Burlington Travel Guide

  Sunset over Lake Champlain, mid-winter
by GraydonWilson
 
  • Sunset over Lake Champlain, mid-winter
      Sunset over Lake Champlain, mid-winter
    by GraydonWilson
  • Pier over the Lake Champlain
      Pier over the Lake Champlain
    by GraydonWilson
  • Sunset over Lake Champlain, early winter
      Sunset over Lake Champlain, early winter
    by GraydonWilson
  • Church Street, Burlington Vermont
      Church Street, Burlington Vermont
    by tvdandy
  • Lake Champlain at sunset
      Lake Champlain at sunset
    by tvdandy
 

Flights to Burlington

All fares Ashburn (IAD) to Burlington (BTV) found by travelers in past 48 hours*
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Pro

Goner profile photo

 A Great Place to Spend a Weekend 


Con

sarahandgareth profile photo

 A bit quiet when school is not in session 


In a nutshell

olyrunner profile photo

 Burlington - You'll Want To Stay 

 

Explore Burlington

Things to Do  

Vermont Brewers Festival

Vermont Brewers Festival, Burlington

 Tom_Fields Says:  Attention beer drinkers! This is the event for you in Burlington. You can sample a huge assortment of micro-brews produces in Vermont and other northeastern states. This includes the Boston Beer Company (brewer of Samuel Adams), Dogfish Head Draft Brewery, Brown's Brewing... 

Church street is the happening place.

Church street is the happening place., Burlington

 tvdandy Says:  Church Street is a cobblestone street which is in a closed off section of downtown. This street if the heart of the restaurant/entertainment district. This area has an excellent vibe. Street musicians and jugglers, bohemians and yuppies, young and old, all make for fantastic... 

A beautiful drive on the Lake Champlain Byway

A beautiful drive on the Lake Champlain Byway, Burlington

 tvdandy Says:  Head up Hwy 2 North from Burlington and you will be heading to a wonderful and scenic lake side drive which spans the various islands off of Lake Champlain. Along the way you will be treated to serene vistas and classic New England small towns complete with country stores... 

Hotels  

Courtyard By Marriott Burlington Harbor

 2 Reviews and 314 Opinions  When choosing a hotel for our trip to Burlington, our most important selection criteria was that it... 

Bel Aire Motel

 77 Opinions

Restaurants  

Big Fatty's BBQ: " Best BBQ in Burlington "

Big Fatty's BBQ: " Best BBQ in Burlington ", Burlington

 DanBurney2011 Says:  Let's start by saying I'm somewhat of a BBQ fanatic, and have my own smoker at home. In every city I visit, I go in search of the best Smoked BBQ in town, and this is how we found Big Fatty’s BBQ, first off the smoked smell attracted me and my wife from blocks away so we had... 

Big Fattys BBQ: Hope for Visiting Southerners

Big Fattys BBQ: Hope for Visiting Southerners, Burlington

 Over60 Says:  This restaurant located between downtown Burlington and the lake serves up a pretty good approximation of southern barbeque. My wife and I sampled the shredded pork, ribs, and barbeque chicken, and the first two were top notch. Good slaw too. The portions were enormous, and... 

Panadero Bakery: Awesome Bakery in Burlington VT June 2011

Panadero Bakery: Awesome Bakery in Burlington VT June 2011, Burlington

 nyceagle1633 Says:  They have sandwiches now, however, they only make 1 type a day, which is great, so ingrediants are fresh. The sandwich with focaccia bread, mozz, basil leaves, and salami, superb! Also they have excellent tarts. 

Panadero Bakery: Awesome Bakery in Burlington VT June 2011

Panadero Bakery: Awesome Bakery in Burlington VT June 2011, Burlington

 nyceagle1633 Says:  They have sandwiches now, however, they only make 1 type a day, which is great, so ingrediants are fresh. The sandwich with focaccia bread, mozz, basil leaves, and salami, superb! Also they have excellent tarts. 

Nightlife  

Breakwaters: Live Music on the Waterfront

Breakwaters: Live Music on the Waterfront, Burlington

 Tom_Fields Says:  If you enjoy live music out in the open air, with Lake Champlain as a backdrop, then visit Breakwaters Cafe and Grill. Every weekend, weather permitting, this unpretentious waterfront eatery hosts live rock and pop bands. Casual. 

