The island of North Hero is located in Lake Champlain along with Knight Island, Butler Island, and a handful of much smaller islands. As of the 2010 census, only 803 people called North Hero home.
It may seem odd to live on an island inside of a lake, but Champlain is the largest body of land-locked water in the country, with almost seven trillion gallons!
Visitors to The Green Mountain State are drawn to North Hero for its mysterious secluded beauty and its massive, quirky general store, Hero’s Welcome.
Located on the lovely shoreline overlooking the lake, Hero’s Welcome sells everything from freshly baked pastries and nostalgic candies to Christmas gifts and kayaks!
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The main building was originally constructed in 1899 and the store served the needs of the entire island. The Tudhope family ran Hero’s Welcome for 90 years before falling on hard times and being forced to close.
It reopened in 1993 with a new name and some great new features like a summer dock that welcomes lake-going vessels of all kinds!
With summer and winter sports dominating the industry on the island, Hero’s Welcome sells and rents all kinds of equipment from ice skates – both Nordic and regular, cross-country skis, snowshoes, kayaks, canoes and bicycles.
What else can you shop for at Hero’s Welcome? Pretty much everything!
Toys, games, books, bath and body items, home and garden accessories and pet products can be found from floor to ceiling.
There is a massive range of unique, fun gifts like man cave supplies, bachelorette party favors, political jabs, potty humor and exploding golf balls to suit any occasion.
For those looking to bring home a piece of Vermont, Hero’s Welcome is the perfect spot to find maple syrup and candies, Vermont wool clothing and accessories, handmade, authentic cedar Adirondack chairs, historical gifts, and even Vermont-made dog biscuits!
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Making your way through the entire store can take a while. If you work up an appetite, visit the Hero’s Welcome Deli! Their famous, creative sandwiches and baked goods have been luring boaters from Lake Champlain since 1993!
There’s even a lovely outdoor eating area overlooking the lake.
Dana Freeman (@danahfreeman) on If you are heading to Vermont this summer, be sure to visit America’s biggest lake, the quaint little island at its heart, and of course, the Hero’s Welcome General Store!
Featured Image via Facebook/Hero’s Welcome General Store