With ancient coral reefs, whale skeletons, and a supposed sea monster in its depths, Lake Champlain is one of the most distinctive bodies of freshwater in the world. The scientists behind the small ECHO Lake Aquarium (1 College St., 802/864-1848, www.echovermont.org, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. daily, $9.50 adults, $8 seniors and students, $7 children 3–17, children under 3 free) have done a bang-up job of making the geology and fauna of the lake accessible and family-friendly.

“Hands-on” is the watchword here, with plenty of interactive exhibits to get kids good and wet while they learn about river currents or pull critters out of lake pools. That’s not to say there isn’t a lot here for adults too—in the form of a film and exhibit exploring the enduring myth of Champ, the plesiosaur supposedly stranded in the lake millions of years ago; and plenty of aquarium tanks full of the fish, turtles, snakes, and frogs you may encounter on trips out on the lake. The latest addition to the aquarium’s permanent exhibits is a display that tells the history of the Abenaki people who lived (and live) around the lake.