'''Burlington''' [http://www.ci.burlington.vt.us] is the largest city in the American state of Vermont, with a population of over 39,000. Situated on Lake Champlain, it is the heart of a small urban area that acts as Vermont's vibrant and cosmoplitan center. Known for its ultra-liberal environment and free-thinking spirit, Burlington is both a college town and an important commercial city, while maintaining an intimate atmosphere.

Get in

By air

  • '''Burlington International Airport''' ({{IATA|BTV}}) ({{ICAO|KBTV}}), Airport Drive, Phone: 802-863-1889, [http://www.burlingtonintlairport.com/]. Flights arrive daily via several carriers from as far away as Chicago and Atlanta. Travelers from farther afield will have to make a connection in a larger city. Despite the airport's name, there are currently no direct international flights. There are non-stop flights to Burlington Airport from the following cities (some cities may be seasonal or only offer service certain days of the week): Atlanta, Baltimore, Charlotte, Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, Minneapolis St Paul, New York, Orlando, Philadelphia and Washington [http://flyhere.com/Burlington-Airport-BTV/].
  • 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 Interstate 189 at exit 13. Interstate 89 continues north to the Canadian border at Highgate, and south to the New Hampshire border. It is a 6 hour drive from New York City, a 3.5 hour drive from Boston and a 1.5 hour drive from Montreal.

    By bus

    There is a bus terminal on Pine Street, just south of downtown.
  • '''Greyhound''', 345 Pine Street, Phone: 1-800-552-8737, [http://www.greyhound.com].
  • By train

    The closest '''Amtrak''' station is in Essex Junction, about a 10-15 minute drive to the east. Amtrak provides daily service to Washington, D.C. via New York City.

    By ferry

    Ferry service is available seasonally from downtown Burlington to Port Kent, NY across Lake Champlain; this gives access to the Adirondacks area of New York state. See the [http://www.ferries.com/central_schedule.asp Lake Champlain Transportation] for schedule and rates.

    Get around

    On foot

    Downtown Burlington is one of the most walkable and beautiful small cities in New England, and you'd do well to get out of your car and soak it in.

    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 to 8:15 and 4:45 to 5:15). Williston Road to the east and Shelburne Road to the south are congested during those hours, and, unfortunately, unavoidable for the most part.

    By transit

    Burlington and the surrounding communities of Winooski, South Burlington, Shelburne, Colchester and Essex Junction are served by the Chittenden County Transportation Authortity (CCTA) which operates public buses. Buses are generally clean, uncrowded and relatively cheap. The main terminal is in downtown Burlington at the intersection of Church St. and Cherry St.
  • '''CCTA''' http://www.cctaride.org/main.php.
  • See

  • '''ECHO at the Leahy Center for Lake Champlain''', 1 College St., Phone: ''+1 802'' 864-1848, [http://echovermont.org/]. Daily 9AM-5PM in summer. Lake aquarium and science center. $9/$7.
  • Burlington's downtown is home of an eclectic mix of shops and restaurants, and is well-known for its pedestrian Church Street Marketplace [http://www.churchstmarketplace.com/].
  • Regular '''cruise tours of Lake Champlain''' aboard ''The Spirit of Ethan Allen II'' [http://www.soea.com/] leave from Burlington's harbor.
  • '''Shelburne Museum''', Route 7, Phone: ''+1 802'' 985-3346, [http://www.shelburnemuseum.org/?flash=false].
  • '''People-Watch''' Burlington is ideal for observing all sorts of individuals: Flower-child Hippies, Students, funky Artists, tattooed Hipsters, and Preps mingle on the streets and can provide unparalleled entertainment.
  • '''Street Performances''' Ranging from violists to Hip-Hop dancers, Church Street is home to a multitude of performers, and you don't have to pay a penny.
  • Arts and Culture

    Burlington is renowned for its cultural amenities and strength in the arts, providing the opportunities typical of a much larger city.
  • '''Flynn Theater''' Home to the Vermont Symphony Orchestra, Vermont Stage Company, and Lyric Theatre Company.
  • '''Flynnspace''' Presents alternative and avant-garde performances in an intimate, black box theater.
  • '''Ethan Allen Homestead'''
  • '''Robert Hull Fleming Museum'''
  • '''Firehouse Center of the Visual Arts''' A five-story complex of galleries, classrooms, and studios run by Burlington City Arts.
  • Recreation

    '''Go Biking''' [http://www.enjoyburlington.com/bikepath.cfm] Burlington has a 7.6 mile bike path that runs along the lake and now connects to the Colchester bike path.

    '''Go Hiking''' Vermont has an abundance of beautiful, hikable mountains. Mount Philo is a leisurely hike for beginners, especially with younger kids. Camel's Hump and Mount Mansfield offer more challenging terrain, but reward hikers with beautiful summit views of the Champlain Valley. All three mountains are within 1 hour driving distance of Burlington.

