Lake Champlain Byway
Vermont's West Coast
Following the northern length of Lake Champlain for 185 miles south from the Canadian border, the Lake Champlain Byway offers spectacular scenery, vital historic towns and cities, and remarkable opportunities for outdoor recreation, arts, culture and history.
Communities range from quiet farming towns and quaint villages to bustling cities and towns. Family-owned shops cover all needs and interests, while many restaurants feature fresh foods from local Vermont farms. For lodging, there’s everything from up-to-date hotels, unique B&Bs and historic inns, to lake-side camping.
Year-round activities are plentiful. Visitors enjoy a variety of well-respected art, history and science museums. Lake Champlain itself - the sixth largest lake in the U.S. - offers up swimming, boating, fishing and ice sports, and valley trails welcome hikers and cyclists. Indoor or outdoor concerts, plays, sporting events and festivals attract visitors no matter what the season.
The majestic Lake Champlain valley is a four-season destination, and offers wonderful day visits or week-long family vacations.
Visit lakechamplainbyway.com for more information.
LAKE CHAMPLAIN BYWAY MAP
Outdoor recreation, access to Vermont’s biggest city and the draws of lake life are just some of the reasons to explore the Lake Champlain Byway. Use our map to get around.
Chews & Brews
The Lake Champlain Valley contains some of Vermont’s best farmland, and it's been put to good use. Wineries are plentiful, and local foods like vegetables, artisan cheeses, baked goods, and locally-raised meats are just some of the delights to be had at restaurants and farmer's markets. And then there's the craft beer and ciders...
Outdoor Recreation
Between the lake, beaches, wetlands, rivers, valleys and mountains of the Champlain Valley, outdoor enthusiasts of every kind feel at home in the Lake Champlain Byway. From hiking to bicycling, fishing to stormboarding - and skating and ice-fishing, too - there's so much to do, no matter the season.
History & Heritage
Lake Champlain is at the heart of the region's history; it's where Native Americans of several tribes and Europeans first met and set the course for modern Vermont. Agriculture and industry grew side by side, as did the means of transportation needed to get products to market. Numerous historic museums tell these stories -- and more.
Arts & Culture
Art lovers will find collections of fine, decorative and folk art at museums throughout the valley, while contemporary art is found - for the most part - in the many art galleries. An amazing variety of summer festivals focus on music and theater of all sorts. Pictured here: Middlebury Falls, painted by James Hope ca. 1850-1859. Collection of Henry Sheldon Museum.
LAKE CHAMPLAIN PODCASTS
Listen to the stories of some of the best-known features along the Lake Champlain Byway, from the Winooski River and Mill to the area's agricultural efforts. Immerse yourself in audio retellings of the area's history and get excited for what you'll see as you explore Vermont's Lake Champlain Byway.