Clinton County borders Lake Champlain and brings together a range of themes for an exploratory trip: cultural history, art, agriculture, and outdoor activities. The Babbie Rural & Farm Learning Museum focuses on rural life before the 1950s; the Acres of Apples loop passes apple orchards and a dairy farm. You can tailor your stay to the topics that interest you most.
Cultural History and Regional Stories
The North Star Underground Railroad Museum presents the hidden history of the Champlain Line of the Underground Railroad. Its exhibits explore enslaved people who traveled through northeastern New York State and the Champlain Valley on their way to Québec and Ontario. The museum offers a regional perspective on a story that reaches beyond the county’s borders.
The Clinton County Historical Association also focuses on the region’s history. Throughout the year, it hosts talks, workshops, special exhibitions, and guided tours of the surrounding area. If a particular talk or tour is important to your trip, check the dates in advance.
Other historical connections span different eras: the Battle of Valcour Island was the first naval battle of the American Revolutionary War. At the War of 1812 Museum, the Allan S. Everest Interpretive Center is presented as a permanent exhibition. These two topics represent different periods in American history.
Art and Exhibitions
The Rockwell Kent Gallery in SUNY Plattsburgh’s Feinberg Library displays paintings, prints, drawings, ceramics, and textiles. The selection spans a range of artistic media, from works on paper to ceramics and textiles. For art enthusiasts, the gallery offers a dedicated focus alongside the county’s historical museums.
Distinct from the gallery is SUNY Plattsburgh’s Rockwell Kent Collection, which includes more than 5,000 cataloged artworks, objects, and ephemera. The gallery and collection therefore offer two different perspectives on art: displayed media on the one hand and an extensive cataloged collection on the other.
Agriculture and Rural Traditions
The Babbie Rural & Farm Learning Museum aims to introduce visitors to rural life and agriculture in the Champlain Valley and the Adirondacks before the 1950s. The museum also includes a fully operational blacksmith shop. It brings together a historical look at agriculture and a hands-on craft topic.
Agricultural themes offer different ways to explore the area beyond the museum, too. Parker Family Maple Farm has been in operation for more than 130 years. A county agricultural route for 2026 lists apple picking at Banker Orchards. If you plan this activity, check availability for your date before visiting.
The Acres of Apples loop passes through five different apple orchards and by the largest dairy farm in Clinton County. Its route description thus brings together apple growing and dairy farming. Along with the long history of Parker Family Maple Farm and the Babbie Museum’s focus, it offers a varied picture of agricultural traditions, though these stops are not all the same kind of visit.
Lake Champlain and Outdoor Activities
Fishing is one of the outdoor activities Clinton County offers. Valcour Island is a destination in its own right: the island is accessible only by boat. More than seven miles of trails run around it, passing quiet beaches, several campsites accessible only by paddleboat, and the Bluff Point Lighthouse.
Valcour Island brings together a historical connection and trails through the landscape. Access by boat is an essential part of planning; the campsites mentioned are also reachable only by paddleboat. If you are more interested in art and history, the galleries, museums, and events offer different focuses from island trails and activities on the water. You can choose what to include in your stay based on the topics you want to explore further.
Discover more destinations: Plattsburgh, Champlain, Fulton, Yates County, Onondaga, Ontario County, Greene, Suffolk.
For the broader travel overview: New York.
