Trapp Family Lodge, Stowe, VT

When I was somewhere in my early elementary years, my mother told my brothers and me we were  going to watch The Sound of Music. My instant reaction was to groan and then think of what illness I could fake to be excused from watching what I imagined to be another film of some famous orchestra playing some famous work of which I did not at all fully appreciate at that time.

Thankfully, my initial judgement of the title ‘Sound of Music‘ was far from what this classic musical was really about. It became a cherished favorite of mine, one that I would watch over and over again, never tiring of it.

That said, it is no coincidence that I chose to visit the place that the Trapp family would finally settle at in America.

Like most resorts in Stowe, the Trapp Family Lodge offers farm-to-table dining, as well as its own deli/bakery. Knowing I couldn’t miss the opportunity to walk where Maria von Trapp walked, I scheduled in a true Vermont country breakfast as a ‘must do’.

I was toying with actually staying at the Trapp Family Lodge for the weekend, but the deal I found at Mountain Road Resort was too difficult to pass up.* After having spent a few hours there, I informed Lance that we must return and stay at the lodge in the summer or fall or maybe even next winter.

*It was a holiday weekend, after all.

Though it was only three miles from our hotel, these were three miles traveled unlike on any other short drive. We were taken past fields, barns, roads that twisted and curved through heavily wooded areas, and endless views of mountains before reaching our destination.

Ecstatic just isn’t the right word to use to describe how I felt, yet it is the only one that comes to mind. I was giddy over the thrill of experiencing a piece of history, of touching the place a woman and family of such integrity built.

The walls leading to the dining room were filled with framed pictures from “The Trapp Family Book” which is the true story of the Trapp Family written and illustrated by Hans Wilhelm.

The waitresses and waiters are dressed in traditional Austrian costume, as the Trapp family continued to dress during their years in America. Though the Almond Crusted Brioche French Toast on the menu sounded amazing, their beautifully displayed breakfast buffet was too enticing to pass up.

I could definitely get used to life in Vermont.

Farm fresh eggs, maple sausage, maple syrup, cheeses and meats, and pastries from their bakery are just a few of the things that made this breakfast heaven on earth for me.

And I feel the need to point out that they make their croissants the proper way*, with the ends rolled inside.

*Hubby did not realize this was an added step, hence why our first batch of croissants did not appear this way.

The hostess recognized my fascination with the lodge, as well as the fact that we were not hotel guests, and gave us a window seat with a view of the snow and mountains.*

*Let’s just ignore all those cars, mood killers.

Everything about the lodge is Austrian-inspired and after reading Maria von Trapp’s memoir “The Story of the Trapp Family Singers“, one could practically see her fingerprints on each nook and cranny of the grounds.

 

I naturally made a visit to the gift shop and walked away with maple syrup, a Christmas ornament, and Maria’s book. If you are also a lover of The Sound of Music, you’ll want to read her story. It tells the true events of this remarkable family from start to finish, clarifying aspects that Hollywood got carried away with, and driving home so many important fundamentals to life: God’s will, love, family, and music.

I walked away glowing with delight of simply being in such a place. I look forward to seeing the lodge in a different season and being able to walk around and soak in the nature and history embedded in each acre.

Trapp Family Lodge
700 Trapp Hill Rd
Stowe, Vemont 05672