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Church Street Marketplace

Burlington is the largest city in the American state of Vermont, with a population of over 40,000. Situated on Lake Champlain, it is the heart of a small urban area that acts as Vermont's vibrant and cosmopolitan center. Known for its ultra-liberal environment (for an American town at least) and free-thinking spirit, Burlington is both a college town and an important commercial city, while maintaining an intimate atmosphere. It is relatively well connected to Montreal, Quebec, Canada to the north, Plattsburgh, New York to the west.

Understand

Burlington is known outside of Vermont mostly as the place where Ben&Jerry's ice-cream originated. Political experts might also know that long time independent and self described "democratic socialist" Bernie Sanders started out as Mayor of Burlington before becoming Representative and later Senator for the state of Vermont. However, contrary to what you may think, this lovely town has a lot more to offer than Liberal politics and ice-cream.

Get in

By plane

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

By train

The closest Amtrak station is in Essex Junction, about a 15-minute drive to the east. Amtrak provides daily service to Washington, D.C. via New York City. During the summer season, Amtrak's Adirondack stops at Port Kent, NY, where transfer can be made to the Burlington-Port Kent ferry (see ferry directions below). The Adirondack provides daily service between New York City and Montreal, Quebec, following the scenic shores of Lake Champlain and the Hudson River.

By ferry

Lake Champlain Ferries operates seasonal ferry service from downtown Burlington to Port Kent, NY across Lake Champlain; this gives access to the Adirondacks area of New York state. This ferry is mainly a tourist attraction since it is actually faster to drive up to the Grand Isle-Plattsburgh ferry and then take the interstate to Port Kent than it is to use the Burlington-Port Kent ferry.

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 (parking in city and most private garages is free for the first 2 hours, and all day on Sundays) 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 (07:45 to 08:15 and 16:45 to 17:15). Williston Road to the east and Shelburne Road to the south are congested during those hours, and, unfortunately, unavoidable for the most part.

By bus

Burlington and the surrounding communities of Winooski, South Burlington, Shelburne, Colchester and Essex Junction are served by the Chittenden County Transportation Authority (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.

By bicycle

Burlington is a bike-friendly city. There are various bike lanes around the downtown area, and thanks to slow traffic and often courteous drivers, getting around the greater Burlington area on bike is a breeze. In the summer extra bicycle parking is made available, and low bike related crime helps encourage everyone to get on their bikes. Bikes can be rented at Local Motion located on the waterfront or at some of the other bicycle shops around town.

See

Downtown Burlington is home to an eclectic mix of shops and restaurants, and is well known for its pedestrian Church Street Marketplace. Church Street is home to a multitude of performers ranging from violists to folk singers to hip-Hop dancers, and you don't have to pay a penny, although it doesn't hurt to leave a few dollars. 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.

Williams Hall
  • Williams' Fire Escape, Williams Hall, University Pl. One of Burlington's hidden treasures is a few flights up the fire escape of one of UVM's buildings. Williams Hall, located across from the University Green, is an architectural masterpiece in its own right. However, the sunset sights seen from an outside stairwell are some of the best views one will experience. If there are not too many people/students visiting the spot, it is a romantic and breathtaking place to visit. At the uppermost flight of the fire escape, all of downtown Burlington, spanning to Lake Champlain, is visible. At sunset, the sun hits the water and the buildings in a lovely way. 

Do

Burlington is renowned for its cultural amenities and strength in the arts, providing the opportunities typical of a much larger city. Outdoor activities include a 7.6 mile bike path that runs along the lake and now connects to the Colchester bike path. 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. Several alpine and cross-country ski resorts and backcountry ski trails are within an hour of Burlington—and you can Nordic ski in the city, as well, at Red Rocks Park and Burlington Country Club.

  • Spirit of Ethan Allen III. Regular cruise tours of Lake Champlain leave from Burlington's harbor. 
  • 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. Guided tours of Revolutionary War Hero Ethan Allen's final home located on Burlington's Scenic Intervale 
  • Robert Hull Fleming Museum. 
  • BCA Center. A five-story complex of galleries, classrooms, and studios run by Burlington City Arts. 
  • The Bern Gallery, 135 Main St (Downtown Burlington across from City Hall Park), ☏ +1 802 865 0994. 10AM-9PM. This is a "Must See" local grass roots art gallery with live glassblowing daily. The Bern Gallery smoke shop makes custom glass, has Burlingtons ONLY Hookah Bar, features all types of local artwork and jewellery, as well as being a Vermont accredited glass blowing school. The Bern Gallery is also home to The Pipe Classic, the glass industries original première pipe-making competition! Held every September, The Pipe Classic features the talents of 12 glass artist chosen from across the nation to come compete head-to-head in this true celebration of pipe-making. 
  • Queen City Ghostwalk, Downtown Burlington (City Hall Park, off Church Street), ☏ +1 802-351-1313. 
  • Center for Mindful Learning, 173 North Prospect St. (The Burlington Friends Meeting House). CML offers guided meditation practice on Sunday nights from 7PM-9PM. 
  • Magic Hat Brewing Company. A tour worth checking out in the Burlington region. 
  • Sunset Drive-In Theater. In the neighboring town of Colchester, sends patrons on a nostalgic trip back to sixties with double features of movies on four screens. Open seasonally from late April to early September. Cost: $8.50 for adults, children under 12 get in free. 

