Plattsburgh, NY Road Trips

The closest American city to Montréal, Plattsburgh (city and town) has a population of about 32,000 (2020). The area was the site of a native Indigenous village at the time of Samuel-de-Champlain's 1609 Lake Champlain valley expedition. The French settled in the area during the «coureur-de-bois» fur trade era in the mid-to-late 17th century. Historically a French area, Plattsburgh later fell to the English, and then the United States. Located on the western shore of Lake Champlain, Plattsburgh is separated by the lake from Burlington, Vermont to the east. It is the primary city serving the vast Adirondack Park region, as development within the park boundary is strictly limited outside the few existing villages (such as Saranac Lake and Lake Placid). Plattsburgh has a long military history. The city, founded in 1785, is home to a War of 1812 museum; it was the site of the Revolutionary War's Battle of Valcourt Island and the War of 1812's Battle of Plattsburgh, a naval engagement on Lake Champlain in 1814 that was the final battle of that war and ensured American control over the city for the final time. In 1915, the Preparedness Movement established the first of the "Plattsburgh camps", volunteer pre-enlistment training grounds for prospective future Army officers. During the Cold War, Plattsburgh Air Force Base (PAFB) was the Strategic Air Command's primary wing on the US East Coast; its sheltered location in the Champlain Valley was protected by the rain shadow of the Adirondack Mountains.

Plattsburgh bills itself as a "two state, two nation, do-it-all destination" on Lake Champlain with several historical and art museums, a famous sandy beach, marinas and a downtown dining and entertainment district. There is excellent documentation about the historical monuments and the most important buildings on plaques, and there are several maps with marked points of interest on signposts on the city's sidewalks. 1 Battle of Plattsburgh Interpretive Center, War of 1812 Museum, 31 Washington Rd, ☏ +1 518-566-1814, fax: +1 518 562-3534. W-Sa 10AM-3PM. Clinton County Historical Museum, 98 Ohio Avenue, ☏ +1 518-561-0340. W-Sa 10AM-3PM. Museum and book shop. Local history. Clyde A. Lewis Air Park. At former air force base entrance, a small park with aircraft on display. 2 Kent-Delord House Museum, 17 Cumberland Ave, ☏ +1 518-561-1035. June-early Oct: Tu-Sa 11AM-3PM. Guided tour of historic house, free admission to active military, Canadian currency accepted at par. $5/adult, $3/student. Champlain Monument, Cumberland Ave (at the mouth of the Saranac River, where it flows into Lake Champlain). This statue was built in 1912 by the local French-American community to honor explorer Samuel de Champlain as "Navigator, Discoverer, Colonizer." It is now controversial, and there is an informational plaque nearby that points out that Native Americans had been living in the area for ages before Champlain is credited by some non-Natives as having "discovered" the lake he renamed after himself, but the monument is nonetheless impressive and in a beautiful spot.

The Barracks Golf Course, 24 Golf Course Rd, ☏ +1 518-566-7150. 18 holes, near former air force base, catering and banquet/event space for parties and weddings. $20-32/player. 1 Cumberland Bay State Park, 152 Cumberland Head Rd, ☏ +1 518-563-5240. Early May-Columbus Day. A clean, well-maintained beach for day use on the Cumberland Head peninsula on the western shore of Lake Champlain. Picnic tables and grills, camping, playground and playing fields. (updated Sep 2020) 2 Strand Center for the Arts, 23 Brinkerhoff St, ☏ +1 518-563-1604, [email protected]. Tu-F 10AM-5PM, Sa 10AM-2PM. Art gallery, classes and exhibitions. (updated Nov 2021)

