For many guests, the von Trapp Family Lodge & Resort begins with a story they already know — The Sound of Music: Do-Re-Mi, Edelweiss, the von Trapp children lined up in song, and the hills alive with Maria and the Captain at the center.
What they find when they arrive is a 2,600-acre Stowe, Vermont, landscape shaped by that story, with Alpine-style buildings, working farmland, trail networks and a family-run hospitality business that has evolved over generations.
“Come for our story, leave with your own,” is the resort’s newfound brand invitation that speaks to its draw as a landmark where visitors discover deeper personal connections during their stay.
Photos: Kate Carter
Today, Kristina von Trapp Frame guides a legacy with modern-day experiences that are rooted in nostalgia. She’s the granddaughter of Maria and Captain Georg von Trapp. Her father Johannes had expanded and elevated the lodge through the ages, establishing the country’s first Nordic cross-country ski center. Now alongside her brother, Sam, Kristina helps oversee an experiential operation that represents an enduring, cherished family story.
It’s a bucket list place.
For some guests, a visit is a pilgrimage tied to the movie. For others, it’s a family vacation, a honeymoon, a ski weekend or a quiet retreat. Many return time and again, sometimes over decades.
“People come for The Sound of Music and create their own memories here,” Kristina says.
This connection is what defines the von Trapp Lodge & Resort’s retail program. As Lisa Hunt, the retail buyer, points out, “It’s the most loved musical of all time, and we want to make sure our guests have a great experience and something they can take home.”
The real von Trapp
Kristina greets guests personally and most are amazed at the sheer access to a “real von Trapp.”
There’s nothing pretentious. Yes, sophisticated. All things are grounded in a moment. Also surprising to visitors: her childhood was more barn chores than Broadway.
“We didn’t grow up singing around the piano,” she laughs, though quick to add classical music was always punctuating a theme. “We had horses, chickens, dogs and cats. We didn’t watch TV or know about The Sound of Music until we were 10 or 11.”
Without exposure to the musical that was globally embraced, Kristina says in all practicality, they lived a life like any other that had to go to the dentist, do chores, set the table and help on the land they labored over and loved.
Only many years later did she understand how deeply the story resonated with others as a symbol of resilience, courage and comfort. The same is true today. “The world is pretty heavy right now,” she relates. “I feel grateful to be part of something that brings people hope and joy.”
Indeed, the von Trapp hills are alive with energy year-round, and its collection of retail outposts offer venues to meet guests in all the moments.
Kristina applies two guiding tests when evaluating products and displays. There is heritage: “a little Austria, a lot of Vermont.”
And there’s a German word her father loved: Gemütlichkeit, meaning warm, cozy, intimate hospitality. “Not pretentious, not formal, more like walking into someone’s home,” she relates.
This philosophy translates into sourcing higher-quality materials, timeless designs and prioritizing authenticity over novelty. “We want things people will still love 10 or 20 years from now,” Kristina says.
Hunt approaches the assortment like a painter building a scene. “I start to visualize a whole section — the Scottish Highlander cattle, gardening, winter living — and then build the pieces around it,” she says.
Every gift tells a story
The primary lodge boutique was relocated and renovated two years ago to sit at lobby level. Once tucked downstairs with limited visibility, the shop now benefits from constant flow. The redesign included modern fixtures such as glass and metal shelving, improved lighting, warm wood elements and mood setters like classical music.
Tangico’s name-drop wine stoppers are placed by drinkware.
Here, guests find branded apparel, ceramics, ornaments, books, jewelry and keepsakes including Tangico’s wine stoppers and cork coasters. Mugs, ornaments, mittens and sweatshirts are perennial top sellers. Books are a signature category, especially when paired with Kristina’s signings after history tours.
“We carry really special, one-of-a-kind gifts and souvenirs for visitors who want to take home a little something,” Hunt says.
Cow and sheep tours centered on the flock of Katahdin breed developed in Maine are especially memorable for guests and “just as important as seeing a von Trapp,” Kristina quips.
Plush by Douglas and other suppliers tie to the resort’s Scottish Highland cattle that roam the property and were introduced by Johannes von Trapp in the 1960s. Smaller plush may be outfitted with name-drop bandannas.
Ornaments sell year-round, as do drinkware and gifts bearing familiar Sound of Music themes. Then other gifts tell a story, and this is literally the case with von Trapp’s books. Those include coffee table titles, the von Trapp family history and Maria’s story.
After tours, Kristina is prepared to sign copies in the main lodge boutique.
Welcome, all the way
Beyond the main boutique, The Outdoor Center functions as a retail and activity hub. It’s the departure point for hiking, mountain biking, Nordic skiing, snowshoeing and tours.
Merchandise reflects this with technical layers, Nordic apparel, winter gear, lifestyle outdoor clothing and accessories. Brands span from Swix to Patagonia and Craft.
Adults can remember the trip with a scenic postcard.
Meanwhile, von Trapp Brewing and Bierhall are a sub-brand anchored by German-made steins, glassware and brewery-logo merchandise sourced from specialty importers.
Smaller retail touchpoints include the fitness center with robes, spa items and swimwear. The Kaffeehaus sells Austrian and Vermont pantry gifts like Darbo jams, crackers and baked goods.
No matter where guests find themselves on the von Trapp journey, hospitable associates are there to share. Staff are trained not just to ring transactions, but to answer questions about the property, family and history.
Kristina laughs, “They all get asked if they are a von Trapp.”
There’s usually one within eyeshot.
Leave with your story
There’s a von Trapp way and connecting extends to staff. Kristina leans in to associates who are an extension of the family business during long, busy days and works to “keep spirits up” during rushes.
Sometimes this means giving a team member an outdoor breather, other times she’s handing out imported chocolates from Salzburg. She makes sure everyone is treated the same. “We all hustle,” she says.
During charter bus arrival days, operations shift into high-volume mode with multiple registers, pre-staged books and tight coordination. Retail becomes choreography.
It’s always personal.
“People share their stories with us, too, and they’re very intimate stories so we are very respectful of that,” Kristina says of soaking in the way The Sound of Music and von Trapp story has made an imprint on so many lives in small and big ways.
One guest shared how her deaf mother learned to lip read by watching The Sound of Music. Another visitor named three of her children after von Trapps.
“People have brought it into their lives in extremely personal ways,” Kristina says.
And when guests leave the Vermont green hills with a tangible memory, they’re carrying a piece of a place that made an impact.
Ever pragmatic and connected to the outdoors — more garden than gala, more feeding the cows than fueling social feeds — Kristina continues sharing the family story with guests from around the world.
“When you’re here, everything boils down to what’s important to you, what you can let go of,” she says. “It’s a time to reflect, connect with nature and leave with your story.”
