Okemo Valley in the Winter
Top Picks in the Okemo Valley
Vermont’s natural snowfall turns the Green Mountains into a playground for outdoor recreation, setting it apart as a winter destination. Hand-picked by the editors of Yankee Magazine, these 5 highlights are just some of what the Okemo Valley offers in winter.
Weston, Vermont
The Vermont Country Store
In 1946, writer Vrest Orton set out to re-create an old-time country store, inspired by the one run by his father and grandfather a few decades earlier in East Calais. Together with his wife, Mildred, he set up shop in Weston, stocking household goods in a penny-candy-and-potbelly-stove setting. Over the years, the Orton family’s business has grown into a New England brand whose catalogs are found in millions of homes. But the stove and penny candy are still right here, along with everything from flannel nightgowns to classic toys. The Vermont Country Store also remains a big player in its small town, serving as the merry backdrop for the annual Christmas in Weston holiday festival.
Ludlow & Londonderry, Vermont
Okemo Mountain Resort & Magic Mountain
Though small in size, the Okemo Valley is home to every kind of downhill experience that winter-sports devotees might want. Ludlow’s Okemo Mountain Resort has grown from a community-run ski hill into a top-tier four-season resort. Its 2,200-foot vertical drop gives it the most in all of southern Vermont, while its 450-foot Superpipe—the longest in the East—and eight terrain parks are a big draw for freestylers. In Londonderry, new owners have preserved the old-school vibe of Magic Mountain, founded in 1960, even as they added lifts, snowmaking capacity, and southern Vermont’s only nighttime terrain park. Skiers can glide down narrow, twisting trails that have changed little from when they were first cut decades ago, and explore steep, deep, naturally beautiful glades.
Mount Holly, Vermont
Crowley Cheese
Just 10 minutes up the road from bustling Okemo Mountain Resort, in a village of Mount Holly called Healdville, stands a simple post-and-beam building that’s worthy of a foodie pilgrimage. This is the home of Vermont’s oldest cheese company, which got its start in 1824 in founder Winfield Crowley’s kitchen. The 1882 factory is today a National Historic Place where they still make Crowley’s cheddar-style cheese just as he did: by hand, in small batches, with Vermont raw milk. If you check the cheesemaking schedule in advance, you might be able to see the tradition being carried on right before your eyes.
APRÈS-SKI
– Ludlow, Vermont
As home base for the region’s biggest ski resort, Ludlow leads the way in Okemo Valley nightlife, with more than enough options to fill every day of your visit. Craft cocktails are paired with firepits and cozy booths at Main + Mountain, whose sister business, Homestyle Hotel, features farm-to-table food served the way families eat, with shared plates. Prefer small plates? Head to Stemwinder, a chic wine bar co-owned by the founder of the Wine & Cheese Depot next door. The burger-and-beer crowd flocks to The Loft Tavern, set in a rambling old barn, and to The Killarney, an Irish pub known for its fiery buffalo wings. Just outside town you’ll find even more good cheer at Outer Limits Brewing, where top-notch local beer and wood-fired pizza provide fuel for the next day’s ski runs.
VIKING NORDIC CENTER
– Londonderry, Vermont
One of the oldest cross-country ski centers in North America wears its heritage proudly—but also with a friendly wink. Yes, there are 35km of groomed trails that include options for advanced skiers, a fully stocked rental shop, and lessons in both skate and classic styles. But where else can kids ski their way through a “Great Cookie Hunt,” which rewards them for spotting wooden snowflakes and Viking helmets with a fresh-baked cookie from local bakery Grandma Miller’s? (Adults can earn cookies of their own by finding all the Viking faces carved into trees on some of the more distant trails.) Another one-of-a-kind delight at Viking Nordic Center: night skiing on select evenings on trails lit by historic gas lanterns.
More to See and Do
Places to Visit In Winter
Yankee Magazine’s editors hand-picked 5 places to visit in each Vermont region. Explore things to do in winter statewide.
