Sarah Tuff Dunn, the co-author of 101 Best Outdoor Towns, said: “Burlington has it all… a brick pedestrian marketplace, Vermont’s iconic white steeples and rolling hills that spill down toward a lively, green waterfront on Lake Champlain” when she explained Burlington’s selection as one of the 20 Prettiest Cities in America, by Forbes Traveler this month.
It’s quite an honor. Burlington was definitely in good company among well-known towns such as Aspen, CO, Lake Placid, NY, Hanover, NH, Portsmouth, NH, and Rockport, ME.
Church Street Marketplace, Burlington’s pedestrian outdoor mall, is definitely very popular and a wonderful spot to wander around on a weekend afternoon. A recent survey among Quebec visitors said that they loved the pedestrian street and its combined urban and small-town feel.
Church Street Marketplace was also selected last month by the American Planning Association (APA) as one of the 10 Greatest Public Places in America.
Other places honored in 2008 by the APA for their character, quality, and planning included Central Park, NY, Santa Monica Beach, CA, and Union Station, Washington DC. Another great honor for our lakeshore town!
And if you will enjoy your visit to Church Street, we are convinced you’ll also be impressed by the serenity of the lakeshore. Talk a walk on the walking path, sit down on the decks of some of the bars and restaurants (we like the Ice House ourselves!), and admire the lake, the boats, and the Adirondacks on the New York State side, across the lake.
And for more ideas about what to do during a weekend in Burlington, a great article was just published in the NY Times Travel: “36 hours in Burlington”.
I was personally intrigued to see their photo of the “Burlington Earth Clock” – a 43-foot sundial made of granite slabs. We’ll have to check it out!
In addition to ideas on “things to do”, the article also gives you a few great ideas for restaurants and places to have a drink or a coffee… Check it out.
Finally, our gastronomy lovers will be happy to know that there are indeed a few great places to eat in Burlington.
The ones most commonly mentioned by “gastronomes” are:
- A Single Pebble (upscale Asian)
- L’Amante (also mentioned in the NY Times article)
- Trattoria Delia
- And finally American Flatbread (mentioned in our article on the brewpubs of Vermont).
Nice places for a special dinner event, not necessarily cheap but enjoyable…
So, if you come to Burlington for a visit, let us know what was your favorite place…leave us a comment…
Related article: Brewpubs of Vermont
To your list of fine places to eat should be added Leunig’s Bistro on the Church Street Marketplace. Leunig’s has excellent French and American food and atmosphere, with lots of opportunities for people watching on Church and College Streets. The food and wine are high quality, and the interior atmosphere playful and French. Several nights per week they have live music in the front room, often the Will Patton trio. One regular stated: “Without Leunig’s, Burlington would be nothing.” Leunig’s is not to be missed on a visit to Burlington.