Top Things to Do in Burlington
20 must-see attractions and experiences
Burlington, Vermont, packs a disproportionate amount of character into New England's smallest metro area. Perched on the eastern shore of Lake Champlain with the Adirondack Mountains visible across the water, the city of roughly 45,000 is Vermont's cultural and culinary capital. The pedestrian-friendly Church Street Marketplace anchors a downtown where independent bookshops, craft breweries, and farm-to-table restaurants outnumber chain outlets by a wide margin — a reflection of the fiercely local ethos that defines the city. The surrounding landscape is Burlington's other great asset. Within 30 minutes you can reach swimming gorges, forested hiking trails, and dramatic geological formations, while the city itself maintains a network of waterfront parks that make Lake Champlain feel less like a backdrop and more like a participant in daily life. Winter brings skiing at nearby Stowe and Smugglers' Notch; summer and fall deliver some of the most scenic waterfront cycling in the Northeast. Burlington is a four-season destination, but the stretch from June through October — when lake swimming, farmers' markets, and foliage all converge — is when the city reaches full stride.
Don't Miss These
Our top picks for visitors to Burlington
Ausable Chasm
Natural WondersKnown as the 'Grand Canyon of the Adirondacks,' Ausable Chasm is a massive sandstone gorge carved by the Ausable River over 500 million years of erosion, located across the lake in New York State but easily accessible as a day trip from Burlington. The chasm drops up to 175 feet and offers guided walking trails, rock climbing, rappelling, and exhilarating whitewater raft rides through the narrowest sections. The geological formations — columnar sandstone, pothole fields, and waterfalls — are dramatic.
2144 US-9, Ausable Chasm, NY 12911, USA ·View on Map
Waterfront Park
Natural WondersBurlington's most popular public space runs along Lake Champlain's eastern shore, offering a paved bike path, grassy lawns, and sweeping sunset views across the water to the Adirondack range. The park connects to the Island Line Trail and hosts summer concerts, food festivals, and the Burlington Farmers' Market on Saturdays. The boathouse rents kayaks and stand-up paddleboards from May through October.
20 Lake St, Burlington, VT 05401, USA ·View on Map
ECHO, Leahy Center for Lake Champlain
Museums & GalleriesThis lakeside science center and aquarium tells the ecological story of Lake Champlain through interactive exhibits, live animal displays, and a 3D theater. Highlights include a massive lake tank showing native fish species, hands-on water science exhibits, and a rooftop terrace with panoramic lake views. It's educational enough for adults and engaging enough for toddlers.
1 College St, Burlington, VT 05401, USA ·View on Map
The Great Escape Room Burlington
EntertainmentBurlington's top-rated escape room operation runs multiple themed scenarios that emphasize puzzle design and storytelling over jump scares. The rooms accommodate small groups and scale difficulty dynamically, making them accessible for first-timers while challenging experienced players. Scenarios rotate regularly, giving repeat visitors fresh challenges.
156 College St Basement, Burlington, VT 05401, USA ·View on Map
Battery Park
Natural WondersSitting on a bluff above Lake Champlain at the foot of Pearl Street, Battery Park takes its name from artillery batteries positioned here during the War of 1812. Today the park offers elevated lake views, mature hardwoods, and a playground. It connects to the waterfront bike path below and is one of the best spots in Burlington for sunset photography.
Battery Park Extension, Burlington, VT 05401, USA ·View on Map
Oakledge Park
Natural WondersSouth of downtown Burlington, Oakledge Park combines a rocky Lake Champlain shoreline with wooded trails, a beach, and an unusual treehouse structure built by local artists. The park's geology is exposed along the waterfront where Ordovician-era limestone and shale meet the lake. The Treehouse, accessible via a short trail, is a whimsical multi-level wooden structure located in the forest canopy.
