Stowe is five hours from New York via car. The roads leading to Stowe, while windy, are plowed and salted often. Once you get to Stowe, be sure to stop by the Visitor’s Center (51 Main St., 800-Go-Stowe, www.gostowe.com) where the friendly staff can help with almost everything, from lift tickets to hotel reservations to babysitters. Also look into Amtrak’s Vermonter. Although it takes longer than driving, it might be cheaper than renting a car to get up north.
METRO/DR
Admit it: The airports are not pretty these days. And with long lines and airlines charging you about $20 for every additional piece of luggage you have, getting your gear out West for a ski vacation is getting way more time consuming and expensive. So, this begs the question: Why fly to a world-class skiing destination when you can simply drive or take the train to Stowe, Vt.?
Why go
What makes Stowe so unique is that it offers so much while still remaining beautifully intimate. There are the recent $400 million improvements to Stowe Mountain Resort, which means quick and easy access to the 116 trails of Mount Mansfield, but there is also a New England village right there. So you can take in the lovely quaintness of the 250-year-old town, before or after you take in the 40 miles of trails and 50 miles of cross-country skiing and snowshoeing of the newly modernized mountain.
Where to stay
B&B’s, resorts, condos and motels cluster on Mountain Road, which connects the village of Stowe with Mount Mansfield. We recommend the cozy Grey Fox Inn, which offers reasonable rates with many rooms boasting fireplaces and Jacuzzi tubs. If you want to join in on a lively apres-ski (and apres-work) hangout spot, its pub is becoming the go-to spot (802-253-8921,
www.greyfoxinn.com).
Where to eat
There are almost as many great restaurants in Stowe as ski trails (there are more than 40 eateries surrounding and in the village proper). But the Cactus Cafe can’t be beat for food and ambiance. Monique Duckworth and her husband, Chef Doehne, cook up delicious Mexican and use an on-site smoker to add an extra kick to their yummy dishes (802-253-7770, www.thecactuscafe.com).
Ski savings
The entire state of Vermont is offering a Midweek Snow Savers deal where 40 inns, resorts and attractions are having sales through March. In Stowe itself, the destination has various
ski-and-stay packages — some for under $100 — as well as great midweek and weekend deals.
For details, visit www.vermontvacation.com/snowsavers and www.gostowe.com. For information on Stowe Mountain Resort, visit www.stowe.com.
