Things to Do in Burlington in July
July weather, activities, events & insider tips
July Weather in Burlington
Is July Right for You?
Advantages
- Peak summer weather with warm days averaging 27°C (81°F) and comfortable evenings around 18°C (64°F) - perfect for outdoor activities from dawn through sunset without overheating
- Festival season hits full stride with Burlington Discover Jazz Festival typically running through early July, bringing 200+ performances across the city, many free and outdoors along the waterfront
- Lake Champlain reaches its warmest swimming temperatures of the year, typically 21-24°C (70-75°F), making beach days and water activities genuinely pleasant rather than bracing
- Farmer's markets operate at peak abundance with Vermont produce in full season - you'll find local strawberries, early tomatoes, and farm-fresh everything at Saturday markets and farm stands throughout the region
Considerations
- Peak tourist season means accommodation prices run 40-60% higher than shoulder months, and waterfront hotels often book solid 6-8 weeks ahead, especially during Jazz Fest weekends
- Those 10 rainy days translate to brief afternoon thunderstorms that roll through unpredictably - they're usually short but intense, occasionally disrupting outdoor plans for 30-45 minutes
- Church Street Marketplace and waterfront attractions get genuinely crowded on weekends, particularly Saturday afternoons when both tourists and day-trippers from Montreal converge on the pedestrian zone
Best Activities in July
Lake Champlain Island Cycling Routes
July offers ideal conditions for cycling the island loop through South Hero and North Hero, with warm weather, long daylight hours until 8:30pm, and farm stands selling fresh strawberries and cherries every few kilometers. The relatively flat terrain along Route 2 makes this accessible for casual cyclists, and the lake views are spectacular when the water is calm and blue. Wind patterns in July tend to be lighter than spring, making the exposed causeway sections more manageable. The 50 km (31 mile) loop takes most people 4-5 hours with stops.
Burlington Waterfront Sunset Cruises
The combination of 8:30pm sunsets and warm July evenings makes this the prime month for evening cruises on Lake Champlain. The lake is typically calmer in July than spring or fall, reducing seasickness concerns, and you'll often spot sailboat races happening simultaneously. Most 90-minute cruises depart around 6:30-7pm, giving you golden hour light across the Adirondacks to the west. The narrated tours cover Lake Champlain's history, ecology, and the ongoing lake monster folklore that locals actually take semi-seriously.
Shelburne Farms Walking Tours
This 1,400-acre working farm and National Historic Landmark is at its most vibrant in July, with lambs and calves still young enough to be endearing, hayfields being cut, and the children's farmyard fully operational. The 90-minute walking tours cover the property's Gilded Age history and current sustainable agriculture practices. July weather makes the 1.6 km (1 mile) walk from the Welcome Center to the Farm Barn comfortable rather than muddy or sweltering. The farm store sells cheese made on-site, and you can genuinely taste the difference in July when cows are on fresh pasture.
Green Mountain Forest Bathing Walks
The Green Mountains are spectacular in July, with full canopy providing natural cooling and the forest floor carpeted in ferns and wildflowers. Guided forest bathing walks - essentially slow, mindful hiking with meditation elements - have become popular in the Stowe and Underhill areas, about 45 minutes east of Burlington. The practice originated in Japan but translates well to Vermont's sugar maple and birch forests. These 2-3 hour experiences typically cover just 1-2 km (0.6-1.2 miles) but focus on sensory awareness rather than distance. July's warmth makes the forest feel welcoming rather than damp and buggy like it can be in June.
Church Street Marketplace Food Walking Tours
Burlington's pedestrian-only downtown core comes alive in July with outdoor seating, street performers, and the city's dining scene operating at full capacity. Food walking tours typically hit 5-7 stops over 2.5-3 hours, covering everything from farm-to-table restaurants to the local ice cream cult around Lake Champlain Chocolates. You'll learn about Burlington's surprisingly influential role in the farm-to-table movement and why a city of 45,000 people supports this many James Beard-nominated chefs. July timing means you can sample seasonal dishes featuring Vermont ingredients at their peak.
Adirondack Mountain Sunset Photography Tours
The view west from Burlington across Lake Champlain to the Adirondacks is genuinely one of North America's underrated vistas, and July offers the clearest atmospheric conditions for photography. Guided photography tours head to lesser-known viewpoints in the Champlain Islands or along the Burlington Bike Path, timing arrival for the golden hour that stretches from 7:30-8:30pm in July. You'll learn composition techniques specific to mountain and water landscapes, and instructors help with camera settings if you're shooting on a phone or DSLR. The long twilight in July means you get almost an hour of good light rather than the brief window of darker months.
July Events & Festivals
Burlington Discover Jazz Festival
This 10-day festival typically runs from late June through early July and transforms Burlington into a city-wide jazz venue with 200+ performances. What makes it special is the mix of free outdoor shows along the waterfront and Church Street with ticketed performances in clubs and theaters. You'll hear everything from traditional New Orleans jazz to experimental fusion, and the festival attracts genuinely impressive headliners alongside local acts. The outdoor shows create a festival atmosphere without festival crowds - you can actually move around and grab food between sets. Locals treat this as the unofficial start of summer and the city feels particularly alive during festival week.
Vermont Brewers Festival
Usually held mid-July at Waterfront Park, this festival showcases 40+ Vermont breweries in what's become one of the state's signature summer events. Vermont's craft beer scene punches way above its weight nationally, and this festival lets you sample everything from farmhouse ales to experimental IPAs in a single afternoon. The 4-hour event includes unlimited tastings, live music, and food from local trucks. What distinguishes this from generic beer festivals is the genuine innovation happening in Vermont brewing - many of these breweries are experimenting with foraged ingredients and barrel-aging techniques you won't find elsewhere. Tickets typically sell out 2-3 weeks ahead.