    '''Visit a Brewery''' Magic Hat Brewing Company[http://www.magichat.net] is a tour worth checking out in the Burlington region. For a more comprehensive listing of Vermont Brewery Tours visit http://www.vermontbrewers.com/tourmap.html.

    '''Catch a Movie at the Drive-In Theater''' The Sunset Drive-In Theater[http://www.sunsetdrivein.com], in the neighboring town of Colchester, sends patrons on a nostalgic trip back to sixties with double features of movies. Open seasonally from late April to early September. Cost: $20 per car load (up to six people).

    Festivals

    Burlington hosts several festivals and events throughout the year. This list changes every year but the following events staples of the community.

  • '''First Night''', December 31st
  • 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.

  • '''Winter Carnival''', Feburary time frame
  • Celebrate the winter with Ice Scptures, parades, and sleigh rides.

  • '''Mardi Gras Parade''', 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.

  • '''KeyBank Vermont City Marathon''', Sunday before Memorial Day [http://www.runvermont.org/marathon/index.html]
  • 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.

  • '''The Burlington Discover Jazz Festival''', First two weeks in June [http://www.discoverjazz.com]
  • The Discover Jass 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. Its 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, [http://www.flynncenter.org/].

  • '''Green Mountain Chew Chew''', June 22-24, 2007 [http://www.greenmountainchewchew.com/]
  • Sample foods from up to 40 different eateries in the Burlington area. The goal of the event is to get you to try new tastes you may not have known you can get in Burlington.

  • '''Vermont Brewers Festival''', July 18-19, 2008 [http://www.vermontbrewers.com/]
  • Taste microbrews from Vermont and throughout New England during this annual summer gathering on Burlington's waterfront. General admission is $25/session which includes 10 tasting tickets and a complimentary tasting glass. Discounts are available for admission tickets purchased before July 1st.

  • '''Dragon Boat Festival''', August 7, 2007 [http://www.ridethedragon.org/]
  • The Lake Champlain Dragon Boat Festival is hosted by Dragonheart Vermont, a breast cancer survivor and supporter dragon boat team. Local companies man 10 person dragon boats in head to head races on Lake Champlain.

  • '''Vermont Air Show''', Late August
  • Watch an air demonstration of older and newer airplanes. Sometimes held at Hanscom Field and sometimes held over the downtown area.

    Buy

  • '''Church Street Marketplace''' - 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.
  • '''Burlington Town Center Mall''' - Connected to the Church Street Marketplace is the downtown mall. This indoor shopping area has a lot of the traditional stores you would find in an enclosed mall. Anchor stores include Macy's and Old Navy.
  • '''University Mall''' - Located on Dorset Street the University Mall is closer to campus and offers a wider range of shops than the Downtown Mall. Anchor Stores include Kohls, Sears, and JCPenny's.
  • '''The North Face Store @ KL Sport''', 210 College Street, [http://www.klsportgear.com] is a locally owned outdoor store specializing in The North Face clothing, outerwear, and equipment. This store provides the gear and information necessary for enjoying the natural splendor of Vermont.
  • A wider range of stores can be found just outside of Burlington in Williston at Taft's Corner. Store in that area include Wal Mart, Best Buy, Circuit City, Staples, Toys R' Us and many more stand alone large chain stores.

    Education

  • '''The University of Vermont'''
  • '''Burlington College'''
  • '''Champlain College'''
  • Saint Michael's College

    Eat

  • '''Lake Champlain Chocolates''', 750 Pine Street, [http://www.lakechamplainchocolates.com] is 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.
  • '''Church Street''', [http://www.churchstmarketplace.com] has many places to eat along this pedestrian mall ranging anywhere from the famous "Hot Dog Lady" street vendor to the upscale dining of many varieties. The marketplace maintains its own directory: http://www.churchstmarketplace.com/. Church Street also hosts a variety of street performers.
  • '''Ben & Jerry's Scoop Shop''' 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. Presently there is a scoop shop located on the Church Street Marketplace at the corner of Cherry Street. The original Ben & Jerry's Scoop Shop was located nearby on the southwest corner of College Street and Saint Paul Street.
  • Pastabilities. 735 Williston Road, Williston VT 05495. t the intersection of Williston Road and Industrial Ave. 02-598-5513. ttp://www.vermontpasta.com. 1-7. All Natural - No Preservatives - No Conditions - Everything is made from scratch including 10 types of ravioli, gnocchi, fettuccini, pizza, sandwiches, etc.

  • The Skinny Pancake. 0 Lake St. 02 540-0188. am-8,12pm. $ and up. is 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 Thurs. Fri. and Sat. Come Grab A Crepe!

