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Most populous city in Vermont, U.S.
Photo: Jared and Corin, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Burlington is the largest city in the American state of Vermont. Situated on Lake Champlain, it is the heart of a small urban area that acts as Vermont's vibrant and cosmopolitan center. Known for its ultra-liberal environment and free-thinking spirit, Burlington is a college town and an important commercial city, but maintains an intimate atmosphere.
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Lake aquarium and science center.
At the bottom of College street. $5 for parking.
$8 for non-resident parking or get there for free from the bikepath at the Waterfront (go right when looking at the water, i.e. to the north).
One of Burlington's hidden treasures is a few flights up the fire escape of one of UVM's buildings. Williams Hall, across from the University Green, is an architectural masterpiece in its own right. However, the sunset sights seen from an outside stairwell are some of the best views one will experience. If there are not too many people/students visiting the spot, it is a romantic and breathtaking place to visit. At the uppermost flight of the fire escape, all of downtown Burlington, spanning to Lake Champlain, is visible. At sunset, the sun hits the water and the buildings in a lovely way.
Seat of the Catholic Diocese of Burlington. The church was built in 1887.
A significant example of early Italianate ecclesiastical architecture in the state, this Baptist church was built in 1864.
Built in 1869, it is the city's only example of ecclesiastical Romanesque Revival architecture.
Regular cruise tours of Lake Champlain leave from Burlington's harbor.
Home to the Vermont Symphony Orchestra, Vermont Stage Company, and Lyric Theatre Company.
Presents alternative and avant-garde performances in an intimate, black box theater.
Guided tours of Revolutionary War Hero Ethan Allen's final home on Burlington's Scenic Intervale
formerly Robert Hull Fleming Museum
A five-story complex of galleries, classrooms, and studios run by Burlington City Arts.
This is a local grassroots art gallery with live glassblowing daily. The Bern Gallery smoke shop makes custom glass, has Burlington's only Hookah Bar, features local artwork and jewellery, and is a Vermont accredited glass blowing school. The Bern Gallery is also home to the Pipe Classic, the glass industry's première pipe-making competition. Held every September, the Pipe Classic features the talents of 12 glass artists chosen from across the nation to compete head-to-head in this celebration of pipe-making.
Haunted history tours of Burlington with author and historian Thea Lewis.
CML offers guided meditation practice on Sunday nights from 7PM-9PM.
A tour worth checking out.
In the neighboring town of Colchester, sends patrons on a nostalgic trip back to the 1960s with double features of movies on four screens. Open seasonally from late April to early September.
Parades, performers, and fireworks help to mark the coming of the new year. Burlington continues the First Night tradition with plays, performers, and a grand welcoming of things to come.
February time frame. Celebrate the winter with ice sculptures, parades, and sleigh rides.
Weekend before Ash Wednesday. Burlington hosts its own Fat Tuesday parade which is usually scheduled for the Saturday before Ash Wednesday. A large parade goes up Church Street, bands play in the clubs and streets, and special events hosted by Magic Hat Brewery.
Sunday before Memorial Day. A qualifying race for major national marathons, it is one of the largest sporting events in the city with street vendors, musicians and food stalls during and after the race. The marathon begins and ends at Waterfront Park and traverses much of the city. Expect major city streets to be closed down in the morning hours and most hotel rooms booked far in advance.
First two weeks in June. The Discover Jazz festival is the largest event of its kind in the state and draws internationally renowned performing artists to the city each summer, as well as throngs of jazz, blues, gospel and Latin music fans. It's the highlight of the summer festival season. Venues throughout the city, including Waterfront Park, Memorial Auditorium, Contois Theatre, Waterfront Theatre, and The Flynn Center for the Performing Arts.
Evening of July 3. The City of Burlington holds its fireworks the evening of the 3rd to allow people to attend both it and the smaller towns' festivities on the 4th. If you go to the latter, prepare to leave early as many roads are closed for parades and it's not always possible to reach towns without Interstate exits between mid-morning and late afternoon of the 4th.
Mid-July. Taste microbrews from Vermont and throughout New England during this annual summer gathering on Burlington's waterfront. General admission is $35/session which includes 10 tasting tickets and a complimentary tasting glass. Discounts are available for admission tickets purchased before July 1st.
Early August. A curated festival of street performers.
Early August. The Lake Champlain Dragon Boat Festival is hosted by Dragonheart Vermont, a breast cancer survivor and supporter dragon boat team. Local companies paddle 10-person dragon boats in head to head races on Lake Champlain.
Late August. Watch an air demonstration of older and newer airplanes. Sometimes held at Hanscom Field and sometimes held over the downtown area.
GPN
Annual September music festival curated by Vermont's own Grace Potter who also headlines both nights of the festival.
Serves Greek and Middle Eastern food. Popular spot with students, open late.
Specializes in noodle soups from all over East Asia.
A Burlington creperie. They serve sweet and savory crepes with a local twist. The "Heartbreaker" crepe features the world favorite Nutella spread loaded with fresh bananas and local strawberries. Along with an emphasis on local and organic products, the S.P. offers molten Swiss fondues and live music on Th, F and Sa. Come grab a crepe!
