Winter destination in Vermont (not skiing)

November 27, 2024 7:20 AM

Please help me find a fantasy holiday-ish getaway that would be fun for a kid and his grown-ups. I'd like to take my 8 YO and my husband to Vermont for a 3-4 nights between Christmas and New Year's. Hoping to find a magical lodging place with at least some of the following qualities: charming; woodsy; grounds where my kid can play in the snow; on-site or nearby snowshoeing and/or sledding; some on-site dining options and/or cabins/cottages with a kitchen.

Bonus points for being in or near a cute town with a good restaurant or two and a bookstore for my husband to poke around in. (We do not ski.) Location (in Vermont) doesn't matter as we'll either drive up from PA or find a flight. Budget is generous; my husband and I both work a lot and live well within our means, so I'd be happy to enjoy some luxury so long as it's family friendly.

posted by CiaoMela to Travel & Transportation around Vermont (9 answers total)

I think the Trapp Family Lodge would have all these things, although you might want to call to ask about sledding. They have other kids' programs too. It's beautiful at Christmas.
posted by luckdragon at 7:25 AM on November 27 [4 favorites]

Seconding Trapp Family Lodge. Stayed there a bunch when I was a kid (long ago) and it's a really nice place.
posted by nkknkk at 7:34 AM on November 27 [1 favorite]

Woodstock VT is THE most charming place in the northeast (think Stars Hollow from Gilmore Girls or any holiday Hallmark movie). There's an old historical inn in the middle of town, and other options nearby.
posted by greta simone at 7:42 AM on November 27 [2 favorites]

Smuggler's Notch is the ur-winter resort that caters to families with small children. Both it and the Trapp Family lodge are a couple of valleys away from each other and near the Vermont town of Stowe which is home to one of the most well known of NE ski resorts. There will be endless amounts of non-skiing outdoor activities available to you. With Smugg's emphasis on family and kids I would not doubt they are used to catering to a significant portion of the guests either not skiing or barely skiing.
posted by mmascolino at 7:43 AM on November 27

I think if you want to have guaranteed snow between Christmas and New Year's, you need to go someplace with snowmaking, but all the places mentioned so far have Nordic Ski centers with groomed cross country/snowshoe trails so you should be fine with any of them.
posted by mskyle at 7:51 AM on November 27

Thirding the Trapp Family Lodge. That whole area is lovely!
posted by maryellenreads at 12:30 PM on November 27

I stayed at Johnny Seesaw’s as a kid and miss it.
posted by treetop89 at 1:33 PM on November 27

Echoing the Trapp Family Lodge recommendation! They have snowshoeing onsite. Stowe has the second-largest independent bookstore in VT, Bear Pond Books. The Trapp Family Lodge is connected to the Trapp Family Farm, which has sleigh rides (snow permitting) and lots of wonderful animals, including Scottish Highland Cattle. About 20 minutes away is Waterbury, which has an amazing restaurant called Hen of the Wood and also the Ben & Jerry's factory.
posted by earth by april at 10:32 PM on November 27

Came here to say the Woodstock Inn.
posted by kapers at 8:56 AM on November 28