The Real von Trapp Family Lodge Is Still Open—and You Can Stay There

The Sound of Music, which just celebrated its 61st anniversary, is one of the most beloved movie musicals of all time, and its songs have charmed multiple generations of viewers. There’s a rich history behind the 1965 blockbuster, as it was adapted from the 1959 Rodgers and Hammerstein Broadway musical of the same name, which was in turn based on the 1949 memoir The Story of the Trapp Family Singers by Maria von Trapp.

The name Maria von Trapp instantly conjures up nostalgic images of Julie Andrews frolicking in the hills, and she so fully embodied the role of the singing governess in 1938 Austria that it’s easy to forget the character was based on an actual person. The real Maria von Trapp, along with her employer turned husband, Baron Georg von Trapp (played by Christopher Plummer in the film) and his children fled Nazi Austria to immigrate to the U.S. and settled in Vermont, and the family had a surprising second act in hospitality.

Georg von Trapp had seven children with his first wife, Agathe Whitehead, who died in 1922, and he and Maria added three more children to their brood after their marriage. The musical family of 12, who toured the world as the Trapp Family Singers, needed plenty of space for their new residence, and they purchased a farm in Stowe, Vermont in 1942. Sadly, Georg died of lung cancer at 67 in 1947. In the years that followed, the family turned their property into a rustic lodge, which Maria ran until her death at 82 in 1987.

Amazingly, the lodge, now known as von Trapp Family Lodge & Resort, is still entirely owned and operated by the von Trapp family, and over 80 years after they first bought it, it remains a popular destination in Vermont. Read on to learn about the story of von Trapp Lodge and see how you can visit a real-life part of The Sound of Music.

From a run-down farmhouse to a sprawling ski lodge

The Vermont property that would become the von Trapp’s American residence was originally a dilapidated farmhouse—not exactly tourist material—but Maria was charmed by the land’s sweeping mountain views that felt reminiscent of the Austrian homeland they’d left behind.

Once the von Trapps bought the property, they set about rebuilding it, and by 1950, they opened their upgraded family home to the public as a 27-room ski lodge known as Trapp Family Lodge. The 1965 release of The Sound of Music kicked off a new wave of interest in the von Trapps, and in 1968, the lodge was expanded with 20 new rooms.

In 1980, after 30 years in business, Trapp Family Lodge was destroyed by a fire. Tragically, one of the guests staying in the hotel at the time was killed. The von Trapp family had already overcome their share of trauma, and having their hard-won American home and business burn down was devastating. Just as they’d done in previous years, they dedicated themselves to working through their hardship and coming out stronger, so they poured much time, effort and money into building a new lodge from the ground up. As Maria said after the disaster, “You just have to find out the will of God and do it.”

Three years after the fire, the fully rebuilt and expanded lodge opened its 73 rooms to the public in 1983. The Trapp Family Lodge stayed in the family following Maria’s death in 1987, and in 2000, a new wing was added to the building.

The von Trapp Family Lodge & Resort today: Breweries, maple syrup farms, wagon rides and more

The last living von Trapp child, Johannes, now 87, still lives in the lodge part-time and helps run it, while his daughter, Kristina, serves as the manager along with her husband. Johannes’ son, Sam, also lives and works at the lodge. Amazingly, not only has the lodge been in the von Trapp family for decades, it’s also gotten bigger and better than ever as the years have gone by.

Last year, all the public spaces and guest rooms at the lodge were fully renovated, and the name was changed from Trapp Family Lodge to von Trapp Family Lodge & Resort to better reflect the impressive variety of activities and amenities now offered at the hotel. Today, von Trapp Family Lodge & Resort offers 96 rooms along with villas and guest house chalets on 2,600 acres of land. The decor and hospitality are influenced by the family’s Austrian heritage, and their motto is “A Little of Austria . . . A Lot of Vermont!”

In addition to all that you’d expect to find at a historical hotel, the sprawling grounds of the lodge also feature a farm (in true Vermont fashion, they make their own maple syrup), ski trails, bike trails, wagon and sleigh rides, a brewery (producing traditional Austrian-style beers, of course) and much more, and it’s considered one of the most famous places in the quiet Vermont town of Stowe.

There are plenty of fun things to do at von Trapp Family Lodge & Resort, but it’s more than just a tourist attraction. Today, the lodge stands as a powerful symbol of family history and resilience. Visitors can further immerse themselves in von Trapp lore by taking history tours (which often feature Q&As with Kristina or Sam), and family memorabilia is displayed throughout the lodge. Maria and Georg von Trapp are even buried in the family cemetery located on the grounds, and their spirit can be felt throughout the beautiful space they built. Vermont is filled with vacation spots, but few of them boast a backstory quite this captivating, and the lodge remains a multigenerational source of fascination.