Each summer, the Museum offers a variety of overnight summer trips and programs on Lake Champlain for teens ages 13–16 looking for an adventure and time outside connecting with nature and like-minded kids their age. Come build a kayak and set off on a multi-day expedition by kayak, canoe, rowing boat, or sail!
Our teen trips and programs are designed to challenge you, get you outside, expand your comfort zone, and give you confidence, friends, and life skills that will serve you for a lifetime. All teen programs are pay-what-you-can. If you have any questions about our programs, trips, or registration, contact our expeditionary program manager, Laura Caldwell, at laurac@lcmm.org.
Read about our safety measures, cancellation policies, and pay-what-you-can tuition.
Kayak Building
June 22–July 10, 2026
Ages 13–16
$2,950 Tuition (Pay-What-You-Can)
Learn woodworking and boat building while you build your very own kayak at the Museum! Note: This is a daytime weekday program and not an overnight camp.
Champlain Discovery: Kayak Expedition
July 13–19, 2026
Ages 13–16
$2,065 Tuition (Pay-What-You-Can)
A seven day kayaking trip! We’ll leave from the Museum’s harbor in Vergennes and travel on Lake Champlain towards Canada.
Sail Champlain: Sailing Skills Experience
July 20–July 24, 2026
Ages 13–16
$1,475 Tuition (Pay-What-You-Can)
A 5-day overnight camp at the Museum all about sailing skills, using campsites around the Museum and our vicinity. Try your hand at different sail boats, master essential skills and teamwork, and camp outside each night!
Expedition Champlain: Rowing Expedition
July 26–August 2, 2026
Ages 13–16
$2,360 Tuition (Pay-What-You-Can)
An 8-day rowing expedition on Lake Champlain using the Museum’s beautiful fleet of large rowing boats.
Voyager Canoe Trek: Canoe Expedition
August 10–August 14, 2026
Ages 13–16
$1,475 Tuition (Pay-What-You-Can)
Our newest program, a 5-day canoe expedition in 25-foot Voyager Canoes on Lake Champlain.
The Outdoor Expedition Experience >
Our expeditions are designed to provide an immersive outdoor experience teaching you wilderness and small boat skills while challenging you to expand your comfort zone and be part of a cohesive team.
We practice low-impact camping and there is little to no running water or bathroom access along the way. We live outside for the entirety of the expedition, sleeping in tents, preparing meals, and exploring all that Lake Champlain has to offer. Each member is expected to contribute, working with your group and trip leaders, and supporting each other along the way.
Expeditions can be physically and mentally challenging but the rewards of meeting those challenges together are life changing. As our past participants have told us, these expeditions are truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience where you will walk away with newfound confidence and outdoor skills. These experiences offer the opportunity to bond with a group of friends, discover your inner strength, and connect on a deeper level with the lake and the natural world. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us at laurac@lcmm.org.
Health & Safety >
We are all looking forward to safe expeditions in 2026! Our team makes every effort to ensure a safe, positive, and enriching experience for all participants. Our expedition trip leaders are trained in facilitating outdoor experiences, wilderness, on-water skills, first aid, and risk management to promptly respond in the unlikely event that an incident occurs. To ensure everyone’s safety, we ask that all expedition families review and agree to our Camps & Expeditions Participation Policies and Waiver of Liability when you register for an expedition.
Cancellations & Refunds >
We understand life changes and sometimes you must cancel plans. If you cancel your expedition registration 15 or more days prior to the first day of the program, you will receive a full refund of your total amount paid. If you need to cancel your registration after the 15 day mark, please keep in mind you may not receive a full refund. Before you register, we ask you to review our full participation policies: Camp & Expedition Participation Policies.
Pay-What-You-Can Tuition >
We fundamentally believe that cost should not be a barrier for anyone to have a wonderful summer on Lake Champlain. With that in mind, all expeditions and camps at Lake Champlain Maritime Museum are Pay-What-You-Can!
Each program has a standard tuition listed with it, which supports staff time, safety equipment, and all our trip food, gear, and other supplies. When registering for your program, you will reach the final payment section where you will again see the standard tuition for your selected program and the option to pay the standard tuition or pay a custom amount. Please pay what you can. We are committed to making these programs available to everyone who wants to join, and our programs are dependent on all participants contributing some amount towards the total tuition. If you can, please help us make summer camps and expeditions available to all by making an additional contribution. No matter what you pay, you will be registered.
If you are not attending a camp or expedition but you would like to support our pay-what-you-can programs, please consider making a donation