Route 100 tells stories as you drive. This self-guided tour uses GPS-triggered audio so the narration plays when you’re near each stop, making it easy to shape your day. I also love the stop-anytime flexibility—you can pause, grab a snack, and restart without wrestling with a guide.

My other big plus is value: $16.99 per group (up to 8) lets you split the cost, and the tour is designed for offline use with pre-download support. One thing to plan for is that some sections can feel quiet if your phone signal is spotty, so you’ll want to be ready for those audio gaps—and a few top stops have admission you’ll pay separately.

Key highlights worth your attention

• GPS-based autoplay: stories, tips, and directions trigger based on where you are
• Up to 8 people for one price: group-friendly cost at $16.99
• Offline-ready: pre-download so the drive doesn’t depend on constant service
• RT100 + RT108 variety: covered bridges, Stowe, and Smugglers Notch along the route
• Food stops included in the fun, not in the price: cider, cheese tastings, and ice cream are great add-ons (but cost extra)
• 300 audio points: a lot of background for a day on the road

Why this RT100 audio drive feels different than a typical day-trip

This isn’t a bus tour with a fixed schedule. It’s a self-guided driving experience along Vermont’s Route 100 Scenic Byway, built around location-based narration. That means the tour can keep your momentum while still giving you freedom to decide how long to linger.

You’re basically driving the byway with a helpful local running commentary from the passenger seat. Some stops include practical tips (where to park, what to look for), while others slow you down just enough to catch the story behind a bridge, a town, or a historic route.

And yes, it’s a full-day drive. The total time is typically about 9 to 10 hours, but it stretches or shrinks based on how many stops you make and how long you spend in each place.

Price and value: $16.99 per group up to 8 people

At $16.99 per group (up to 8), this is priced like an add-on you can actually justify even if you’re not traveling with a crowd. If you’re a family or two couples sharing one car, the math gets even easier.

The audio content is extensive—300 points—so you’re not just paying for a handful of narrated landmarks. You’re paying for a full route-day of guidance, context, and directions you can replay later, since it’s a buy once, use forever setup with free updates.

One value note: food and drinks aren’t included, and some attractions charge admission. The tour still makes those stops easy to plan, but you should budget extra if you want to sample everything along the way.

How the GPS audio tour actually works while you’re driving

The core design is simple: your phone or audio device plays stories, tips, and directions that autoplay based on GPS location. You don’t have to manually tap through a list while you’re on the road.

It’s also built for real-life driving conditions. The app supports pre-download so you can tour offline, and it asks for minimum tech like iOS 15 / Android 9 (and iPads with GPS chips). That matters in Vermont, where service can be inconsistent.

From experience with this format, I’d treat it like this: listen for the beginning of each story near a stop, then park and take your time. If you’re stuck in a low-signal area, don’t panic if you hear silence between segments—plan to let the route do the work.

Route 100 covered bridges: protected classics you can’t rush

Your first big anchor is the heart of the route: Vermont Route 100. The audio pacing here is helpful because covered bridges can blend together fast once you’re driving all day. This portion keeps the details from turning into blur.

Vermont holds the record for the greatest number of authentic covered bridges per capita in the country. The tour points you to several favorites along the drive, including bridges near Warren, Waitsfield, and Jeffersonville. Jeffersonville sits near the very northern end of the tour route, and you’ll also be connected to Route 100’s northern stretch via RT108.

What I like about this setup: it gives you a reason to slow down beyond the photo op. A covered bridge is part engineering, part local identity, and the audio helps you notice what makes them worth stopping for—not just passing through.

Practical tip for this section

Plan to park and walk at least a little. Even a short stroll helps you see the bridge from different angles and appreciate why it’s “covered” in the first place.

Stowe: postcard town center, busy even when it looks relaxed

Next comes Stowe, and the tone shifts from scenic driving to small-town energy. The audio frames it as a ski area town first—Mount Mansfield and Spruce Peak are part of the story—but it also explains what happens in warmer months.

