New England lake voted one of the most ‘amazing’ in the US

USA Today readers have recently declared Lake Champlain in Vermont and New York one of the most “amazing” lakes in the country.

As part of USA Today’s 2025 10 Best Readers’ Choice Awards, Lake Champlain was included at number nine.

To determine the top 10, USA Today travel writers select 20 nominees for each topic, later opening up a vote for fans to determine the top 10 from the nominees.

“Vermont is renowned for its sprawling mountain ranges, and the state is no stranger to gorgeous water features either. Case in point: Lake Champlain, a massive body of water that runs 107 miles along the New York-Vermont border. In terms of urban exploration, Burlington is a particularly popular drinking and dining destination on the Champlain shore, while there’s a wealth of parks and islands for nature lovers to explore as well,” the publication wrote about the lake.

Voters chose Big Bear Lake in California as the number one lake on the list.

Lake Champlain was also selected as a runner-up for the list of top 10 best lakes for water sports, barely missing out on the top 10.

Other New England lakes also received recognition by USA Today voters in other categories, namely Weirs Beach at Lake Winnipesaukee in New Hampshire as number 10 on the list of top 10 amazing lake beaches and Echo Lake in New Hampshire as number seven on the top 10 best lakes for swimming list.