Situated in Grand Isle, this charming house for $203 per night is a great choice for your next break. Located on a very quiet, private dirt road, this 2 Bedroom Ranch with a large screened-in porch is directly on the water of Lake Champlain. It is in a protected bay called 'The Gut'. Gorgeous views and sunsets, looking west. 30 minutes to Burlington and 45 minutes to the Canadian Border. Walk to Ladds Marina to rent boats, walk to the Drawbridge, excellent fishing. Bed arrangements: Double bed in one bedroom, twin beds in the second bedroom, screened-in porch with two bunk beds and ping pong table. Special Features: HDTV, Comcast Internet, 65 Foot Dock, Ping Pong table on the screened porch, Bar-B-Q on the 25 foot deck. Enjoy sitting on the deck watching the sunsets and enjoying water activities. Drawbridge close by for great fishing. Large front yard for sports games, such as, volley ball, croquet. Fireplace living room with HDTV, DVR and DVD. Movie library with about 50 movies to choose. Washer/Dryer available. ARTICLE FROM THE BOSTON GLOBE One downshifts upon arrival at the two-town island community of South Hero and Grand Isle on Lake Champlain. There are speed zones to observe, certainly, but also many bicyclists to respect, for this is a cycling Eden. But mostly you slow down psychologically, almost automatically. That’s because the island has all the soothing attributes of any seashore community but with one major difference: Instead of ocean expanse, one gazes across water at summits, the Green Mountains over which the sun rises, the Adirondacks over which it sets. There are winding country roads to explore; and farmers’ markets, orchards, produce kiosks (honor system), ice cream stands, art galleries, and even a winery that beckon you to stop. Grand Isle is full of speed bumps, all welcome. DINE For fine dining in a sporty atmosphere, try the Blue Paddle Bistro (316 US Route 2, South Hero, entrees $15 to $28, open for dinners Tuesday-Sunday, brunches Sundays on holiday weekends. For terrific hand-cut fries and other fried foods stop at Kim’s Snack Bar (corner of Routes 314 and 2, Grand Isle, no phone or website). Two spots for formal dining require a short drive across a drawbridge to another island, North Hero, to Shore Acres Inn & Restaurant (237 Shore Acres Drive, entrees $18.95-$37.95) and The North Hero House Inn & Restaurant (3643 Route 2, entrees $22-$27), both offering lakeside views. DURING THE DAY Bikers can enjoy the views along Grand Isle. While vacationing at the lakeshore it’s hard not to think occasionally of fish or other critters of the deep. For a sense of what’s below Champlain’s surface, stop by the visitor center at the Ed Weed Fish Culture Station, a state hatchery (14 Bell Hill Road, Grand Isle, open 8-4 daily, including holidays, for self-guided tours). Visitors can view Champlain’s most common fish species, feed fingerlings in their tanks, and stroll along the banks of a pond, occasionally catching a glimpse of osprey and other lakeshore birds. If art’s your thing, check out Grand Isle Art Works (259 Route 2, Grand Isle, open Monday-Saturday 10-4, but until 8 on Thursday, Sunday 9-3; café hours Tuesday-Saturday 10-3, dinners Thursday evenings), a gallery in a 1797 farmhouse featuring the works of some 75 Vermont painters and crafts people. For a dessert or to spoil your appetite, stop at Vermont Nut Free Chocolates (10 Island Circle, Grand Isle) for specialty chocolates made without nuts or peanuts, a special blessing for anyone with nut allergies. And for some history? Consider one of the oldest log cabins in North America, the Hyde Log Cabin, a state historic site (Route 2, Grand Isle, just north of the intersection with Hyde Road, open Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, 11-5). The small cabin, with furnishings, was built around 1783 by a Revolutionary War veteran, Jedediah Hyde, whose descendants lived in the structure over the course of 150 years. And, finally, all followers of the apple-a-day adage, should consider Hackett’s Orchard (86 South St., South Hero) or Allenholm Farm (111 South St., South Hero, offering a “petting paddock” of farm animals for kids) Both orchards also sell varieties of berries, fruits and vegetables, plus ice cream, cider, maple syrup and other Vermont food specialties. Hackett’s Orchard in South Hero offers fresh produce. For renting bikes; North Hero House or Hero's Landing. Also LOCAL MOTION OF VT in Burlington DURING THE NIGHT Face it, after a day at the beach or hours of bicycling, you may not be in the mood for a raucous nightlife — which is good because all options on the island are low key. One might visit to Snow Farm Vineyard (190 West Shore Road, South Hero) on an evening of tastings or musical performances. For frothy Vermont brews, and a chance to watch the Red Sox on the flat-screen, try McKee’s Island Pub & Pizza (513 Route 2, South Hero) McKee’s, offering subs, pasta, and salads, is also a good place to take the family for dinner. And if it’s really the simplest of pleasures you’re pursuing, you can stand in line at Seb’s Snack Bar (295 Route 2, South Hero), an island institution, for a close-up view of Americana and a “creemee,” ice cream cone, shake, or float. ARTICLE IN THE US NEWS-2021 There are few places in the U.S. where you can island hop via car. The Lake Champlain Islands in Vermont is one of those places. These five islands, which sit on 120-mile-long Lake Champlain, are all connected via U.S. Route 2 (also known as the Roosevelt Highway). The islands are home to beaches like Alburgh Dunes State Park and White’s Beach, farms (including Snow Farm Vineyard and Hackett’s Orchard) and plenty of lovely trails. The bike-friendly Island Line Trail is a particularly scenic pathway that crosses the lake from Causeway Park on mainland Vermont to South Hero Island. There are some hotels on the islands, and camping is available at Grand Isle State Park. Plus, since Burlington is less than 24 miles southeast of South Hero Island, you can always book accommodations there.