Boundless Summer Fun at The Lodge at Spruce Peak
Find adventure, connect with family, and make lasting memories in the Green Mountains.
By Yankee Custom Editors|Mar 27 2026|
At The Lodge at Spruce Peak in Stowe, Vermont, summer vacation puts a new spin on this luxury resort’s “lodge life” vibes.
Photo Credit: Courtesy of The Lodge at Spruce PeakSponsored by The Lodge at Spruce Peak
Anyone who’s been to summer camp knows those memories have serious staying power. Years later, they can still call up the thrill of new adventures and the almost giddy sense of freedom that summer offers. No chores, no routines, just halcyon days where your time is your own. That’s what makes summer camp so magical—and thanks to The Lodge at Spruce Peak, you can fall under its spell again, or maybe even for the first time.
Photo Credit: Courtesy of The Lodge at Spruce Peak
Set in the beloved mountain town of Stowe, Vermont, The Lodge offers an oversized playground of all-ages summer fun, alongside grown-up delights that you’d never find at sleepaway camp (craft cocktails, say, or indulgent spa treatments). Whether it’s morning coffee by the pool at sunrise, a gondola ride up Mount Mansfield, a ridge-line hike, or a bike ride through the village, the only limit on filling up a day here is your imagination.
And if summer always feels to you like it’s flying by, rest easy: The Spruce Peak team knows how to slow time so you can savor each moment.
Take It Outside
Crossed by the legendary Long Trail and nestled in the folds of the Green Mountains, Spruce Peak is a trove of outdoor adventure and exceptional hiking for all abilities. Right on the property you’ll find the Spruce Loop, a 1.2-mile, mostly flat trail that winds through the woods and village surrounding The Lodge; the nearby 660-foot Smuggler’s Notch Boardwalk is wheelchair- and stroller-friendly, and yields dramatic notch views for the whole family to enjoy. More ambitious hikers can tackle the daylong trek up Mount Mansfield, Vermont’s highest peak, for bragging rights and genuine awe. Dozens of other hikes around the Notch lead to cascades, hidden ponds, and historic lodges; when the moon is full, Spruce Peak guides are ready to hit the trails under the moonlight, pointing out constellations along the way.
Photo Credit: Courtesy of The Lodge at Spruce Peak
For relatively effortless views, the Stowe Gondola SkyRide can whisk the entire family (including the dog) up Mount Mansfield in less than 15 minutes. At the top, riders linger for lunch at the Cliff House (elevation 3,632 feet), taking in the panorama with a Wagyu burger or a waffle sundae.
Down in the valley, the paved, 5.3-mile-long Stowe Recreation Path offers an easygoing bike ride that meanders past farms, over brooks, and through Stowe Village. Pit stops—for lattes, crepes, pizza, and local ciders or beer—abound along the path. If you work up a sweat, the shallow pools along the West Branch of the Little River invite a quick cool-down.
Photo Credit: Courtesy of The Lodge at Spruce Peak
Back at The Lodge, the outdoor Pool at Spruce Peak promises swimming, yes, but it’s also a supremely relaxing spot for sipping a cocktail or chilling in the hot tub. Farther afield, you can answer the siren call of local swimming holes hidden in the hills, including the dramatic plunge pool at the base of Bingham Falls. On the Lamoille River, local partner outfitters lead canoe or kayak tours with wildlife sightings aplenty; along the riverbank, anglers drop their lines for walleye and trout.
Fun for the Littles
Steps from The Lodge at Spruce Peak but hidden from sight, the Enchanted Forest Playground lives up to its name—a whimsical playscape of ropes, swings, slides, and climbing challenges tucked into the forest. New features are added each season, from a kid-sized climbing wall to a zip line that whisks children over a wetland.
For more structured activities, check out the area’s many day camps and summer camps. You don’t even have to leave the resort to send your youngsters off to Spruce Peak Day Camp, where the schedule may include everything from tie-dying to a talent show, or give budding performers the spotlight at one of Spruce Peak Arts’ summer camps. Off-site, third-party purveyors of play offer days filled with hiking and rafting, cooking, puppetry, science, and more.
Photo Credit: Courtesy of The Lodge at Spruce Peak
As the afternoon gives way to evening, everyone in the family can find something to do in The Village at Spruce Peak, a district of shops and cafés clustered around a picturesque village green. On select summer Fridays here, Artisan Markets bring together local crafts and live music, followed by movie showings at sundown. At The WhistlePig Pavilion, guests and locals alike spread blankets on the lawn for The Spruce Peak Summer Concert Series, which sendsmusic echoing into the summer dusk. (The talent is top-notch: Last year, Vermont folk-pop superstar Noah Kahan performed here.)
Chasing the Hole in One
Photo Credit: Courtesy of The Lodge at Spruce Peak
Golfers are always—famously—competing against themselves, and that quest takes on new dimensions on Stowe’s pair of unforgettable courses: 36 holes of almost-molten contours carved into the rugged beauty of the northern Green Mountains.
Steps from The Lodge, The Mountain Course at Spruce Peak has garnered ink from national golf publications for its alpine views and distinctive fairways. The course, reserved for members of The Club at Spruce Peak and, exclusively, guests staying at The Lodge, has an unhurried vibe—with the first nine holes encircling the serene Peregrine Lake.
In the village, the historic Stowe Country Club undulates across a former dairy farm. From 2024 to 2025, Beau Welling Design renovated the entire course to balance playability and creativity, increasing variety for novice and advanced golfers alike.
Photo Credit: Courtesy of The Lodge at Spruce Peak
After a well-spent day on the links, golfers can retreat to The Spa at Spruce Peak, where deep-tissue massages, Hydrafacials™, and even exfoliating cider scrubs might be followed with a lingering session in the spa’s steam room, hot tub, or sauna. It’s the perfect antidote for sore muscles—and an oasis for anyone seeking a bit of serenity this summer.
Feeding the Soul
Playing in the mountains, you’re bound to work up an appetite. From crudo to creemees, poutine to Palomas, the talented culinary team at Spruce Peak keeps everyone well fed. At daybreak, The Beanery serves up lattes and pastries, while elsewhere in the Village, picnickers can stock up on snacks, sandwiches, and melts at The Pantry. Come lunchtime, Pico Taco serves scratch-made carne asada, al pastor, and mushroom-chorizo tacos, with cinnamon-dusted churros available for any sweet-tooth cravings.
Photo Credit: Courtesy of The Lodge at Spruce Peak
Stowe is one of Vermont’s most vibrant culinary towns, featuring streets lined with dozens of cafes, breweries, and restaurants. Yet guests don’t need to leave Spruce Peak for an outstanding supper. Chef Sean Blomgren draws on Vermont’s rich local bounty for the creative fare at Tipsy Trout, which also boasts a raw bar showcasing New England seafood at its finest: sustainably sourced shellfish, including oysters bought directly from small farms. The airy Alpine Hall composes tasting boards of Vermont cheeses and cured meats, plus more decadent plates such as steak frites or duck-confit grilled cheese. Spirits connoisseurs, meanwhile, can head over to The WhistlePig Pavilion for elevated comfort food and a taste of Vermont’s most famous whiskey, to see what all the buzz is about.
Would your perfect summer night at Spruce Peak be complete without a s’mores or maple creemee under the stars? We’re not sure. What we do know: In the Green Mountains, summer needs no translation.
To get started planning your perfect Vermont summer vacation, please visit The Lodge at Spruce Peak website.
