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Burlington is Vermont's largest city, set on a slope above the eastern shore of Lake Champlain with the Adirondacks visible across the water. Home to the University of Vermont, it has a youthful, outdoorsy and progressive character, with a strong local food and craft beer culture. The city is small enough to explore on foot, and the lake shapes daily life in every season.
Downtown centers on the Church Street Marketplace, a pedestrian street of shops, restaurants and street performers. Down the hill, Waterfront Park and ECHO, a lake science center, sit beside the Burlington Bike Path, which continues north as the Island Line Trail across a causeway into the lake. North Beach and Oakledge Park offer swimming and sunset spots. On the hill, the University of Vermont campus includes the Fleming Museum, and the Ethan Allen Homestead preserves the farm of the Revolutionary-era figure. The South End Arts District along Pine Street mixes studios, breweries and galleries. Just south, Shelburne Farms is a working farm and estate on the lakeshore, and Shelburne Museum holds a large collection of American folk art and buildings. Stowe and Mount Mansfield are an easy drive east.
Burlington suits relaxed city breaks with outdoor time. Summers are mild and lively, autumn brings foliage, and winters are cold.
WiserMap travel guideBurlington Vermont Lake Champlain and Shelburne FarmsExplore Burlington, Vermont: Church Street, the Lake Champlain waterfront, the Island Line Trail causeway, Shelburne Farms, the Ethan Allen Homestead and more.Read the guide
Church Street Marketplace is a four-block pedestrian street in downtown Burlington, lined with shops, restaurants and outdoor cafes, and capped by the Unitarian church at its north end. Street performers and festivals bring it to life in summer. Many restaurants have patios. Use the downtown garages to park.
The South End Arts District around Pine Street is an old industrial area filled with artist studios, galleries, breweries and food spots, including the Lake Champlain Chocolates factory store. The South End Art Hop in September opens studios to the public. First Friday art walks also run monthly.
Waterfront Park is a grassy park and boardwalk on Lake Champlain, with views to the Adirondacks and some of the best sunsets in the city. Beside it, ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain is a science museum with aquariums and hands-on exhibits that suits families. Lake cruises leave from the nearby King Street dock.
The University of Vermont campus sits on the hill above downtown, with historic buildings around the University Green. Its Fleming Museum of Art has a varied collection from ancient Egypt to modern American art, plus changing exhibits. Entry is low cost or free. Check opening days, which follow the academic year.
Shelburne Museum, south of Burlington, is a large museum of American art and folk art spread over 39 buildings, including a lighthouse, a covered bridge, a schoolhouse and the steamboat Ticonderoga. Collections cover quilts, decoys, carriages and Impressionist paintings. It is open seasonally; allow half a day.
The Ethan Allen Homestead is the restored 1787 farmhouse of Ethan Allen, Revolutionary War hero and leader of the Green Mountain Boys. A visitor center tells his story and early Vermont history, and trails lead through meadows to the Winooski River. It sits on the north edge of the city and is open seasonally.
North Beach is Burlington's largest public beach, with a long sandy shore, picnic tables and lifeguards in summer, plus a campground. Oakledge Park in the South End has rocky lake frontage, a wheelchair-accessible treehouse and Blanchard Beach. Both have small parking fees in summer and lake views.
Battery Park is a hilltop park just north of downtown Burlington, where cannons were placed during the War of 1812. Today it is a shady green with old trees, a bandstand that hosts free summer concerts and one of the best sunset views over Lake Champlain and the Adirondacks. It is a short walk from Church Street.
Red Rocks Park is a wooded park on a peninsula in South Burlington with trails along high rocky cliffs over Lake Champlain. Short loops lead to viewpoints and a small beach. It is quieter than the city parks and good for an easy hike. Some parking fees apply in summer for non-residents.
The Intervale Center is a nonprofit protecting about 350 acres of farmland and floodplain along the Winooski River just north of downtown. Public trails pass organic farms, wetlands and woods, and some farms run pick-your-own berries in summer. It is a quiet place for a walk or bike ride from the city.
The Burlington Bike Path follows the Lake Champlain shore for about eight miles, connecting parks and beaches. It joins the Island Line Trail, which runs out onto a causeway across the lake; in summer a small bike ferry crosses a gap to the Champlain Islands. Rent bikes near the waterfront.
Shelburne Farms is a 1,400-acre working farm and nonprofit on Lake Champlain, built as a Gilded Age estate. Visitors can see the huge Farm Barn, meet animals in the children's farmyard, watch cheddar being made and walk trails with lake views. The Inn at Shelburne Farms serves farm-to-table meals in summer.
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