Where to find Endless Mountains, Fall Leaves & Hot Apple Cider

Tucked between the valleys of the Green Mountains that make up Vermont, is the picturesque town of Stowe. Stowe is a small town in northern Vermont that is known for skiing and tourism. One of the town’s main attractions is Mount Mansfield’s, which is also Vermont’s highest peak (1). Although, Stowe today ranks as on of the most popular ski destinations in New England and the United States, it has a lot more to offer than just ski slopes (1). Let’s go check out this charming tourist town tucked away in the Green Mountains, which is also known for its Fall Leaves & Hot Apple Cider.

Downtown Stowe, VT. gets very busy. It was very difficult to find a parking spot and therefore we were not able to make a stop and walk around. Although, the downtown is small and quaint, we did notice many wonderful stores and restaurants that we will look for during our next visit. Moreover, the downtown offers sidewalks on all sides of the road making leisure walking at a mindful pace much more enjoyable.

Fun Fact

Stowe, VT. is known as the “Ski Capital of the East.” Stowe is the birthplace of alpine skinning in Vermont and home to the nation’s oldest ski patrol (1.)

Gondola Skyride

My wife and I arrived on a typical brisk cloudy autumn day. The visibility was not great, but the atmosphere and the surrounding nature was exquisite. We started our day at the famous and probably more popular attraction, the Stowe Gondola Skyride.

The Gondola Skyride is located at the base of Mount Mansfield. The Gondola ride will take you to the shoulder of the mountain near the peak. This drop point has various hiking trails, a gift shop, a restaurant, a snack shop that serves waffles, and a viewing platform. The top of the mountain was much colder than the base and we were literally inside a cloud when we departed the skyride. So, for anyone who has never traveled up a mountain, be prepared for drastic temperature drops and different climates.

The Cliff House is situated at the top of the Gondola Skyride. The restaurant serves American cuisine with a rustic flair. The Cliff House is only accessible via the Gondola Skyride and is only open for lunch. Outside of the Cliff House restaurant are restrooms if needed. This is a vast contrast from the base as they only offer porta potties for your restroom needs. So, if you can hold it until you reach the top, we would recommend that.

The Viewing platform was a bit cold and cloudy, which obstructed most of the view. The day we went out was unfortunately a typical overcast autumn day which limited our viewing ability. We can only imagine what a clear day would be like. Maybe next time. Supposedly, the locals claim you can see parts of Lake Champlain from this height.

Located across from the gift shop, near the exit ramp is The Waffle. Here, they serve the frosty traveler a warm delicious waffle that can be topped with a choice of Vermont’s own maple syrup, or chocolate sauce. The Waffle is a grab and go establishment and dining would have to take place at some of the benches located outside the complex. The Waffle also offers various packaged snacks, and refreshments.

This would be a typical Belgium waffle or what is left of it. The waffle was softer and easy to break apart giving it more of a pastry composition. We ordered ours to be topped with maple syrup since this is Vermont and maple syrup is their specialty. The waffle was made to order, served hot, and was a nice compliment to a cold autumn day.

The top station has many points of interest for relaxing and enjoying the alpine environment. One of those areas happened to be a row of Adirondack chairs that are positioned outside the Gondola top station near the cliff. Too bad it was cloudy because I am sure this view would have been breathtaking!

Stowe Bee Bakery & Café

1056 Mountain Rd, Stowe, VT 05672

The Stowe Bee Bakery is a great bakery with a wide assortment of sandwiches, pastries, coffees, and other delicious treats. The ambience inside the bakery is relaxing, charming, and clean. They offer indoor and outdoor seating. The inside is filled with large windows letting in a lot of sunlight, giving it a bright and cheerful feel. The food is delicious and made with quality ingredients that are locally sourced, adding to the wholesomeness of the food.

They also have a unique gift shop inside where you can buy some of Vermont’s world-renowned maple syrup along with other goodies. This place is a convenient stop as it is easy on and off from the main road, has a large parking lot for ease of parking and great food. This little spot meets all the qualifications of convenience and quality food.

Stowe Bee Bakery interior

The dining room is airy, with lots of windows to let in the sunlight. The hardwood floors are polished and well maintained. Moreover, there is an abundance of lighting for the gloomier days, which makes for a nice year-round ambience.

