Free
Island Line Trail and the causeway
A waterfront bike path that continues onto a narrow causeway far out into Lake Champlain.
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Lake Champlain, Vermont
Burlington, Vermont
Vermont's lake city: a bike path along Lake Champlain and out across a causeway, a car-free main street, and farms, cheese and ice cream nearby.
Photo: Lake Champlain from Burlington, Vermont, Farragutful, CC BY-SA 4.0
Burlington looks out over Lake Champlain, with the Adirondacks across the water. The Island Line Trail follows the waterfront and then heads out onto the Colchester Causeway, right into the lake.
Church Street Marketplace is the car-free heart of downtown. Shelburne Farms and the Shelburne Museum are just south, and Ben & Jerry's factory is about 30 minutes east. Bring an appetite.
Outdoors and nature
Trails, lookouts, waterfalls, beaches and time on the water come first.
Cheap
Mount Philo State Park
A short drive or hike to a summit view over the Champlain Valley.
Paid
Spirit of Ethan Allen cruise
Scenic cruises on Lake Champlain from the Burlington waterfront.
Season Seasonal, check official site.
Paid
Lake Champlain ferry
Car ferries cross the lake from Burlington to Port Kent, New York, in season.
Sights and attractions
Museums, landmarks and the places people come here for.
Free
Church Street Marketplace
A pedestrian street of shops, cafés and buskers.
Paid
Shelburne Farms
A historic working farm on the lake with walking trails, cheese-making and a farm barn.
Paid
Shelburne Museum
Americana, art and historic buildings (including a lake steamboat) on a big campus.
Season Open season roughly early May–late Oct (check before you go).
Paid
Ben & Jerry's factory tour
The ice cream factory in Waterbury, about 30 minutes away.
Markets, shops and festivals
Main streets, markets and the dates worth planning around.
Free
Burlington Farmers Market
A Saturday market downtown, outdoors in summer.
Book a tour or activity
Cruises, tours and experiences people book here. Each one goes to the operator's official page, and you can still add it to your trip.
Schooner sail on Lake Champlain
Sailing trips aboard a schooner from Burlington.
Season Seasonal, check official site.
Also bookable, listed above
These are in the lists above, so we don't repeat them here.
- Spirit of Ethan Allen cruise Cruise
- Lake Champlain ferry Ferry
- Shelburne Museum Tickets
- Ben & Jerry's factory tour Tour
Part of our Vermont guides.
Make it a weekend
Why stay the night
- Sunset over the Adirondacks from the waterfront is the city's best show.
- The bike path, Shelburne and the Green Mountains fill two days easily.
- It's only about 90 minutes from Montréal.
Nearby and worth the drive
Montréalabout 1 h 40 · Guide ↗
Mount Royal and Old Montréal (passport needed).
Stoweabout 45 min · Guide ↗A classic Vermont mountain village.
Ready-made trips with Burlington, Vermont
Good to know
- Tourism: helloburlingtonvt.com.
- We list only places we can check against an official source. Hours, seasons and prices change, so confirm before you go.
Photos on this page
Photo: Lake Champlain from Burlington, Vermont, Farragutful, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: The view from Mount Philo State Park, Jstopak, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Church Street Marketplace in autumn, Burlington, Sdkb, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: The steamboat Ticonderoga at the Shelburne Museum, Storylanding, CC0