Stowe’s busy season is actually summer, when visitors flock for hiking, golf, rockclimbing, biking, and ziplining. And in fall, it’s a known stop for leaf peepers chasing Vermont’s color show.

The way this section is written is useful for planning. If you’re visiting in summer, you can expect more action downtown and around popular trails. If you’re visiting in fall, you can expect extra crowds that change your timing for parking and walking.

One drawback to consider here

Stowe is popular, so if you want slow, quiet viewing, you may need to adjust your expectations. This is one of the most “do stuff” towns on the route.

Smugglers Notch: a scenic drive with a human history thread

Between Stowe and Jeffersonville, the tour highlights Smugglers Notch—and it doesn’t treat it like a random viewpoint. It explains what a “notch” is depending on where you’re from, and then connects the pass to movement across the mountains.

Smugglers Notch represents a path between the Green Mountains and the Sterling Range. The audio also brings in the darker side: goods, livestock, and liquor moved through routes like this, and the passage was also used by slaves escaping to Canada.

Then it lands back on practical fun: Smugglers Notch is a scenic part of the drive and it follows RT108 between Stowe and Jeffersonville (the northern end of the tour route).

For me, this is one of the more meaningful parts of the day because it gives you context while you’re already surrounded by the terrain that made movement possible. You don’t just see the mountains—you understand how people used them.

von Trapp Family Lodge & Resort: Sound of Music fame, plus modern variety

The tour stops at von Trapp Family Lodge & Resort with a story that starts with the Sound of Music connection. The family settled in the U.S. after fleeing Nazi-occupied Austria in 1939, then purchased an old farm in Stowe, later renamed to the lodge.

Today, the site offers more than history. The tour notes accommodations, dining, and a brewery onsite. That matters if you want your drive to include a clear “meal or refresh” moment rather than just a photo stop.

Admission here is not included, so if you want to go inside for views or a guided element of the property, you’ll pay on your own.

What you’ll enjoy most

If you like places that have both story and services, this is a good stop. It’s built for visitors, so it’s easier to turn a quick break into something longer.

Cold Hollow Cider Mill: classic Vermont comfort break

Few things feel more Vermont than a hot cup of cider. The audio frames Cold Hollow Cider Mill as a classic stop, especially on colder days—but it’s also enjoyable when it’s warm since cider and donuts are still a thing.

The tour encourages you to try hot apple cider, and it also points out that cider can be a tasty alternative to beer and wine when fermented. And the practical payoff: cider pairs naturally with donuts, since it’s a classic flavor combo.

Like other food stops, admission here is not included, so this is a pay-as-you-go treat. But it’s one of the easiest places to justify a detour from the “just keep driving” mindset.

Cabot Creamery Store (Waterbury): taste Vermont dairy without guesswork

Next is Cabot Creamery Store in Waterbury, described as a place where you can sample classic Vermont cheeses and other goodies in a single location. The audio keeps it straightforward: you can enjoy sampling cheeses and chocolates, plus regional items like hard ciders and wines.

This is one of the most efficient “food value” stops on the route day. Instead of hunting for local dairy shops one by one, you get a concentrated tasting experience at a well-known stop.

Admission isn’t included, which is common for tasting-friendly stores. Plan on buying something if you want the full experience, whether that’s a snack, a gift, or a few items to take home.

Ben & Jerry’s: the ice cream factory stop you’ll plan around

No Vermont road trip list feels complete without Ben & Jerry’s. The tour calls it the number one foodie highlight along this byway, and it gives you a sense of the decision pressure: upwards of 55 flavors.

That’s the kind of detail that changes how you experience the stop. If you walk in cold—no pun intended—you might end up standing there a long time. The audio nudges you toward “retired” flavors in a flavor graveyard, which is a fun twist if you like behind-the-scenes food trivia.

Admission isn’t included here either, so treat this like an add-on you fund separately. If ice cream is your priority, you’ll probably keep your day moving with this stop in mind.