Nectar's Restaurant and Bar: Live Music on Main St

Nectar's Restaurant and Bar: Live Music on Main St, Burlington

 Tom_Fields Says:  I didn't try the food here, but the music is pretty good. This is a rock'n roll club, with live bands every weekend. They're mainly local acts, but an occasional big-name band performs here (like Phish).The building goes back to the old days, while the club has been here... 

Transportation  

Lake Champlain Ferries

Lake Champlain Ferries, Burlington

 Tom_Fields Says:  The ferries on Lake Champlain have operated for centuries. Today, the Lake Champlain Transportation Company provides this vital service. The boats connect Burlington, Port Kent, Essex, Charlotte, Plattsburgh, and Grand Isle, on both the Vermont and New York sides of the... 

Use the Bus System

Use the Bus System, Burlington

 cjmmj Says:  CCTARIDE.orgThis is all you will need to get anywhere! If it is a little more off the beaten path, you don't have a rental car, and don't feel like blowing money on a taxi (particularly terrible here)......hitchhike. You'd be surprised how easy, safe, and common it is... 

Shopping  

Frog Hollow: Vermont crafts

Frog Hollow: Vermont crafts, Burlington

 sarahandgareth Says:  Frog Hollow is a gallery for the Vermont State Craft Center - there's a second location in Middlebury - and they showcase a very diverse array of high-quality items by local artists: some of the items have a pretty hefty price tag, though there's really a wide variety of... 

Crow Bookshop: Great Book Browsing

Crow Bookshop: Great Book Browsing, Burlington

 sarahandgareth Says:  As with any college town worth its salt, Burlington sustains several bookstores, and Crow Bookshop is probably the most unique. They specialize in second-hand and overstocked books, and they have a huge selection of books for an academic audience as well as very impressive... 

Warnings and Dangers  

You'll Want to Stay!

You'll Want to Stay!, Burlington

 NaninVT Says:  Once you visit Burlington you may not want to leave! This is a beautiful place to live and work. Four seasons of beauty - although the long-standing joke is that we have 3 seasons, one of them being MUD SEASON! The only drawback is the high cost of living vs low wages. But,... 

What to Pack  

Unpredictable weather

Unpredictable weather, Burlington

 sarahandgareth Says:   Be prepared for sudden changes in weather: Lake Champlain is right nearby and can create unexpected changes, while the fact that you're well to the north of Vermont and not far from the mountains also have an impact. Expect snow earlier and later than further south, and... 

Off The Beaten Path  

Visit the quaint small town of St. Albans

Visit the quaint small town of St. Albans, Burlington

 tvdandy Says:  This town calls itself the Maple Syrup Capital of the world. All I know is that it is a quaint New England town to stroll through in a couple of hours. Located off of Highway 7, about 25 miles north from Burlington, this town has some quaint antique shops and a beautiful... 

Go Cliff Jumping!

Go Cliff Jumping!, Burlington

 cjmmj Says:  There are many places within a short drive (or even walk) from the downtown to go cliff jumping. A good starting spot is at North Beach. Follow the beach north to a trail. The trail will cross a field. Go Left at the fork in the field. Take a left at the next fork as well.... 

Sports & Outdoors  

Good Bike Ride or Walking Trail

Good Bike Ride or Walking Trail, Burlington

 Goner Says:  There is a 13-mile bike ride called the "Holy Grail of Rail Trails". Starting fromthe Burlington bike path, you can continue along the gravel Colchester Causeway Trail, ending 3 miles out in Lake Champlain. A unique ferry shuttles walkers and cyclists across the Winooski... 

Waterfront Bike Path

Waterfront Bike Path, Burlington

 sarahandgareth Says:  Burlington is one of those really livable smaller cities, with a great range of leisure resources nearby. We made use of a wonderful bike/running path that hugs the eastern side of Lake Champlain for many miles, and which had plenty of running traffic even on a chilly... 

Favorites  

What Burlington, Vermont offers

What Burlington, Vermont offers, Burlington

 GraydonWilson Says:  Burlington has a comfortable mix of urban sophistication — museums, theatre, music, clubs and restaurants — and small-town intimacy. All of the usual outdoor seasonal activities are readily available. Several ski resorts are only a short drive away, with the Green Mountains... 

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