Adventures in Stowe that dont involve skiing!
June 26, 2017 9:10 AM Subscribe
A friend and I are visiting Stowe, Vermont over 4th of July weekend. What are some fun things we can do there?
I know Stowe is the best for skiing and other snow activities, but we’ll be there this weekend in the heat of summer. Anything fun going on we should check out? We’ll have a car.
We like bizarre local events, art and live music, kayaking and hiking – nothing too strenuous because this trip will mostly be for relaxation. We will probably drive out to Burlington one or two days. Awesome unusual restaurant and bar recommendations are also good! We already know about the world’s biggest file cabinet :)
I know Stowe is the best for skiing and other snow activities, but we’ll be there this weekend in the heat of summer. Anything fun going on we should check out? We’ll have a car.
We like bizarre local events, art and live music, kayaking and hiking – nothing too strenuous because this trip will mostly be for relaxation. We will probably drive out to Burlington one or two days. Awesome unusual restaurant and bar recommendations are also good! We already know about the world’s biggest file cabinet :)
And if you're into cemeteries, Trapp Lodge (and graves!) is right there.
Just to add, von Trapp Brewing recently opened their Bierhall just down the hill from the Lodge. Might be worth a visit.
posted by JoeZydeco at 9:42 AM on June 26, 2017
Just to add, von Trapp Brewing recently opened their Bierhall just down the hill from the Lodge. Might be worth a visit.
posted by JoeZydeco at 9:42 AM on June 26, 2017
Agreed that there's a lot of nice hikes in the area.
posted by Chrysostom at 10:50 AM on June 26, 2017
posted by Chrysostom at 10:50 AM on June 26, 2017
Best answer: Johnson (about half an hour away) has live music by local musicians in a park on School Street every Tuesday evening in the summer. The first one this year is July 4. Morrisville (just north of Stowe) has the same thing on Wednesday nights at Oxbow Park. Johnson also has 2 public swimming holes (Journey's End and Beard Recreation Park.)
There's a rail trail for biking and hiking that goes from Morrisville to Cambridge and there's a shorter paved bike trail in Stowe (with a river right by it where you can wade or swim if you want.)
I'm not a beer drinker, but people who are seem to love the Lost Nation and Rock Art breweries in Morrisville.
The Stowe library will be having a book sale starting July 6.
If it's a hot day, Moss Glen Falls is a nice, short hike to a place where you can sit in cool shade and get into some cold water (and see a pretty waterfall.) If you're up for it, there are some not-too-difficult hikes up to mountaintops like Stowe Pinnacle or Mount Hunger.
If you happen to go through Jeffersonville (like if you drive over the Notch or bike the rail trail), the Burger Barn has excellent burgers.
posted by Redstart at 11:24 AM on June 26, 2017
There's a rail trail for biking and hiking that goes from Morrisville to Cambridge and there's a shorter paved bike trail in Stowe (with a river right by it where you can wade or swim if you want.)
I'm not a beer drinker, but people who are seem to love the Lost Nation and Rock Art breweries in Morrisville.
The Stowe library will be having a book sale starting July 6.
If it's a hot day, Moss Glen Falls is a nice, short hike to a place where you can sit in cool shade and get into some cold water (and see a pretty waterfall.) If you're up for it, there are some not-too-difficult hikes up to mountaintops like Stowe Pinnacle or Mount Hunger.
If you happen to go through Jeffersonville (like if you drive over the Notch or bike the rail trail), the Burger Barn has excellent burgers.
posted by Redstart at 11:24 AM on June 26, 2017
Response by poster: You guys, I'm freaking out over how gorgeous the swimming holes and waterfalls are. I can't freaking wait to get into them. Thank you! And please keep the suggestions coming!
posted by silverstatue at 1:53 PM on June 26, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by silverstatue at 1:53 PM on June 26, 2017 [1 favorite]
Oh waterfalls are your thing? I consider this website to be a non-nonsense guide to them. Moss Glen is one of the most lovely and it's in Stowe! You'll be in Lamoille County in case it helps to look things up that way.
posted by jessamyn at 2:53 PM on June 26, 2017
posted by jessamyn at 2:53 PM on June 26, 2017
The Alchemist makes some of the best beer in the world. Heady Topper set off the hazy "New England IPA" craze, and Focal Banger is one of my all-time top 10. By all accounts it's a very good visit.
posted by Joseph Gurl at 7:41 PM on June 26, 2017
posted by Joseph Gurl at 7:41 PM on June 26, 2017
Mount Elmore is a nice hike as well, a bit less strenuous than Pinnacle. Good view at the top, though not as dramatic as Pinnacle's. Moscow (next to Stowe) has a tiny cute 4th parade.
Plate and the Malt Shop are good places to eat.
posted by actionstations at 10:48 PM on June 26, 2017
Plate and the Malt Shop are good places to eat.
posted by actionstations at 10:48 PM on June 26, 2017
Warren VT is closeby and has one of the best 4th of July parades in the State. If you like curvy roads I would drive over the Mountain Road (VT108 I think just ask someone for the Mountain Road). It is closed in the winter and is super curvy and you have to go slow. There is a nice parking spot at the top of the notch and you can get out and wander around a bit.
On the way up to Stowe (assuming you're coming up I89) you can stop off in Barre and take the Rock of Ages tour of the granite quarries. One of the older ones is so big that someone once flew a plane inside it. IIRC it was once the biggest hole made in the USA. If you're feeling adventerous you can also go swimming in some of the unused quarries, but only if you're a good swimmer because they stay cold and if you sink in them you will never be brought up again, they're that deep.
posted by koolkat at 8:22 AM on June 27, 2017 [1 favorite]
On the way up to Stowe (assuming you're coming up I89) you can stop off in Barre and take the Rock of Ages tour of the granite quarries. One of the older ones is so big that someone once flew a plane inside it. IIRC it was once the biggest hole made in the USA. If you're feeling adventerous you can also go swimming in some of the unused quarries, but only if you're a good swimmer because they stay cold and if you sink in them you will never be brought up again, they're that deep.
posted by koolkat at 8:22 AM on June 27, 2017 [1 favorite]
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Some of this depends on what you like. Going into the capital city is always a great day trip and it's a lot closer to Stowe than Burlington is. There's a nice little hike right up behind the Capitol Building (which is free and open to the public, by the way) with a tower at the top of it, great views: Hubbard Park. There is a lot of nice hiking right in Stowe as well. Hope Cemetery is also great for walking around and there is some weird stuff there. And if you're into cemeteries, Trapp Lodge (and graves!) is right there. Normally I'd recommend SMuggler's Notch but traffic will be beastly and I'm not sure it's as fun with a zillion other people there.
Bernie usually marches in the MontP 4th parade (which is happening on the 3rd) and they have the Bread and Puppet stuff going on there so if you're looking specifically for 4th activities it's recommended. On the 3rd the MontP library will be doing a reading of Frederic Douglass's no-bullshit 4th of July Speech which is what I do in Vermont this time every year at my own library.
Ben and Jerrys' factory is near you if that is your sort of thing. I also assume you don't want to go TOO far but Jazz Fest is happening in Montréal which is closer than you'd think. I'd poke around on Seven Days' website which has a lot of local events and also probably check local flyers at coffee shops and the library etc for more offbeat stuff.
posted by jessamyn at 9:30 AM on June 26, 2017 [1 favorite]