    American

  • '''Al's French Frys''', 1251 Williston Road, South Burlington, ''+1 802'' 862-9203. [http://www.alsfrenchfrys.com]
  • '''Bruegger's Bagel Bakery''', 93 Church St., ''+1 802'' 860-1995, [http://www.brueggers.com].
  • '''New England Wings''', 505 Riverside Ave., ''+1 802'' 658-6399.
  • '''Muddy Waters''', 184 Main St., ''+1 802'' 658-0466.
  • '''Greenstreets''', 30 Main St., ''+1 802'' 862-4930, [http://www.greenstreetsrestaurant.com].
  • '''Rusty Scuffer''', 148 Church St., ''+1 802'' 864-9451.
  • '''Uncommon Grounds''', 42 Church St., ''+1 802'' 865-6227
  • '''Vermont Soup Company''', 1636 Williston Rd., So. Burlington, ''+1 802'' 862-5678.
  • '''Windjammer Restaurant & Conference Ctr.''', 1076 Williston Rd., So. Burlington, ''+1 802'' 862-6585, [http://www.windjammerrestaurant.com].
  • '''Sweetwater's''', 118 Church St., ''+1 802'' 864-9800.
  • '''Ice House Restaurant''', 171 Battery St., ''+1 802'' 864-1800.
  • '''Handy's Lunch''', 74 Maple St., ''+1 802'' 864-5963.
  • '''Hooters''', 1705 Williston Road, South Burlington, 802 660 8658,[http://www.hootersvt.com].
  • '''Tommy's City Grill''', 580 Shelburne Rd # 10, Burlington, VT 05401
  • Pizza

  • '''American Flatbread''', 115 St. Paul St., Burlington, ''+1 802'' 861-2999. [http://www.flatbreadhearth.com/]
  • '''Big Daddy's''', 177 Church St, Phone: ''+1 802'' 863-0000. The footlong Oinkin' Gobbler is a local favorite, but the pizza is great as well.
  • '''Lee Zachary's Pizza House''', 1234 Williston Road, So. Burlington, ''+1 802'' 864-9817.
  • '''Leonardo's Pizza''', 83 Pearl St., ''+1 802'' 862-7700.
  • '''Manhattan Pizza''', 167 Main St., ''+1 802'' 658-6776.
  • '''Mr. Mike's''', 206 Main St., ''+1 802'' 864-0072.
  • Seafood

  • '''Shanty On The Shore''', 181 Battery Street, Phone: ''+1 802'' 864-0238. Fresh seafood and great lake views. Expect a wait on weekends.
  • '''Tilley's Cafe''', 161 Church Street, Phone: ''+1 802'' 658-4553. Unique World Flavors in a nautical island theme, including Seafood, American, and Vegetarian cuisine
  • Pan-Asian

  • '''Asiana House''', 191 Pearl St, Burlington, ''+1 802'' 651-0818.
  • Chinese

  • '''Hong Kong Kitchen''', 1900 Williston Road, South Burlington ''+1 802'' 862-4622.
  • '''China Express''', 293 Shelburne Road, ''+1 802'' 865-2155.
  • '''A Single Pebble''', 133-35 Bank Street, ''+1 802'' 865-5200. Try the Mock Eel! [http://www.asinglepebble.com/homepage.htm]
  • Japanese

  • '''Koto Japanese Restaurant''', 792 Shelburne Road, So. Burlington, ''+1 802'' 660-8976.
  • '''Sakura Japanese Restaurant''', 2 Church St., ''+1 802'' 863-1988, [http://www.sakuravt.com].
  • Thai

  • '''Bangkok Bistro''', 144 Church St., ''+1 802'' 951-5888
  • '''Tiny Thai''', 24 Main St, Winooski (right outside of Burlington) ''+1 802'' 655-4888. Most authentic Thai food in the area. There is also another Tiny Thai at the Essex Outlets & Cinema in Essex, VT (about 30 minutes from Burlington).
  • '''Tantra Organic''', 169 Lower Church St., ''+1 802'' 651-9660. All local farm fresh & vegetarian.
  • '''Parima Thai''', 185 Pearl St.,
  • '''Pacific Rim''', 111 Saint Paul St.
  • Indian

  • '''India House Restaurant''', 207 Colchester Ave., ''+1 802'' 862-7800.
  • '''Shalimar of India''', 16 North Winooski Ave., ''+1 802'' 864-5693.
  • Italian

  • '''Trattoria Delia''', 152 St. Paul St., ''+1 802'' 864-5253.
  • '''Three Tomatoes Trattoria''', 83 Church St., ''+1 802'' 660-9533.
  • '''Cannon's Italian Restaurant''', 1127 North Av., ''+1 802'' 652-5151.
  • Mexican and Tex-Mex

