Lake champlain summer vacation

Lake Champlain is a great place to spend summer vacation. It’s a beautiful place to relax, swim, and enjoy the outdoors. There are plenty of activities that you can do in Lake Champlain, including hiking and biking trails, kayaking and canoeing, fishing, boating on the lake, swimming at beaches, or even just sunbathing on the beach!

The Lake Champlain region offers miles of open water, rural communities, plenty of outdoor activities, and a wide range of arts, culture, and nightlife. If your family adores the outdoors, you will find several national parks ready for you to explore. If you are looking for history, you will see some of the earliest settlements right along the shores.

Lake champlain summer locations

Burlington, VT

As Vermont’s largest city, Burlington is known for its vibrant downtown area with stunning views of Lake Champlain. Visitors enjoy a lively restaurant scene and plenty of entertainment options for all ages. Stay near Waterfront Park to enjoy quick access to both outdoor activities and the nightlife of Church Street Marketplace. You can spend the day sailing on the lake, then go back to your vacation rental to change before seeing a performance at Flynn Center.

Grand Isle, VT

Located on the northern half of South Hero Island, Grand Isle is the perfect place to vacation when you want peace and seclusion. Many visits to unwind, so sit back and relax in your vacation home whiling enjoying picturesque views of the lake. You can take the family on a quiet stroll to visit Hyde Log Cabin, one of the oldest log cabins in the country. If you want a more active vacation, you will find plenty of hiking and biking trails throughout the island or at Grand Isle State Park.

Essex, NY

Essex is a quaint town surrounded by farmland, with breathtaking views of the Green Mountains. Visitors can explore the Lake Champlain shore by kayak, canoe, and bicycle. Your vacation home is not far from Essex Marina, so you can stop by to drop off your equipment before heading to The Old Dock House Restaurant for dinner right on the water.

Isle La Motte, VT

The island of Isle La Motte is best known for historic St. Anne’s Shrine, built in 1666, and Chazy Reef, the world’s oldest fossil reef. Children can climb among the rocks to view fossils from long-extinct animals. The small size of the island means that both landmarks are a pleasant lakeside hike from your vacation rental.

North Hero, VT

Staying on North Hero Island give you a view of both Lake Champlain and the Green Mountains. The island retains a small town feel, with small markets, and shops featuring locally produced crafts. Go fishing on the lake, then stop by the farmer’s market for produce to bring back to your vacation rental for dinner.

Shelburne, VT

Shelburne, VT is a rural town that is the perfect setting for those looking for peace and quiet but also wants access to a variety of activities. You can spend the day exploring the town’s history at the Shelburne Museum, hiking through Shelburne Farms, or picking apples at Shelburne Orchards. At the end of the day, sit back on the porch of your vacation rental and enjoy the amazing scenery.

Plattsburgh, NY

The city of Plattsburgh blends nature and history, and a vacation home in the Cumberland Bay neighborhood allows you to explore the city while maintaining a quiet home to retire to at night. There are several marinas available, including the Treadwell Bay Marina & Resort, so you have plenty of opportunities to get out onto the water. Take the family down to Cumberland Bay State Park, and lounge on its natural sand beach along the lake’s western shore.

South Hero, VT

The residents of South Hero, located at the southern tip of South hero Island, move at a slower place, which is perfect for those looking for a calm getaway. The area is home to Snow Farm Winery, Vermont’s first vineyard, and an excellent setting for a quiet daytime stroll. There are ample spots along the shore for swimming, so you can stop by for a quick swim at any time. At the end of the day, head back to your vacation rental to catch the sunset along the water.

Port Henry, NY

The historical village of Port Henry offers gorgeous vies of both Lake Champlain and the Adirondack Mountains. The Adirondacks are a short drive from your vacation rental, giving you plenty of time to take a day trip for a mountain hike. Kids will enjoy heading down to Champ Beach Park to search for “Champ,” the monster locals believe lives in the water.

Ticonderoga, NY

Ticonderoga sits at the junction of Lake Champlain and Lake George, providing access to the water activities of both lakes. If you want to experience the beauty of both lakes, then a vacation home in Ticonderoga gives you the best of both worlds. For history enthusiasts and their families, Fort Ticonderoga is a great way to explore the area’s historical contribution, with hands-on activities for the kids.

Lake champlain summer vacation

Things to do in Lake Champlain

WATCH THE SUNRISE AND SUNSET OVER THE LAKE

You can get incredible views of the sunrise and sunset on Lake Champlain! They were so colorful, and I couldn’t get enough of them.

HAVE FUN IN THE WATER

This one might seem obvious, but have fun in the lake! You can rent a boat, go swimming, go kayaking, or just dip your toes in, whatever you want to do.

Our Airbnb in Plattsburgh had kayaks included, and our Siberian Husky Annika surprisingly loved kayaking! If you prefer swimming or just hanging out by the water, there are some beaches along the lake.

VISIT PLATTSBURGH, NY

We stayed in Plattsburgh and loved it! There are lots of restaurants, shops, historic sites, parks, and beautiful houses, and I wrote about all the things you can do in Plattsburgh. It has a cute downtown so you still get a city feel while you’re vacationing on a lake.

VISIT GRAND ISLE STATE PARK IN VERMONT

Grand Isle State Park is actually an island in Lake Champlain on the Vermont side. You can take the ferry from Plattsburgh, or you can drive across a bridge from Vermont. It’s pretty small so you don’t need a full day to visit, but there are some cool things to see.

You can go shopping at Grand Isle Art Works, visit the Hyde Log Cabin & Schoolhouse (one of the oldest log cabins in the U.S.), and take a stroll on the Ironwood Nature Trail!

VISIT BURLINGTON, VT

There’s a lot you can see in Burlington, VT (it is the largest city on the lake), so I recommend spending at least a day!

You can visit historic sites like the Ethan Allen homestead, get lots of great food from farms, see the world’s tallest filing cabinet (yes, really), walk around and shop downtown, and eat delicious ice cream. I have a whole post on things to see in Burlington if you’re planning to visit!

EXPERIENCE HISTORY AT FORT TICONDEROGA

Visiting Fort Ticonderoga was one of my favorite things to do in Lake Champlain! Fort Ticonderoga is an 18th-century star fort built by the French right on Lake Champlain. It’s a cool fort to see with lots of interesting history, and you can get some incredible views of the lake from the fort.

Bonus: the grounds are dog-friendly, so Annika got to join!

VISIT WINERIES AND BREWERIES

There are quite a few wineries and breweries around Lake Champlain! We spent an afternoon drinking wine and cider at Elf’s Farm Winery in Plattsburgh, and we got beer and food at Zero Gravity in Burlington.

All of the places I looked at had great reviews, so I don’t think you can go wrong. And for a bonus, we got to take in the beautiful scenery of the grape vines and apple orchard at Elf’s Farm, so you can get some great views with your beer and wine.

EAT A LOT OF AMAZING FOOD

We had everything from Mediterranean to Himalayan food on our Lake Champlain vacation! And it’s close to the Canadian border, so we also had delicious cheese curds and crepes.

In Burlington, be sure to get chocolate (and/or ice cream) from Lake Champlain Chocolates, and you can find maple syrup at a lot of farms and shops.