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Burlington Travel Guide, Vermont

Burlington is the most beautiful and popular destination in Vermont. It has more things to offer than any other city in the area and what attracts visitors the most are the great outdoors and the small town life.

The city is the most populated one in the county and it is settled in a superb location overlooking Lake Champlain and the Adirondacks of northern New York., 76 miles south of Montreal, in Vermont. To the east, there are the Green Mountains, with two of the highest points (Mount Mansfield and Camel's Hump) offering a beautiful view.

It came into being in 1763 and has become a magnet for those seeking an alternative to big-city life. Here they can relax and enjoy the beautiful scenery that the mountains, hills, the national parks and the lakes lay out for them or pursue one of the outdoor activities like skiing or hiking and they don’t have to worry about timing as it will always be perfect every season having something to offer as far as outdoor activities area concerned.

The waterfront is one of the main attractions having a nice bike path that offers an excellent opportunity to enjoy the view; even if in the past it was not the focus point for development things have changed for better and some sections have been developed for commercial and recreational use.

Despite other towns Burlington has a very practical pedestrian mall called the Church Street Marketplace full of small boutiques, cafes, and craft vendors thus helping small shops survive along big department stores and the good thing about it is that they are not at the outskirts of town but right in the middle of town that is downtown thus enhancing the pleasure of shopping while you can enjoy the city’s attractions. For those who have forgotten all about the pleasure of walking in the city here they have the opportunity to see what they have missed.

So leave your car in the parking lot and explore the city on foot.

If you ever wondered where hippies-turned-corporation Ben & Jerry's life began your answer is: here in Burlington, a city with lots of intellectuals due to the presence of to the University of Vermont.

The little hamlet of Jericho, some 20 minutes drive from Burlington is worth a visit especially if you are a science or nature person as here you will find Old Red Mill craft shop and museum that exhibits a beautiful collection of snowflake photographs with about 5,000 snowflakes - taken by Wilson Bentley a local amateur naturalist who devised the world's first camera capable to capture images of snowflakes. None of the snowflakes are identical and you can marvel at nature’s most amazing creation.

Coming back in town for a night entertainment you will find some nice places thriving with local music. One of the hot spots is the Nectar's a mix of cafeteria-style restaurant and no-frills lounge and you will easily recognize it as it has the last revolving neon sign in Vermont. You will be able to mingle with the UVM students and listen to some quality live music without a cover. At Club Metronomea you can unwind dancing or playing a game of pool while listening to some local talent

Burlington’s unique and wonderful independent culture, generous and happy spirit, its scenery and festive hospitality will definitely make you want to come back again and again.