Albany Travel Forum

Can anyone tell me the easiest way to drive from Albany,NY to Burlington,VT? I'm planning to fly into Albany then rent a car to Burlington. I've never been to this part of the country before. Any advice would be welcome. Thank-you.

Take the Northway (Interstate 87) straight North from Albany. You can either drive all the way to the Canadian border and cross into Vermont at Rouse's point and then drive back south into Burlington, or use your map to get from the Northway to either Essex or Port Kent, both on Lake Champlain, and both with ferry service to Vermont. (I can do this in my sleep, but unfortunately haven't memorized exit numbers.)
The Port Kent Ferry takes longer but drops you right in Burlington. The Essex ferry is quicker but makes you drive a good hour north from Charlotte to Burlington. (BTW, Charlotte is pronounced "SherLOTT")Depending on the season it can be a very pleasant drive. Lake Champlain ferry schedules are accessible online.
If you don't want to pay for the ferry, there's a bridge from Crown Point New York to Chimney point Vermont, where you can swing north to Burlington.

Depending on the season, you might consider crossing over to Route 9N too. That will take you up along Lake George in NY, which is beautiful. However, in the winter it can be snowy/icy/foggy and in the summer it is bumper-to-bumper traffic through the lakeside resort villages. (9N will take you to Crown Point where, as dnwitte said, you can cross the bridge.)

Thanks so much for the information. I'm planning this trip for early May. Could you give me an idea of the time frame for this drive if I don't take the ferry? thanks again.

I've taken the Port Kent ferry and that wasn't so bad. It does drop you right into the town of Burlington.

Brush up on the history of the mythical Lake Champlain resident named Champ. It's a pretty interesting story.

I think you'll like Burlington. It's a college town that fairly eclectic.

Bambi

i'd go albany - whitehall NY (southern end of the lake) then to Rt 7 in middlebury - then up from there. Rt 7 in that part of the world is pretty - the ferries are a great way to go - but if you don't time it right you end up having to wait for the next one - adding some time to the trip.

I have taken a very small ferry (total crossing distance on the order of 1/4 mile) that goes from ticonderoga across to Vt - this ferry is run separate from the larger commercial ones - and runs along a cable that lies just under the water's surface. The short distance means that you never have to wait very long - and there is a quaint general store on the VT side of the crossing.

Once in Burlington check out "O" - a very cool eatery right on the lake.

have fun.
-bill

May is a great time to go--you'll be past blackfly season and mud season! It can still get pretty cool, but you're more likely to find the weather sunny and warm. Burlington is a fun town and the beautiful Vermont countryside is just a short drive away.