The Lake Champlain area is characterized by rural little villages, lakeshores, and some of the most picturesque countryside you'll ever see. It is bordered by its long, slender lake (the natural split between New York and Vermont) quordle and the eastern Adirondacks. For those seeking breweries, creameries, farm stands, and outdoor pursuits on land (hiking and cross-country skiing routes, mountain biking Otis Mountain), this section of the Adirondacks is a desirable getaway (paddling the namesake lake and backcountry ponds, rafting the Ausable Chasm).

The American Revolution saw significant action at both Fort Ticonderoga and Crown Point State Historic Site, and the lake itself was once the primary route for traders, merchants, and other types of travelers commuting between Montreal and New York City. This area is a great choice for history buffs. The towns of Essex, Peru, and Keeseville are excellent home bases for exploring the North Country. At the brothers-run Ausable Brewing Co., rest in the beer garden with a refreshing pilsner after seeing the impressive Ausable Chasm, known as the Grand Canyon of the Adirondacks. When you're hungry, there are farm-to-fork dishes available from roving food trucks. While you're there, fill up on eggs and dairy products at the farm store of North Country Creamery and charcuterie and meats at the butcher shop of Mace Chasm Farm (check the farm's schedule as you could come across a barn show with live music and dancing in the New Orleans manner). For further Adirondack supplies, note the Juniper Hill Farm shop (seasonal) in Wadhams and The Hub on the Hill in Essex.

The Essex Inn, a lakefront hotel open since 1810 (when the town of Essex was the lake's main port), is a great place to see Lake Champlain's historic side. 11 elegant and distinctive rooms with charming touches like mantle headboards and gas log fireplaces are now available at the inn. A visit here would not be complete without at least one supper of the inn's pleasantly quaint tavern's seafood stew and lobster ravioli.

A solar-powered cabin with a private free-standing sauna, a warm outdoor shower, and stunning views of the surrounding meadows and mountains is available at Mace Chasm Farm. It's also hard to top the ranch house at Beebe Farm, a fourth-generation farm and sawmill, if you want more room and even better vistas. View Vermont's Green Mountains, Lake Champlain, and the Adirondacks from its front porch.