Grand Isle is known as “the beauty spot of Vermont.”
Tucked in by water on all sides, Grand Isle is part of the Lake Champlain Islands, which consist of South Hero, North Hero, and Isle La Motte. Here, you can get away and relax, or enjoy the numerous recreational activities, historical attractions, and restaurants in the area.
For detailed information about the Islands, see www.champlainislands.com.
From Grand Isle, a half-hour drive south takes you to Burlington, Vermont, and an hour-and-a-half drive north takes you to Montréal, Québec. For more information about Vermont attractions, see the official site for the Vermont Department of Tourism and Marketing www.1-800-vermont.com.
To learn more about the lake and what is being done to preserve and protect it, visit the website for the Lake Champlain Basin Program at www.lcbp.org. The headquarters for the Basin Program are located in the historic Gordon House in Grand Isle.
Bicycling
The softly undulating landscape of entire Lake Champlain region is ideal for cycling. For detailed information about tours and loops through Vermont, New York, and Canada, see www.champlainbikeways.org. Localmotion has Island Line Bike Ferry
You can dock your boat at one of the area marinas, or rent your choice of canoes, kayaks, motorboats, sailboats, or windsurfers. Our campground has two access points for nonmotorized boats only. A public boat access for full-sized craft is located two miles north on West Shore Road.
Birding
Grand Isle is an ideal location to watch water birds, such as ducks, geese, gulls, and herons. You will also catch sight of an array of songbirds, including the acrobatic swallow. An occasional bald eagle, falcons, hawks, osprey, owls, and vultures also roam the skies. The Grand Isle Ferry Landing is a designated site on the Lake Champlain Birding Trail.
Fishing
For more information about fishing, contact the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department. Freshwater catches include landlocked salmon and lake trout, large- and smallmouth bass, northern pike, and walleye. The Ed Weed Fish Culture Station is located down the road on Route 314.