Earlier this month, Megan, the girls, and I visited the Vermont Reindeer Farm, continuing our family’s annual holiday tradition. The Vermont Reindeer Farm is located in the rural town of West Charleston, Vermont, just 15 miles south of the Canadian border. The farm is owned and managed by Pauline Broe and her family. It is the only reindeer in the entire state of Vermont!
The experience begins with a brief introduction, during which Pauline and her husband share information about reindeer. They explained that they are the caretakers of some of Santa’s actual reindeer– Dasher, Cupid, and Prancer – as well as a new Alaskan baby reindeer named Aurora. In addition to meeting the reindeer, children have the opportunity to feed other deer and goats on the farm.
Aside from the animals, the farm is decked out in holiday décor. There is a “candy cane” walking trail through the woods, as well as the Reindeer Lodge, a cute warming hut that offers complimentary hot cocoa, Christmas cookies, and locally made Vermont products for sale. As a memento, your child will receive a “Nice List Certificate” if you provide Pauline with their name in advance.
Overall, both of my daughters loved the experience. Emerson is six years old, and this is her third consecutive year visiting the farm. Isla is two years old, and this was her first visit to the farm.
This year, we decided to turn it into a weekend trip. After finishing our visit to the reindeer farm, we hopped in the car and drove about an hour south to one of our favorite mountain towns – Stowe, Vermont.
We have been visiting Stowe about twice a year for the past decade. When traveling to Stowe, I typically recommend booking an Airbnb. Alternatively, if you prefer a hotel, consider staying at The Lodge at Spruce Peak. But this was a brief one-night trip, and we aimed to save money, so we booked a room at the Bluebird Cady Hill Lodge for around $200. Although Bluebird had recently been renovated, it still had an older feel to it in my opinion. The rooms were a bit too dim for my liking, and it appears that the bathroom didn’t receive as much attention during the renovation as the rest of the room. It almost felt as though they had run out of budget during the renovation project, and the bathrooms were neglected. That being said, I’m just informing, not complaining. Bluebird was offering one of the most affordable rates in Stowe for the night, so I didn’t have high expectations. For what it’s worth, the location is very central to everything in Stowe.
After checking into our room, we went back out to Main Street to explore some of the shops and have dinner. If you’ve ever been to Stowe, you know that Main Street exudes the quintessential Vermont vibe, with its charming boutique shops, historic homes, and a picturesque church crowned by a tall white steeple. During the holiday season, this street looks like it could be featured on a Hallmark card.
For dinner, we chose Whip Bar & Grill, which is one of our favorite dining spots in Stowe. The cozy atmosphere is the perfect setting for a winter night, and the food always delivers. In my experience, Whip has always been a safe option for those of us dining with celiac disease. For what it’s worth, the Find Me Gluten Free app supports this with a five-star rating.
The next morning, we headed to The Roastery, one of my favorite craft coffee spots in Stowe. I ordered a cortado, while Megan and Emerson ordered hot cocoa and pastries. We love the vibe, the baristas are extremely friendly, and the drinks are high-quality.
Afterward, we wanted to have an early lunch before continuing our journey. We decided to give Ranch Camp a try, and we are thrilled that we did! Ranch Camp is a hybrid establishment that combines a restaurant and a bike shop. It’s a very casual and awesome atmosphere for lunch. The menu consists of bar food, salads, bowls, and burritos. It is also super safe for anyone with celiac disease or gluten intolerance. The staff understood what celiac disease is, ensured that everything that goes into the fryer is gluten-free, and they even have certified gluten-free craft beer from Ground Breaker Brewing. When a restaurant offers gluten-free beer on the menu, it’s a sign that they understand dietary restrictions. Ranch Camp will absolutely be a regular lunch choice for us whenever we’re in Stowe.
After lunch, it was almost time to begin the journey home. But first, more coffee! We headed to Vermont Artisan Coffee & Tea, another top craft coffee spot in Stowe. I ordered a cortado again, and Emerson ordered a cupcake. Then we hit the road for our three-hour journey home.
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