Plan Your Visit
Plan Your Trip
Getting to Michigan Fest from Montreal, Burlington, Albany & NYC
Michigan Fest is held at the Clinton County Fairgrounds in Plattsburgh, NY, right on Lake Champlain: about 45 minutes from Montreal, an hour from Burlington, VT, and 2 hours from Albany. However you're coming, the drive is part of the fun. Cross an international border, skirt the shores of Lake Champlain, or cut straight through the six-million-acre Adirondack Park to get here.
Distances
At a Glance
| Starting From | Distance | Drive Time | Main Route |
|---|
| Montreal, QC | ~65 km / 40 mi | 45 min–1 hr* | Autoroute 15 S → I-87 S |
| Burlington, VT | ~25–45 mi | 1–1.5 hrs (or 12-min ferry) | Rt. 2 around the lake, or Lake Champlain Ferry |
| Albany, NY | ~95 mi | 1.75–2 hrs | I-87 N (the Northway) |
| New York City | ~300 mi | 4.5–5 hrs | I-87 N the whole way |
*Montreal time includes typical border crossing wait, which varies by day/time.
Directions
Directions by Starting Point
Coming from Montreal? (~45 min–1 hr)
Easiest trip on the list. Autoroute 15 south, cross at Champlain-Lacolle, and it becomes I-87 South the rest of the way. Grab your passport, budget a little extra for the border, and you're basically already there.
Coming from Burlington? (~1–1.5 hrs, or a 12-minute boat ride)
Drive it around via Rt. 2 through Alburgh and Rouses Point, or skip the car entirely and hop the Lake Champlain Ferry from Grand Isle or Cumberland Head. It takes 12 minutes on the water and runs seasonally through summer.
Coming from Albany? (~2 hrs)
Straight north on I-87, the Adirondack Northway. Skims past Lake George, then runs through the Adirondack Park with mountains on both sides most of the way.
Coming from NYC? (~4.5–5 hrs)
One road the whole way: I-87 North, start to finish. Thruway and Hudson Valley for the first stretch, then it opens into the same scenic Adirondack run as the Albany drive.
Not Just a One-Day Trip
Can't make it a whole trip for one event? Fair enough. Plattsburgh and the surrounding area give you plenty of reasons to stick around. You're minutes from Lake Champlain beaches and boat launches, twenty minutes from Ausable Chasm (the "Grand Canyon of the East"), and less than an hour from Whiteface Mountain and Lake Placid. Cross the border and Montreal's right there too. Come for Michigan Fest, stay for the lake, the mountains, and everything in between.
Good to Know
Getting Here Tips
Address / GPS: 84 Fair Grounds Rd, Plattsburgh, NY 12901 (clintoncountyfair.com)
Parking: On-site grass lot, short walk to the gate. Handicap parking marked on-site; overflow lots open if the main lot fills. No shuttle.
Crossing from Canada: Bring a passport or enhanced license, and check current border wait times before you leave.