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havekiddoswilltravel · 7 years ago

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A Family Friendly Fall Destination that Won’t Break the Bank

Vermont with Kids.

If you haven’t experienced Vermont in the peak of foliage, I urge you to add Stowe, Vermont to the top of your family bucket list.

Experience Foliage like no other in Stowe, Vermont

By: Ruth Mendes

“Nature is always hinting at us” – Robert Frost

Stowe, VT is voted as one of Travel + Leisure Magazine’s “12 Best Places to see Foliage in Vermont” and it’s an affordable and family friendly destination to do what Vermonters call “leaf peeping.” Stowe is known for majestic mountain views, the Von Trapp Lodge which is the real-life inspiration for the fictional Sound of Music, Stowe Mountain Resort, hiking, skiing, biking, restaurants, waterfalls and mountain climbing. They also have an exceptional restaurant and brewery.

Gondola Ride to the Top of Mt. Mansfield: After exploring Stowe Mountain Resort and enjoying their playground, bocce game, covered bridge, hiking trails and amazing mountain views, take a Gondola Skyride to the top of Mt. Mansfield. The views are magnificent and the Gondola options makes this natural beauty accessible to families with young children.

Check out covered bridges: New England is known for its many covered bridges and there are plenty to explore in the Stowe area. Nothing screams New England like white church steeples and covered bridges and there’s no better time than Fall to take in these views.

Take a family bike ride on the Stowe Recreation Path: If your time is limited or someone in your party is nervous about heights, there is no better way to enjoy the beauty of the changing leaves than by walking or biking on the 5.3 mile Stowe Recreation Path.

Trapp Family Lodge Outdoor Center: The Von Trapp Family has managed to turn the mountains of Stowe into their own Australian Alps replica. Whether you are a Sound of Music fan or not, the views are not to missed.

Explore Smugglers Notch State Park: This park can be accessed via the Green Mountain Byway (opened seasonally) and features amazing views of 1000-foot cliffs, which were originally used a smuggling route to Canada. My kids love watching mountain climbers and scaling some of the smaller rock formations.

Stowe Mountain Auto Toll Road: This toll road zig-zags its way up to the top of Mt. Mansfield and offers incredible scenic views of the Vermont area allowing you to see all the way to Lake Champlain on a clear day.

Cold Hollow Cider Mill: Watch them press apple cider year-round, enjoy a tour and shop their General Store for Vermont-made gifts and fresh apple cider donuts.

Ben and Jerry’s Factory: A bonus is that approximately 10 miles down the road, in nearby Waterbury you can stop for ice-cream and a tour at the Ben and Jerry’s Factory. You can take a free 30-minute tour of the factory to learn about how they make their famous ice-cream and sample a full-size scoop sample at the end. This is a favorite “stretch your legs” pit stop for our family when exploring Vermont.

Lodging:

Stoweflake Mountain Resort

Vontrapp Family Lodge

Stowe Mountain Resort

Smuggler’s Notch Resort (nearby)