By Kate Curcio – New England Scuttlebutt (https://www.newenglandscuttlebutt.com/)
The kids and I recently packed up for a little Vermont adventure and headed to Stowe, where we stayed at Outbound Stowe. This was our first time staying there, and by the end of the trip, we were already talking about coming back.
Outbound Stowe was incredibly easy to find and is conveniently located close to downtown Stowe. As soon as we pulled in, the first thing the kids noticed was the pool. Forget checking out the room, they wanted to know when we were going swimming!
We headed into the main lodge to check in, and I immediately loved the decor. It has the perfect ski-mountain-town feel.
Cozy, warm and inviting without feeling overdone. Even though we were visiting during the summer, walking into the lodge instantly made me want to come back and experience Stowe in the winter.
Check-in was quick and easy. We were given our key along with a map showing us where to find our cabin, and we were on our way.
One thing I really liked about Outbound Stowe is the variety of accommodations. There are rooms designed for one or two people, cabins and lofts that can accommodate two to four guests, and larger suites and cottages for groups of up to six. Whether you’re visiting as a couple, bringing the kids or traveling with a larger group, there are plenty of options.
Our cabin worked perfectly for me and my two kids. When we walked in, I was pleasantly surprised by how clean and new everything felt. The same mountain-town vibe from the main lodge carried into the cabin, but in a more minimalist way. It was warm, comfortable and functional. Exactly what you want when you’re using a hotel as your home base for exploring Stowe.
There was a kitchen with everything we would need to prepare a meal if we didn’t feel like going out to eat, along with a living area with a couch and TV. The bedroom and bathroom were separate from the kitchen and living space, which made the cabin feel much more spacious.
Our sleeping setup included a large king bed and a queen sleeper sofa, which was plenty of room for the three of us. The bed was SO comfortable, and there were two closets with plenty of space to put our things away instead of living out of suitcases.
The bathroom was also large, bright and extremely clean. It really felt more like our own little Stowe cottage than a traditional hotel room.
We didn’t waste much time before heading straight to the pool. The pool area ended up being one of the biggest highlights of the entire trip for the kids and honestly, it was pretty great for me too. There were lounge chairs, yard games, a jacuzzi and a restaurant right there, which meant we could spend the afternoon hanging out without having to go anywhere.
It happened to be Taco Tuesday when we arrived, so the kids were very excited that tacos were on the dinner agenda. After dinner, there was a fire going where we made s’mores before heading back to our cabin to relax for the night. Swimming, tacos and s’mores? Not a bad first day in Vermont.
The next morning, we grabbed coffee at Movement Coffee Roasters & Bakery. The kids had a blueberry muffin and tiny waffles, and everything was delicious.
One of the nice things about staying at Outbound Stowe is that there are plenty of places nearby to grab food, coffee or dinner, so you have lots of options if you don’t feel like cooking in your cabin.
But we were in Vermont, so naturally our next stop involved ice cream.
The Ben & Jerry’s Factory is only about 15 minutes from Outbound Stowe, and when in Vermont, I think we can all agree that ice cream is perfectly acceptable for breakfast.
We took a tour of the factory, which the kids loved, and spent some time outside on the playground. Of course, we also had to walk through the famous Flavor Graveyard, where you can see the headstones for all of the retired Ben & Jerry’s flavors. It was such a fun stop to add to our Stowe trip, especially with kids.
After Ben & Jerry’s, we headed back toward Stowe to explore downtown.
Stowe is exactly the kind of New England town I love. It’s charming, walkable and filled with cute shops, restaurants and beautiful scenery. It’s one of those places where you can easily spend a few hours wandering around without much of a plan.
We visited during the summer, but I kept thinking about how different the town must look during fall foliage or covered in snow during ski season. This is definitely one of those New England towns I want to experience in every season.
After exploring downtown, there was only one thing the kids really wanted to do: go back to the pool. So we spent some more time swimming before eventually convincing ourselves to head out for another adventure.
One of my favorite things about Outbound Stowe’s location is that Cady Hill Forest is right across the street. We headed over for a little walk through the woods and immediately noticed how many mountain bikers were using the trails. Stowe is obviously known for skiing, but it was really cool seeing how active the area is during the warmer months too.
We also found tons of mushrooms along the way, which was a huge bonus for my son. He loves finding different mushrooms and trying to identify them, so our simple walk through the woods turned into a mushroom hunt. Sometimes those unplanned little moments end up being some of my favorite parts of traveling with my kids.
After our walk, we were ready for dinner and discovered there was an American Flatbread nearby. That was an easy decision. American Flatbread is always a go-to for our family because it’s a place we all love. The Stowe location was beautiful, the pizza was delicious, as expected, and it was conveniently located close to Outbound.
After a full day of ice cream, downtown exploring, swimming, hiking and pizza, we were more than ready to head back to our cozy cabin.
Our trip to Stowe was wonderful, but it was definitely too short. I left feeling like we had experienced a little taste of what the area has to offer while still having a huge list of things we want to do next time.
Outbound Stowe was a great home base for our trip. I loved the cozy mountain aesthetic, our cabin was clean and comfortable, the kids couldn’t get enough of the pool, and the location made it easy to explore Stowe and some of the surrounding Vermont attractions. Oh ya! Its also dog friendly!
It also felt like a place that works just as well for a summer family getaway as it would for a cozy winter weekend. The kids would probably vote to return tomorrow just for the pool. I’m thinking I need to see Stowe during fall foliage and after seeing that cozy lodge, I definitely need to experience it during ski season too.
One thing is certain: we’ll be back, Stowe.
