When Baby Boomers were still young, American history included a chapter on Ethan Allen and the Green Mountain Boys, a militia organization formed and operated out of the Lake Champlain Region during the mid and late 1700s. They are remembered for capturing Fort Ticonderoga at the onset of the Revolutionary War. The infamous Colonel Benedict Arnold and a troop of Colonial Regulars joined Allen and the Green Mountain Boys in this endeavor. However, that is just one small portion of the Lake Champlain Region’s history-but this is not a history lesson. You will not be graded. When you come to visit this beautiful area of the country you find more to see and more to do than you can ever imagine.
The Lake Champlain Region includes parts of New York and Vermont. When visitors first look on the waters of Lake Champlain, they are viewing eighth largest naturally occurring body of fresh water in the continental United States. The lake covers 435 square miles of surface water with over 70 islands dotted throughout. It is over 120 miles long and has over 600 miles of shore line. When the inland communities mention going to visit the coast, they are referring to the shore line of Lake Champlain which is called the Adirondack Coast.
When tourists visit the Lake Champlain Region they sometimes fail to realize that the area is comprised of the historic towns of Keeseville NY, Willsboro NY, Essex NY, Lewis NY, Elizabethtown NY, Westport NY, Moriah NY, Port Henry NY, Crown Point NY and Ticonderoga NY. These charming towns offer a variety of accommodations and restaurants, fun and historic attractions, and arts and cultural offerings for the young and not so young. Each of these towns has its own unique story and all of them boast endless scenic views of the Adirondacks, Lake Champlain and the Green Mountains. They were founded and settled during the beginning of America’s birth and are part of the small town mindset that so many of us long for. Self-guided walking tours are available that take participants to well-preserved original buildings and structures. The downtown Main Street areas are alive and well and the many locally owned shops offer everything from tourist items to fine dining cuisine.
The Lake Champlain Region is not a single place; like the title refers, it is a region. When you come to visit make sure you allow plenty of time to experience the many activities available. So, take a break from your busy schedule, put the phone on vibrate and enjoy yourselves. This area offers a vacation to remember.