Lake-facing patios, west-shore tasting rooms, the dock at the right time of year. Bring a sweater after seven, even in July.
A surf-inspired lounge parked right on the King Street ferry dock — tacos, a loaded patio, and sunset views straight down the lake toward the Adirondacks. It draws a loud, young, boat-shoes crowd on summer weekends, which is either the appeal or the reason to come on a Tuesday instead. Open 11 to 9, Monday through Saturday. Walk over from the Community Boathouse if you've got a slip for the night.
A hundred acres of hemlock and pine trail in South Burlington ending on a rocky shoreline with a straight shot across the water to the Adirondacks and Shelburne Bay. 2.5 miles of trail, a public beach, and noticeably fewer people than Oakledge on the same Saturday. Open 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Parking is limited — arrive before ten on a summer weekend.
584 acres on Colchester's Malletts Bay shoreline — 4,700 feet of rocky and sandy waterfront and ridge trails that climb to views over the bay, the Green Mountains, and the Islands in one turn. No boat launch and no camping here; it's a hiking-and-swimming park, not a put-in. Parking caps at forty cars, so a packed lot means circling or trying elsewhere. Open the second Saturday in May through mid-October.
Lake Champlain's largest cruise ship — a 363-passenger triple-decker running scenic, lunch, brunch, and themed dinner cruises daily out of the Community Boathouse. The sunset cruise is the one to book; the boat turns so everyone gets the light at some point. Reserve ahead in summer, especially for a Friday dinner cruise.
Two wooden-rigged sloops, Friend Ship and Wild Rose, running two-hour sailing cruises out of the Boathouse since 1996. Bring your own food and drink — that's part of the pitch. Late May through early October only. The sunset sail is worth timing your evening around; the wind usually cooperates.