The Skinny Pancake is located just a 1/2 mile away from the Lake Champlain waterfront and you can even see it from there. The Spirit of Ethan Allen three is a boat that gives you a tour of the famous lake, Lake Champlain a natural wonder in the eyes of Vermonters. There is a lot of history and facts about the lake and the best way to experience it is to take a boat scenic narrated tour of the lake aboard the Spirit of Ethan Allen III.  The vessel can hold 424 passengers and is great to get beautiful views of the lake and the land all around you. The tour was pre-recorded but was still enjoyable with many facts and information about the lake. I learned the story of Vermont’s state name. It comes from Dr. Samuel Peters who claimed that in 1763 he had christened the land as he stood on top of a high mountain - Mt. Killington - from which he could see both the Connecticut River and Lake Champlain, saying, "The new name is Verd-Mont, in token that her mountains and hills shall be ever green and shall never die." Most historians feel this story is apocryphal, to say the least. In truth, the name Vermont probably was given by another. That is just one of the interesting facts stated aboard the ship.

Lake Champlain is the largest freshwater lake in the U.S. after the five Great Lakes. The tour is a great way to learn more about the lake and it’s past. Food, drinks and snacks are also available on the tour as well as public restrooms. The tour lasts 90 minutes and is available at 10:00 a.m., 12:00 pm, 2:00 pm (the time we went on the cruise), 4:00 p.m. There is a ticket and information booth right near the dock. A cruise schedule and reservations as well as extra information can be viewed online at http://www.soea.com/. Seating is outside or inside (depending on events and availability). Your best bet is to sit outside for a great view and to get the full experience. I enjoyed the tour a lot and learned a wealth of information about the lake and its surroundings. The views were wonderful and the wait staff was pleasant. There was not a con about the tour and I would definitely board again when I visit Vermont next.