summer things to do on lake champlain

Several weeks ago I received a phone call from a friend who was going to be visiting the Lake Champlain area with her family for several days this summer and was interested in knowing my suggestions for things to do on the lake. I started thinking and then listed thing after thing incredibly quickly until we were both laughing and she said, "just write a blog post". Laughingly I agreed and so today I thought I would share some of my favorite activities to do in this area. Enjoy y'all!

Water Activities

It probably goes without saying that the water activities to do on the lake are endless. From boating to tubing to sailing to kayaking to skiing, the lake is a water lovers dream. I shared a couple of years ago about a typical day on the lake for us - especially as I was growing up. We spent hours upon hours from dawn till dusk skiing, tubing, and boating. If you love playing on the water than you will find tons of different activities to do.

Visit the Beach

There are so many beautiful spots along Lake Champlain and with over 50 public beaches there are gorgeous areas for families and friends to gather for a day at the Beach or even have a picnic. Some of you may remember my post on the New York Marshland and Valcour Island from years ago. That New York Marshland is a perfect example of how gorgeous these beaches are!

Walk Around One of the Adorable Towns on the Shores of Lake Champlain

I love all of the cute towns along Lake Champlain, including one of my favorites, Essex, and all of its adorable charms. A couple of years ago I shared some of my favorite towns to visit along the New York side of Lake Champlain, including Fort Ticonderoga, Westport, Essex, Crown Point, and Valcour. These, and many other towns along the lake offer adorable New England charm, quaint and yummy dining options with beautiful lake side views, a rich and cultural experience, and unique shopping. 

Biking

All along Lake Champlain there are tons of different bike paths that you can choose from that will take you around the Lake, or by the Lake (like the beautiful views that the Burlington Vermont Bike Path offers), and some that even "cross the lake" using one of the ferries or bridges. 

National Museums and Landmarks

Throughout the Lake Champlain area there are tons of National Landmarks due to the incredible American History that was fought in this area and also lots of National Museums for those who are interested in seeing those during their visits. 

Diving

Many people think of diving as something solely found in the more tropical parts of the world but may be surprised to find out that Lake Champlain offers fantastic opportunities for those who love diving. There are nine known shipwrecks and most of them have been very well preserved due to the cold-water environment. What divers will also be pleased to discover is that beyond some of the boats that are from the 1800s, there is actual parts of the Horse Ferry (which was featured in National Geographic) which is the only known wreck of a horse-powered ferry in the United States! 

Finally, beyond the shipwrecks that are found in Lake Champlain divers will be able to experience vertical cliffs that are extremely dramatic and often only found in the Bahamas. Interested in finding out more? Click HERE to go to the Waterfront Diving Center website in Burlington, Vermont! 

Fishing

Fishing competitions, including the Bass Competition are huge parts of the community here on Lake Champlain. But whether you just enjoy casting your net out in a leisurely manner (with someone else who will do the worms for you *smiles*) or you are one who likes to fish for competition, Lake Champlain offers several different options to explore. 

Sailing

I admit that sailing when I was a kid was not one of my favorite activities. Those of you who grew up with me and are reading this are laughing because it was actually quite comical how many different circumstances happened when we would sail. I won't bore you here, but suffice it to say that it didn't become one of my favorite activities until I grew older. My mama loves to sail and has often joked that she is praying that I will marry a man who loves to sail too. She loves to be up at the crack of dawn, sailing in her baby sunfish, and would spend hours upon hours in our sailboat if she had the opportunity. As the years have passed I, as I have mentioned, have honestly grown to love it. While financially we have not had our "bigger" sailboat in in years it is still one of my favorite activities to recommend to people. 

If you don't own a sailboat or don't know how to sail you can easily learn how to at the Lake at the Community Sailing Center in Burlington. You can find out more on their website by clicking HERE. 

Burlington, Vermont Jazz Festival

Every year Burlington hosts a Jazz festival that is so much fun. If you enjoy live music (especially jazz music) then you are in for a treat and I definitely recommend planning your trip around this event! You can find out all of the details for the upcoming year on their website by clicking HERE. 

Hiking

Both the Adirondack Mountains and the Green Mountains surround the beautiful Lake Champlain. If you love hiking then this area of the United States is a hikers dream. If you are interested in hiking the Adirondacks and want to hike all of the "46 peaks" for the "46ers club" you can find out more about this HERE. If you are interested in finding out more about hiking in the Green Mountains you can join the "Green Mountain Club" and find out more about it HERE. 


Looking for waterfalls in the Adirondack/ Lake Champlain Area? Consider joining in on the #adk50falls challenge (you can read about the falls I have visited HERE!) 

Island Hop
There are many islands scattered through Lake Champlain. While some are privately owned or protected by the state there are several islands that you can go to by boat for a picnic or to camp out on. Don't have a boat? Consider visiting Burton Island which is a Vermont State Park that can be accessed (for free) by ferry!

There are so many different things to do on Lake Champlain during the summer! What are your favorites?