Plattsburgh is a small lakeside city with three things going for it: an unusually good War of 1812 history, the long western shoreline of Lake Champlain, and proximity to Montreal (an hour and a half north) and the Adirondack High Peaks (two hours south-west). For most visitors a day or two is enough — the historic downtown, the lakefront, the War of 1812 sites, and a meal on the waterfront.