Lake Champlain, Vermont

Trip Summary

Avg miles per day: 30-50
Hill profile: hilly

Seven nights beginning on September 22 and 29.

Join us for a seven night tour in Vermont’s Lake Champlain region. We have picked the weeks of September 22nd and 29th to see the leaves begin to change, but before things get too chilly in Vermont. Enjoy craft breweries, apple cider, covered bridges, changing leaves and towns with white-steepled churches, unique shops and lovely town greens. Our tour ends in a unique resort that offers cooking classes and a spa!

We start the tour in the city of Burlington, Vermont where we spend two nights. Burlington is the home of the University of Vermont. We then head south to Middlebury, home to Middlebury College. After spending three nights in Middlebury, we head back up towards Burlington and stay for two nights at a culinary institute outside of Burlington.

Detailed Itinerary:

Day 1

Friday

 We begin the tour in Burlington, Vermont’s largest city, although with a population of just under 45,000 people, it’s still maintains a country feel. We will enjoy a ride on the many bike paths around Burlington and along the picturesque Lake Champlain. Lake Champlain is over 100 miles long and about 14 miles wide at its widest point. It separates New York State and Vermont and runs all the way to Canada. Our tour will take you past the Ethan Allen Homestead and the World’s Tallest File Cabinet as well as beautiful vantage points to enjoy the views.

We will enjoy a sunset dinner cruise on Lake Champlain on the Spirit of Ethan Allen.
Day 2

Saturday

 Staying in Burlington, you have the opportunity to take the bike ferry up to the quiet roads of the North Isle. There the riding is on quiet farm roads, with beautiful views of the coastline as well as farms and apple orchards. We offer a couple of riding options ranging from 36 to 58 miles.

Dinner is on your own in one of the many nice restaurants that Burlington offers.

 
Day 3

Sunday

 We leave Burlington on a roughly 44 mile ride to Middlebury. Along the way, we pass by or through two covered bridges. Also, you can visit the Shelburne Museum, a museum of art, design and Americana.

Middlebury is home to Middlebury College as well as museums and art galleries. It is a beautiful, quintessentially Vermont town. We will be spending three nights in Middlebury, so you will have time to relax and explore.

We stay at the Swift House Inn – a landmark in Middlebury – former residence of a former Vermont governor and US senator. The house was later the residence of Jessica Stewart Swift who lived to 110, supporting local charities. We will enjoy a group dinner at Jessica’s Restaurant at the Inn.
Day 4

Monday

 This is a loop day in Middlebury. We offer optional rides to the quaint town of Vergennes, the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum and the Crown Point State Historic Site in New York State. Rides range from 35 to 50 miles.

Dinner is on your own in Middlebury.
Day 5

Tuesday

 This is another loop day in Middlebury. We ride south to the town of Brandon where you can explore the shops in town and enjoy a cup of joe next to a waterfall right on Main Street. Rides are in the 40 mile range, although we can craft a shorter ride. Dinner is a group dinner at a local restaurant.
Day 6 Wednesday We leave Middlebury on a 42 mile ride to the Essex Culinary Resort and Spa. The resort is a lovely place to relax and enjoy Vermont. We will have a group dinner at the Essex.
Day 7

Thursday

 Today is a layover day at the Essex. We will offer loop rides that go north east. Or you may choose to relax at the spa, indoor pool or outdoor hot tub. You may even want to book a ride in a hot air balloon! We will also be offering an afternoon cooking class at the resort. We will also enjoy our last group dinner.
Day 8

Friday

 Our tour concludes after breakfast; however, feel free to stay and add extra days.

Note that this is a somewhat hilly tour!

Day Route Miles Ascent
1 In Burlington 16 800
2 long In Burlington 58 2200
2 short In Burlington 36 1300
3 Burlington to Middlebury 44 2700
4 long In Middlebury 52 2800
4 short In Middlebury 38 2300
5 In Middlebury 46 2500
6 Middlebury to Essex 42 2500
7 long In Essex 54 2500
7 short In Essex 35 1500

Note that most of these routes have portions that are on dirt roads or paths. We have tried to keep these to a minimum, but they are impossible to avoid in Vermont without riding on super busy roads. Depending on when they were last graded (which happens a few times a year), they can be anything from super smooth to somewhat washboard like.

The cost of the trip is $6,900/couple ($3,450/person). As with most of our tours, we limit the size of the tour to a maximum of ten couples. Please click below if you are interested in this tour.

 

What is included?

  • 7 nights lodging
  • 7 breakfasts, 5 dinners
  • Routes
  • Luggage transport
  • SAG support
  • Tandem bike case storage, if needed
  • A cooking class at the Essex Culinary Resort

Note that we do not provide any bicycles. We expect that you have a tandem that is in good working order and that you are able to assemble your bike. If you do not have your own tandem, you can rent a coupled tandem from Mel at Tandems East. Mel also sells tandems, so if you end up renting from him, you might get a discount if you purchase a bike from them. If you have a tandem that is not coupled, it is possible to bring it, but you should make sure that all of your flights could handle the larger box. 

What is not included?

  • Transportation to the Hilton in Burlington
  • Parking at the Burlington Airport, if you have a car
  • Meals, other than those mentioned above
  • Alcoholic beverages
  • Admission to points of interest

What is the average mileage per day?

The average mileage will be in the 30-50 mile range. We can certainly add routes for those that would like to do more riding. Expect hills! After all this is Vermont!

Where will we be staying?