If you follow me over on Instagram, you know that back in October Craig and I took a little road trip up to Stowe, Vermont for a fall weekend getaway. You guys, it was seriously the best. Stowe exceeded all of my expectations, and we had such a great time. One of my favorite things about blogging has been how it has opened my eyes to traveling and visiting new places that I probably wouldn’t have heard of otherwise, and Stowe definitely falls on that list. It is the quintessential New England town and the ultimate fall destination. Today I’m sharing my Stowe travel guide, complete with our full itinerary and places I wish we could’ve made it to during our stay. Let’s get into it!
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Stowe Travel Guide: Getting There & Getting Around
Stowe is located towards the top of Vermont, making it about a 6 hour drive from our apartment in Brooklyn, NY. We were on the highway for most of that time, and once you get out of New York, and up into Massachusetts and Vermont, the scenery really is so beautiful. You’re surrounded by panoramic views of tree covered mountains and if you’re also going in the fall like we did, the autumnal colors are stunning. There are also quite a few “scenic stopping points” along the highway that you can stop at to take in the views and stretch your legs.
For our trip, we rented a car for the entire weekend and I’m so glad we did. Stowe is a small town so I honestly doubt that they have Uber or Lyft. Having your own car will make getting around so much easier, though you may find that your hotel offers some kind of shuttle service which would also be great. Personally, there was just so much in Stowe and even in the surrounding small towns that I wanted to see, so having a car was just much more convenient for us.
Where To Stay In Stowe
We ended up staying at this great hotel called Topnotch Resort & Spa. A friend of mine actually works for a company called Travelzoo that offers amazing travel deals (highly recommend checking them out!) and she was the one who helped me find Topnotch for our trip. We stayed in a standard queen room on the first floor and absolutely loved our room as it had the best view of the property and surrounding mountainside.
Topnotch had a ton of amenities and onsite activities, though some were closed or altered due to COVID-19 restrictions. They have two restaurants (one is more a fancy dining experience (was closed when we visited) and the other is more of a lounge & bar located right off of the lobby area); two outdoor pools and an indoor pool; outdoor and indoor jacuzzis (though both were closed during our stay due to COVID-19); tennis courts; plus a gym and spa with a sauna. If you’re traveling during COVID, masks are required indoors at all times (aside from your room obviously, and when you’re physically eating at the restaurant) which made us feel really safe. The hotel is also pet-friendly, FYI!
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Where To Eat In Stowe
For being such a small town, Stowe boasts a LOT of restaurants. There were so many that we wanted to try and just didn’t have the time. Below, I’ve outlined the places that we did get to eat at, as well as a couple of honorable mentions that we didn’t make it to but will definitely try next time!
The Roost: This is the bar/lounge inside of Topnotch Resort. Due to COVID-19 (I’m already sick of writing that out lol) the other onsite restaurant was closed so The Roost had an adapted menu to include some of the menu items from the more upscale restaurant. We ended up grabbing drinks and some small bites here on our first day in town, as well as dinner the following night and really enjoyed both! Specific things we tried and enjoyed include: the honey bee cocktail, chicken caesar salad, chicken wings, crab cakes, filet mignon, and most importantly, the brownie sundae. You guys, if you get nothing else from here PLEASE go and order the brownie sundae. Best I’ve ever had in my life and I’m not exaggerating. I’m salivating just thinking about it.
Butler’s Pantry: This is probably THE breakfast spot recommendation when it comes to grabbing breakfast in Stowe. The menu is incredible and I can’t recommend it enough. It’s located on Main Street, right across from the chapel. The line outside does get long so I’d recommend arriving early enough that you can avoid the line or at least get a good spot in it. We ordered (and LOVED) the home fries, the biscuit french toast sticks, the maple sausage, the scrambled eggs and biscuits. Just trust me, you need to eat breakfast here at least one day during your stay.
The Whip: We grabbed dinner here our first night in Stowe and really enjoyed it! The standout thing for me honestly was the service. Our waitress was one of the nicest people I’ve ever met and went above and beyond for us even though we had a pretty late reservation and they were closing soon. Food recommendations from The Whip include the New England corn chowder, coconut shrimp, and seafood pasta.
Cafe on Main: This is a cute little cafe right on Main Street “downtown”. It’s kind of nestled into a mall of sorts with other shops around it once you get inside. They have a bunch of great sandwich options for lunch as well as breakfast menu, soups, and assorted pastries and a full coffee shop menu. We got the turkey pesto on ciabatta, a turkey club, a pumpkin chocolate chip cookie, hot apple cider, and a milky way iced latte and really enjoyed everything! It’s a really fast and easy lunch spot to check out while exploring the “downtown” area.
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What To Do In Stowe
Explore & do some shopping on Main Street
Grab a flight of hard apple ciders and apple cider donuts at Cold Hollow Cider Mill
A variety of hikes for all levels, including some to different waterfalls in the area
Check out the Von Trapp Lodge (yes, the Von Trapp family from The Sound of Music)
Grab some ice cream and visit the Flavor Graveyard at the Ben & Jerry’s factory
Buy all the chocolate from Laughing Moon Chocolates or Lake Champlain Chocolates
Rent kayaks or canoes for a day out on the water
Take a ride in a horse drawn carriage
There you have it! My ultimate Stowe travel guide for the perfect weekend up in Vermont. Craig and I seriously loved it there so much and were this close to extending our trip for another day. I can confidently say that Stowe is worth the hype and we will definitely be back next year. If you enjoyed this Stowe travel guide, make sure to check out the vlog from our trip over on my NEW YOUTUBE CHANNEL(!!!) and follow along over on Instagram and Twitter to keep up in real time! Until next time Stowe!
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