Burlington, Vermont
Burlington is our New England favorite, perched on the shore of Lake Champlain with the Adirondacks across the water and the Green Mountains behind.
Our experience
We've been back four times since 2021. We first came that year and returned for a proper summer week in July 2023, flying in by way of the Twin Cities.
We love the compact, college-town energy: the pedestrian Church Street Marketplace, farm-to-table restaurants, local breweries, and a lakefront made for sunsets. It's a small city that punches far above its size for food and the outdoors, and it makes an ideal launchpad for the wider Vermont countryside.
Burlington is the birthplace of Ben & Jerry's — Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield opened their first scoop shop in a renovated downtown gas station in 1978. The city was also among the first in the U.S. to run on 100% renewable electricity.
Must-sees and must-dos
- Church Street Marketplace — the pedestrian-only main drag for shopping and people-watching.
- Lake Champlain waterfront — the boardwalk, bike path and sunset views toward the Adirondacks.
- Island Line Rail Trail — a causeway ride straight out into the lake.
- Local breweries — Vermont's celebrated craft-beer scene at its source.
- ECHO Leahy Center — lakeside science and nature on the waterfront.
- Day trips to Stowe & Shelburne — mountains, farms and museums nearby.
Our pro tip
Pair the city with a few nights in the mountains — we love nearby Stowe — to get the full Vermont experience.
If a hotel makes more sense for your stay, compare Stowe hotels on Klook before booking.