Family Activities in Burlington
things to do in burlington, vermont
Welcome to the most vibrant, traditional, and beautiful town in New England
Burlington, also called The Queen City, is nestled in a bay of Lake Champlain which is the U.S.’s sixth largest lake. Lake Champlain is 120 miles long, north to south, and at Burlington, it’s about 10 miles wide. Across the lake, is New York State and the majestic Adirondack Mountains.
Burlington’s setting, across ten miles of water from the undeveloped shoreline of the Adirondacks, make the land-to-water proportions just right for the most stunning sunsets.
If you plan to spend a weekend here in The Queen City, here are Buttercup’s recommendations for things to do in Burlington, places to eat in Burlington, and places to stay in Burlington.
places to visit in burlington, vermont: shopping, breweries, adventure, and art museums
• Church Street Marketplace: From its earliest days in the late 1700s, Church Street has always been where people came to shop from near and far. Today, Church Street is a pedestrian zone with boutiques and restaurants. Pay attention to the bricked walkway as you stroll. The centerline of granite represents the meridian circling the Earth at Burlington. You’ll see city names embedded into the walkway. Those are cities further north and south, all the way around the globe that are near the Queen City’s meridian. To discover all that Church Street offers, go to: churchstmarketplace.com
• Breweries: Vermont has the most breweries per capita than any other state. We have at least 26 breweries. A number of them are in Burlington and several are in walking distance from the Waterfront. For in interactive map, go to: vermontbrewers.com
• Shelburne Museum: A museum of art, history, and design. It has 39 exhibit buildings or structures on its 45-acre property, including the 220-foot paddlewheel steamboat Ticonderoga, Pullman train cars, and exhibits of famous paintings including Monet, Cassatt, and Picasso. For more information, go to: shelburnemuseum.org
Things to do in Burlington: Swimming, Biking, Ghostwalks, and a Children’s Science Center
• The best swimming spot near Burlington, Vermont is the Burlington North Beach Campground: North beach is one of the lake’s 70 natural beaches. Burlington North Beach Campground has a food kiosk, and changing rooms with bathrooms. There are 137 great sites to either pitch your tent or park your RV or trailer. With its premier municipal natural sand beach, shaded campsites and picnic grounds, North Beach Campground offers an incomparable camping experience for any individuals wishing to camp in Vermont. For more information, go to: enjoyburlington.com
• Bike Path: According to the city’s website, “The Burlington Greenway Bike/Walk Path is a jewel of our parks system.” It runs 14 miles along the shores of Lake Champlain, and includes a three-mile segment out onto the lake on an old railroad causeway. AND: a bike ferry jumps a gap in the causeway if you want to continue on towards the island towns in Lake Champlain. To rent bikes and for an interactive map, go to: localmotion.org
• Queen City Ghost Walk: Thea Lewis has published a number of books on the eerie and the amazing to be found down alleyways, in graveyards, and deep in the waters of Lake Champlain. She also offers custom tours for private groups. For more information, go to: queencityghostwalk.com
• Echo Center: A hands-on children’s science museum, right next to the Boathouse. For more information, go to: echovermont.org
Romantic restaurants in Burlington, Vermont: Gilded Age or a wood-and-red-velvet dinner?
• Inn at Shelburne Farms: Gilded Age mansion, converted to an inn and public restaurant on gorgeous grounds with formal gardens overlooking Lake Champlain. Arrive a few hours early to tour or walk the 1,400-acre estate. See their cheesemaking operation. Pair the Shelburne Farms Cheddar with a wine for your dinner later in the marble-tiled dining hall with the fireplace and the portrait of Lila Webb who was one of the estate’s founders. For more information, go to: shelburnefarms.org
Private limo in Burlington, Vermont:
• Want something a grade up from an Uber? Need a ride for two, or for a gaggle? Ride in style from near or far with First Class Ride: vtfirstclassride.com