With Vermont now allowing vaccinated out-of-state travelers to arrive without quarantine, Lisa, our son, Jake, puppy Theo, and I decided to hit the road for two nights prior to Memorial Day Weekend. First stop was the acclaimed Hill Farmstead Brewery, known for their exceptional pale ale found only at their farm in Greensboro. We pre-ordered the beer, drove two miles down dirt roads without signage to arrive at a 7th-generation farmstead. A woman popped out, plopped the tray in the trunk, and off we went to nearby Willey’s General Store to pick up some Jasper Hill Cheese, also made in Greensboro. Then we drove another hour south to arrive at Trapp Family Lodge in Stowe.
Once we drove up the hillside and saw the surrounding mountains, you couldn’t help but breathe deeply. Surrounded by fields of green, this is the soothing remedy my mind and body yearn for post-pandemic. They even have dog friendly rooms so Theo could venture on his first road trip. We spent the days playing Frisbee golf at a relatively new course carved through the fields and forest at Trapp’s, then hiking at Moss Glen Falls to see the water cascading down. Twice we visited dog-friendly Wiessner Woods to walk deep in the forest and fill our lungs with mountain-crisp oxygen I sorely missed all these months away. At night, we dined on bratwurst and schnitzel, washed down with Trapp’s award-winning pilsner and Kolsch at their bierhall. Then went for a requisite meal at Plate in the village of Stowe, my favorite dining establishment in town and one of the few places I know where you can find a Heady Topper on the drink menu. Of course, we stocked up on Heady Topper and Focal Banger at The Alchemist before leaving. Our fridge is now happily filled with craft beer and artisanal cheese. And yes, that Edward and Citra Single Hop IPA found at Hill Farmstead was well worth the detour to get there.
Interested in a pet-friendly room at Trapp Family Lodge? Please let ActiveTravels know and we’ll find you a room!
When Vermont finally reopened to Massachusetts residents last May after their long lockdown due to the pandemic, we jumped in the car with our son, Jake, and puppy, Theo, and hit the road. The expansive green grounds of Trapp Family Lodge is the ideal place for a dog to roam. We biked the trails, played Frisbee Golf, and dined on bratwurst, washed down with pilsner at their Bierhall. Then made necessary microbrew pick-ups at the Alchemist and Hill Farmstead and went twice to dog-friendly Wiessner Woods to hike deep in the woods and fill our lungs with the crisp mountain air. It was the perfect quick escape!