The Champlain Islands are home to some of the greatest and most unique state parks in Vermont. From day use parks to island camping, these hidden gems are sure to be enjoyed by all ages. The guide below will help you learn about the best parks to visit in the Northwest Lake Champlain region. 

1. Sand Bar State Park 

Sandy beaches, bird watching, and panoramic lake views the Sand Bar State Park is located right on the shores of Lake Champlain’s Inland Sea. This park is open daily and is open from 10am to sunset. This park has 2000 feet of sand beach making it a great spot to swim. Plus, they have kayaks available to rent! 

2. Grand Isle State Park

Grand Isle State Park is Vermont's most visited state park equipped with great camping and even some nature trails! With 4,150 feet of shoreline set up for fishing and swimming, the vast number of available camping sites in the park make it Vermont’s second largest campground.

3. Knight Point State Park

Knight Point State Park is located right by The North Hero Drawbridge on Lake Champlain’s “Gut”. This 54 acre park is strictly day use so snag a picnic table and enjoy lunch by the water or rent out the pavilion if you have a group function!

4. Alburgh Dunes State Park 

Grab a cooler, your trunks, a smile and head on up to the 625 acre paradise known as Alburgh Dunes State Park. This park is a local favorite with one of the longest sandy beaches on Lake Champlain, making the dunes the perfect place to enjoy a day of beach games and swimming.

5. Burton Island State Park 

Hop on the boat and trek out to the beautiful 253 acre Burton Island State Park. Located on Lake Champlain’s Inland Sea, this park makes for a very unique boat camping experience. You can also travel to Burton Island by ferry located in St. Albans, Vermont.

6.  Knight Island State Park

Knight Island State Park is located just around 2 miles from the North Hero Village on Lake Champlain’s Inland Sea and is only accessible by boat. This island getaway will not disappoint. Reserve a lean-to ahead of time, pack up, and treat yourself to a peaceful night out in nature. During the colder months you can walk out on the frozen lake to Knight Island. It is just a 40 minute walk from the North Hero Village!

7. Woods Island State Park 

Woods Island State Park is another great island state park on Lake Champlain’s Inland Sea. When visiting Woods Island prepare for a slightly more rugged camping experience than one might have on Knight Island or Burton Island. This park is known as a “remote area” campground with limited sites. However, it still has much to offer in terms of camping and exploring as long as you are prepared!

Incomparable state parks, close-knit community, and countless outdoor activities make the Lake Champlain Islands region a wonderful place to enjoy year-round or seasonally. Looking for more things to do when visiting? Read about these 10 can’t miss places to see in the Champlain Islands. 

The Northwestern Vermont Board of REALTORS® (NVBR) has released its market statistics for May 2021. The information is derived from data contained in the New England Real Estate Network and covers Chittenden, Franklin and Grand Isle Counties.

As the weather warms and pandemic restrictions ease across much of the country, the U.S. housing market shows little sign of cooling. Robust buyer demand, fueled by low mortgage rates, continues to outpace supply, which remains near historic lows. Nationwide, inventory remains much lower than it was at this time last year, and sales prices are surging as a result.

New Listings increased 2.7 percent for single-family homes but decreased 8.4 percent for townhouse-condo properties. Pending Sales increased 0.4 percent for single-family homes but decreased 4.7 percent for townhouse-condo properties. Inventory decreased 49.8 percent for single-family homes and 62.3 percent for townhouse-condo properties.

The Median Sales Price was up 20.6 percent to $380,000 for single-family homes and 8.3 percent to $259,950 for townhouse-condo properties. Days on Market decreased 63.1 percent for single-family homes and 60.8 percent for townhouse-condo properties. Months Supply of Inventory decreased 56.7 percent for single-family homes and 66.7 percent for townhouse-condo properties.

With such limited supply of existing homes to purchase, all eyes are on home builders to provide a much-needed boost of inventory to the market to help meet buyer demand. However, increasing material and labor costs, along with supply chain challenges, have contributed to significantly higher construction costs, with builders passing these costs on to homebuyers. And while the warmer temperatures, rising sales prices, and the reopening of the economy may draw more sellers to the market, historically low levels of homes for sale are likely to continue for some time.

