To celebrate each of us turning 40 within the past year and our June wedding anniversary, Brian and I embarked on a multi-day trip without our kids to northern Vermont last week. We took a roundabout route to get there, then spent 3 nights in Burlington and took the scenic route home. We had a wonderful time exploring and I have so much I want to share that I’m breaking my favorites into 2 parts.
Things We Did
A Cruise on the Spirit of the Ethan Allen – A trip on the Spirit of the Ethan Allen III was highly recommended on all the travel articles I read. I’m always happy to be on a boat and this was a great way to spend a couple hours. We had a lovely cruise around Lake Champlain, listening to the narration and adding to our knowledge of the area.
The Burlington Greenway – Brian and I rode borrowed bikes from our hotel and took walks on the Burlington Greenway. It winds along the edge of Lake Champlain, through wooded areas, into downtown and through neighborhoods. I love a good multi-use path and this one was no exception.
On a related note, we walked to the majority of our destinations in Burlington. Our hotel was downtown, near the lake, and we found the city to be very pedestrian friendly.
ECHO, Leahy Center for Lake Champlain – We went to Vermont’s Science and Nature Museum knowing it was more geared to kids than adult. Nevertheless, it was a good way to learn more about the local ecology and avoid the heat on the hottest day of our trip by using the admission included with our hotel stay. We enjoyed seeing the turtles, fish and other creatures as well as exploring interactives about wind, elevation and Rube Goldberg machines. Our trip to Burlington sparked an obsession with Champ, and I especially appreciated the (life size?) model that filled the middle of the museum.
Shopping on Church Street – Local shopping areas are always a delight. Church Street has really great shops and we bought several items we’d been unable to find closer to home. Some of my favorite places to browse were Homeport, Frog Hollow Vermont Craft Gallery, Phoenix Books, Vermont Flannel Company, and Wild Lark.
Food & Drink
Switchback Beer Garden and Smokehouse – We love to visit a brewery and there is no shortage of opportunities in Burlington. In addition to sampling a flight of Switchback’s beer, we ordered really delicious smokehouse entrees. I enjoyed the Brisket Sandwich with creamy broccoli salad. Brian had the Vermont Maple Hot Chicken Sandwich with braised collards. I left the restaurant very full but with no regrets.
Maple Creemees from Burlington Bay– A visit to Vermont requires getting a maple creemee and I was happy to meet that expectation. We tried out Burlington Bay based on it’s proximity to our hotel and a recommendation from our waiter our first night in town. The line at the window gave an indication of how good the creemees would be – so good that we went twice.
Santiago’s Cuban Cuisine – When we travel, we always strive to eat food we can’t easily get at home. Santiago’s food was so flavorful and arrived so fast despite how busy the restaurant was. In addition to delicious specialty drinks (a coconut mojito and a mezcal paloma), we enjoyed ropa vieja, lechón asado, maduros, tostones and tres leche. Everything was fantastic.
Lake Champlain Chocolates – Lake Champlain chocolates was added to our itinerary early in the planning. It’s always a delight to shop for chocolate and we got some to take home, some to give to friends, and some to eat immediately.
August First – Housed in a former garage, I loved the open air ambiance and freshly baked foods here. My avocado toast was so thick I joked about having to unhinge my jaw. The biscuit Brian ordered was also impressively tall. A great spot for people watching, no laptops allowed.
The Café Hot – Brian came across this vegetarian café during our planning and it went far beyond my expectations. The vibe is “hot coffee and killer food” and the kinda creepy décor reflects that. I had the the number 8, chicken-fried, “our special chicken fried egg™ sammich with pickled zucchini, tartar sauce and shredded cabbage”. It was incredible. Also pictured, Brian’s “Brakefast Sandwich -scrambled egg wrapped in griddled cheese on a seeded milkbun with harissa, miso mayo, and fresh parsley & cilantro”.
Zero Gravity Beer Hall – Not originally on our list of places to visit, we drove by Zero Gravity and were intrigued by the packed parking lot and the prospect of trying another local brewery. We returned the following day and opted for snacks and drinks, all of which were great. The Crispy Cheese Curds were perfect and the Chickpea Fritter Platter with its assortment of dips was a great change of pace from the rich foods we’d been eating.
Stay tuned for Part 2, our Vermont adventures beyond Burlington.
