Hi! My name is Tessa, I grew up in Shelburne and now reside in Virginia Beach. My family and I look forward to our semi-annual vacation in Burlington, especially during the summertime. Now that I have two small boys {3 years and 21 months old}, the majority of our activities are kid friendly. And sometimes if we’re lucky, the husband and I are able to sneak away for an exercise date or beer tasting just the two of us.
In no particular order, here is what I recommend doing when coming to visit Burlington, Vermont!
1} SHELBURNE FARMS.
Arrive early to hop on the 10:00 a.m. tractor drawn hay wagon. Milk a cow and eat award winning cheddar cheese and chocolate croissants from O’Bread Bakery at the Farm Barn. Explore the 10 miles of walking trails. Admire the Farm’s beautiful architecture from the 1900’s. Don’t forget to include a date night at the Inn’s Restaurant.
2} SHOP LOCAL.
Wander down the middle of Church Street Market Place. Swing into City Market to check out their wide range of conventional, organic and local products. On Saturdays, chat with local vendors at the Burlington Farmers Market. Stock up on every kind of outdoorsy gear you could imagine at the Outdoor Gear Exchange. Brighten up your child’s summer wardrobe at the Zutano Company Store in Montpelier. Personalize your own teddy bear Vermont Teddy Bear Company in Shelburne. Sip a cup of fair-trade Vermont Coffee at most of the coffee shops in town.
3} ON THE LAKE.
Ride the Lake Champlain Ferries, across to New York or cruise around the lake. Rent kayaks or a canoe or schedule a stand-up paddle board guided tour. Bike on the Burlington Bike Path along the waterfront. Sunbathe at North Beach, and take a {sometimes chilly} dip into Lake Champlain. Explore the ECHO Lake Aquarium and Science Center.
4} HIKE A MOUNTAIN!
For a lighter kid friendly hike, head to Mt. Philo State Park in Charlotte. If you want a tougher, steeper and longer hike head to Camel’s Hump in Duxbury or Mt. Mansfield in Underhill. {A complete list of Kid Friendly Hiking Trails can be found at Vermont State Parks}. Make sure you pack the perfect “hiking picnic”, complete with water, apples, veggies & trail mix! “Rain? No problem! Climb the rocks over at Petra Cliffs.”
5} DRINK LOCAL BEER & WINE.
Leave the kiddos with a babysitter, friend or family, find a designated driver and customize your own tour via the Vermont Brewers Association and the Vermont Winery Directory. Or sign up for a tour at Burlington Brew Tours. Make sure you include Burlington breweries: Magic Hat, American Flatbread, & Vermont Pub & Brewery. On your way out of town, swing by Fiddlehead Brewing, Shelburne Vineyard, and the Charlotte Village Winery. Even further south, you can “take a hike” to Long Trail Brewing Co. and Otter Creek Brewing. And don’t forget to grab a four pack of Heady Topper if you can find it!
I hope you “iloVermont” as much as I do!
Written by Tessa
Tessa Miskell Duquette is from Shelburne, Vermont, and attended the University of Vermont. She now resides in Virginia Beach with her tennis crazed husband and their two young sons. She is a stay at home mom, and in her free time teaches Barre Fitness classes, works for a sustainable garden and maintains a baby blog ~ ourbeachbaby.com. When she is visiting Vermont, you can definitely find her sipping a Heady Topper while watching the sunset over Lake Champlain.
