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Major city · United States

Burlington, VermontBurlington

Give Burlington 2 nights: one full day on Church Street and the waterfront, one for a lake or mountain trip. Skip it as a base without a car.

Weather
see forecast
Currency
USD
Best months
Jun–Oct (warm, lake and mountains open); Sep–early Oct for foliage
avoid Nov–Mar (cold, ice, many lake services closed); mud season late Mar–Apr
Airport
BTV
Nights
2
Not field-verifiedbasic guide
Print / PDF guide
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
Rules in force · 7Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs …Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but ta…
  • North America ↗Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs your passport even on a day trip; rental cars need the company's written permission to cross, and most US and Canadian rental insurance stops at the Mexican border.
  • North America ↗Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but taking any amount across the US, Canadian or Mexican border is a federal crime — including edibles and vapes.
  • North America ↗The busiest US and Canadian national parks need timed-entry, campsite or lodge reservations in summer; release dates are months ahead.
  • United States ↗Check whether you need an ESTA (Visa Waiver Program) or a visa on the official CBP and State Department sites; apply only through esta.cbp.dhs.gov, not third-party sites, and allow time before you book.
  • United States ↗Several popular national parks use timed-entry or vehicle reservations in peak season; check each park's page on nps.gov and book on recreation.gov before fixing your dates.
  • United States ↗Medical care is very expensive for visitors; buy travel insurance with high medical cover before you fly.
  • United States ↗Tipping is expected: about 15–20% at sit-down restaurants and bars, and a tip for taxis, hotel staff and guides.

Burlington is Vermont's largest city, about 39,000 people, on the east shore of Lake Champlain. The centre is small and walkable — Church Street Marketplace, the waterfront and the bike path are all within 20 minutes on foot. Most trips work as 2 nights, or as a stop on the Amtrak Ethan Allen Express from New York. A car unlocks the lake islands, the Green Mountains and the day trips.

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Burlington, Vermont, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • Coffee$3–6
  • Sit-down mealDinner main, mid-range restaurant$20–35
  • Street or quick mealLunch sandwich or bowl$12–18
  • BeerCraft beer, pint at a bar$7–10
  • Taxi, about 5 kmTaxi or rideshare, 5 km$15–25
  • SIM or eSIM, a weekeSIM or data SIM, about a week$10–25
  • Museum or sight ticketMuseum entry (ECHO, Fleming)check$10–20
  • Budget bedHostel or shared-room bed, a night, per personUS$45
  • Mid-range bedMid-range hotel double room, a night, per roomUS$180
  • High-end bedMid-range hotel double room, a night, per roomUS$320

A day, not counting the bed: Budget US$70 · Mid US$140 · High US$260

Prices in local money; change the currency in the header to see yours next to them. Every price and the budget calculator →

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Church Street MarketplaceLake Champlain waterfront and bike pathBen & Jerry's originsCraft beer and college-town food
Airports
BTV Burlington International Airport (About 5 km east of downtown; taxi or rideshare 10–15 min, Green Mountain Transit bus on some routes (check))

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Burlington, Vermont: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

−2°C

−12°C

12 rd

Feb

0°C

−11°C

10 rd

Mar

5°C

−5°C

11 rd

Apr

13°C

2°C

11 rd

May

20°C

8°C

12 rd

Jun

25°C

13°C

12 rd

Jul

28°C

16°C

11 rd

Aug

27°C

15°C

11 rd

Sep

22°C

11°C

10 rd

Oct

15°C

5°C

11 rd

Nov

8°C

0°C

12 rd

Dec

1°C

−8°C

13 rd

High / low °C · rd = rain days

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

Downtown is walkable: Church Street to the waterfront is about 10 minutes downhill. Green Mountain Transit runs local buses from the downtown transit centre at Church and Cherry; the airport and South Burlington are on bus routes (check times). The 12.5 km Burlington Greenway bike path follows the lake — rent a bike near the waterfront. A car is needed for the islands, mountains and most day trips; parking in city garages is free for the first 2 hours and all day Sunday (check).

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

Shelburne Museum and Shelburne Farms

go

Door to door: About 30 min

Drive or bus south on US-7, about 15–20 min

Both need most of a day; the museum is a village of buildings, the farms are working farmland.

