Perfect New England Getaway: Burlington, VT

Views from the Friendship Sloop

Recently we took a weekend trip to Burlington. This was my first trip to Burlington, and wow, was I impressed…

Fall was just beginning to settle in, the trees were slowly changing to vibrant hues of red, gold and orange. As we drove into the heart of the Burlington, stretched out before us at the end of the road, was the glistening Lake Champlain. It was then I knew we had arrived to the start of a quintessential New England vacation and I couldn’t wait for it to begin!

We stayed in one of the downtown hotels, with a room overlooking the lake. Although there were ample options for B&B’s in the area, the hotel was ideal. Most of the B&B’s were further away from the town center requiring a car ride to get most places. But staying right downtown not only afforded us gorgeous views but also allowed us to leave the car behind, for all but one activity, and we were able to walk along the gorgeous tree lined streets and really take in the views of this thriving college town.

We started our first morning at Henry’s Diner, a classic-style diner where I had the Quiche Lorraine and E. had the buttermilk pancakes… yummy and fueled us up for the busy day ahead!

We then decided to check out the farmer’s market where we found some great gems to take home with us including Dragonfly Sugarworks maple syrup. We got to sample some sweet syrups, ultimately deciding to get the Grade A Dark Amber… a large bottle of it came home with us and was opened almost immediately. We also found Benito’s Hot Sauce table… he had some awesome sauces and was super friendly. We ended up going with the ‘Benito’s White Hot’… made with the hottest of hot peppers, the ghost chili.

Looking Ahead

In addition to eating and drinking, which admittedly we did do a lot of, we also went on a sunset sailboat cruise on the Friendship Sloop run by Whistling Man Schooner Co. This wasn’t your typical tour boat. There were only 9 passengers in addition to the captain, and  we all became fast friends encouraged by the captain’s friendly banter.

Now, for all you beer-lovers of the world a trip to Burlington, VT would not be complete without a tour of the Magic Hat Brewery followed by an all-you-can-taste-at-your-own-pace tasting. Just put on your tie-dye shirt, some Mardi-Gras beads and sit back and enjoy the tour! Everyone here is fun, relaxed and the beers are freshly brewed, seasonal, and spectacular.

Where the “Magic” happens

We’d wanted to do the Ben & Jerry’s factory tour but ultimately ended up not going. FYI for future visitors- if you want to see the action of the ice-cream being made you need to visit Mon-Fri… this is also the case for Magic Hat Brewery.

Skinny Pancake- Great for brunch! Views of the lake, but be prepared on Saturday/Sunday mornings to wait for an hour plus! But worth the wait with a ginormous crepe presented to you at the end of your choice of sweet (think Nutella and strawberries, honey and cinnamon sugar) or savory (such as spinach and feta, or apples and brie) and everything in between!

Leunig’s Bistro & Cafe- So perfectly French! Friendly servers and enough food to leave you rolling down the hill back to your hotel in a blissful food coma.

Overall, a weekend full of wholesome, New England fun! Perfect for you and (insert family, boyfriend, husband, friend, girlfriend, or wife here) to get away from the bustle of Boston or a great stop on a New England tour. You won’t regret it! The people here are friendly, the activities plentiful, the food amazing, and relaxation at it’s finest.