11 Flynn Ave, Burlington, VT 05401, USA ·View on Map
Spirit of Ethan Allen
Notable AttractionsThis triple-deck cruise ship offers narrated scenic tours and sunset dinner cruises on Lake Champlain, departing from Burlington's waterfront. The 90-minute scenic cruises cover the Broad Lake with views of the Green Mountains and Adirondacks, while dinner cruises add a buffet and live entertainment. The vessel is fully enclosed with open-air upper decks.
1 College St, Burlington, VT 05401, USA ·View on Map
Crapo Park
Natural WondersOne of Burlington's well-maintained community parks, Crapo Park offers wooded walking trails, a pond, and open green space that locals frequent for picnics, bird watching, and quiet morning runs. The park's mature tree canopy provides welcome shade in summer and brilliant foliage in fall. Its relatively low profile keeps it peaceful even on busy weekends.
2800 Madison Ave, Burlington, IA 52601, USA ·View on Map
World's Tallest Filing Cabinet
Notable AttractionsRising 38 feet from the sidewalk on the outskirts of downtown Burlington, this tower of 38 stacked filing cabinets was built by local artist Bren Alvarez as a protest against government bureaucracy and excessive paperwork. Each cabinet is a year and is filled with documents. It's a beloved piece of roadside Americana and a classicly Vermont blend of art, humor, and political commentary.
220 Flynn Ave, Burlington, VT 05401, USA ·View on Map
Red Rocks Park
Natural WondersLocated in neighboring South Burlington, Red Rocks Park includes 100 acres of forested trails and a secluded Lake Champlain beach framed by distinctive red sandstone cliffs. The trails wind through mature hemlock and hardwood forest before descending to the rocky shoreline. The swimming area is shallow and calm, making it suitable for families.
4 Central Ave, South Burlington, VT 05403, USA ·View on Map
Natural Wonders
Burlington is defined by water and elevation — Lake Champlain, the Winooski River, swimming gorges, and hilltop parks provide an outdoor playground unmatched by any comparably sized New England city. The variety, from sandy beaches to 500-million-year-old chasms, keeps nature-seekers busy for days.
Overlook Park
Natural WondersThis elevated park provides one of the best panoramic viewpoints in the Burlington area, looking west across Lake Champlain to the Adirondack Mountains. The park features benches, a walking path, and unobstructed sightlines that make it good for watching weather systems roll across the lake. Its hilltop position catches breezes that keep summer visits comfortable.
Parking lot, 1575 Spear St, South Burlington, VT 05403, USA ·View on Map
Starr's Cave Nature Center
Natural WondersThis nature center and preserve protects a wooded ravine with hiking trails, a cave system, and a seasonal waterfall. The nature center offers educational programs on local ecology, and the cave itself — while modest — adds a unique geological element to the visit. Trails range from easy streamside walks to steeper ravine climbs.
11627 Starrs Cave Park Rd, Burlington, IA 52601, USA ·View on Map
Leddy Beach
Natural WondersBurlington's largest public beach stretches along Lake Champlain in the Leddy Park area, with a sandy shoreline, lifeguards in summer, a playground, and adjacent tennis and basketball courts. The swimming area is well-maintained and the bottom is sandy — a rarity on Lake Champlain's often rocky shores. The park's picnic areas and shade trees make it easy to spend a full afternoon.
216 Leddy Park Rd, Burlington, VT 05408, USA ·View on Map
The Salmon Hole on the Winooski River
Natural WondersA natural pool formed where the Winooski River tumbles over rock ledges near its confluence with Lake Champlain, the Salmon Hole has been a gathering spot for millennia — archaeological evidence shows Indigenous peoples fished here for thousands of years. Today it's a popular spot for watching Atlantic salmon run upstream in fall and for swimming (with caution) in summer. The gorge setting is dramatic and close to downtown.
236 Riverside Ave., Burlington, VT 05401, USA ·View on Map
Huntington Gorge
Natural WondersA powerful swimming hole carved into metamorphic rock by the Huntington River, this gorge features deep pools, sliding rocks, and waterfalls surrounded by forest about 25 minutes southeast of Burlington. The geology is striking — swirling patterns in the schist create natural sculptures polished by millennia of water flow. Note that currents can be dangerous, and the site has a history of drowning incidents.
