North Hero House/Champlain Islands

It seems almost unfair that Vermont, so spectacular with its hills and valleys, should also have its western boundary defined by Lake Champlain, surely one of the most exquisite lakes in the country. Our tour of the Champlain Islands takes full advantage of this wealth of beauty. Connected by causeways to the rest of Vermont, these islands offer a unique combination of exceptional rural scenery that you can enjoy while cycling along quiet lakeshore roads with unsurpassed views of the Green and Adirondack mountains.Our biking takes us along the western shore of the lake where we visit Snow Farm Vineyards and have an option for a wine tasting. We take a spectacular ride out on a former railway causeway that extends over a mile out onto the lake before looping back on the easterly shore. We ride over Alburg Passage and down West Shore Road to Alburg Dunes State Park, and include a lovely loop ride into Canada (bring your passport!). Friday's easy cycling takes us to Isle La Motte, where we visit Saint Anne's Shrine and the site of a French fort built in 1666. On this tour, we are guests at the historic North Hero House, a lakeside inn that has long been a local favorite.