Michigan red hots are a local favorite similar to a chili dog but seasoned differently. Recipes are prized and closely guarded. A red hot consists of a steamed hot dog on a steamed bun covered with a ground beef sauce. It may be served with or without raw chopped onions ("Buried" onions served beneath the meat sauce are traditional). Bazzanos Pizza, 5041 S Catherine St, ☏ +1 518-562-8586. This local pizzeria serves a very tasty pie. Service is quick and the place is very clean. Other menu items include pasta, wings and burgers. A large plain pizza is around $12. Claire and Carl's, 4727 State Route 9, ☏ +1 518-561-1163. This local chain has several branches and has been serving up Michigan Red Hots for decades. Inexpensive. Gus Red Hots, 5 Commodore Thomas MacDonough Hwy, ☏ +1 518-561-3711. Gus Red Hots has stood in the same locations for dozens and dozens of years. It famously serves Michigan Red Hots but also has a complete traditional American diner menu. Inexpenisve. Indian Grill, 43 Smithfield Blvd, ☏ +1 518-559-2515. Lunch buffet or regular dining. McSweeney's Red Hots, 535 N Margaret St, ☏ +1 518-562-9309. McSweeney's stands in stark contrast to many of Plattsburgh's storied, decades old hot dog stands. It has been in existence only a few years but has won a large following and local acceptance with its delicious dogs. A limited diner menu of burgers and wings is also available. Be sure to try the hand cut fries with gravy. Inexpensive. Quiche et Crèpe, 5139 Us Ave, ☏ +1 518-561-4086.

1 Irises, 20-22 City Hall Pl, ☏ +1 518-566-7000. A beautiful cafe and wine bar in downtown Plattsburgh. (updated Aug 2016)

Hotels are clustered along I-87. If you want accommodation closer to downtown, consider checking out homestay listing sites. 1 Best Western The Inn at Smithfield, 446 Route 3, ☏ +1 518-561-7750, toll-free: +1-800-243-4656, fax: +1 518 561-9431. 2 Plattsburgh Microtel Inn & Suites, 554 State Route 3, ☏ +1 518-324-3800, fax: +1 518 324-3810. 3 Hampton Inn and Suites, 586 State Rt 3, ☏ +1 518-324-1100.

1 Plattsburgh International Airport (PBG IATA) (about 10 minutes away from the town center). A regional airport with flights from Boston and various places in Florida. Burlington International Airport (BTV IATA) is a larger airport in nearby Burlington, with flights from Baltimore. Newark, Cleveland, New York City, Orlando, Detroit, Washington DC, Chicago, Philadelphia, and Charlotte. It is about 70 minutes away by car. Montreal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport is a major airport in nearby Montreal, Canada, with flights worldwide. It is about 80 minutes away. 2 Plattsburgh station, 121 Bridge Street (at Dock St). Plattsburgh Station is on Lake Champlain, about 1/4 mile from downtown. Building with heated waiting room, no ticket office. Trains are subject to delay at the Canadian border. It is a historic building, built in 1886, and an attraction in itself. (updated Jun 2025) Train operator: Amtrak, ☏ +1 215-856-7924, toll-free: +1-800-872-7245. Operates train service around the United States of America. (updated Mar 2022) Route stopping in Plattsburgh: Adirondack operating daily between Montreal and New York City including stops along the way in Saint-Lambert, Rouses Point, Plattsburgh, Westport, Ticonderoga, Saratoga Springs, Schenectady, Albany (Rensselaer), Hudson, Rhinecliff, Poughkeepsie, Croton-on-Hudson, and Yonkers. 3 Greyhound, Mountain Mart, 7155 Route 9, ☏ +1 518-563-1480. 5AM-midnight daily, 5AM-7PM Christmas Eve. Greyhound or Trailways from Montreal, Potsdam, Albany and New York City.

The train station is close to Downtown, with SUNY-Plattsburgh only a few blocks further; however, the Greyhound bus stop and airport are over 2 miles from Downtown. Most of the city is easily walkable in decent weather for people of average fitness. Clinton County Public Transit (CCPT)'s fleet of 16 buses provides transportation to the City of Plattsburgh by way of Au Sable, Champlain/Rouses Point, Clayburg, Ellenburg, and Lyon Mountain. Service is provided within the city between Clinton Community College, SUNY Plattsburgh, Downtown Plattsburgh, and various stores and plazas along Cornelia Street (Route 3). Within the city of Plattsburgh, taxis operate on a zone system. A law requires rates conspicuously posted in every taxicab; a trip cross-town should cost no more than $7.75. Cabs are not generally available for hail on the streets, except downtown on weekend nights, so must be called: City Taxi, 269 Margaret St., ☏ +1 518-561-7777. A taxi to the Canadian border should cost no more than ten times the cross-town rate (so $77.50).