Vermont,
This Winter

Field Guide Lodge is where we stay every time. Having a familiar place to come back to makes the rest of the trip easy to plan around. There’s a year-round hot tub, too—a welcome option after time outside.

Keep The Bench on the list for comfort food in Stowe. The wood-fired oven and stacks of firewood give the room its own character—a fitting stop to work into a winter evening.

For a meal in Waterbury, Prohibition Pig’s restaurant serves smoked meats, fresh beer, and classic cocktails. It’s a separate stop from the Stowe restaurants, worth keeping in mind when planning your day around the area.

The Alchemist is another Stowe stop to keep on the list if you enjoy exploring local breweries. Check the brewery’s visitor information before heading over, particularly around the holidays.

The Alchemist also offers guided brewery tours for visitors aged 21 and over—a chance to take a closer look at how the beer is made. Reserve a place through the brewery’s tour page.

The red coffee-bar building in Waterbury Center is an easy place to recognize. Stop for coffee or tea before continuing with the day, and leave time to look around the roastery setting.

There’s more to explore here than a coffee stop. Its School of Coffee offers roasting and barista classes, alongside tastings and workshops for people who want to learn more about specialty coffee. Check the class options and schedule before planning a visit.

A visit to von Trapp Family Lodge & Resort offers a chance to learn more about one of Vermont’s familiar products. The guided Sugar Maple Tour takes visitors to the family sugarbush and explains how sap becomes syrup.

The lodge offers sugarhouse tours year-round. In winter, this is a chance to learn the process; the active sap-collecting and boiling season comes in early spring. Reserve ahead and confirm the tour’s winter footwear requirements—snowshoes may be required.

Leave some space in the itinerary for walking or snowshoeing when conditions allow. The von Trapp Outdoor Center is a starting point for its trail network, with passes and rentals available through the resort.

Snowfall and trail openings vary, especially early in the season. Check the current trail report, footwear requirements, and weather before choosing a route. If snow hasn’t arrived, choose a walk suited to the conditions instead.

Breakfast or lunch, then a browse through the marketplace. The Round Hearth brings the two together around its distinctive fireplace—a place to leave a little extra time in the day.