Trapp Family Lodge Stowe (Vermont), Stowe, Vermont

These are a few of my favorite things.

Nestled high in the hills above Stowe, The Trapp Family Lodge is an ideal place to vacation with your family year round. From the warm and friendly staff that makes you feel at home, to the wide variety of activity and events that are sure to please everyone in your group, Trapp has it all. The first thing we did was take a cross country ski lesson. We met up with our instructor at the Nordic Center. The smokey, wood burning fireplace keeping us warm as he fit us with boots and skis and then he ushered us out into the practice meadow to begin our journey. I guess we were a quick-study because before long we were gliding, turning and even going downhill on the main trail called Sugar Road. For being late in the season, the trails were still in great shape. They are groomed every day. The scenery at Trapp is incomparable to anywhere else we’d ever been. Simply put — stunning. We saw kids of all ages enjoying it, not just our own 8 and 11 year olds. The Nordic Center has everything you need including Pulks (sleds built for carrying 1 child) and Nordic Cabs (a little chariot that can fit 2 smaller kids or 1 larger up to age 6) for rent. We stayed in a suite. These rooms are designed well to accommodate families. We had a king sized bed with a full master bath and a separate living room with a pull out couch for the kids and another ½ bathroom. There was also a wood burning fireplace, a wetbar, coffee maker, and a balcony. It was almost like our own little condo minus a cooking area. Dinning choices include the Lounge for a casual dinner. Our kids loved listening to the musician who played classic Sound of Music tunes on the piano throughout our meal. There is a kid’s menu with choices like chicken fingers, grilled cheese, grilled chicken, and whole-wheat penne with meatballs & sauce. Although it isn’t on the menu, they also have a kid’s burger. Dinner in the Main dinning room is a bit more formal where the dress is “business casual”. That meant we saw folks in sequined tops with shiny baubles around their necks as well as people dressed in khakis. The food was outstanding and while the menu is Austrian inspired there were plenty of choices for everyone. My kids were shocked that even though I am not a dessert person, even I had the “world famous” Linzertorte and boy, was it good. You can also dine down the road a bit where we had lunch at the Deli Bakery. Lunch choices consist of soups like corn chowder or cheddar ale, various salads and sandwiches such as turkey, bacon, cheddar on cranberry focaccia or an Austrian meat combo with kraut on pumpernickel. The real stand out here though is the desserts. We are looking forwarded to heading back to Trapp Family Lodge in the warmer months to explore the 60+ kilometers of wooded hiking trails and mountain bike trails. Bike rentals will be available onsite.

Tips for Families

Don’t miss: – Afternoon Tea: a nice selection of tea and cookies that you can take into the Library, Lounge or any of the adjacent rooms. There is a fireplace that you can cozy-up to while you gaze at the Trapp Family or Sound of Music memorabilia. – Take the History tour as soon as you can during your visit! Everywhere you look in the Lodge, in the hallways, in your room, in the stairwells, there is Trapp Family memorabilia and this tour puts all of that into perspective. It starts in St. George Hall with a staff member telling the real history of the von Trapp family, which differs quite a bit from the Sound of Music version most people are familiar with. The tour also includes a documentary film featuring Maria von Trapp. She retells the history of the von Trapp family so poignantly that when we got home after our vacation both my children asked to watch the Sound of Music for the umpteenth time! Need to know: – The Fitness Center has an indoor pool that is that houses the indoor family pool. In the warmer months, it’s worth noting there are two heated outdoor pools – one is for families and one is adult-only. – There is a Kids Club with regularly scheduled activities. It is in the Fitness Center. Be sure to check the schedule when you arrive so you can plan accordingly.