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But there's no sticky salt water, sand flies, seaweed and jelly fish either. Just fresh water and quiet sandy beaches, rafts to dive off, boats to paddle, and clear clean lakes ideal for swimming. We've even got islands and great seafood restaurants.
Take a state park like Sandbar in Milton, at the entrance to the Lake Champlain Islands. It's a delight for day dippers ($2-3 day use fee). The spacious beach and shaded recreation grounds make it the
biggest and best known swimming spot in the state (North Hero State Park, 15 minutes north, is nice too). For diversion, take an islands tour or bike ride, visiting farmstands, orchards, antique shops, a fish hatchery, even a winery.
At least two dozen scenic lake hotspots like Sandbar offer a way
to cool off in Vermont - and that's not counting local swimming
holes. Just a few examples: Boulder Beach in wild Groton State Park,
which despite its name has a beautiful sandy beach with a snack
bar, picnicking and nature trails; Silver Lake State Park in Barnard,
which has swimming and boating across from a great little country
store with a soda fountain; Lake Elmore, with a broad shallow sandy
beach next to Mt. Elmore; and the beach at Branbury State Park on
pleasant Lake Dunmore, with a snack bar and great hiking nearby.
If you want to be alone, how about a remote island beach practically
all to yourself? You can be ferried out (or paddle on your own)
to Woods and Knight Island state parks in Lake Champlain. | 
