Vermont!!

[jacksonjohn83]

I would like to get some tips/advice on our upcoming road trip to Vermont. We will be leaving on Saturday Aug 1st and returning on Sunday Aug 9th. I would like to plan a trip such that we only have to drive a few hours (2/3) before stopping for some fun activity or overnight stay. After reading some of the previous post, I have created a list of things to do. Just to organize, I have put dates next to each place to visit to keep me in check and make sure I don’t plan more then the time I have. We will be traveling with our two children 3 and 6, myself and the wife.

Aug 1st: Drive from Toronto to Cornwall with a stop at Sandbanks to enjoy the beach
Aug 2nd: Drive to Plattsburg via US-11 or SR-3
Aug 3rd: Drive to Burlington using one of the ferries. Spend the day at Sand Bar State Park (another beach day, hope the weather cooperates)
Aug 4th: Drive to Waterbury and Stowe (Day Trip). Ben & Jerry and Champlain Choclates, Gondola ride
Aug 5th: Burlington day trip (Church St, Echo Lake Aquarium)
Aug 6th: Shelburne Farm (back to Church steet)/or back to beach, depending on the weather
Aug 7th: Head to Mont Tremblant with a quick stop in Montreal for lunch with family using 2/87/15
Aug 8th: Mont Tremblant
Aug 9th: Drive to Toronto (a very long day)

Questions:
If I decided to take SR-3 from Cornwall to Plattsburg, what is the best way to get to SR-3? It doesn’t seem like a really long drive from Cornwall to Plattsburg, (even on SR-3) so a small road would be great and kids won’t get tired. How long do you think it would realistically take to get to Plattsburg from Cornwall using SR-3 Also, are there any falls/lakes (scenic area, quaint town) which are not signed or obvious from the road which I should be looking out for?

I am looking for things to do in Plattsburg. Having read what church street is like in Burlington VT, it would be nice to see if we can find something like that in Plattsburg. What about activities for kids?

From Burlington, does it make sense to do the town of Waterbury and Stowe in one day? I would like to visit the Ben & Jerry factory and possibly go up the mountain in gondola.

If you had cross Lake Champlain on the ferry (one way) with your car, which ferry would you use? Do I need to book the ferry or just show up?

Anything else you can suggest recommend, would be greatly appreciate it.

Thanks.

[AZBuck]

It's now been more than 5 years since I was last in that part of the country. Too long in my opinion - I'll have to get back soon! Anyway, to answer some of your questions:

To get to NY-3 from Cornwall, you'd cross into New York and head west on NY-37 to Messena and then south on NY-56 to Sevey where you'd pick up NY-3 east to Plattsburgh. You'll be driving through the Adirondacks, one of the last relatively untouched natural areas in the northeast, so there will be plenty of great little hikes. I'm not sure of what's within child-leg hiking distance of the main road, most of my trekking in that area has been by canoe, but poke around the web and I'm sure you'll come up with some nice opportunities easily reachable from NY-3.

Sorry, I don't know much about Plattsburgh, per se.

Waterbury and Stowe are easily doable as a day trip from Burlington. In fact, Waterbury is less than half an hour from Burlington by Interstate. If you or your wife are fans of the Sound of Music, the Trapp Family Lodge is just outside of Stowe, and has some lovely hikes. There are also wagon/hay rides that the kids might enjoy, and the Baron and Maria are buried in a small private cemetery on site.

As for which ferry to use, I'd opt for the longest boat ride which would be the Port Kent - Burlington run which departs from about 10 km south of Plattsburgh. You might as well enjoy as much time 'cruising' the lake as you can. This also has the advantage that it will be less utilized than the shorter Plattsburgh - Grand Isle run and so will be less likely to be full. In either case, I wouldn't think that reservations would be necessary.

Just one other suggestion. Look at returning to Burlington from Stowe by way of Smuggler's Notch (VT-108). It's a great little scenic road with some nice kid-friendly hikes. VT-15 would then complete the loop back to Burlington.

AZBuck

[pancakesx]

Well you are going to love Burlington. Plattsburgh is another story. I was there camping a few years ago and it is a sleepy town. The college is really the only thing going for it. It has some businesses and restaurants but is not as up to date and nice as Burlington. We did stop at a nice farmers market there and walked along the water at a little park thing with a statue. According to my photos the area of Clinton and Margaret St. is where there were some shops and restaurants. They did have a lot of old row style buildings with businesses. The little park area was on Cumberland Ave. I was there in 2006 so maybe some new things have happened there too!