Best Things to Do Near Lake Champlain, NY in Summer

Summer in the Champlain Valley is the kind of season people plan their whole year around. Long daylight, warm water, and the Adirondacks right at your back door. If you’re weighing the best things to do near Lake Champlain, here’s how we’d map out a few unforgettable days from our pine-shaded campground in Peru, NY.

1. Spend a Day on the Water

The lake itself is the main event. Lake Champlain stretches more than 120 miles along the New York–Vermont border, and in summer it turns into a playground for swimming, kayaking, paddleboarding, and boating. Public beaches and launches dot the shoreline within a short drive, and the fishing here is genuinely good. Anglers pull in smallmouth bass, lake trout, and northern pike all season long.

If you don’t have your own boat, no worries. Several nearby marinas rent kayaks and pontoons by the half-day, which is plenty of time to find a quiet cove for a picnic lunch.

2. Hike and Raft Ausable Chasm

Often called the “Grand Canyon of the Adirondacks,” Ausable Chasm is one of the oldest natural tourist attractions in the country, and it’s only about a 10-minute drive from camp. Sandstone cliffs rise on either side of the Ausable River, with walking trails, footbridges, and an adventure trail with rock scrambles and rappels for the brave. The best part of a hot day is finishing with a float trip. You can tube or raft the calmer stretch of river below the gorge. We’ve put together a closer look on our RV Park Near Ausable Chasm, NY page if you want the full rundown.

3. Get Into the High Peaks

The Adirondacks hold 46 High Peaks, dozens of swimming holes, and hundreds of miles of trail. You don’t have to be a serious mountaineer to enjoy them, either. Family-friendly hikes like Mount Jo or the trails around the Adirondak Loj reward you with big views for relatively little effort. Pack water, bug spray, and a layer for the summit. Mountain weather shifts quickly even in July.

4. Take a Lake Placid or Plattsburgh Day Trip

Less than an hour west sits Lake Placid, a two-time Winter Olympics host with a walkable Main Street, Mirror Lake, and Olympic venues you can tour in the off-season. Closer to home, Plattsburgh offers lakeside parks, breweries, and easy access to the Burlington ferry if Vermont is calling. See more nearby options on our RV Park Near Plattsburgh, NY page and our broader Explore Upstate New York guide.

5. Slow Down Back at Camp

Not every summer day needs an itinerary. Some of the best ones are spent right here. Kids run between the playground and the rec room, neighbors trade fishing tips by the pond, and evenings end around a campfire with live music drifting across the sites. That easy, small-town rhythm is exactly what the DeWitt family built this place around.

Where to Eat and Refuel

All that activity builds an appetite. The towns ringing the lake, from Plattsburgh to Keeseville, are dotted with farm stands, lakeside seafood shacks, craft breweries, and classic diners. Stock up on local produce and maple syrup at a roadside stand, grab a casual lakeview lunch between adventures, or pick up supplies for a cookout back at your site. Half the fun of a summer trip up here is eating your way through it.

Don’t-Miss Summer Moments

Some experiences are pure Champlain Valley summer: catching a sunset over the water with the Vermont mountains glowing across the lake, watching for the legendary lake monster “Champ” from a quiet dock, and ending the night around a campfire as the stars come out far brighter than they ever do in the city. Those unscripted moments are usually the ones families remember most.