<p>I would love to travel home from Montreal via Vermont, but we’re actually leaving from Potsdam. St. Lawrence looks like a great college Sooz, but it doesn’t haven’t the second major that my son is looking for. Thanks for your suggestions JHS, I’ll think about what you said when I look over the map again.</p>
<p>if you drive through Cortland to get to Ithaca and you like middle eastern food there is an amazing restaurant on the main street in Cortland called pita gourmet. wonderful tabouleeh and baba ganoush!!</p>
<p>I know you are not going home via Vermont, but I was mentioning that to go UP to Montreal from Burlington, you can drive up 89 and cross the border that way. I mentioned this as others were mentioning crossing on 87 or 91. We would go on 89. The border is in Swanton.</p>
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Ah, I see. What do you think about the ferry from Burlington? A ferry looks like fun!</p>
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true but most kids who are looking at Clarkson aren’t interested in SLU. Very different feel, majors, and overall completely different schools, and as a current Clarkson student, they suck at hockey. </p>
<p>It is definitely a doable trip. I drive from NH to Potsdam through Burlington and it isnt a bad drive. </p>
<p>The drive from montreal from to Potsdam isn’t bad, desolate, but not terrible. Just make sure you have your passports because it is required now. </p>
<p>Clarkson is a great school and I hope your son likes it. They are currently doing a ton of work to make the campus a lot better.</p>
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taking the ferry from burlington to ny to go to montreal is kinda pointless. it would be quicker to continue up on 89 and cross over in swanton. If you take the ferry you could cross over at Rouse’s Point which is a cute little border town on lake champlain or you could travel a little further and cross over on 87. </p>
<p>But the easiest way is to nix the ferry and just take 89 north.</p>
<p>I would skip the ferry because the idea is to make the travel leg as short as possible given the time constraints. I think those in the Burlington area would just take 89 up and cross over in Swanton. </p>
<p>However, on Wednesday after you tour the first college, and if it is a nice day, there are ferry rides on Lake Champlain or dinner cruises and such. Or just walk along the path by the lake right in Burlington. I’d do that sort of thing that day and not when you are trying to get to Montreal in the shortest time possible.</p>
<p>We took the ferry many times from Burlington over to Port Kent when our child was at SLU. It was a nice diversion to be on a boat for an hour! Saved some miles, too. </p>
<p>Border crossing Canada/U.S. can be tricky at times! It may take longer than you think it will. Lines can get long & will be backed up. It can be “hit or miss”. I am from Northern NY so we are all very experienced in the border crossing with customs & all that.</p>
<p>soozie, That’s an excellent idea! Since we’ve already visited Burlington once before, I was looking for something else to do and we could just ride back and forth on the ferry! I appreciate all the border crossing info. I haven’t been to Canada since our oldest (now 25) was an infant and I’m sure it’s quite different now.</p>
<p>Any suggestions on what to do in Montreal?</p>
<p>I found a B & B near Potsdam that actually has a more then one bed in a room, is inexpensive and has great reviews. This trip is shaping up quite nicely.</p>
<p>Kathie, my suggestion about the ferry cruise on your first college visit afternoon, wasn’t to take the ferry crossings. Rather, there are ferry lake cruises for 1 1/2 hours just for fun. There are also dinner cruises or luncheon cruises as well. These are located right on the lake right by downtown Burlington…you just walk down to this pier to do it. </p>
<p>More information:
(Northern Lights Lake Champlain Cruises)</p>
<p>[Northern</a> Lights Lake Champlain Cruises](<a href=“http://www.lakechamplaincruises.com/]Northern”>http://www.lakechamplaincruises.com/)</p>
<p>Just reporting back. We had a great trip and indeed, it was easy to do a day trip from Burlington and then drive to Potsdam. We liked all the colleges (sort of) but LOVED old Montreal! Didn’t get a chance for a ferry ride, but hope for that in the future!</p>
<p>Yay, sounds like it went really well!</p>