Popular south-end diner.
Dine outside at this Church St. cafe.
Historic downtown diner
Named well before the Twilight craze, this cafe is a good place to grab coffee, pastries, sandwiches, and salads.
A local favorite! Casual bakery cafe in downtown Burlington, baking artisan bread and serving delicious breakfast and lunch. Look for classics like BLT made with Vermont bacon on homemade baguette, and amazing pastries like their signature Hungarian Sweet Roll.
Old North End bakery that turns into a pizza place at night.
No trip to Vermont would be complete without a stop by one of the renowned Ben & Jerry's scoop shops to sample their latest contributions to Americana. Indeed, few would dispute the fact that ice cream is in season every season. There is a scoop shop on the Church Street Marketplace at the corner of Cherry Street. The original Ben & Jerry's Scoop Shop was nearby on the southwest corner of College Street and Saint Paul Street.
They roast their own meats at this tiny sandwich shop. Coffee is $1 if you bring your own mug.
Possibly the best hidden sandwich shop in Burlington.
Enjoy a wide range of flatbreads made with local ingredients as well as beer from the attached microbrewery. If flatbreads aren't a thing where you're from, they're basically pizza.
Serves traditional BBQ and dishes with a Northern Vermont flavor such as BBQ Poutine
This restaurant serves gourmet burgers along with one of the most extensive beer selections in the area.
Fusion restaurant serving Japanese, Korean, and Thai food.
Authentic Chinese restaurant.
Small Mexican restaurant emphasizing local ingredients wherever possible.
Delicious and elegant sandwiches in a unique atmosphere. Great service!
This is a restaurant that changes its menu every day and concentrates on using ingredients in season in interesting ways. They also have a very interesting and wide range of alcoholic beverages, and their dessert chef is particularly brilliant, so if you have any inclination at all to order dessert in restaurants, make sure to do so at this one. Their small plates can be quite small, but their main dishes are filling. The food is delicious, but the level of salt can be high at times.
A local chocolate maker. They have a company store and a viewing area to see the chocolate being made. They also have a small coffee bar where they serve espresso drinks and their own ice cream. They have another location at 65 Church St.
A much younger local chocolate maker (founded 2018).
French style bistro with outdoor seating. They sometimes have live jazz.
The footlong Oinkin' Gobbler is a local favorite, but the pizza is great as well.
Fresh seafood and great lake views. Expect a wait on weekends.
Have a great Sunday brunch which is ~$10 and buffet/all you can eat. Good deal.
"RJ's"
Freshly-brewed self and local beers, as well as a small but decent selection of beers on tap. Red felt pool table in the back, and friendly barstaff.
Hip spot. Lots of couches. And board games.
An organic and localvore flatbread (don't call it pizza) joint which brews its own "Zero Gravity" beer.
Microbrewery
Microbrewery
Locally owned. Great atmosphere. Some beers on tap too.
Serving the best coffee in downtown Burlington, Ask Anyone.
The only backpackers hostel in Burlington. Free WiFi, free breakfast, security lockers provided.
Offers 127 rooms with excellent views and good service.
Offering complimentary breakfast and airport shuttle.
Overlooking Lake Champlain and Waterfront Park, the hotel offers vacationers 257 hotel rooms.
Historic bed and breakfast offering beautifully restored rooms and breakfast.
An all suite hotel with full kitchenettes, suites, salt water pool, complimentary parking, complimentary wifi and complimentary breakfast.
The largest hotel and conference center in the state of Vermont.
Very close to Champlain College and UVM with views of Lake Champlain and the Adirondacks.
Four blocks of Church Street are closed to all motor traffic and creates an open air mall in the heart of the city. A variety of eateries, shops, and stores provide a diverse place to find unique gifts.
U-Mall
The University Mall is closer to campus and offers a wider range of shops than the Downtown Mall. Anchor stores include Kohls and JCPenny's. The state's only Target location can be found here as well.
This non-chain, locally owned and operated camera shop has an amazing collection of lenses, manual cameras, and accessories; even their camera bags collection is large and versatile. Their repair shop is great, and the employees actually know cameras, love cameras, and you can see it. For the service, it is reasonably priced.
Lo Main
This funky neighborhood sits between Church St. and the Waterfront, and boasts some of the best local establishments. Look for quirky antiques and collectables at Anjou and Little Pear, earth-friendly and locally made housewares at the Green Life, and delicious artisan breads, pastries, coffee and lunch at August First Bakery. Discover Burlington's special off-the-beaten-path neighborhood!
Locally owned kitchen store.
By plane
By car
Interstate 89 lies just to the east of town. The town center is accessible via exit 14W, while the south end of town can be accessed via Interstate 189 at exit 13.
By bus
By train
By car
There are car rental offices at Burlington International Airport, including Hertz, Avis and Thrifty. Traffic is generally bad during the normal crunch half-hours (7:45-8:15AM and 4:45-5:15PM).
By bus
Burlington and the surrounding communities of Winooski, South Burlington, Shelburne, Colchester and Essex Junction are served by Green Mountain Transit (GMT) which operates public buses.
By bicycle
Burlington is a bike-friendly city.
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Burlington · Regional · BTV
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