Looking for a fun summer vacation spot? If you're looking for things to do in Lake Champlain, these are my top 8 recommendations!
Discover the ultimate aquatic adventures around Lake Champlain, from exhilarating boating and fishing to thrilling water sports in the heart of Vermont.
New FMCAdventure bloggers, RV-A-GOGO, share their experience exploring Lake Champlain, Vermont.
On May 18th, 1971, a T-39 Sabreliner jet vanished over Lake Champlain in Vermont. The plane, carrying four individuals, disappeared during a training mission
Discover the ultimate aquatic adventures around Lake Champlain, from exhilarating boating and fishing to thrilling water sports in the heart of Vermont.
Route 100 Vermont is a scenic drive and one of the best road trips in all of America. Here is a full guide on everything you need to know about Route 100.
Be prepared to be wowed by the views when you take this scenic road trip overlooking Lake Champlain in Vermont.
Burlington is the coolest city in the state of Vermont. Find out why from a local, plus 25 of the very best things to do in Burlington VT.
Spend a perfect fall weekend in the Lake Champlain Islands of Vermont. Mid-September to mid-October is the perfect shoulder season to visit.
Are you ready for the beauty of Burlington? With panoramic views of the Adirondack Mountains and Lake Champlain, don't let anything stop you from visiting this dream destination. Home to gorgeous year round weather, there are so many amazing things to do in Burlington VT.
Lake Champlain, New York Available in 8.5” x 11”, 11.7” x 16.5” and 13” x 19”. Printed on premium quality archival luster photographic paper providing vibrant colors and long lasting. Print is sold unframed due to the high cost of shipping framed artwork. There is significant value in local framing. Ships within 2 business days in a sturdy mailer. If the print is damaged during shipping, I will replace it at no charge if contacted immediately upon delivery. I will gladly accept returns for a full refund if I am notified within 7 days of delivery and the photo is returned to me within 14 days. It is important to me that you are happy with your print. Please note that the colors shown on your monitor may appear slightly different than the actual print due to variances in monitor calibration.
Are you in the midst of planning a trip to Burlington on a budget? Check out this post to learn all about the best free things to do in Burlington VT!
New sightings of the Loch Ness-like creature that's been making brief appearances since the early 1980s have been reported.
Are you ready to explore Vermont's largest city with your family? Kids love the car-free Church Street Marketplace in Burlington, VT Burlington, Vermont, is such a special place! It's a great city for families with
A giant freshwater gem that links two U.S. states and Canada, Lake Champlain is also a top New England summer travel destination.
Interested in learning more about Lake Champlain? Below you will find 7 fun facts regarding the islands, fish, history, and more of Vermont's largest lake!
If you're wondering what to do around Lake Champlain, Vermont, keep reading and I'll share a few of my favorite destinations with you.
Ferry entering Port Kent, NY When you spend four days in northern New York, you have some time to cross state lines and explore beyond the Empire State. Up in Ausable Chasm, you can do this quite easily (and affordably) in neighboring Port Kent. You can leave New York behind and take an hour cruise across Lake Champlain over to Burlington, Vermont. One scenic boat ride is all it takes and you can swap quiet Ausable for bustling Burlington, home to amazing breweries, great food, and amazing bike paths. Ferry Crossing from Port Kent, New York to Burlington, Vermont The ferry departs Burlington Vermont for Port Kent New York five times a day starting at 9:30 am with the last ferry out at 5:30. The ferry arrives in New York starting at 10:50 am and the last ferry out being 6:35. To spend as much time as possible in Burlington, we planned to take the 10:50 ferry over and the 5:30 ferry back, giving up about 5.5 hours (including the one hour crossing) to explore Burlington via bike. If you prefer to take your car, that is also an option and reservations are not accepted. The fares are reasonable at $8 a person, $9 a bike and person, and $30 a car and a person (one way). The ferry crossing was smooth and food and beverages were served on board. We spent the one hour cruising on the deck, enjoying the day and chatting with a family making their way over to Burlington for the day. Get all the information you need about the ferry, including the schedule, here. Waiting at the Port Kent, NY ferry terminal View of Lake Champlain Car Ferry - Burlington GoPro view from the ferry Once you get to Burlington, there is plenty (and I mean plenty) to do. We had plans to bring our bikes and see the town on two wheels so I did my KW research on local bike routes. Burlington made it easy for me and within 15 minutes I found this great guide from the local bike shop Local Motion. Their guide included a 