Grand Isle and the Lake Champlain Islands

go

Door to door: About 45–60 min

Drive north on I-89 then US-2 across the sandbar

Best by car; beaches, orchards and quiet roads.

Middlebury

go

Door to door: About 1 h

Drive south on US-7, about 50 min; Amtrak Ethan Allen Express stops there

College town with a good main street; pair with a lake or mountain stop.

Jericho and the Green Mountains foothills

go

Door to door: About 45 min

Drive east on VT-15, about 30–40 min

Base for hiking and the Underhill area; car needed.

Richmond

caution

Door to door: About 30 min

Drive southeast on I-89, about 20 min

Small village; worth it only as a stop on the way to the mountains.

Montreal

overnight

Door to door: About 2 h plus border time

Drive north on I-89 to the border, about 1 h 45 min–2 h

A different country and trip; sleep there, don't day-trip.

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Downtown / Church Street

Walk to restaurants, shops and the waterfront; best for a short trip without a car.

Waterfront / Lake Champlain

Lake views and the bike path; quieter, 10–15 min walk uphill to Church Street.

South Burlington / Williston Road

Cheaper chain hotels near the airport and I-89; you need a car or bus.

Winooski

Across the river, 10 min by car; good food strip, lower rates.

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
$70–110 excl. bed
Mid
$120–200 excl. bed
High
$220+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Mid-range hotel double room1 × 2 nights × US$180US$360
Food, local transport, entries2 × 2 days × US$140US$560
Airport taxi or rideshare, each way2 × US$25 · checkUS$50
Green Mountain Transit day pass2 × US$6 · checkUS$12
eSIM, about a week of data2 × US$15US$30
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurgeUS$101
Trip total≈ US$278 per person per day, bed includedUS$1,113

2026 estimate in US dollars; flights and car rental excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Coffee$3–6
Lunch sandwich or bowl$12–18
Dinner main, mid-range restaurant$20–35
Craft beer, pint at a bar$7–10
Museum entry (ECHO, Fleming)check$10–20
Taxi or rideshare, 5 km$15–25
eSIM or data SIM, about a week$10–25

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

Burlington is a small, generally safe city; the main issues are petty theft from cars and bikes, and cold-weather risk in winter. Use normal city sense after dark around the transit centre and City Hall Park.
  • Winter is real: snow, ice and wind off the lake from December to March. Pack boots and layers.
  • Rush-hour traffic on Williston Road and Shelburne Road around 7:45–8:15 and 16:45–17:15.
  • Lake Champlain swimming is seasonal and some beaches charge non-resident parking in summer.
  • Foliage weekends in late September and early October book out hotels weeks ahead.
  • Some lake cruises and the drive-in cinema run seasonally only — check before you plan around them.

Emergency numbers

Police, fire, ambulance
911

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

Burlington, VermontBurlington

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

To this address, pleaseTo this address, please

Emergency

  • Police, fire, ambulance911

Embassy

No embassies in Burlington; most countries have consulates in Boston or New York. US travellers: your own country's services are not needed.

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • BTV airport → downtown, taxi: about $20–30, 10–15 min (check)
  • Green Mountain Transit local bus: about $2 single, day pass available (check)
  • Amtrak Ethan Allen Express Burlington → New York: about 7.5 h, book ahead (check)

Say or show

  • Thank you — Thank you
  • Where is the bus stop? — Where is the bus stop?
  • How much is it? — How much is it?
  • Can I pay by card? — Can I pay by card?
  • Where is the toilet? — Where is the toilet?

Tipping is expected: 18–22% at sit-down restaurants, $1–2 a drink, 15–20% taxis.

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Burlington, Vermont. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: Jun–Oct (warm, lake and mountains open); Sep–early Oct for foliage · avoid Nov–Mar (cold, ice, many lake services closed); mud season late Mar–Apr · month by month →
  2. 1 airport and 4 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 6 day-trips, door to door
  6. 5 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport-to-bed contract for BTV: last bus and taxi fallback, overnight rung.
  2. Walking clusters with rescue anchors: Church Street, the waterfront and bike path, the Old North End, the university hill.
  3. Place pages with verified hours (ECHO, Fleming Museum, Shelburne Museum) and eat pages with last orders.
  4. Seasonal fixtures for foliage weekends and winter closures so gates A–D can go green.

Meanwhile

Back to United States

Sources