Late Planning Xmas in Vermont!

Submitted by OfferImpressive t3_zceez3 in vermont

My nephew is visiting me over christmas break and I’m hoping to take him to see snow for the first time. I was told Vermont was the place to go. We’re looking at the 23 - 27/28 of December. The town of Stowe seems to be pretty high up on all of the list of ski towns, but I just have a few questions before making any reservations - 1. The ski resorts are pretty much booked, would staying in town (Mountain Rd.) and getting a day pass for the resorts work? We have zero experience but would like to try skiing (Stowe), snow tubing (Smugglers), riding snow mobiles etc. 2. The resorts seems to be an hour apart in the winter, so I’m assuming spending a day at each resort would be the way to go?I would also like to spend a day just experiencing the town, shopping, restaurants etc. Is Stowe the right place? 3. What is the road between resorts like in the winter? Is travel doable? 4. Any other do’s/dont’s that I should know about before going?I have tried calling both resorts but couldn’t get an answer to any of these questions. If there’s somewhere else I should be asking this please let me know!

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Twombls t1_iyw6wgy wrote

Avoid stowe on holidays. Its a traffic nightmare and everything is way too expensive. Ski tickets are over $200 a day. The mountain road becomes a 3 hour backup.

For a first time skiier I reccomend bolton or smuggs.

Also theres a very big chance of there being no snow on Christmas.

The "direct" road beteen stowe and smuggs is closed in the winter

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OfferImpressive OP t1_iyw86li wrote

Thank you for responding! This is the type of info I'm looking for. Is it feasible to stay on Mountain Road (across from the rec path?) in Stowe and visit Smugglers with a day pass? Smuggs seems to be about an hour from where i would be staying. Is the town of Stowe interesting enough to visit even if we don't ski?

And does no snow on Xmas day mean the activities that i listed can't happen?

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HandCarvedRabbits t1_iywed7h wrote

Keep in mind that the trip from stow to Smuggs is at least 40 minutes because the road over the mountain is closed. As a northern Vermont person I would suggest you check out Jay.

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Twombls t1_iyw94l9 wrote

I don't think the mountain road is a feasible place to stay. On busy holidays traffic backs up all the way from the mountain to the town you might get stuck.

I would say stowe is an interesting town to visit if you don't ski. Plenty of shops and breweries.

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Accomplished_Scar717 t1_iyw9i0m wrote

I only have part of an answer. Stowe is a cute little town with a few art galleries, a bookstore, etc. But a whole day? If you also spend part of it at a spa, perhaps.

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frogyoubuddy t1_iywg7ww wrote

I frequently go out to the Stowe area as I work in town and I'd say that I would definitely try and make your way out to Smuggs or Bolton for a better time when it comes to just the wait. Stowe is seriously screwed in the winter time when it comes to skiing and other activities. The town itself is really nice to walk around and sight see but the shops and such are pretty pricey. If I were you I'd make the commute out to Burlington or even Jericho or Underhill, they have some nice spots to visit!

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OfferImpressive OP t1_iywiuvy wrote

Thank you! The only issue is lodging. The place we found is on Mountain Road, just down the street from Stowe Bowl in Stowe. Most of the activities are at Smuggs, so I was hoping to just buy a day pass and commute there for a day. Do you think this is doable?

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Serious_Code3588 t1_iyxrllm wrote

It's doable but may not be enjoyable. You'll probably be paying a premium to stay in stowe and will have to deal with traffic and a long drive. I'd probably stay somewhere else and just go check out the town of stowe for the day.

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Sunnryz t1_iywehpk wrote

We just stayed in Jeffersonville at Sterling ridge resort. It was spectacular. About a 25/30 minute drive to Stowe. I imagine it’s a bit trickier in the winter, but worth a look.

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OhMyAchingBrain t1_iywroca wrote

I wouldn't go to Stowe as a first time skier. Consider Bolton. Or anywhere but Stowe.

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AvianQuill t1_iywsipr wrote

Check out Killington or Jay Peak. Stowe will be overcrowded and over-priced.

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worps1 t1_iywvn3a wrote

I would recommend just spending your time at smuggs, the day to day driving around May become a drag

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Doberbeagle t1_iyx97vh wrote

I wouldn't recommend Stowe for zero experience skiers; you'll be paying a premium just to ski on the bunny hill. Stowe is oversold and it will be stressful and time-consuming trying to get there/get situated. I'm not a downhill skier, so I don't know firsthand, but as a local I think you will have a much nicer experience at Smuggs.

Route 100 is fairly flat and well maintained in wintertime, so no worries about getting between the towns. If you find an airbnb in the Morrisville/Morristown area, you'll be in between both resorts and out of the traffic of Stowe.

If you do want to drive into Stowe, pick an afternoon and do it then. The town is basically stretched out over the seven miles between the Village and the Resort, it's a nice drive and worth going up for a peek at the crazy development that's happened up there. But the Mountain Road is a huge bottleneck so I'd avoid mornings or late afternoons when the ski traffic is at a standstill. Just sneak in for lunch somewhere and then do some shopping in the Village so you can get back out easily.

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fruipieinthesky t1_iywxa66 wrote

There's no snow. And nothing showing up on the extended forecast. You could get lucky but you could also not.

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