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Located in the beautiful state of Vermont, Stowe is the most perfect little mountain town you can imagine.
Picture this: a white church spire against green peaks, a covered bridge, creemees, and scenic drives that look straight off a postcard.
That’s Stowe, and honestly, it’s one of those rare places that’s even prettier in real life than in the photos.
I’d wanted to visit Stowe for years, and the thing when you have a place on your radar for so long is that you usually set yourself up for disappointment. But guess what? It still ended up being one of my favorite stops in all of Vermont!
It’s small enough to explore in a day or two, but there’s a surprising amount of things you can do in this area which means you can stay much longer too!
Here are 12 of the best things to do in Stowe.
🏘️ 1. Walk around downtown
This is the first thing to do in Stowe.
Park on Main Street (it’s free, and you get 3 hours) and just have a wander.
Downtown Stowe is small but lovely, with independent shops, galleries, cafes and the gorgeous white Stowe Community Church anchoring the whole street.
It’s the kind of place where you’ll happily lose an hour browsing souvenir shops and stopping for a creemee.
Make sure you stop into Shaw’s General Store at 54 Main Street. It’s been going since 1895 and is still run by the same family, and it’s one of the best spots in town for souvenirs, Vermont sweatshirts and tees, toys and maple syrup to take home.
Pop into the visitor center too. They hand out brilliant little brochures, including one with the best scenic drives nearby and QR codes that load the routes straight into Google Maps.
🚴 2. Bike (or walk) the Stowe Recreation Path
The Stowe Recreation Path is a 5.3-mile trail that’s completely free and open year-round.
It starts right behind the Community Church and follows the West Branch river, crossing little bridges and passing swimming holes along the way.
You can absolutely walk it, but it’s even better on a bike, and you can rent one in town (The Ranch Camp does rentals). It’s flat, easy and genuinely one of the nicest ways to see Stowe.
If you’re short on time then I would recommend walking it and doing a little loop from the church to the viewpoint and back to town.
🎨 3. Go to the ‘Welcome to Stowe’ Mural
This is the classic Stowe photo, and you’ve probably already seen it on Instagram.
The ‘Welcome to Stowe’ mural is on Main Street, at 8 South Main Street, right next door to Lake Champlain Chocolates.
It’s a quick photo stop but it’s a beautiful mural that features all the highlights of the town.
And while you’re there you might as well treat yourself to some chocolate next door!
⛪ 4. Enjoy the views from the Stowe Community Church Viewpoint
While the church is pretty from the main street, the best place to actually look at it is the viewpoint.
It’s located only a minute drive from downtown. From there, you can see the iconic white spire against the mountains.
It’s beautiful all year round but it’s absolutely iconic during the fall.
Here’s my money-saving tip: there’s a paid parking lot up at the viewpoint, but you can skip it completely. Park in town instead, walk along Mountain road to the viewpoint and take the recreation path behind the movie theater and walk back to the church itself.
🌉 5. Walk through the Giles W. Dewey Memorial Bridge
Just off the main street you’ll find the Giles W. Dewey Memorial Bridge, a pretty pedestrian covered bridge with “Stowe, Vermont” written across the top, which makes it a lovely photo spot.
Step inside and you get a nice view of the river through the windows, and you can just about spot the church spire peeking through the trees. It only takes two minutes, but it’s well worth it.
🐮 6. Go to the Von Trapp Family Lodge and meet the highland cows
Yes, this is the lodge run by the actual Sound of Music family, who still own it today!
It sits just outside town and genuinely looks like a slice of Austria, with mountain views and Austrian-style architecture.
There are highland cows in the field by the cafe (so cute), an excellent brewery for a drink, and lots of walking trails.
To explore the trails properly you’ll need a property pass, which is worth it if you have at least half a day.
You can find their recommended self guided walking trails here.
Otherwise, just pop into the reception, the shop, the cafe (where you can hopefully see the cows) and the brewery.
🚗 7. Drive the beautiful Smugglers’ Notch Drive
If you only do one scenic drive in Vermont, make it this one.
Smugglers’ Notch (Route 108) starts just past Stowe Mountain Resort and winds up through a dramatic mountain pass full of huge boulders and tight, twisty bends.
It’s stunning in summer and absolutely magical in the fall.
There are so many beautiful trees and the colors during the fall are absolutely out of this world.
Two things to know: it’s narrow and windy, so take it slow, and the notch section closes in winter, so it’s a warmer-months drive only.
This drive is not suitable for bigger vehicles, but don’t worry too much about it as when you get to the Stowe Mountain Resort, there is a reproduction of one of the notch sharp bends which you have to drive through.
This allows you to test your vehicle and see if you’ll be able to go.
💧 8. Walk to Bingham Falls
Bingham Falls is a gorgeous 25-foot waterfall just off Route 108, about 6 miles north of downtown Stowe.
It’s a great stop on your way to the mountain resort.
You can park in the pull-offs on either side of the road.
The hike down is short-ish, around half a mile round trip, but it gets steep and slippery near the bottom, so wear proper shoes (no flip-flops!).
At the bottom you can scramble over the rocks for a photo, or even take a dip in the natural rock pool.
🚡 9. Ride the Stowe Gondola SkyRide
For the best view in Stowe without the hike, hop on the Gondola SkyRide at Stowe Mountain Resort, which carries you up Mount Mansfield in just a few minutes.
It runs daily from around mid-June to mid-October, roughly 10am to 4:30pm, and costs about $43 for adults and $27 for children.
The views from there (especially during the foliage) are spectacular.
⛰️ 10. Drive up Mount Mansfield
Mount Mansfield is the highest peak in Vermont at 4,395 feet, and you can drive most of the way up it on the Mount Mansfield Auto Toll Road.
It’s a 4.5-mile gravel road, open roughly late May to mid-October, and it costs around $37 per car plus $14 per passenger.
From the top you get incredible views and can hike along the ridge to the summit (known as the Chin) if you fancy it. Bring good shoes and take your time.
⛷️ 11. Visit the Vermont Ski and Snowboard Museum
Stowe is one of the spiritual homes of American skiing, so this little museum is a fun stop, especially on a rainy day.
It’s right downtown at 1 South Main Street, in the lovely old 1818 town hall, and it’s packed with vintage gear and stories about Vermont’s skiing history.
It’s open Thursday to Sunday, noon to 5pm, and entry is free with a suggested $5 donation.
🍩 12. Go to Cold Hollow Cider Mill (between Stowe and Waterbury)
Technically this one is just down the road in Waterbury Center, but it’s an easy stop on your way in or out of Stowe.
Cold Hollow makes one of Vermont’s most famous ciders, and the apple cider donuts here are worth the trip on their own.
In summer, try a ‘dreemee’, which is a donut with a maple creemee inside, and in the fall the hot mulled cider is unbeatable.
There’s a cute outdoor area with cornholes as well as a cafe and souvenir shop.
Stowe really is one of those places that lives up to the hype, and then some. Whether you’ve got a single afternoon or a long weekend, take it slow, grab yourself a maple creemee, and just soak it all in.
Map of the Things To Do in Stowe, VT
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