Vermont’s queen city
Perched on the eastern shore of a majestic 120-mile-long glacial lake, Burlington is Vermont’s vibrant, culturally rich queen city. Backed by the Green Mountains to the east and facing the jagged silhouette of the New York Adirondacks across Lake Champlain to the west, it marries urban sophistication with rugged outdoor adventure.
Whether you are strolling the brick-paved, busker-filled stretch of the Church Street Marketplace, sipping fresh Vermont craft beer along the revitalized waterfront, or riding a bicycle straight into the middle of the lake along the miraculous Colchester Causeway, Burlington delivers an authentic New England getaway in every season.
The districts at a glance
Five zones, all within a few miles.
Church Street Marketplace — a historic four-block outdoor pedestrian mall of cafes, boutiques and buskers, in central downtown.
Waterfront Park and boardwalk — sweeping lakefront park, historic piers, boat docks and sunset swings, just west of downtown.
Burlington Greenway — a 14-mile paved recreation path on the historic Rutland Railroad line, connecting South Burlington to Colchester.
Colchester Causeway — a three-mile marble-and-gravel railway embankment extending into the lake, seven miles north of downtown.
South End Arts District — industrial-chic Pine Street, full of artist studios, breweries and food trucks.
Church Street Marketplace
Spanning four central blocks from Pearl Street down to Main Street, the Church Street Marketplace is one of America’s most celebrated urban pedestrian malls. First conceptualized in the 1960s and dedicated in 1981, it is paved in classic red brick, lit by festoon string lights and framed by 19th-century Victorian and Greek Revival architecture.
Skip the national chains and explore local anchors: Crow Bookshop, a beloved independent packed with new and used volumes, and Homeport, a multi-level labyrinth of homewares, kitchen tools and Vermont gifts.
Church Street is famous for its curated busker program — on any warm afternoon you will encounter acoustic musicians, glass-harpers, acrobats and fire-spinners performing beneath the canopy of red maples. Grab a seat under an umbrella at Sweetwaters, housed in a striking 1883 bank building, or a pour-over from a local roaster.
Look up as you walk. The upper stories preserve stunning 1800s brickwork, decorative terra cotta and intricate stone lintels from Burlington’s era as a thriving lumber port.
The waterfront and Adirondack sunsets
Burlington’s connection to Lake Champlain is the city’s true soul. The lake spans 120 miles north to south, reaches depths over 400 feet and contains more than 70 islands. Facing directly west toward the Adirondack High Peaks — including Marcy and Whiteface — Burlington boasts what locals proudly claim are the best sunsets in North America.
Along the grassy lawns of Waterfront Park, large wooden porch-style swings face out toward the harbor. Arrive an hour before sunset to claim one, pack a picnic, and watch the sky move from brilliant gold to deep violet and magenta.
ECHO, the Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, sits right on the water: a world-class science center and aquarium with over 100 species of native reptiles, amphibians and fish, and the essential stop for learning about the lake’s ecology, history and the legend of Champ, its mythical monster.
To get out on the water, board the Spirit of Ethan Allen for a dinner or sunset cruise, or charter a traditional wooden schooner for an intimate wind-powered sail across the bay.
The Island Line Trail and the Causeway
The crowning jewel of Burlington’s outdoor recreation is the Island Line Trail, part of the broader Burlington Greenway. This 14-mile rail-trail converts the historic Rutland Railroad route into a smooth, scenic path for cyclists, runners and walkers, running four paved miles from Oakledge Park through the waterfront and North Beach, three miles along forested bluffs and beaches to the Colchester town line, then three miles out over open water.
Built in 1900 from massive crushed marble boulders to carry steam trains across the lake to the Grand Isle archipelago, the Causeway is a three-mile, ten-foot-wide gravel strip extending directly into open water. Biking it feels like riding on top of the lake: no trees or land barriers on either side, the Green Mountains rising to your right and the Adirondacks to your left.
Halfway across sits a 200-foot gap created to allow boat traffic. During summer and autumn, Local Motion operates a small pontoon bike ferry that shuttles cyclists and pedestrians across, allowing you to continue onto the quiet, apple-orchard-filled roads of South Hero and Grand Isle.
Rent hybrid bikes, road bikes or e-bikes directly at the waterfront from the non-profit Local Motion bike center at Waterfront Park.
The South End Arts District
Burlington’s industrial past lives on in the South End Arts District along the Pine Street corridor. Once filled with lumber yards, textile mills and machinery warehouses, the neighborhood has become a thriving hub for independent artists, design studios, bakeries and world-class craft breweries.
The Soda Plant, a repurposed 1900s bottling facility, now houses dozens of small artisan businesses, micro-distilleries, spice blenders and studios under one roof. The BCA Center runs workshops, vintage furniture shops line the corridor, and the September South End Art Hop turns the whole district into Vermont’s largest arts festival.
On the drinks side, Zero Gravity’s light-filled Pine Street taproom pours Conehead IPA and Little Wolf Pale Ale with elevated pub snacks on a sunlit patio; Switchback Brewing is minutes away; and Citizen Cider samples crisp hard ciders pressed from 100 percent local Vermont apples, from dry hopped styles to maple-infused blends.
Four seasons in Burlington
The city changes character completely through the year.
Summer, June to August — lake sailing, food festivals, bike path riding and outdoor dining.
Autumn, September to November — spectacular foliage backdrops, apple picking and crisp lake walks.
Winter, December to February — ice skating, cozy fireside dining and quick access to Stowe and Sugarbush.
Spring, March to May — maple celebrations, waterfront strolls and craft beer trail tours.
Good to know
What is Church Street Marketplace?+
A four-block car-free pedestrian mall running from Pearl Street to Main Street in downtown Burlington, dedicated in 1981. Red brick paving, festoon lights, 19th-century architecture, independent shops like Crow Bookshop and Homeport, and a curated busker program.
Can you really bike out onto Lake Champlain?+
Yes. The Colchester Causeway carries the Island Line Trail three miles into open water on an 1900-era crushed marble railway embankment ten feet wide, with no barriers on either side. A seasonal Local Motion bike ferry crosses the 200-foot gap halfway out.
Where do I rent a bike in Burlington?+
At the non-profit Local Motion bike center at Waterfront Park, directly on the Island Line Trail. They rent hybrids, road bikes and e-bikes, and also run the bike ferry across the Causeway gap.
Where are the best sunsets?+
The wooden porch swings at Waterfront Park, facing due west across the lake to the Adirondack High Peaks. Arrive an hour early in summer. A sunset cruise on the Spirit of Ethan Allen or a schooner charter is the on-water alternative.
What is there to do in the South End?+
Pine Street’s arts district: The Soda Plant’s artisan studios and micro-distilleries, BCA Center workshops, vintage shops, Zero Gravity and Switchback breweries, Citizen Cider’s taproom, and the September South End Art Hop, Vermont’s largest arts festival.