The Vermont Country Store in Weston: wool, souvenirs, and old-school browsing

Then the tour pivots to Americana shopping at The Vermont Country Store in Weston. The audio describes it as quintessential Vermont country-store style, with plenty to sample and browse—plus quality woollen and outerware.

This is a good stop when you want something different from food tastings. It’s more about browsing, collecting small souvenirs, and picking up practical clothing items if you’re coming from warmer weather.

Admission isn’t included, but it’s also a stop where you can do different versions of the experience. You can pop in for a quick look, or you can spend time comparing items.

Calvin Coolidge Homestead (near Killington): optional, but thoughtful

The route also offers Calvin Coolidge Homestead near the Killington portion of the drive. The audio emphasizes Coolidge’s values—honesty, frugality, and reserved self restraint—and positions the site as a place to learn how the president, a native Vermonter, helped restore public confidence in government.

This stop is marked as optional, and admission fees vary around $12 per adult. If you’re a history person, it’s worth considering because it’s not just another photo stop. If you’re not, you may prefer to spend that time on food tastings, bridge viewpoints, or extra time in Stowe.

Timing, pacing, and route choices you can actually control

One of the best parts of a self-guided audio drive is control. The tour gives suggested routes and guidance, but it also lets you create your own itinerary along the byway based on what you care about most.

In practical terms, here’s how to pace a day like this:

• Start early if you want calmer stops in Stowe.
• Decide your “must buy” items ahead of time (cider, cheese, ice cream), so you don’t lose time inside deciding.
• Plan for slower sections near popular viewpoints, especially if you’re stopping for photos at multiple covered bridges.

Also, this tour is often booked around 25 days in advance. That’s a hint that it’s popular with road-trippers and families, so don’t wait until the last minute if you’re traveling in peak season.

Who this self-guided RT100 tour is best for

This drive fits you if you want:

• A full day outdoors with towns and tastings built in
• GPS-triggered narration so you don’t miss key context
• Flexibility to stop, start, and adjust without coordinating with anyone else
• A group-friendly price that doesn’t punish you for traveling with others

It may feel less ideal if you need very tight scheduling. Even though the narration helps, the experience depends on how long you linger at stops.

It also helps if you enjoy small, specific places over big-city attractions. Route 100 shines on details: the bridge design, the town feel, the notch story, and the food stops.

Book it or skip it: my take

I’d book this tour if you want an organized, story-based day on Route 100 without paying for a guided bus schedule. The combination of GPS location-based audio, offline support, and a strong set of named stops makes it easy to plan—and it’s good value at $16.99 per group up to 8.

I’d think twice if you hate uncertainty around quiet moments in low-signal areas or you dislike paying separate admission for places like the lodge, cider mill, Coolidge homestead, and the food attractions. If that’s you, make a simple plan: download ahead, expect to pay for food and select admissions, and treat the audio pauses as part of the road rhythm.

FAQ

How much does the Vermont Route 100 audio driving tour cost?

It costs $16.99 per group, for up to 8 people.

How long is the tour?

The total duration is about 9 to 10 hours, depending on which stops you choose and how long you spend at each.

Is the tour offered in English?

Yes, it is offered in English.

Is this a guided tour with a live guide?

No. It is a self-guided audio tour using GPS location-based autoplay.

Does the tour work offline?

You can pre-download and tour offline.

What is included in the price?

The tour includes the GuideAlong (GyPSy Guide) audio tour with 300 points, location-based autoplay of stories and tips, flexible routes and a trip planner (in-app web and PDF), and customer support.

What is not included?

Food and drinks are not included, and admission tickets for several stops are not included.

Can I stop and start during the drive?

Yes. The tour is designed to be flexible, and the audio plays based on your GPS location as you move along the route.

Where does the tour end?

This activity ends in a different location than where it starts. Exact details are listed after booking.

What are the opening hours?

The provided information shows Monday through Sunday from 12:00 AM to 12:00 PM for the listed date range.

What is the cancellation policy?

Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund. If you cancel less than 24 hours before the start time, the amount paid is not refunded.