Burlington
Vermont in autumn
It often is the journey that matters more than the destination. This was certainly true for Charlie’s trip to Vermont. She took the Greyhound from Boston, destination: Burlington. Her seat was assigned and she had no choice. She usually would not choose a front row seat in the bus. On this occasion though it turned out to be a blessing. As they drove through New Hampshire, Charlie was overwhelmed by those views. Trees along the highway in all shades of yellow, orange and red. That’s why she wanted to visit Vermont in autumn. Now she didn’t even need to go to Burlington anymore, right? She still went and it only got better.
Arrival in Burlington
When Charlie booked the trip she decided based on the availability of accommodation and the accessibility by public transport. She had not done any further research about the city of Burlington when booking and she had not realized that it was located right on Lake Champlain. That was the next surprise as the Greyhound arrived in town. It was just after 6 p.m. and the sun stood already low. It was the perfect golden hour light. Unfortunately, the window of the bus was a little dirty after a 5-hour-journey. Charlie got off at the Downtown Transit Centre, grabbed all her luggage and quickly walked towards the waterfront. It should be the perfect timing for a sunset shot. It was! Charlie couldn’t have been happier about the things she saw on the trip to Vermont.
The city of Burlington
Burlington turned out to be a lot bigger than Charlie had expected. There is a university and you notice that you are in a student town. In coffee shops you see not only laptops, but books too. The bus becomes a class room where youngsters discuss their lectures. And the shop where Charlie purchased some post cards was the same where you would get your University of Vermont merch.
The parts of Burlington you should definitely see are Church Street Marketplace with its colourful decorations and plenty of shops and restaurants, and the waterfront at Lake Champlain.
There is a lot of street art in Burlington too. Charlie didn’t get more information about it, she noticed though that it wasn’t difficult at all to spot a beautiful mural. You don’t even need to look for them and yet you will find them.
Burlington for tourists
Charlie stayed in an AirBnB in South Burlington near the airport and she could easily take a bus downtown. It took about 30 minutes and the price was USD 2 per ride. The bus system in Burlington is very good, possibly because of all the students, and reliable. There is a good cycling network too.
Burlington is a year-round destination for tourists. In the summer it is mainly Lake Champlain and sailing adventures that attract visitors, in autumn it is the fall foliage and in the colder months it is wintersports. There are ski lifts near the town of Stowe about 30 minutes from Burlington and already in October Charlie saw advertisements for skate sharpening and ski and snowboard swaps. Apparently, ice skating is possible on Lake Champlain in the winter. Of course, the nearby mountains also invite for hikes at any time of year.
Guided tours in and around Burlington
If you are looking for a guided tour in Burlington you’ll notice quickly that there isn’t much on offer. What you easily find are audio guides to download for self-guided tours. There is a trolley tour though that you can take to explore more of Burlington. Charlie didn’t do the city tour, instead, she took the Burlington Trolley for a Fall Foliage Tour. After all, that’s why she was in Vermont. Unfortunately, at the beginning of October, the leaves hadn’t changed yet around Burlington and it was all still mostly green. Charlie still enjoyed the tour to see a bit more of the city’s surroundings, including the largest filing cabinet in the world. Yes, the city holds a Guinness World Record.
The Fall Foliage Tour brought the passengers to Shelburne further south of Burlington. Apparently, this is the best spot to see the foliage once it has turned. Charlie can see why: Shelburne is a bit higher than then landscape around it and offers good views over the forests. There is also Shelburne Museum, a large park with multiple houses that each host a different type of museum. Charlie had a stroll through the beautiful park. She didn’t go inside any of the museums because he wasn’t interested in that. She was there to see nature!
The trolley then drove through Charlotte and Hinesburg with a stop at a brewery with pizza place. There is a big brewing culture around Burlington and you will have no trouble finding a brewery tour either. The beer tasting was for Charlie just a little add-on to the tour by trolley. She mostly enjoyed the views over the landscape with the mountains in the background to all sides.
Apart from brewing tours, you could also visit vineyards in the area and there is a teddybear museum too. When you’re in Vermont, be sure to taste any of the maple products too!
Cycling tour from Burlington
It wasn’t possible for Charlie to visit Stowe on public transport. She would have liked to take the ski lift to see more foliage. For that, you would need a car though. What was possible for her was a cycling tour along Lake Champlain. The weather was gorgeous those few days that Charlie spent in Burlington and she had to make use of it. There is a bike hire by the waterfront, Local Motion, and you should reserve your bike in advance online. Charlie rented an e-bike for a day.
The bike shop is right next to one of the most popular cycling routes, the Island Route which connects Burlington to the islands in Lake Champlain. It is easy to find and well-signposted. The route goes along the lake with stunning views and access to some beaches. Charlie cycled further north to get to the islands. After she passed a sports ground at Airport park, the route went through a forest before the view opened up to a pier-like path in the lake with water on both sides. This was the most beautiful cycling route Charlie had ever seen. She was amazed!
Unfortunately, she couldn’t get to the island because there is one bit where the bike path ends to allow sailing boats to pass through. In the summer months, there is a bike ferry. In autumn though this ferry only works on the weekends and Charlie was there on a Tuesday. She cycled back to Burlington and continued along the bike route a bit further south towards Red Rock Park. It was yet another beautiful spot by the lake and a lot quieter than the route further up north.
Be sure to do a cycling tour along the lake when you’re in Burlington. Depending on how far you want to go (and whether you take the ferry to the island), a 3-hour-rental might be sufficient. It would have been for the tour that Charlie did.
Vermont from above
Charlie couldn’t get to the ski lift in Stowe; she found a much better way to see the fall foliage from above: a balloon flight. It was offered by Balloon Vermont and you have to book online in advance. You should also book this for the first days in Vermont as the weather might require rescheduling. The balloon pilot had chosen a route where there was already some peak foliage in Vermont. Charlie did get to see the autumn colours from the bird’s eye view after all!
