If you follow me on Instagram, you know we’ve been bouncing around to different area codes this summer, getting in some solid family travel with mini getaways. First it was Great Wolf Lodge in Pennsylvania’s Pocono Mountains (remember that time we went and I forgot to pack pants? I remembered them this time!) and then last week we enjoyed a few days of bliss at Basin Harbor in Vermont.
It. was. glorious.
If you’ve never heard of it (I hadn’t!) Basin Harbor is a resort that sits right on Lake Champlain. With ridiculous views and so much to do, it’s a great family vacation spot—just be sure to pack some dressier clothes along with your bathing suits and hike-friendly outfits or you’ll feel a liiiiiittle bit out of place. The regulars like to dress their best.
The resort has been family-run for over one hundred years and many of the same families return every summer for their vacation, which gives the place a very familiar, neighborhood kind of vibe, which we loved.
So, if you head to a schmancy resort there are probably millions of things you could be blown away by, right? The incredible food. The spa. The endless activities offered. Basin Harbor had all of those things, but our family’s favorites were a little less upper crust.
Before you read about our favorites, you should head over to Glamamom for my full rundown on Basin Harbor and all it has to offer.
Our family’s 5 favorite things about Basin Harbor resort
The heated outdoor pool.
Yeah. You read that right. We stayed at an historic resort right on a lake with an extensive list of things we could do and my kids wanted to chill in the swimming pool the whole time. To be fair, it was never overcrowded, it had a little bar and there were plenty of chairs to lounge on. Plus they had kick boards and pool noodles which proved to be perfect for using when you’re six and want to teach your mother how to swim. Which brings me to our next favorite…
The trampolines on the lake.
To be honest, this probably had at least a little bit to do with my difficulty getting to the trampoline—Michael Phelps I am not, but add anxiety to poor swimming skills and a big lake and you’ve got yourself pure comedic gold. The girls absolutely loved the idea of bouncing on a giant trampoline in the middle of Lake Champlain. Ellie skipped around in circles, completely ecstatic, trying to bounce any of us off into the water. I held on for dear life.
The fact that it never felt overcrowded.
My husband is not a fan of large groups of people. In fact, he’s not really a fan of people in general. Crazy crowded spaces are like torture for him, which was one of the reasons he enjoyed this family trip. Basin Harbor never felt crowded. In fact, on our last morning we learned that 200 people were there for a wedding. We were completely shocked and couldn’t help wondering where all of those people were hiding out. At least part of the reason why probably had a lot to do with our next favorite thing.
The resort is sprawling, but you can still walk everywhere.
The resort is really nicely spread out so that nothing is right on top of anything else. Samantha’s thought it felt like a little village: everything was spread out, but still at walking distance. We could walk down to breakfast in the morning and then stroll over to the lake. We could walk to the Harbor Store for creemees (which is Vermont for soft serve) and over to Red Mill Restaurant for lunch. The weather was perfect for wandering the grounds and we did a lot of it!
The cottages.
Usually when we go on vacation, we stay in a hotel room. The fact that we got our own personal cottage made the girls absolutely squeal with delight. They loved that it felt like our own home away from home—and that they got their own bedroom with a gigantic king-sized bed. Ellie’s absolute favorite part though? The shampoo, conditioner, and soap dispensers (or, as she says it “expensers”). Who knew these kids were so easy to please? I guess I am too though because the screened-in porch made me so damn happy. And the combination of a cool summer breeze coming off the lake while sitting out there on the porch and the crackling of a fire in the fireplace in the next room? Heaven, I tell you!
We didn’t want to leave.
Want to see more? You can check out some of our trip in the video my husband put together below:
Basin Harbor hosted us for this trip, but all opinions are my own.
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Hi! I'm Jen, a freelance writer and girl mom who loves reading the newest children’s books as much as I love a good psychological thriller. I believe fiercely in the power of kindness, empathy, and really good quality chocolate. When I'm not knee-deep in glittery crafts and girl talk, you can probably find me sprawled out on my couch in the middle of a Netflix marathon with dark chocolate smeared on my face. The struggle is real. 