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 31. 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. February time frame. Celebrate the winter with Ice Sculptures, 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. 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. The Discover Jazz 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. 
  • Independence Day Fireworks. Evening of July 3. The City of Burlington holds its' fireworks the evening of the 3rd, so as to allow people to attend both it and the smaller towns' festivities on the 4th. If you go to the latter, prepare to leave early as many roads are closed for parades and it's not always possible to reach towns without Interstate exits between mid-morning and late afternoon of the 4th. 
  • Vermont Brewers Festival. Mid-July. 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. 
  • Festival of Fools. Early August. A curated festival of street performers. 
  • Dragon Boat Festival. Early August. 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. 
  • University Mall, Dorset St. 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 St. 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. 
  • LeZot Cameras, 34 Church St, ☏ +1 802-652-2400. This non-chain, locally owned and operated camera shop has an amazing collection of lenses, manual cameras, and accessories; even their camera bags collection is large and versatile. Their repair shop is great, and the employees actually know cameras, love cameras, and you can see it. For the service, it is reasonably priced. 
  • Lower Main Neighborhood (Lo Main), Main St. from Pine St. to the Waterfront. This funky neighborhood sits between Church St. and the Waterfront, and boasts some of the best local establishments. Look for quirky antiques and collectables at Anjou and Little Pear, earth-friendly and locally made housewares at The Green Life, and delicious artisan breads, pastries, coffee and lunch at August First Bakery. Discover Burlington's special off-the-beaten-path neighborhood! 
  • Kiss the Cook, 72 Church St, ☏ +1 802 863-4226. Locally owned kitchen store. 

Eat

Style
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Budget

Being a large college town, Burlington is home to many cheap eateries. Due to the competition, most of them are pretty good.

  • Ali Baba's Kabob Shop, 163 Main St, ☏ +1 802 862-5752. Serves Greek and Middle Eastern food. Popular spot with students, open late. 
  • Boloco, 92 Church St, ☏ +1 802 658-9771. Burlington outpost of this small, Boston based burrito chain. They have unusual burritos including Thai and Tikka Masala burritos 
  • The Skinny Pancake, 60 Lake St, ☏ +1 802 540-0188. 8AM-8,noon. 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! $6 and up. 

American

  • Handy's Lunch, 74 Maple St, ☏ +1 802-864-5963. Popular south end diner. 

Coffee/Bakery

  • New Moon Cafe, 150 Cherry St, ☏ +1 802 383-1505. Named well before the Twilight craze, this cafe is a good place to grab coffee, pastries, sandwiches, and salads. 
  • 1 August First Bakery, 149 S. Champlain St (At the corner of Main St.), ☏ +1 802-540-0060. M-F 7:30-5, Sat. 8-3, Friday nights 6-9 for Flatbread Pizza. A local favorite! Casual bakery cafe in downtown Burlington, baking artisan bread and serving delicious breakfast and lunch. Look for classics like BLT made with Vermont bacon on homemade baguette, and amazing pastries like their signature Hungarian Sweet Roll. under $10. 
  • Barrio Bakery, 203 N. Winooski Ave, ☏ +1 802-863-8278. Old North End bakery that turns into a pizza place at night. 
  • Bluebird Coffee Stop, Corner of Church and College St, ☏ +1 802-660-3429. The smallest piece of the growing Bluebird empire serves up coffee, pastries, and ice cream from a Church St. stall. 8:30AM-6PM. 

Italian/Pizza

  • Bite Me Organic Pizza, 457 St. Paul St, ☏ +1 802-540-0707. Organic pizza place with 30 specialty pizzas. 
  • Bove's, 68 Pearl St, ☏ +1 802 864-6651. Tu-Th 2PM-8:45PM, F-Sa 11AM-8:45PM. Since 1941, traditional Italian fare. Lasagna (traditionally Wed. only but check first) is the stuff of local legend. 
  • Junior's Downtown, 176 Main St, ☏ +1 802-862-1234. Popular late night pizza spot. 
  • Sofia's Pizzeria, 205 St. Paul St, ☏ +1 802-865-2888. Has all the pizza mainstays, as well as a few eclectic topping selections. 

