It’s been years since we’ve visited Fort Ticonderoga (since we were kids, actually!), and we were so happy to head back again recently to experience it in a whole new way. While Tom is more of a history buff, we loved that the Fort offers a little something for everyone - a gorgeous garden to meander through and a boat cruise (with a little wine!) for me, musket and cannon firing demonstrations for Tom, and lots of activities to keep the kiddos we saw there entertained too.
You could easily spend a couple of days taking in everything there is to see - read on for some of our favorites!
SEE + DO
While Fort Ticonderoga has great opportunities for informative guided group tours, we opted to tour at our own pace and loved the flexibility it allowed us. Here’s what to see and do while you’re there:
The Fort: Of course! We spent a lot of our time here since there’s so much to see. Between admiring the view of Lake Champlain and exploring the fort - inside and out - there’s a lot to take in!
Fort Ticonderoga re-invents itself each year to focus on a particular period of time in their history (how amazing is that?!), and this year is 1758. We loved taking a peek at the historic trades shops where Fort’s military interpreters are actually making shoes and tailoring clothing, watching a typical 1758 lunch being made in the soldier’s camp kitchen, and of course, the musket and cannon firing demonstrations. We could’ve spent all day browsing the museum exhibitions too - I, of course, loved seeing all of the 18th century blue and white pottery, while Tom spent time browsing their extensive collection of bullets, muskets, and blades.
The Fort does an impeccable job of seamlessly integrating the interpreters into the visit, always available for questions and a chat between planned demonstrations as they go about their business as if it was the mid-1700’s. Truly a fun and immersive experience.
Next time, we’re looking forward to checking out the Carillion Battlefield, and the Guns by Night event sounds pretty cool, too.
King’s Garden: A highlight of the experience at Fort Ticonderoga, the King’s Garden is an absolutely beautiful garden set within lovely brick walls below the Fort. A tree-lined path leads up to the gate, with Lake Champlain just beyond the far wall. We could’ve spent all afternoon admiring the flowers (and taking notes for our future garden), and decided next time we’ll pack a picnic lunch or bring lunch down from the Cafe on site to enjoy amongst the flowers. We’ve got our eye on an upcoming pop-up bar in the King’s Garden in partnership with Shacksbury Cider this August (get the details here) - it sounds like a perfect night!
Oh, and did we mention the apple orchard and the corn maze opening in mid-August?! Sign us up.
Boat Cruise: We meant what we said when we mentioned there’s something for everyone! We loved touring Lake Champlain on the Fort’s beautiful replica 1920’s touring vessel, The Carillion.
Enjoy the historical narration and sonar of shipwrecks below, or just enjoy the view and a glass of wine or a cold beer. Or both! They’ve got a few sunset cruises scheduled for the rest of the summer, which sound pretty amazing too (grab tickets here).
Mount Defiance: The perfect spot for a picnic lunch, or simply to take in the gorgeous view, Mount Defiance is not to be missed. Just a quick drive from the Fort, this perch atop the mountain gives you a birds eye view of the Fort and Lake Champlain below. It’s hard to imagine this beautiful place was the site of such intense historical conflicts.
EAT + DRINK
America’s Fort Cafe: With a breeze blowing through the open windows and a view of the lake below, the Cafe was the perfect spot to take a break from exploring and grab a bite to eat. We devoured a tuna melt and a veggie wrap, and as we departed to catch the boat we immediately regretted not ordering dessert - the pie that the waitress brought out for a neighboring table looked so good! Next time, for sure.
SHOP
Gift Shop: Remember that blue and white pottery I mentioned earlier? They’ve got plenty of beautiful reproductions available in the gift shop, plus books, souvenirs, and all the toys kids (or husbands who think they’re kids) could want.
When’s the last time you visited Fort Ticonderoga? We’re already planning our next trip back, and would love to hear some of your favorites there, too.
This post was in partnership with our friends at Fort Ticonderoga. We’re thrilled to have the opportunity to share this historic and beautiful place with you. Thank you for supporting the businesses and organizations that support Glens Falls Living.