Things to Do in Burlington

Beautiful Montpelier is the smallest state capital in the US. What it lacks in size and population (only about 8,000 people live here), it makes up for in spades with a bustling arts and entertainment scene, delicious farm-to-table restaurants, and adorable boutique shops. Don't miss the Capital City Farmer's Market, where local vendors gather to sell their tasty, fresh wares every Saturday.

Sunset is a glorious time to experience the famous Lake Champlain, which is situated mostly in two states (New York and Vermont) and partly one province, Canada's Quebec. While this 120-mile-long freshwater lake is a popular spot to fish, swim, kayak, and sail, the area can be fully enjoyed year-round. With nearly 587 miles of shoreline, it offers plenty of places to picnic, hike, and laze about lakeside.

The open-air Church Street Marketplace is a pedestrian-friendly mall in the heart of Vermont's largest city - Burlington. With over 100 shops and restaurants on offer, there's plenty to fuel a shopaholic's addiction while enticing foodies to try a few bites of something new. Set on the tranquil Lake Champlain with a backdrop of New York's Adirondack Mountains, Burlington's beautiful setting is hard to beat.

Winter is arguably Vermont's finest season; if you're an avid skier, that is. Whooshing down the state's highest peak makes it even more exciting. One of the Green Mountains, Mount Mansfield is part of the Stowe ski area. It's also a popular spot to climb during the warmer, summer months.

One of Vermont's most popular natural wonders, Quechee Gorge has been dubbed "Vermont's Little Grand Canyon." It's the deepest gorge in the state, and there isn't much that's little about it. The gorge was formed over 13,000 years ago by glaciers, and the river at its base sits 165 feet below Route 4.

Main Street rises steadily from just above the lake shore to the hilltop campus of the University of Vermont (UVM), founded in 1791. Burlington's prosperous merchants and leaders built their stately homes and mansions on the upper slopes, above the commercial and waterfront areas, and many of the finest of these have been preserved and maintained as residences and as part of the smaller Champlain College.

For those who don't mind winding mountain roads, the trip through Smugglers Notch is an unforgettable one. High on the shoulder of Mt. Mansfield, Vermont's highest peak, Smugglers Notch is a narrow pass – so narrow, in fact, that the road closes in the winter because snowplows can't maneuver among the boulders that force the road to twist and squeeze between them. The road lies below 1,000-foot cliffs, the source of the gigantic boulders strewn throughout the pass.

One of the top tourist attractions in Vermont, Stowe is an easy drive from Burlington. Follow Interstate 89 south to Waterbury and take Route 100, known as "The Skiers Highway" for the number of ski mountains it connects on its way through the state.

On 1,400 acres of land north of the city is the farmhouse that was the home of Revolutionary War hero, Ethan Allen. Allen and his brother, Ira, were landowners under New Hampshire grants, which they defended ardently against New York's attempts to claim.

On the outskirts of Burlington, this large, open-air museum gathers original buildings from different eras of Vermont's past into a campus that doesn't pretend to be a real village, but shows each house, barn, and shop with period furnishings and the activities of rural life in its time.

Much of Burlington's packed music and performance calendar is thanks to the Flynn Center's 1,411-seat auditorium. The Flynn is home to the Vermont Symphony Orchestra, the Vermont Youth Orchestra, the Vermont Stage Company, the Lyric Theatre, and the UVM Lane Series.

A wide green swath of park with a bike path and promenade borders the lake shore, stretching some distance to the north and south of the town landing at the bottom of College Street. Near the docks, look for Vermont's only All-America Display Garden, where the newest varieties of flowering ornamental plants bloom all summer.