10-mile bike loop that takes you around historical parts of Burlington, Vermont. Cycle the City / Local Motion Bike Routes around the city Bike Trail - Burlington, VT Pedaling along the bike path This 10 mile loop starts on the Island Line Trail, an impressive and active recreation path open to bikers, walkers, and runners. As you head north away from the port, you have gorgeous views of Lake Champlain to your left while also enjoying a safe space to ride your bike away from the city traffic. After cruising for a bit on the bike path, you will take a right onto Leddy Park and hop on the road for a quick minute before biking through the scenic paved trails in Ethan Allen Park. As you make your way along the path with a few hills, you will see a sign for the tower inside the park. We parked out bikes and made the five minute hike to see what the tower was all about. Bike path along Lake Champlain Ethan Allen Tower View from the Ethan Allen Tower The tower was erected in 1905 by the Sons of the American Revolution as a memorial to Ethan Allen, a local farmer and founder of the Green Mountain Boys. The tower is open to the public and you can climb the tower stairs (no charge) for a birds eye view of Vermont and Lake Champlain. On a clear sunny July day, we could see Lake Champlain and the valley below. After this quick detour, we were back on our bikes, leaving Ethan Allen Park to continue our 10-mile tour of Burlington. From here, you can choose the paved route (another bikeway, Beltline Path) or the off-road route on the Intervale trail. Because I was with my parents on their 5 speed cruisers, we stuck to the paved trails and followed the paved bikeway back south, by the Ethan Allen Homestead and and back towards the local University. Following the bikeway back to the downtown area After biking past the idyllic University of Vermont campus (UVM), you will eventually make your way back to the city center where you have a lot of great options for lunch after a great ride. After reaching out for recommendations, we decided on the outdoor seating area at Sweetwaters American Bistro where we indulged in amazing local beer and food. We started with the poutine (you are almost in Canada after all) before enjoying our selected entrees of seared tuna, fish and chips, and a burger. We loved the local beer selection and enjoyed the great food, better beer, and sunny streets of Burlington. Lunch at Sweetwaters Stopping to play the community pianos after lunch After lunch, I broke off from the group to ride my bike down to well known and loved Citizen Cider to stock up on this local beverage and see what the cidery was all about. We all agreed Burlington was a beautiful clean city, chock full of interesting history, great food, top notch craft beer, and some of the best bike paths we had seen. We enjoyed seeing the city on two tires, and only regretting not having more time (and energy) to see more of the city, eat more of its food, and visit all of its breweries. Check back in later in the week as I share my experience at Citizen Cider in Burlington Vermont. Citizen Cider - Burlington, VT Happy Biking,
Heading to Vermont? Here is the ultimate 3-day Lake Champlain itinerary for the best places to see, things to do & where to explore around Burlington.
If you haven't looked upon Lake Champlain from the Burlington Waterfront, ridden your bike along the Burlington bike path, or meandered along the Church Street Marketplace on a sweltering summer night, then you need to
For a fun and unique way to experience the Green Mountain state, start off in Burlington and head to Bennington, Vermont.
Select White Oak in 8” widths finished with the low sheen and rich golden tones of Hardwick creates the perfect terrain for this island retreat on Lake Champlain. Cultivation Design (Essex Junction VT) integrates art, architecture, and construction in the pursuit of innovative design. Flooring: Select Plain Sawn White Oak…
Chalet Lac Champlain is a cottage retreat designed by Atelier BOOM TOWN, located on the shores of Lake Champlain, Phillipsburg Bird Sanctuary, Quebec.
New FMCAdventure bloggers, RV-A-GOGO, share their experience exploring Lake Champlain, Vermont.
Best Burlington Restaurants | Our Retirement Travelers guide to the best restaurants in the beautiful town of Burlington, Vermont.
These castles are so charming.
All you will ever need to know about cycling the Island Line Trail, Vermont. The trail consists of The Burlington Bikeway and the Colchester Causeway and runs out dramatically across Lake Champlain.
Spend a perfect fall weekend in the Lake Champlain Islands of Vermont. Mid-September to mid-October is the perfect shoulder season to visit.
The Burlington Bike Path along Lake Champlain is one of the best trails in Vermont! Join us on the Burlington Greenway for a day of fun!
Planning a trip to Lake Champlain and Plattsburgh? These are my recommendations for 7 things to do in Plattsburgh, NY- plus 2 day trips!
Explore the Best Things to Do in Vermont in the Fall: festivals, foliage, corn mazes, apple picking, donuts, covered bridges, spooky events, & more!
