Things To Do
Waterfront Park
Beautiful park along the lake in downtown Burlington. Grab a maple creamee or a beer, bring a frisbee, visit the Echo Aquarium, rent a bike or a sailboat and enjoy the late summer sun! Oh, and stay for sunset if you can and the weather’s nice - the sun will set directly over the lake and the Adirondack Mountains on the New York side
Mt. Philo State Park
About a 30/40-min hike to the top (and you have the option of either a footpath or a paved road), Beautiful views of the Adirondack Mountains and Lake Champlain from the top. If you want, pack a cooler bag and some charcoal - there are public use grills at the top as well as picnic tables and restrooms.
Folino's Pizza + Fiddlehead Brewing Company, Shelburne
Great wood-oven pizza in Shelburne and an awesome place to stop after visiting Mt. Philo! Great brewery next door too (Fiddlehead Brewing Company, one of the best IPAs in the state)! Grab a growler or a 4-pack and head over to the restaurant for a pizza!
Shelburne Museum
A wonderful visit both for children and adults - combines fine arts and Vermont history into a large campus museum showcasing what life was like in Colonial Vermont.
Ben & Jerry’s Factory Tour
Take a tour of the facilities, visit the flavor graveyard and take home some souvenirs from the home of the original Vermont creamery!
Hen of the Wood - Burlington
Great restaurant showcasing Vermont meat, dairy and produce. Come early for cocktails and oysters at the bar or reserve a spot at the kitchen counter and watch the kitchen cook over open fire. Large group? Reserve the butchery room for 8-12 guests and enjoy a multi course tasting menu in a private setting (it’s the back of the restaurant’s kitchen and is a very cool space to eat if you’re into food!)
Taco Gordo
Relaxed taqueria - mostly counter service. It’s a local favorite!
Burlington Brewery Tour!
Vermont has more breweries per capita than any other state in the US and the Burlington area is a major reason why. Below are some excellent local breweries to check out - several of these are within walking distance of each other (or a very quick Uber ride) so there shouldn’t be any need to drive! Foam Brewers - downtown and right on Waterfront Park Zero Gravity Brewing - a local gem of a brewery (and the food is awesome too!) Queen City Brewery - right across from Zero Gravity and specializing in some more unusual styles Switchback Brewing Company - a 5-minute walk from Zero Gravity Burlington Beer Company - Right by switchback. Decent food and lots of IPAs! Other Burlington area breweries - Simple Roots Brewing Four Quarters Brewery Black Flannel Brewing
Local Motion Bike Rentals
Start at Waterfront Park in Burlington where you can rent a bike (Local Motion) and then follow the bike path north - along the lake for most of it - as far as your heart desires. Stop at multiple beaches for a quick swim as you meander out of town. If you’re super ambitious you can follow the bike-only causeway past Mallet’s Bay in Colchester to the bike ferry and then across to the Champlain Islands
Burlington Farmers Market
The state’s largest - every Saturday Morning from 10-2. Early September is the best time of year for produce in Vermont - the fall harvest is about to kick into gear but the fruits and veggies of midsummer are still going strong.
Honey Road
Amazing Eastern Mediterranean restaurant. Lots of small plates, craft cocktails and great wines. The best desserts in the county!
The Grey Jay
Excellent brunch restaurant - definitely check out the shakshuka (and the pastries can’t be missed!)
Vermont Teddy Bear Factory
Great if you have kids!
Shelburne Farms
Stroll the grounds, check out the (working) dairy barn and sample the cheese made onsite, check out the inn (and stay for brunch, lunch or dinner if you can!) which is an old Vanderbilt mansion.
Gondola Skyride
If the weather’s nice this is an awesome activity about an hour from Burlington. Takes you to the top of Mount Mansfield and will give you phenomenal views of the Green Mountains.