Hi friends! I am not sure why it’s taken me so long to do a travel guide for Burlington! My husband and I go up each summer to visit my aunt, uncle and cousins who live in Vermont, and it has truly become one of my favorite places. What’s so awesome about Burlington is that there’s always something new and fun to do each summer when we visit! I’ve compiled a long list of activities for your stay in Vermont. I will give you a heads up, my hotel recs are limited, since I’ve only ever stayed with my family when we visit (and the one hotel I recommended when I was younger). Nonetheless, I hope this guide is helpful during your next Burlington and Stowe visit!

Eat:

Pizzaria Verita: This is our favorite pizza spot in Burlington. It is delicious Neapolitan style pizza, which is my favorite! We’ve been several times and the pizza is always incredible.

Artsriot: This past trip was our first time at Artsriot, and we will certainly be back. Amazing cocktails, cool artsy scene, and great food. Make a reservation because the restaurant is small and can get busy! I’d recommend stopping here for dinner after a brewery tour on Pine Street.

Juniper at Hotel Vermont: Juniper is the restaurant inside the Hotel Vermont, and we go here for dinner nearly every time we visit VT. Great food and drinks, with an awesome terrace. If you’re staying at the Hotel Vermont, you’ll definitely want to dine here one night. Get the fries.

Healthy Living Market: My favorite healthy grocery store on the planet.

Red Onion Cafe: A MUST STOP when you’re in the Burlington area. They recently relocated from Downtown to Charlotte, which I find far more convenient! Get the Red Onion sandwich, you won’t be disappointed.

The Farmhouse Tap & Grill: Delicious farm-to-table restaurant with a great local beer selection.

VT Juice Company: Cold-pressed juices and great smoothies! Because everyone needs a healthy smoothie spot when they’re traveling, right?

2021 Update:

Deep City: We sat outdoors here for dinner during our recent trip (September 2021), and it was lovely. The menu is smaller, but everything we tried was yummy and I loved the outdoor patio space.

Piecasso (Stowe): Yummy pizzas, burgers and drinks! We loved this little restaurant and bar in Stowe and sat on their back patio for lunch!

Idletyme Brewing (Stowe): We didn’t have a chance to eat here on during our recent trip because the wait time was too long, but the food all looked so good! Great back patio which looked really fun. Next time!

New World Tortilla: We got takeout from New World on our first night which was surprisingly good! I got the Greek Salad and added grilled chicken, Yale got the beef burrito and my aunt got a chicken flat wrap. I wish we had something like this near me in Baltimore because it was convenient and delicious! Not sure what the in-restaurant dining experience is like, but carryout was great!

Drink:

Spot on The Dock: A great spot to grab a drink before heading into dinner downtown. Right on Lake Champlain, you won’t get better views.

Zero Gravity Brewery: Our favorite brewery to visit in Burlington. GREAT beer selection. Little Wolf and Cone Head are our favorites. And you MUST get the popcorn along with your beer flight.

Switchback Brewing Company: Another great Pine Street brewery. The beer selection is less IPA heavy, for those who aren’t big IPA fans.

Fiddlehead Brewery: A small taproom in South Burlington, great beers!

The Alchemist Brewery (Stowe): Big IPA fan? Head to The Alchemist in Stowe and grab yourself a Heady Topper. Formerly ranked the #1 beer in the world. It’s good, but more than one and you will need a nap.

Von Trapp Brewery (Stowe): Good food, good beer, good views. What more could you ask for? Visit in the summer and dine outdoors.

2021 Update:

Foam Brewers: Located next door to Deep City in Downtown, they supplied the craft beers for the restaurant and everything Yale and my uncle had was great! My aunt said in terms of food, they have small bites which make this a perfect pre-dinner happy hour spot!

Shop:

Common Deer: The cutest homewares and gift store in downtown Burlington. Great gifts and local VT finds.

Green Envy (Burlington & Stowe): I always stop at this little store when we’re visiting Stowe, and always have luck finding cute items.

Gardener’s Supply Co.: Who doesn’t love a good garden store? This girl does. We always love stopping here, even if it might not be the obvious choice when traveling.

Well Heeled (Stowe): Cutest little barn shop with GREAT shoes!

Stella Mae: Great shoe store in downtown Burlington

Whim Boutique: A cute little trendy clothing store in Burlington

Vermont Gift Barn: Looking for a VT-inspired gift or goodie to take home? Stop at the VT Gift Barn. You won’t be disappointed.

2021 Update:

Monelle: Cute clothing shop in Shelburne with great pieces!

To Do:

Shelburne Farms: Every time we are in Burlington, we visit Shelburne farms. Go for great walks around the gorgeous property, try cheese, and check out cute animals. Family friendly stop. Paved and gravel walking trails throughout.

Cabot Cheese Factory: You can’t go to Vermont and not eat Cabot cheese. Drooling just thinking about it.

Visit UVM: Tour the beautiful UVM campus!

Pine Street Brewery Tour: Many of the breweries I mentioned above are on Pine Street (nicknamed Pint street for a reason!). Stop for a flight at Switchback, Zero Gravity, Queen City and Citizen Cider!

Visit the Many Farmers Markets: Vermont has SO MANY farmers markets. We love the Burlington Farmers Market in the summer, but Shelburne also has a great, smaller market.

Ben & Jerry’s Factory (Waterbury): Ben and Jerry’s factory tour and free ice cream samples? Need I say more? Visit during your trip to Stowe.

Hike Mt. Mansfield: Looking for a scenic hike? Mt. Mansfield is your spot!

2021 Update:
South End Art Hop: Every September local artists and vendors gather downtown (on/around Pine St.) for Art Hop. My aunt participated this year and we had a blast! We went on Saturday which was great because we also visited the Burlington Farmers Market which we love.

Stay:

Hotel Vermont: Honestly, it’s been years since I stayed at Hotel VT (I think I was really young), but it is in a great location in downtown Burlington. Beautiful hotel with a cozy VT feel.

2021 Update:

AirBNB: As you probably know, we stay at my aunt and uncles house in South Burlington each year, which is so lovely! However, if you are hoping to visit the area and do more of a homestay, AirBNB (or VRBO) is your friend! I’ve browsed the website for homes that look adorable and seem to be in great areas. Hopefully this is helpful! I LOVE scouring AirBNB so this was fun!

Small but Mighty Downtown Location with Parking (Burlington)

Modern, Cozy, Walkable 2 Bedroom, Dogs OK & Parking (Burlington)

Cedar View (Burlington)

Modern Carriage House 2 Blocks from Church St (Burlington)

Overlooking Battery Park, Family & Work Friendly (Burlington)

Barn Studio (Winooski)

Custom Built Luxury Tiny Home (Shelburne)

Secluded Cabin, Sovereign View, Couples Retreat (Shelburne)

Ultra Clean, Beachfront, Kayaks, Stunning Views (Shelburne)

Restored Farmhouse for Modern and Cozy Living (Shelburne)

Elegant Forested Farmhouse Retreat (Charlotte)

Cady Hill Trail House Apartment (Stowe)