Burlington, VT

Address:Burlington, Vermont

Take a break from the hectic pace of daily life and enjoy the peaceful, breathtakingly beautiful views of the mountains and Lake Champlain in Burlington. Enjoy great shopping, dining and endless year-round activities. Don't miss the annual Fall Foliage season from mid-September through October. The mixture of hardwood trees changing colors, perfect weather, storybook scenery and festivals make Vermont a very popular destination at that time of year. You can even enjoy the foliage from up high with a hot-air balloon ride.

Located on the eastern shore of Lake Champlain between the Adirondack and Green Mountains, Burlington, Vermont is the perfect place for any vacation. Whether you want to just relax, shop, visit the many attractions, or put your mettle to the test by going on adrenaline-pumping activities such as lake-based kayaking, fishing, sailing, or mountain-based hiking, cycling and skiing - this is the place for you. Bikers, take the 14-mile bike trail that follows the shore of Lake Champlain. Other activities include visiting state and local parks and forests, or jumping off the mountainside to go hang-gliding.

In the very cold winter months, get your heart pumping with indoor tennis/racquet ball, bowling, indoor skating rinks and indoor golf.

Church Street Marketplace spans four blocks of architecturally-historic restaurants, street vendors, and more than 100 retail shops. Take a leisurely walk around the Marketplace or do some serious shopping. When you're hungry, grab a delicious snack or sit down to a delectable meal. A recipient of the Great American Main Street Award, the Marketplace is recognized as one of the most successful pedestrian malls in the country. If the Marketplace didn't quench your shopping thirst, there is additional shopping right across the street at the Burlington Town Center, downtown Burlington's leading indoor shopping center, with an array of retail stores.

Take a break from your shopping and head down to South Burlington for a tour that the whole family will love. At Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream factory you will get a bird's-eye-view of "Vermont's Finest" in action from the factory's mezzanine, along with an explanation of the ice cream manufacturing process. After that it's off to the FlavoRoom for delicious samples of the day!

Admission fee for the 30-minute tour is minimal. Sign ups are on a first-come, first-serve basis. There is no ice cream production on weekends, holidays, and company celebration days, but don't worry, you can still sample the yummy ice cream.

Take the family on a short, inexpensive, lunch, brunch or narrated cruise on Lake Champlain, with the mountains as your backdrop. Weekly dinner cruises include live entertainment. Northern Lights cruises run from mid-June through Columbus Day in October.

The Echo Leahy Center, otherwise known as the Lake Aquarium and Science Center, is another attraction sure to please the entire family. See all the ecology, culture and history that Lake Champlain Basin has to offer. Everyone will enjoy the 100 hands-on interactive exhibits and over 60 species of live fish, amphibians and reptiles. Self-guided scavenger hunts will help direct your child's learning experience. The children will sketch, count, read, inquire, estimate and write as they explore ECHO's exhibits. There are also live animal feedings and demonstrations three times a day. With many more exciting activities to experience, don't forget to put ECHO on your itinerary.

Visit the University of Vermont's Fleming Museum, where you will see a fine collection of art and anthropological displays, with a permanent collection of African, ancient Egyptian, Asian, and Middle Eastern art. A selection of paintings by 20th-century Vermont artists is also on permanent display, along with changing exhibitions.

Church and Maple Glass Studio create original, hand-blown glass at their open studio in Burlington. Glassblowing demonstrations are available daily.

Choose from a variety of hotels, motels, bed and breakfasts, resorts, vacation rentals and even campgrounds for your stay in Burlington.

Many people don't even fly directly into the region, preferring to arrive in Bangor, Maine or Boston's Logan Airport, and completing the journey into Vermont by rental car, train or bus. This route is often cheaper, easier to schedule and you get to see the extraordinary views on your way into Vermont. When road conditions are treacherous during winter, the ferry is among the more practical routes, as they are able to cut through the frozen lake to get you to the other side safely. There is bus service in Burlington but having a car will make getting to Burlington's indoor and outdoor attractions easier.