Throughout the bakery there are various cupboards, pictures, and other unique quirky items that add to the cozy appeal the bakery offers its patrons. Below are a few items we had for our lunch that we thought were exceptional.

Mt. Triple Grilled Panini

A delicious panini that has a generous portion of grilled chicken, local ham, Cabot white cheddar cheese, and a house made maple mustard. The sandwich was amazing and had that perfect crispy texture that only a perfectly grilled panini can give you.

Cinnamon Sugar Muffin

This wall pretty much sums up the bakery’s motto and how they incorporate bees into their products. The food, ambience, and artistic approach this bakery takes is one that is genuinely unique and would add meaningful delight to any trip to Stowe, VT.

Cold Hollow Cider Mill

3600 Waterbury-Stowe-Rd

Waterbury Center, VT

Cold Hollow Cider Mill is the essence of what Vermont is all about, hot apple cider, gift shops full of maple syrup, cider donuts and endless views of autumn-colored mountains. This magnificent cider mill has it all and will bring out the joy of autumn to anyone who ventures here. This unique working cider mill allows all patrons to see the inner workings of a real cider mill.

The cider mill showcases the process of creating apple cider. The mill presses raw cider on their vintage rack-and-cloth press machine, delivering a real Vermont McIntosh apple cider (2). Furthermore, the cider mill is also environmentally friendly by using solar power for powering most of the mill (2). They also recycle shipping boxes, and they no longer use polystyrene packing or GMO-modified ingredients (2).

The Cider Donut Process

The cider donuts are one of their biggest attractions and for a good reason. They are delicious! The donut is a cake donut that measures approximately 2.5 inches in diameter (2). The donuts are made fresh daily by their old fashion donut machine. The picture below gives you an idea of how the process works (2).

What I enjoyed about this donut is that there are no additives such as chocolate, frosting, or powdered sugar that would detract from the flavor. Instead, it is just a natural authentic cider donut. This famous donut goes great with a cup of warm apple cider.

The apple cider donut is a delicious cake donut that has a light crisp texture on the outside and a fluffy moist center. We would recommend you pick a few, especially if you can get them when they are freshly made. They also make a great road snack as well; your kids will thank you.

On the way to get your donuts, you will have the opportunity to get a cup of finished warm apple cider. The warm apple cider is a wonderful addition to a cold New England fall afternoon. This was the first time my wife and I tried authentic warm cider. I can honestly say there is nothing like it and this experience should not be missed. The apple cider will warm you up not only temperature wise but also with the spirit of autumn.

All through the cider mill complex there are several great places to sip on some hot apple cider, eat a cider donut and enjoy the beautiful distant mountains. Every trip to Stowe, VT. should include a trip to Cold Hollow Cider Mill. This place has it all. The place is extremely popular and usually draws large crowds, especially during the autumn months. Nevertheless, it is worth the crowded lines.

Conclusion

Well, there you have it, Stowe, VT. is a great place to stop with plenty to see and do. This is a smaller town, so a few hours would be all that is necessary to experience what Stowe, VT. has to offer. Make sure to check the times of the Gondola Skyride as they change throughout the year. Also, getting an up-to-date weather report might reward you some better views.

Stowe does offer a lot to do and many places of interest that would entertain the whole family. The next time you are in Vermont, I would recommend making a stop in Stowe, VT. as this small Vermont town is known for its endless mountains, fall leaves & hot apple cider. You will leave impressed and really get to see all the highlights that the lovely state of Vermont has to offer.

Autumn is a special time of year as it draws families near with warm kitchens, crisp breezes, and the beauty of the changing of the leaves, which gives the world a natural canvas of color. Make this upcoming Autumn season memorable with a trip to Stowe, VT. and enjoy the endless mountains, fall leaves & hot apple cider.

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References

1. Yankee, Staff. (2021). 5 Best Things to Do in Stowe, Vermont. New England Today Travel. https://newengland.com/today/travel/vermont/stowe/5-best-things-to-do-in-stowe-vt/#:~:text=Stowe%20is%20known%20as%20the,the%20nation’s%20oldest%20ski%20patrol.
2. Legendary Cider Donut. (2022). Cold Hollow Cider Mill. https://coldhollow.com/collections/bakery/products/2-doz-cider-donuts

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