Stowe is something of a symbol of American ski destinations - a four-season resort with a history as colorful as its countryside. Visitors have been coming here since the Green Mountain Inn opened on Main Street in 1848. Winter is king, but summers are packed with activities and people visit from all over the world to see the town's fabled sights.

In June, July, and August there are antique car rallies, horse and dog shows, a craft fair, even a fiddlers' meeting, and a robust Oktoberfest. Antiquing is a popular pastime, as is hiking, biking, and dining at an array of individually owned and operated restaurants.

Topnotch at Stowe, that posh resort at 4000 Mountain Road (VT Route 108) near Mount Mansfield, is the place to rent horses by the hour or for a trail ride: Call 802-253-8585 and ask for the stables.

The more familiar summer pastimes are well covered too. Stowe Country Club has an 18-hole golf course; tennis courts abound (many hotels and lodges have their own); hiking, bicycling, fishing, and photography can fill whole weeks.

Today, Stowe lodging fosters more than 65 luxury resorts, spas, romantic country inns, and B&Bs. Stowe dining, encompassing 75 restaurants, has won more awards for culinary excellence than any New England town of similar size. Every one of Stowe's 100 shops and boutiques is unique and owner-operated. There's not a franchise to be found. The combination of Vermont's most famous village and Mt. Mansfield, the state's highest mountain, produce an unmatched magic.

The village of Stowe, with its centerpiece white clapboard church and soaring steeple, retains the charm of a time gone by. The Mountain Road, leading to Stowe Mountain Resort, overflows with inns, restaurants and shops. For much of the distance, the Stowe Recreation Path meanders along a stream, revealing beautiful scenery.

For the summer outdoor enthusiast, Stowe has hiking, golf, fly-fishing, mountain biking, and some of the most beautiful scenery in the country. There are swimming holes and the famed Rec Path, where you can jog, roller blade, bicycle, stroll, or sit by the river doing absolutely nothing. Whether hard-core athlete, weekend warrior, or simply fitness buff, Stowe offers many options for play.

Nearby Burlington, Vermont's largest city, offers many big city amenities despite its relatively small size. Lake Champlain (sometimes called the sixth Great Lake), is a playground for sailing, swimming, fishing, water skiing, and scuba diving. While you're at it, if you downhill, cross-country ski, or snowboard, plan a winter visit. It's a must for skiers and riders.

If you are traveling by air, you can fly from JFK (New York City's most on-time airport) to Burlington (Vermont) International Airport at a reasonable cost. If you are driving from north, south, east or west, you can take major interstates or highways almost to Stowe's doorstep. Once you get to Interstate 89, take Exit 10 and then Route 100 North into Stowe Village (about 15 minutes). Turn left onto Route 108, the Mountain Road. Stowe Mountain Resort is six miles up on the left. Amtrak's Montrealer goes to the Waterbury-Stowe station.