Champlain Valley & Middlebury Tour

4-Day / 4-Night Tour - NEW ITINERARY!

Our NEW Champlain Valley & Middlebury 4-Day, 4-Night Tour is designed to honor a stand-out cycling vacation for visitors who come from around the globe. We have combined our favorite Champlain Valley Inns with Vermont’s exceptional back road pedaling terrain. There are mileage options for all abilities and Farm to Table Cuisine to show off our seasonal dishes and local brews. This is a NEW itinerary designed for all abilities.

Lake Champlain, a glacially formed lake and the 6th largest fresh water lake in the U.S.is situated between Vermont’s Green Mountains to the east and the Adirondack Mountains of New York to the west. The valley that surrounds the lake is nature’s magnificent painting. To watch a sunset from the seat of a bicycle along the Vermont shores of Lake Champlain with the Adirondack Mountains as a backdrop, has to be one of the top ten bike rides ever. We’ll visit both shores and cross Lake Champlain twice.

We begin our journey at The Shoreham Inn in Shoreham, Vermont. Originally built in 1790 as a stagecoach stop, this inn has been a haven for cyclists exploring the southern areas of the Champlain Valley for decades. A simple, country style inn, it has been renovated by our friendly innkeepers, Dominic and Molly Francis, and features a cozy common area with Gastropub and the irresistible aroma of fabulous home-cooking. Each guest room has a different theme.

Monday is a day of old and new. We head directly to the Ticonderoga Cable Ferry and take the short boat ride across Lake Champlain to New York where ferry service began in 1759. Service was established to connect Fort Ticonderoga and other Forts in the area with those on the Connecticut River. This crossing has a rich history and is the oldest Cable Ferry in the United States (Nathaniel Hawthorn was once a passenger). Upon arrival in New York, you may tour Fort Ticonderoga and learn about its historical role in the formation of the United States. After a scenic pedal north along Lake Champlain, we visit Crown Point Historic Site. Here, ruins are on display, once held by the French, the British as well as the Colonialists. We then cross Lake Champlain back to Vermont by bike on the brand new Champlain Bridge offering spectacular panoramic views of the lake and mountains. An easy ride south gets us back to the comforts of The Shoreham Inn.

Tuesday we depart Shoreham and cycle through the heart of “the land of milk and honey" — Vermont’s most fertile farmland. Apple orchards, sheep and Holsteins grazing, and small family farms with the Adirondacks as the backdrop, are the vistas of the day. We visit Brandon a small but bustling town very much on the rise. Guests have an option to strike out on their own by tackling the double gap (a two mountain pass climb!) as the rest of the group pedals to Lake Dunmore for a swim if it is a hot day, before arriving at our destination, the historic Waybury Inn (1810) in East Middlebury. The Inn was the setting for the opening scenes of the iconic Bob Newhart TV show, lending it a bit of celebrity. The inn ’s decor combines history with comfort and welcoming hospitality. It may be the cozy pub, the hammock swinging between the maple trees or the timeless rocking chairs on the expansive front porch that you remember most. Or maybe the chef’s offerings for dinner and breakfast.

Wednesday we follow the New Haven River as it winds past rural landscapes on it’s way north to Bristol, a classic New England village with a Main Street lined with one-of-kind shops, services and restaurants. Opt for more miles along the river or take a dip in it’s cool waters at Bartlett’s falls, a refreshing swimming hole. We return to The Waybury Inn for a second night.

Thursday morning we cycle through the village of Middlebury. Middlebury is a picturesque New England college town (the Dali Lama spoke at the college during a recent US visit) and home to several galleries featuring artwork by Vermont’s most respected artisans. Next up is crossing Vermont’s oldest covered bridge, the Pulp Mill Bridge (1820), a two- lane 195’ span over the Otter Creek. We finish the day and the tour with a scenic ride, savoring every last Champlain Valley vista on our way back to The Shoreham Inn.