Vermont's Austrian-Inspired Mountain Lodge Is A Nostalgic Stowe Stay With Four-Season Activities

If you've seen "The Sound of Music," then you know about the von Trapp family and their idyllic Austrian homeland. But you might not have known that a major piece of the von Trapp family legacy is in Vermont, and today, it's a family-run mountain lodge where you can spin through the hills like Julie Andrews channeling Maria von Trapp. After the von Trapps fled Austria, they made their home in the mountains of Stowe, Vermont, and fixed up an old farmhouse, which stands as the von Trapp Family Lodge & Resort. The resort you'll find today has expanded into much more than the farmhouse it started as. It hosts, among other things, a brewery, hiking and biking trails, and winter sleigh rides, all punctuated by year-round mountain views that echo the landscapes of Salzburg.

The alpine-like views that encompass the von Trapp Family Lodge & Resort are no coincidence. Johannes von Trapp, who lives on the property and is the last surviving von Trapp child, told Good Morning America, "The village of Stowe, with its steeple[...] and lovely fields around it, really reminded my family so much of Austria." In its own way, the lodge was a home away from home for the von Trapps, and that sense of places commingling is part of its draw for visitors today. The lodge's origin story appears in winks and nods throughout the stay, from charming room names like "Edelweiss King" or "Salzburg Suite" to the on-site bierhall that serves schnitzel and strudel.

Frolicking on the hillside in the vein of the von Trapps-inspired musical is certainly one way to leverage the von Trapp Lodge & Resort's idyllic setting, but its activity potential is boundless. In warmer weather, the hiking options around the resort wind along the slopes of the Green Mountains, where you can see wildflower blooms in the spring or bring binoculars for birdwatching. A favorite is the short hike (about 1 mile out-and-back) to the property's stone chapel, which was built by one of the von Trapps in the forest behind the lodge. Beyond the chapel, trails branch out across a couple of summits, plus the resort is under a 30-minute drive from more trails at Mount Mansfield, Vermont's highest mountain with panoramic fall vistas.

As the weather gets cooler, leaf-peeping is a must all around the lodge's hometown of Stowe, nicknamed "Fall's Color Capital." The lodge grounds themselves are speckled with apple trees and surrounded by views of the Green Mountain peaks. You might pair the foliage views with a stop at the von Trapp Family Farm, located on the property. You can book a visit with the farm's herd of Scottish Highland Cattle, or tour its Maple Sugar House (with the house-made syrup available to buy at the lodge's gift shop).

Come winter, the von Trapp property views turn frosty, but there's still plenty to do. Trails around the hillsides become ripe for a cross-country skiing or snowshoeing outing. There's even a pasture cabin serving hot drinks and soup to those trekking through the snow-covered forest, reminiscent of an alpine Alm. If you'd rather let your legs rest, you can opt to book a sleigh ride pulled by horses through the white pastures.

Though the von Trapp Lodge dates to the mid-20th century — and its exterior harkens to an even more historic Austrian style — all the guest rooms and public areas inside were renovated as recently as 2025, with a full suite of modern amenities. Rooms come with high-speed internet, TVs, flannel robes, and toiletries. They range from standard rooms to sprawling private villas, and the rates vary with them. At the lower end, rooms cost $300 to $500 a night, while the more premium options can go up to over $1,000 nightly.

Something to note for visitors who are interested in the lodge's history but aren't looking for an overnight stay: You can get a von Trapp property pass without booking a room. This could be a great option if you want to see the farm, do a history tour, or just explore the grounds if you're passing through the area on Vermont's wildly scenic Green Mountain Byway. Passes are offered for a single day or seasonally.

If you're flying in, the von Trapp Lodge & Resort is around a 50-minute drive from the Burlington International Airport. The lodge doesn't offer a shuttle service from the airport, though there is a shuttle that can take you between locations on the property.