    <!--
  • '''Tortilla Flat''', 317 Riverside Ave., ''+1 802'' 864-4874.
  • -->
  • '''Madera's''', 3 Main st., ''+1 802'' 657-3377.
  • '''New World Tortilla''', 10 N Winooski Ave., ''+1 802'' 865-1058.
  • '''Bueno Y Sano''', 213 College st., ''+1 802'' 864-9900.
  • Brazilian

  • '''Souza Brazilian Restaurant''', 55 Main St., ''+1 802'' 864-2433.
  • European

  • '''Leunig's Old World Cafe''', 115 Church St., ''+1 802'' 863-3759.
  • ''' Amir's Kebab Cart''', Church Street Marketplace (nxt to City Hall)Gyro, Chicken gyro, Doner Kebab
  • Drink

  • '''The Vermont Pub and Brewery''' 144 College St., ''+1 802'' 865-0500. [http://www.vermontbrewery.com/]
  • '''Akes' Place''' 134 Church St., ''+1 802'' 864-8111. [http://www.akesplace.com/]
  • '''Ri Ra Irish Pub''' 123 Church St., ''+1 802'' 860-9401. [http://www.rira.com]
  • '''Nectar's''' 188 Main St., ''+1 802'' 658-4771. [http://www.liveatnectars.com/]
  • '''Esox''' - 194 Main St., ''+1 802'' 862-7314.
  • '''What Ales You''' 152 St. Paul St. ''(on the corner of Main and St. Paul)'', ''+1 802'' 862-1364.
  • '''Ruben James''' ''(or simply "RJ's")'', 159 Main St., ''+1 802'' 864-0744.
  • '''Church Street Tavern''' 103 Church St., ''+1 802'' 658-1309.
  • '''Daily Planet''' 15 Center St., ''+1 802'' 862-9647.
  • '''Red Square''' 136 Church St., ''+1 802'' 859-8909 [http://www.redsquarevt.com]
  • '''Three Needs Brewery and Taproom''' 207 College St., ''+1 802'' 658-0889. 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.
  • '''Drink''' 135 St Paul St., ''+1 802'' 860-9463. [http://www.come2drink.com] Hip Spot. Lots of couches.
  • Sleep

  • '''Hampton Inn & Conference Center Burlington''', 42 Mountain View Road, ''+1 802'' 655-6177. [http://www.hamptoninnburlington.com]. Convenient accommodations close to Downtown Burlington and Burlington International Airport. Offering complimentary breakfast and airport shuttle. Visit hotel website for a complete listing of packages and specials.
  • '''Hawthorn Suites South Burlington''', 401 Dorset St., ''+1 802'' 860-1212, [http://hawthorn.com/reservations/locationdetail.asp?facid=878]. This all-suite hotel in the heart of South Burlington Vermont provides 104 spacious and well-appointed one and two-bedroom suites to meet all of your travel needs.
  • '''Sheraton Burlington Hotel & Conference Center''', 870 Williston Road, ''+1 802'' 865-6600. [http://sheraton-burlington.felcor.com]. The largest hotel and conference center in the state of Vermont, it is close to businesses and shopping in beautiful downtown Burlington. The hotel is also close to Lake Champlain, Burlington International Airport and many Burlington attractions.
  • '''Hilton Burlington Hotel''', 60 Battery Street, ''+1 802'' 658-6500. [http://www1.hilton.com/en_US/hi/hotel/BTTVTHF-Hilton-Burlington-Vermont/index.do]. Overlooking Lake Champlain and Waterfront Park in Burlington, Vermont, the hotel offers vacationers 257 hotel rooms.
  • '''Courtyard Burlington Harbor''', 25 Cherry St, ''corner of Battery St and Cherry St.'', 1 802 864-4700, [http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/btvdt-courtyard-burlington-harbor/]. Burlington's newest hotel, offers 127 guest rooms with breath taking views and exceptional staff service.
  • '''Willard Street Inn''', 349 South Willard Street, ''+1 802'' 651-8710, [http://www.willardstreetinn.com]. Very close to Champlain College and UVM with views of Lake Champlain and the Adirondacks.
  • '''Lang House''', 360 Main Street, 877-919-9799, [http://www.langhouse.com]. A cool alternative to a hotel and is just a short walk down the hill to the Church Street Marketplace.
  • Super 8 Burlington. 572 Shelburne Road. xit 13 off Interstate 89. 1 802 985-8037. ttp://www.super8vt.com. pm. 1am. Affordable hotel on main Route 7 corridor. Indoor Pool and free breakfast. Free wireless internet as well.

    Get out

  • The Canadian border and Montreal, Quebec, is less than a two hour drive north.
  • Smugglers Notch and Stowe ski resorts are within 45 minutes from the heart of the city
  • Just south of the city are several State Parks and some of the tallest peaks in the Green Mountains
  • Try to find 'Champ' the Lake Champlain monster who is supposed to be a sister to Nessy of Lock Ness