Going to see Champtanystropheus americansus
February 9, 2010 10:02 AM
Looking for lodging suggestions on or near Lake Champlain
My daughter has an intense fascination with the Loch Ness Monster, so this summer (early August) I am taking her to see America's Loch Ness Monster Champ. I am looking for lodging recommendations, preferably on or very near the lake, for around $1500 for a week. Someplace with a kitchenette would be nice.
Also, if anyone has suggestions of things to do in the area, or of places where Champ is commonly seen, those would also be appreciated.
My daughter has an intense fascination with the Loch Ness Monster, so this summer (early August) I am taking her to see America's Loch Ness Monster Champ. I am looking for lodging recommendations, preferably on or very near the lake, for around $1500 for a week. Someplace with a kitchenette would be nice.
Also, if anyone has suggestions of things to do in the area, or of places where Champ is commonly seen, those would also be appreciated.
Nice!
I'm not sure about common sitings, but there are plenty of places to stay on the Vermont side. Someone else will have to help out with the NY side.
There's Basin Harbor Club, which is right next to the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum. I believe Basin Harbor has both rooms and cottages.
The Inn at Shelburne Farms is one of my favorite places in the world. Amazing.
There are two chain hotels on the waterfront in Burlington, theCourtyard by Marriot and the Hilton. The former is new, the latter is a pretty neat modern building. Both are within a short walk to all the shops and restaurants downtown and the waterfront, which serves as a port for the ferry to Port Kent. The ferry ride is a great (and cheap) way to get out on the lake. Also at the Burlington waterfront is the Spirit of Ethan Allen.
There are oodles of Bed and Breakfasts around, many within a half hour of the lake. There are several in Middlebury, Vergennes, and Bristol, a couple in Shelburne, and a bunch in the Lake Champlain Islands. In the Islands, the North Hero House is a nice place in a very sweet little village. Isle la Motte is another interesting and isolated little town in the islands.
You may be interested to know that Lake Memphremagog and Lake Willoughby in northern Vermont also claim to have sea monsters. Both are stunning and rarely visited.
If you're down with camping, there are some great state parks on the lake, including North Hero, Grand Isle, Burton Island, and Button Bay.
I'm not as familiar with self-catered sorts of places. There are a few places with little cabins for rent, such as Sportsman's Cottages in West Addison, which is also close to the Maritime Museum and the site of the recently demolished Lake Champlain Bridge.
Ben and Jerry's is about 40 minutes from Burlington, so it's within an hour and a half or so of all the places mentioned above.
Have fun!
posted by GodricVT at 10:47 AM on February 9, 2010
I'm not sure about common sitings, but there are plenty of places to stay on the Vermont side. Someone else will have to help out with the NY side.
There's Basin Harbor Club, which is right next to the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum. I believe Basin Harbor has both rooms and cottages.
The Inn at Shelburne Farms is one of my favorite places in the world. Amazing.
There are two chain hotels on the waterfront in Burlington, theCourtyard by Marriot and the Hilton. The former is new, the latter is a pretty neat modern building. Both are within a short walk to all the shops and restaurants downtown and the waterfront, which serves as a port for the ferry to Port Kent. The ferry ride is a great (and cheap) way to get out on the lake. Also at the Burlington waterfront is the Spirit of Ethan Allen.
There are oodles of Bed and Breakfasts around, many within a half hour of the lake. There are several in Middlebury, Vergennes, and Bristol, a couple in Shelburne, and a bunch in the Lake Champlain Islands. In the Islands, the North Hero House is a nice place in a very sweet little village. Isle la Motte is another interesting and isolated little town in the islands.
You may be interested to know that Lake Memphremagog and Lake Willoughby in northern Vermont also claim to have sea monsters. Both are stunning and rarely visited.
If you're down with camping, there are some great state parks on the lake, including North Hero, Grand Isle, Burton Island, and Button Bay.
I'm not as familiar with self-catered sorts of places. There are a few places with little cabins for rent, such as Sportsman's Cottages in West Addison, which is also close to the Maritime Museum and the site of the recently demolished Lake Champlain Bridge.
Ben and Jerry's is about 40 minutes from Burlington, so it's within an hour and a half or so of all the places mentioned above.
Have fun!
posted by GodricVT at 10:47 AM on February 9, 2010
My husband and I stayed in the self-catering cottage at The Cupola House in Essex, NY several years ago. Essex is an adorable little town directly on Lake Champlain and boasts the ferry to Burlington, VT. I highly recommend it!
posted by chihiro at 1:12 PM on February 9, 2010
posted by chihiro at 1:12 PM on February 9, 2010
The Echo center is fantastic. You don't say how old your daughter is, but I took my kids (6 & 4) there last summer and had a great day. Everything you ever wanted to know about Lake Champlain, including a display of a shipwreck and lots of stuff on Champy, especially in the gift shop.
He's also the mascot of the local Baseball team.
We stayed at the Apple Island resort on Grand Isle. It was heavily filled with retirees in trailers, so I wouldn't give it a big thumbs up. But I definitely liked the Isle and would like to stay there again.
posted by saffry at 4:11 PM on February 9, 2010
He's also the mascot of the local Baseball team.
We stayed at the Apple Island resort on Grand Isle. It was heavily filled with retirees in trailers, so I wouldn't give it a big thumbs up. But I definitely liked the Isle and would like to stay there again.
posted by saffry at 4:11 PM on February 9, 2010
Don't know if you're still watching this, but something else occurred to me this weekend: most of the Champ sitings happen in the broad lake, which is the deepest part and not terribly visible from shore. That's why I suggested the ferry and the Spirit of Ethan Allen.
Another option for getting out into the middle of the lake is the Island Line Trail, which incorporates a railroad causeway going from Colchester to South Hero. There's a break in the middle of it, and they run a bike ferry across the break at some points during the summer. You can walk or bike out into the middle of the lake from either end (Colchester is just north of Burlington; South Hero is the southernmost of the Champlain Islands).
You didn't mention your daughter's age, but if the two of you are up for it you can actually bike out to the causeway from downtown Burlington in an hour or two along the bike path, which follows the lake shore the whole way. Bikes are rentable from SkiRack and several other spots in Burlington.
posted by GodricVT at 7:33 AM on February 15, 2010
Another option for getting out into the middle of the lake is the Island Line Trail, which incorporates a railroad causeway going from Colchester to South Hero. There's a break in the middle of it, and they run a bike ferry across the break at some points during the summer. You can walk or bike out into the middle of the lake from either end (Colchester is just north of Burlington; South Hero is the southernmost of the Champlain Islands).
You didn't mention your daughter's age, but if the two of you are up for it you can actually bike out to the causeway from downtown Burlington in an hour or two along the bike path, which follows the lake shore the whole way. Bikes are rentable from SkiRack and several other spots in Burlington.
posted by GodricVT at 7:33 AM on February 15, 2010
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posted by I am the Walrus at 10:03 AM on February 9, 2010