We drove from Stowe to Montreal today by way of two scenic drives. Our first drive took us down winding roads through thousand foot high cliffs of Smugglers Notch. It reminded me of a very short version of Going To the Sun Rd in Glacier National Park. We stopped to check out primo views of the cliffs and caught a couple of climbers about halfway up the rock wall.

After emerging from the northern end of the Notch we opted to back track a bit so we could catch Route 2 which took us island hopping over Lake Champlain. The islands are dotted with state parks, boaters and small beaches but the interiors are primarily farming and rural communities that feel like they are way out in the middle of nowhere. With corn planted all around, it felt like a blend of the Florida Keys meets middle America only it was northern Vermont just south of the Canadian border.

We were re-energized by our first experience crossing the Canadian border as a family and the drive over the St. Lawrence River and into Montreal was very smooth.