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A Vacation In Stowe, Vermont
Sometime during the spring of 2006 we decided that it had been too long since we had taken a family vacation and set about figuring out where we would go for our summer vacation. A number of options were discussed but we were having some problems reaching a firm conclusion.
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We were thinking of a stay at some type of resort so my wife set about searching the net and hoping to get some ideas. She somehow found her way to the web site for the Green Mountain Inn located in Stowe, Vermont. After poking around on their site for a while she decided it was something worth considering.
Soon we were all checking out the site and it looked pretty interesting. I liked the fact that Stowe was only about a 3-hour drive from our house and we would not have to think about a day-long road trip.
It was soon decided that we would indeed head to Stowe and my wife used the Green Mountain Inn's site to book our reservation for the middle of July. Our summer vacation was about three months away.
Stowe: Charming Little Town With Much To Offer
I don't believe any of us had ever been to Stowe before. It is possible that I passed through the area as a child since we regularly took family camping vacations in northern Vermont, but I can't be sure of it.
My first impression upon arriving in Stowe was quite favorable. The Green Mountain Inn is located right in the middle of what it known as the village section of Stowe -- basically, the downtown area. It is very neatly-kept and definitely has that small New England town feel about it.
Despite the fact that we were there in what should have been the height of summer vacation season, I never got the feeling anywhere in Stowe that it was crowded. Believe me, I would have noticed since I am not the type of guy that likes to be around crowds. There were ample opportunities for my two boys to enjoy the swimming pool (one of their all-time favorite activities) with very few of no other guests there at the time.
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This was a pleasant surprise and I did not know whether to attribute it to the high gasoline prices or wonder if Stowe just wasn't as a popular destination as I had thought. The number of establishments offering lodging and dining suggested that was not the case however. Perhaps we were just fortunate to arrive in time for a quieter-than-normal week in Stowe.
As I eluded to earlier, there are numerous places to stay in the Stowe area and even more places to dine out. I am sorry that we did not have the chance to experience each and every area eatery, but our time there was of course limited.
To me, Stowe felt like an area with a decidedly laid-back atmosphere and since that is the type of atmosphere I most appreciate, it was not lost on me. I'm sure, however, that the go-everywhere-and-do-everything types would have no problem occupying themselves with all the things to do and places to visit in the Stowe area.
Most of the action is to be had on Mountain Road, otherwise known as Route 108. Although there are numerous shops and eating establishments on the main road through town (Route 100) where our accomodations were located, we found ourselves more often visiting the establishments along Mountain Road where the lion's share of the attractions seemed to be for us.
Fortunately for us, the weather cooperated with our vacation plans and although we were experiencing a bit of a heat wave in the northeast with daytime highs in the 90's during that time, it was certainly preferable to rain.
Be Prepared To Spend
Stowe, Vermont may not be the most ideal destination if you are planning a vacation on a tight budget. Vermont is not shy about taxes on just about everything you spend money on. We were fortunate enough to arrive just after the town of Stowe enacted a new 1% tax on accommodations and must have been among the first visitors to have the honor of stuffing a few more dollars into the town coffers. Wonder how long before it goes from 1% to 1.5% or 2%. Gee, thanks for the nice welcome, Stowe!
All other things considered, I would probably return to Stowe for another vacation some day, but it is things like insatiable tax greed that gives me significant pause and moves me to consider spending my money somewhere that is not as tax-hungry as Stowe, and Vermont in general.
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Residing in New Hampshire, with one of the smallest tax burdens in the entire country tends to increase my sensitivity to government greed quite a bit. Perhaps we'll take our next vacation up north here in the Granite State!
Beyond the tax situation, the Stowe area, being a popular tourist destination cannot be celebrated as a place to find many bargains. Prices definitely seem a bit inflated there and that can be easily seen in all the little shops and other retail outlets. Be prepared to spend a bit more for all those quaint little items that line the aisles in the establishments of the local merchants.
Our stay in Stowe was relaxing and enjoyable. We really did not encounter any situations where we were left feeling unsatisfied or disappointed with the service, except perhaps, at Ben & Jerry's and the alpine slide.