Best Things to Do in Highgate Springs, VT With Kids
Highgate Springs is really about Tyler Place Family Resort itself, since the daily age-grouped kids' programming is the vacation, not a side activity. Off property, the best half-days are a Lake Champlain boat cruise, paddling ten minutes away at Missisquoi National Wildlife Refuge, a maple or creamery stop in a small Vermont town, and (for older kids willing to do a longer drive) a full day at Shelburne Museum. Jay Peak's indoor water park is the rainy-day backup.
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1Area photo: Annacecchini / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)Lake Champlain Sunset Cruise
Narrated late-day cruise along Lake Champlain with Green Mountain and Adirondack views on either shore. Water is calmer in the evening than midday, and the pace is slow enough that even a fidgety 5-year-old can sit through it.
Watch out: Boats leave from Burlington or St. Albans Bay, both 30–60 minutes south of Highgate Springs, so this eats a chunk of the day in driving. Book the earlier sailing if bedtime is a factor; deck seating is limited and fills fast.
2Area photo: Annacecchini / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)Missisquoi National Wildlife Refuge Canoe Paddle
Ten minutes from Highgate Springs, closer than anything else on this list. Marsh channels are calm and slow enough for a first-time paddle, and herons, osprey, and painted turtles show up reliably in the warmer months.
Watch out: No outfitter operates on-site; rent canoes or kayaks in Swanton, or bring your own. Black flies are genuinely bad in June, so bug spray isn't optional. Some channels get too shallow to paddle by late summer.
3Area photo: Annacecchini / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)Vermont Maple & Creamery Farm Stop
Small-town Vermont without a long drive: a working sugarhouse or creamery near Swanton or St. Albans, where kids can see how syrup or cheese actually gets made before finishing with ice cream in town.
Watch out: The 'working' part is real only during maple season, roughly February through April. Outside that window it's a gift shop with a video, not an active boil. Call ahead to confirm what's actually running that week.
4Area photo: Annacecchini / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)Shelburne Museum Day
A 45-acre campus with 39 buildings, including a retired Lake Champlain steamboat and a round barn, plus rotating art exhibits. Kids who can handle a lot of walking and reading placards genuinely enjoy this; it's not a playground.
Watch out: It's over an hour south of Highgate Springs each way, so this is a full-day commitment once you count the drive. Skip it with kids under 7; they won't sit still for the exhibits. Some buildings close seasonally, so check before you go.
5Area photo: Annacecchini / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)Jay Peak Pump House Indoor Waterpark
The realistic rainy-day plan for this part of Vermont. Indoor wave pool, lazy river, and slides about 45 minutes from Highgate Springs, useful because there isn't a mall or indoor attraction otherwise in this corner of the state.
Watch out: Day passes can sell out on weekends and holidays. Buy online ahead of time rather than showing up and hoping. Lockers and towels cost extra on top of the pass.
Frequently asked
Do we need to leave Tyler Place at all during our stay?
No. The resort's age-grouped programming is designed to fill full days on its own. Most families treat off-property stops like the Missisquoi paddle or a creamery visit as a change of pace on a day with lighter programming, not a replacement for it.
What's the best backup plan if it rains for a day or two?
Jay Peak's Pump House indoor water park, about 45 minutes northeast, is the real answer. This part of Vermont doesn't have an indoor mall or attraction otherwise, so it's worth knowing about before you need it.
Is Shelburne Museum worth the drive with kids?
For kids 8 and up, yes. The steamboat and round barn are genuinely interesting, and there's a lot of ground to cover. For kids under 7, it's a lot of walking for not much payoff; they'll want to leave within the hour.
Can we see wildlife near Highgate Springs without a guided tour?
Missisquoi National Wildlife Refuge, 10 minutes away, is your best bet for herons, osprey, and turtles from a canoe or kayak. Moose are technically possible but rare this far south in Vermont, so don't plan a trip around seeing one.
When is the maple sugarhouse tour actually worth visiting?
Roughly February through April, when sugarhouses are actively boiling sap. Visit outside that window and you'll mostly see a gift shop and a video rather than a working operation.
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