Imagine an idyllic New England boulevard, lined with bustling local craft shops and welcoming, cozy cafés. This storybook image finds its real-life counterpart in Stowe Mountain Road, the shopping artery of Stowe, Vermont. Here are a few of the Mountain Road’s best offerings.

• Mountain Cheese & Wine : No wonder its cheese is world famous: Vermont has one cow for every two of its citizens. Stowe’s own cheese shop and winery has one of the widest assortments in the region, and its knowledgeable salespeople will give you samples as well as answers to any questions you might have about their different selections.

• Stowe Craft Gallery : With offerings ranging from refined to delightfully kitschy, Stowe’s craft gallery is a reliable source for handmade gifts, souvenirs and home furnishings. You can expect everything sold here to have been painstakingly crafted, and buyers are given lots of personal attention by gallery employees, most of whom are also artists.

• Cotswold Furniture : If you want sleek, sturdy wood furniture made by craftsmen, not factories, look no further than Cotswold. The gallery and shop offers rugs, lamps, ceramics and glass art in addition to wood furnishings. The visionary behind Cotswold is John Lomas, whose craft-minded philosophy has resulted in a company that successfully infuses modern design with tradition.

• Green Mountain Fine Art : It’s actually located on South Main Street, only a few minutes walk from Mountain Road. The Green Mountain gallery highlights over thirty diverse Vermont artists, including some who paint local landscapes. If you want to buy fine art prints in Stowe, this is the place to go.