If you're thinking of selling your home you need an agency who can help you navigate this fast paced market. Contact one of our local realtors to learn more.

Reopening The Champlain Islands

We are thrilled to announce that our office doors at 38 Community Lane are open again to the public! Our Realtors are now on duty, in-person, five days a week to provide our community with immediate walk-in service. In addition, we are thrilled to share that we have welcomed Paul Habersang to Coldwell Banker Islands Realty as a licensed sales associate! The timing couldn’t be better as we are busier than ever! As many of you know, the real estate market is booming with no sign of slowing down this summer. Our knowledgable agents are readily available to help guide you whether you are buying a new home or preparing to sell. The Champlain Islands is the place to be in Summer of 2021 and we can't wait to start gathering with our community again!

New to the Island Neighborhood

As we welcome the warm weather, we also welcome new small businesses into the Champlain Islands community! Check out the latest additions to the town of South Hero below! 

Arbor Farm Market

South Hero Village recently welcomed Arbor Farm Market full of local goodies; the market resides at 324 US Route 2 in South Hero,VT. Make sure to stop by Wednesdays- Sundays to check out the wide variety of local farm products and grocery items.

Two Heroes Brewery 

Another new addition in the town of South Hero is Two Heroes Brewery! They opened their doors in February and have just recently added a biergarten! Be sure to visit them this summer at 1 Ferry Rd in South Hero!

The Hive Cafe 

Located at Allenholm Farm on South Street, the Hive Cafe is serving burgers, mac and cheese, salads, and even fish tacos! Enjoy some good eats and don't forget to save room for one of Allenholm's famous maple creemees!
Photo credit: Allenholm Farm

Lola's Latin Kitchen

Champlain Island's Candy Lab has added a new food truck outside of their storefront! Lola's Latin Kitchen is offering authentic latin cuisine featuring dishes such as enchiladas, Mexican Chili and much more!
Photo credit: Lola's Latin Kitchen

See the latest real estate market report for Northwestern Vermont presented by NVBR below.

April was another strong month for home sales. The busy spring market continues to see many multiple offer situations driving sales prices above asking price. With such strong activity, by the time a property sale closes, the market may have already moved higher than that sold price suggests. Such markets can create stress and frustration for prospective homebuyers, who are frequently having to submit offers on multiple properties before they are able to secure a purchase.

New Listings increased 102.3 percent for single-family homes and 77.6 percent for townhouse-condo properties. Pending Sales increased 128.7 percent for single-family homes and 81.1 percent for townhouse-condo properties. Inventory decreased 54.9 percent for single-family homes and 49.6 percent for townhouse-condo properties.

The Median Sales Price was up 10.8 percent to $355,000 for single-family homes and 18.4 percent to $279,500 for townhouse-condo properties. Days on Market decreased 19.7 percent for single-family homes and 16.1 percent for townhouse-condo properties. Months Supply of Inventory decreased 62.1 percent for single-family homes and 57.1 percent for townhouse-condo properties.

In the spirit of the great Wayne Gretzky, buyers, sellers, and their agents are all trying their best to skate to where the puck, or rather, the housing market, is going, not where it has been. While housing affordability remains an area to watch as prices continue to rise, strong buyer demand and limited housing supply show no signs of easing soon, pointing to a continuation of this market trend through spring and into summer.

Wondering what the current market is like in your area? Call (802) 372-5777 and get a complimentary market analysis from a local expert. 

Source: Northwestern Vermont Board of Realtors

  This secluded lakefront property is a great example of Champlain Island homes with the best of both worlds! Pristine Lake Champlain frontage coupled with complete privacy from the partially wooded 1.4 acre lot. The 250ft of west facing, gradual, shale beach is easily accessible and includes breathtaking sunsets over Sister Islands and the Adirondacks. (This home is NOT for sale)