Dugway Rd, Richmond, VT 05477, USA ·View on Map
Notable Attractions
Burlington's notable attractions run from the historically significant Ethan Allen Tower to the delightfully absurd World's Tallest Filing Cabinet, reflecting a city that respects its past while maintaining a playful, independent streak.
Burlington Earth Clock
Notable AttractionsModeled on Stonehenge, this stone circle on the Burlington waterfront uses large granite boulders to mark solar alignments including solstices and equinoxes. Built by UVM students and community volunteers, the Earth Clock is both an astronomical tool and a meditative space. The stones are arranged on an open lawn with unobstructed views of the lake.
35 Island Line Trail, Burlington, VT 05401, USA ·View on Map
Ethan Allen Tower
Notable AttractionsThis 40-foot stone observation tower sits atop a hill in Ethan Allen Park, offering 360-degree views of Burlington, Lake Champlain, the Green Mountains, and the Adirondacks. Built in 1905, the tower honors the Revolutionary War leader who founded Vermont. The climb up the interior spiral staircase is steep but short, and the panorama at the top is worth every step.
Ethan Allen Tower, 1006 North Ave, Burlington, VT 05408, USA ·View on Map
Museums & Galleries
Burlington's museum scene punches above its weight, from the lakeside ECHO science center to the Fleming Museum's 4,000-year art survey and a network of South End galleries. The emphasis on local craft — through Frog Hollow — reflects Vermont's deep artisan tradition.
Fleming Museum of Art
Museums & GalleriesHoused on the University of Vermont campus, the Fleming is the state's most important art museum, with a permanent collection spanning Egyptian antiquities, European painting, Asian decorative arts, and contemporary American works. The building itself — a 1930s Colonial Revival structure — adds to the experience. Rotating exhibitions keep the galleries fresh for repeat visitors.
61 Colchester Ave, Burlington, VT 05405, USA ·View on Map
Frog Hollow Vermont State Craft Center
Museums & GalleriesThis gallery and shop in central Church Street Marketplace shows juried work by over 200 Vermont artisans, including pottery, glasswork, woodworking, textiles, and jewelry. Every piece is handmade in Vermont, and the quality control ensures that what's on display represents the state's finest craftsmanship. It's as much a gallery as a shop.
85 Church St, Burlington, VT 05401, USA ·View on Map
Soapbox Arts
Museums & GalleriesA small contemporary gallery in Burlington's South End arts district, Soapbox Arts shows emerging and mid-career artists working across painting, sculpture, printmaking, and mixed media. The gallery's curatorial vision is sharp, and exhibitions rotate monthly. The surrounding South End neighborhood is home to dozens of studios, making it a natural companion stop.
266 Pine St Suite 119, Burlington, VT 05401, USA ·View on Map
Planning Your Visit
Best Time to Visit
June through October delivers the best combination of warm weather, open attractions, and outdoor access. September and early October bring fall foliage that transforms the lakefront and mountain views. Winter (December-March) suits skiers heading to nearby resorts.
Booking Advice
Lake cruises on the Spirit of Ethan Allen and escape room sessions should be booked online in advance, for weekend slots. Most parks and outdoor attractions require no reservations. Ausable Chasm tickets are cheaper purchased online.
Save Money
Burlington's best experiences are free — Waterfront Park, Red Rocks, Oakledge, and the Salmon Hole cost nothing. The Saturday Farmers' Market is free to browse, and many galleries offer free admission. Save your budget for a meal on Church Street and a lake cruise.
Local Etiquette
Burlington is casual and outdoors-oriented — hiking shoes and layers are appropriate almost everywhere. Tip 20% at restaurants. Locals are environmentally conscious, so bring reusable bags and water bottles. Vermont's bottle deposit system means returning cans and bottles to stores is expected.
Book Your Experiences
Guided tours, tickets, and activities in Burlington