Sandwich

  • Pine Street Deli, 316 Flynn Ave, ☏ +1 802-862-9614. Deli that serves everything from burgers and subs to Greek food. 
  • Top of the Block Sandwich Shop, 2 Church St, ☏ +1 802 660-0667. They roast their own meats at this tiny sandwich shop. Coffee is $1 if you bring your own mug. 
  • Henry Street Deli, 11 Henry St, ☏ +1 802 864-1764. Hands down best hidden sandwich shop in Burlington. 

Mid-range

  • American Flatbread, 115 St. Paul St, ☏ +1 802 861-2999. 11:30AM-10PM (11PM F-Sa). Enjoy a wide range of flatbreads made with local ingredients as well as beer from the attached microbrewery. If flatbreads aren't a thing where you're from, they're basically pizza. 
  • Bluebird BBQ, 317 Riverside Ave, ☏ +1 802-448-3070. Serves traditional BBQ as well as dishes with a Northern VT flavor such as BBQ Poutine 
  • The Farmhouse Tap & Grill, 160 Bank St, ☏ +1 802-859-0888. This restaurant serves gourmet burgers along with one of the most extensive beer selections in the area. Believe it or not, this building used to house a McDonalds. 

Splurge

Although the Burlington area is much wealthier and more populous than the rest of the state, there aren't many expensive restaurants in town. Most of Vermont's expensive restaurants are out in the countryside or up in the mountains. Most of their menus change frequently and prices within each menu can vary wildly so if you want to get carried away, go for it.

  • L'Amante, 126 College St, ☏ +1 802-863-5200. Upscale Italian restaurant with a constantly changing menu and excellent wine list. 
  • Pistou, 61 Main St, ☏ +1 802-540-1783. Enjoy French inspired cuisine from a James Beard nominated chef. 

Best of the Suburbs

Burlington's suburbs are home to many good restaurants. A few of the most popular ones are listed here. For a more complete listing, check the article for each city.

Budget

  • Tiny Thai, 24 Main St, ☏ +1 802 655-4888. Probably the most popular Thai restaurant in the area if not the entire state. It's almost always busy, but the service is fast so you won't have to wait too long for a table. They'll serve you Americanized Thai food if that's what you want, but there is also an authentic Thai menu full of spicy dishes. 

Mid-range

  • Istanbul Kebab House:, 10 Kellogg Rd, ☏ +1 802-857-5091. Turkish Restaurant. 

Splurge

  • Lake Champlain Chocolates, 750 Pine St. 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. 
  • 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. 

American

Pizza

Seafood

  • Shanty On The Shore, 181 Battery St, ☏ +1 802 864-0238. Fresh seafood and great lake views. Expect a wait on weekends. 

Indian

  • India House Restaurant, 207 Colchester Ave, ☏ +1 802 862-7800. 
  • Shalimar of India, 16 North Winooski Ave, ☏ +1 802 864-5693. Have a great Sunday brunch which is ~$10 and buffet/all you can eat. Good deal. 

Mexican and Tex-Mex

European

  • Amir's Kebab Cart, Church Street Marketplace (next to City Hall). Gyro, Chicken gyro, Doner Kebab 

Drink

Bars and clubs

Coffee

  • Maglianero, 47 Maple St, ☏ +1 802 861-3155. Exceptional quality craft coffee drinks, pastries, etc, in a large space that doubles as an art gallery. Locally produced beans, teas, and more. Bicycle and laptop not required, but definitely welcome (and maybe prevalent). 
  • Muddy Waters, 184 Main St, ☏ +1 802 658-0466. Locally owned. Great atmosphere. Some beers on tap too. 
  • Speeder and Earls Coffee, 104 Church St. Serving the best coffee in downtown Burlington, Ask Anyone. 
  • Uncommon Grounds, 42 Church St, ☏ +1 802 865-6227. Locally owned, they roast their own beans on site. 

Sleep

Go next

  • The Canadian border and Montreal, Quebec, is less than a two-hour drive north. Be advised that due to recent changes, border crossing between the US and Canada now require a passport or enhanced identification (such as Vermont states Enhanced Driver's License, or EDL)
  • 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 Nessie of Loch Ness
Routes through Burlington
Rouses Point ← Jct Template:Lfarrow Winooski ←  N  E  → South Burlington Template:Rtarrow Jct → Montpelier
St. Albans ← Winooski ←  N  S  → South Burlington → Rutland


This city travel guide to Burlington is a usable article. It has information on how to get there and on restaurants and hotels. An adventurous person could use this article, but please feel free to improve it by editing the page.


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