a mountain resort lodging, a 2-bedroom cottage. $99-$299. 
• Deer Hollow (3 miles from the village), toll-free: +1-866-481-8986. 19th-century hilltop country farmhouse with 3 bedrooms/2 baths. Fireplace, views, fully equipped (self-catering), flexible arrivals and departures. 
• Golden Eagle Resort, 511 Mountain Rd, toll-free: +1-800-626-1010. Wide variety of accommodations, pet-friendly, game room, indoor & outdoor pools, spa with hot tub, sauna, massage. Dining on site - great breakfast. 
• 1 Stowe Meadows, 3233 Elmore Mountain Rd (Near the village.), ☏ +1 802 888-0002. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: noon. Intimate four-season Alpine resort. $210-420. 
• Stowe Mountain Lodge, 7412 Mountain Rd, ☏ +1 802-253-3560. Resort featuring lodging accommodations, cabin rentals and space for meetings and weddings. Additional amenities include golf, ski, and spa services. 
• Timberholm Inn Bed and Breakfast, 452 Cottage Club Rd (About halfway between Stowe Village and the mountain.), ☏ +1 802-253-7603. Rustic New England style B&B. Ten guest rooms with private baths (2 suites). $89-209. 
• Topnotch Resort and Spa, 4000 Mountain Rd, ☏ +1 802 253-8585. Located on a 120-acre wooded estate. 
• Green Mountain Inn. In the heart of the village with excellent on-site dining option at "The Whip." 
• Stone Hill Inn, 89 Houston Farm Rd, ☏ +1 802 253-6282. Bed and breakfast with see through fireplaces and jacuzzi tubs in all guestrooms. $299 - 425. 
• Commodores Inn, 823 South Main St, ☏ +1 802 253-7131. 

Go next

• Short drive to Burlington and Lake Champlain.
• Short drive to Barre Granite Quarries.

Routes through Stowe

Newport ← Morrisville ←	N  S	→ Jct W E → Waitsfield → Killington
Jct W E ← Jeffersonville ←	N  S	→ END