If you haven't looked upon Lake Champlain from the Burlington Waterfront, ridden your bike along the Burlington bike path, or meandered along the Church Street Marketplace on a sweltering summer night, then you need to
As y'all know I love living for part of the year on Lake Champlain. The beautiful lake and towns that surround this gorgeous area of North America are simply stunning. In addition to the beautiful views Lake Champlain boasts, it is a place rich with American History having been apart of the Seven Years' War, the American Revolution, and the War of 1812. While I love visiting a large city and traveling to different places throughout the world, I love the feeling of "coming home" to this area of the world. Many of the towns along Lake Champlain carry that feeling of "coming home" with them and today I wanted to share with y'all my favorite towns along Lake Champlain from the New York side. Soon I will share my favorite towns from the Vermont side and the cities along Lake Champlain, but today I hope that you enjoy finding out about these quaint New England towns and that reading this encourages you to visit them soon! Here are my favorites... Essex, New York I shared last year how even though we would only visit Essex once a twice a summer when I was a child, it has a special place in my heart and truly is one of my favorite towns in the United States. I honestly would love to live there. The surrounding area is simply gorgeous country and is settled right in the heart of the Adirondack Mountains. It has a lovely mixture of historic and new, a lovely art community, and is absolutely adorable. There are adorable eateries, a wonderful inn (that also has a lovely dining experience), and absolutely gorgeous buildings from the late 1700's and 1800's. It is important to note that Essex, New York is definitely an "all around year town" but many of the businesses & shops on main street close down at the end of October. They "re-open" for the first week of December (which I would love to see someday!) and then close again until the beginning of May! If y'all have never visited I completely recommend it! (You can find out more about Essex HERE.) Crown Point, New York As a former High School History teacher I have always been a little fascinated with Crown Point and its European background. As colonists came to this area of the world there were originally two different European forts that were built here due to Crown Point's strategic location on Lake Champlain. The first fort was built by the French in 1731 but during the Seven Year's War the British gained control of this area. The French (who had destroyed their fort to keep the British from using it) eventually withdrew completely and the British built Fort Crown Point in 1759. During the American Revolutionary War, Crown Point continued to be known for its strategic location and eventually was established in 1786 as a town, with an influx of settlers in the early 1800's. A final thing to note about Crown Point is that it holds one of the two bridges that you can cross to go to Vermont. The new bridge, "Lake Champlain Bridge" was constructed in 2011 as the old bridge (after almost a hundred years) was deemed unsafe. Westport, New York Westport is probably one the cutest small New England towns to visit with its rich social history that has lasted to this day. Originally the town was founded in 1764, but the town was completely destroyed in the Revolutionary War so the first permanent settlement didn't happen until 1785, with the town being firmly established in 1815. Westport was known in the mid 1800s as a "resort town" and its social scene and happenings were regularly reported in the New York Times and the Boston Press. Like many other East Coast resorts the popularity started to decline as automobiles and airplanes made travel to other parts of the US and world more accessible. Despite this decline, Westport's lakeshore property has only increased in value since the 1950s and this quaint New England town continues to thrive, specifically with the only professional theater in the Adirondacks. The Depot Theater was originally founded in 1979 and operates out of the historic (and still working) Amtrak railway station. This theater is absolutely adorable y'all. It seats approximately 135 people, has air-conditioning for those warm summer evenings, and hosts plays and musicals on its main state during the summer months, drawing people from New York City as performers. I can't say recommend this theater enough as the shows are absolutely wonderful! Ticonderoga, New York Ticonderoga was named from the Mohawk Indians, meaning "it is at the junction of two waterways", referring to the crossing between Lake George and Lake Champlain. In early settlement times Ticonderoga was a natural stopping point between New York City (from the South) and the French settlement of Montreal (in the North). Ticonderoga though was mainly settled due to its involvement in several historic battles and when Fort Ticonderoga was established in the 1750s by the French. The town of Ticonderoga was officially formed in 1804 and to this day is a widely visited area of Lake Champlain. History buffs and kiddos alike enjoy visiting this area and learning all of the historical information about Ticonderoga. Valcour, New York One of my favorite places to go by boat or to camp out on as a kid, is Valcour (or Valcour Island). Valcour is an absolute beautiful part of Lake Champlain and is easily accessible by car (or boat if you want to go to the Island). Many people don't realize that Valcour Bay (the strait between Valcour Island and the shore of Lake Champlain) was the site of a major battle during the American Revolutionary War. The Battle of Valcour Bay took place in October 1776 and is generally regarded as the first naval battle of the Revolutionary War, and one of the first fought by the newly formed United States Navy. Although most of the American ships were either lost or destroyed in the battle, the Americans were successful in stalling the British plans of reaching the Hudson River Valley, therefore making this an "American Success" in the eyes of some historians. Before Valcour area became a national landmark in 1961, Lorenzo Hagglund (who was a veteran of World War I and a history buff) searched the area for any remains of the battle. He found several pieces including a hull and also discovered the USS Philadelphia which was ironically sitting (in tact) straight up on Lake Champlain's bottom. Hagglund spent time and money raising the ship and the USS Philadelphia can now be seen on display at the Smithsonian Institution (Washington DC). (You can see more pictures of the New York Marshland and Valcour Island HERE.) I hope that y'all have enjoyed learning about my favorite towns along the New York side of Lake Champlain! Stay tuned to find out about my favorite towns along the Vermont side of Lake Champlain! Do you have any favorite towns along Lake Champlain?
Chalet Lac Champlain is a cottage retreat designed by Atelier BOOM TOWN, located on the shores of Lake Champlain, Phillipsburg Bird Sanctuary, Quebec.
