13 Best Sights in Burlington, Northern Vermont

Burlington’s Saturday farmers’ market is an absolute must-see when visiting in summer or fall. Set up in a spacious lot in the city's South End, the market is jam-packed with local farmers selling a colorful array of organic produce, flowers, baked goods, maple syrup, meats, cheeses, and prepared foods. Local artisans also sell their wares, and there’s live music.

For more than 40 years, this pedestrian-only thoroughfare has served as Burlington's center of commerce, dining, and entertainment, with boutiques, cafés, restaurants, and street vendors the focus by day, and a lively bar and music scene at night. On sunny days, there are few better places to be in Burlington.

Acclaimed brewer Todd Haire spent 13 years at Magic Hat Brewing Company and another two years at Switchback Brewing Co. before opening his own Burlington operation alongside fellow co-founders Bobby Grim, Sam Keane, Jon Farmer, and Dani Casey in 2016. Since then, Foam has gained international praise, including a spot as one of the world's 10 best new breweries—bestowed by BeerAdvocate—the year they opened. The brewery sources more local ingredients than just about any other beermaker in the state: all their beers have at least a portion of local hops, all the barley is grown regionally in New England, and all the wheat is grown in Vermont. Some limited edition brews even incorporate produce, in a collaboration with area organic farms. A limited menu of charcuterie and bar snacks is available for noshing either in the family-friendly taproom or on the outdoor patio with stunning views of the Lake Champlain waterfront. Attached sister restaurant Deep City has the best brunch in town.

This formerly derelict industrial district and railroad depot underwent a remarkable transformation in the late '80s and early '90s into a gorgeous stretch of green, with a boardwalk lapped by the lake. It's also a linchpin for a number of sights and facilities, with the Echo Center on the south end, a bodacious skate park on the north, four seasonal creemee stands, and the Burlington Bike Path running through it all. Sunsets are particularly popular.

After a day on the lake, kids and adults can explore what goes on in the lake at the interactive science and nature museum directly on its shores, which details the forces (natural and man-made) that have shaped the Lake Champlain basin through the museum's more than 100 interactive exhibits. Visitors can experiment with lasers through fog mist, step through a steam devil (a small, overwater whirlwind), or even play with a hands-on 3D water projection sandbox, as well as get an up-close look at 70 species of indigenous animals—including a sort of nursery for baby eastern spiny softshell turtles, an endangered species—or immerse digitally in the natural world at the 3D theater, which presents science and nature films every day.

When Vermont hero Ethan Allen retired from his Revolutionary activities, he purchased 1,400 acres on the northern side of Burlington, including 350 acres of prime farmland directly along the Winooski River, and built this modest cabin in 1787. The original structure is a real slice of 18th-century life, including such frontier hallmarks as saw-cut boards and an open hearth for cooking. The kitchen garden resembles the one the Allens would have had. There's also a visitor center, a recreated mid-19th century Abenaki hunting village with traditional gardens, and miles of biking and hiking trails. In warmer months, climb Ethan Allen Tower at the south end of neighboring Ethan Allen Park for stupendous views of Lake Champlain and the Green Mountains.

Don't forget mosquito repellent.

This is a wonderful place to discover Vermont's outdoor wonders. The center's 255 acres of diverse habitats are a sanctuary for all things wild, and the 5 miles of trails provide an opportunity to explore the workings of differing natural communities. Events include bird-monitoring walks, wildflower rambles, nature workshops, and educational activities for children and adults.

Along Burlington's "new" North End, a long line of beaches stretches to the Winooski River delta, beginning with North Beach, which has a grassy picnic area, a snack bar, and kayak and SUP rentals. Neighboring Leddy Park offers a more secluded beach. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking (fee); showers; toilets. Best for: partiers; swimming; walking; windsurfing.

A once-abandoned relic of the Industrial Revolution, Pine Street is the heartbeat of Burlington's recently revamped South End Arts District, an enclave of bars, restaurants, breweries, art galleries, and eateries. Start at the intersection of Pine and Maple Street and begin walking south to find a treasure trove of all things art, music, food, and drink. The S.P.A.C.E Gallery and Conant Metal & Light attract artists from within state borders and far beyond, and the Coal Collective hosts weekly food truck celebrations in the warmer months. Early September's annual Art Hop brings even more energy to the bustling scene, with open galleries and live music around every corner. Make sure to stop by The Soda Plant, a small business incubator with over thirty local artisans, artists, and makers inside a newly refurbished 19th-century industrial soda factory, including nationally acclaimed Brio Coffeeworks and a Burlington outpost of Middlebury's Haymaker Bun Co.

Tucked away behind the Hula campus, Burlington's unofficial tech and co-working headquarters, Vermont-based SAVU has set up two of its high-end Scandi-inspired saunas right on the shore of Lake Champlain; they're ideally placed for an after-work sweat and a cold plunge, but offer a relaxing break if you're on vacation, too.

Switchback may not get as much press as other more famous craft Vermont beers, but its classic unfiltered ale is a solid, respected brew that's well worth exploring at the brewery and an expanded tap house and beer garden, added in 2024, in Burlington's buzzing South End. In addition to superfresh beer right from the source, beer-filled cocktails and a menu of perfect-for-pairing bites, the space hosts regular events and live music throughout the year. Employee-led Askew Beer Co. holds down a few experimental taps, too.

Crowning the hilltop above Burlington is the University of Vermont, known as UVM for the abbreviation of its Latin name, Universitas Viridis Montis, meaning the University of the Green Mountains. With more than 12,000 students, this is the state's principal institution of higher learning. The most architecturally impressive buildings face the main campus green and have gorgeous lake views, as does the statue of founder Ira Allen, Ethan's brother.

What started as a single tap in a pizza restaurant has turned into one of Burlington’s most successful and hippest breweries, thanks to frothy gems like Conehead and Green State Lager. Its shiny brewery in the South End Arts District is always buzzing—starting first thing in the morning with coffee and amazingly crispy, tender waffles flavored with brown butter, sea salt, and, of course, Vermont maple syrup. And yes, you can get a beer with that. Tasty complements continue throughout the day, with items like bratwurst, crispy cheddar curds, and foodie-friendly bistro bites, paired with Zero Gravity's popular favorites or taproom-only offerings, like bottle-conditioned brews and unusual co-ferments. Sink into the cozy couches in front of the fireplace, or watch the brewers at work through large windows behind one of the two bars.