The Best Way to Have Fun in Burlington, Vermont

Hike, Sip and Soak in the Views of Lake Champlain

Autumn is a great time to visit Burlington, Vermont which sits on the shores of Lake Champlain.  Burlington has so much to do from farmers markets, restaurants, biking, live music, and a museum dedicated to marine ecology. Another huge advantage to visiting Burlington is its easy access to outside adventures in the surrounding mountains. If you need a little exercise after indulging in all the gourmet fare, take a roughly 30-minute ride to Mt. Philo State Park, for some hiking, picnicking, and terrific views of Lake Champlain.

Mt. Philo is well known and very popular so expect lots of fellow hikers, especially on the weekends.  Your best bet is to go early.  It is located south of Burlington off U.S. 7 and local roads. It is $5 per adult to park and have access to this Vermont State Park.  There are port-o-johns in the parking lot and real toilets at the summit.

If you have novice hikers or kids with you Mt. Philo is a good introduction into hiking. The one-mile Summit Trail is the most kid friendly versus the steeper half mile Devil’s Chair Trail. On our recent fall visit we encountered lots of families with kids and dogs in tow. The trails are very well maintained, and you will find lots of man-made railroad tie steps. We did the Devil’s Chair trail in about an hour up and back, but we didn’t have any little ones with us. Trail shoes or sneakers are fine on a hike such as this one. On my recent fall hike to the summit, I used the opportunity to break in my new hiking boots, so that they would be primed and ready for longer hikes in the future.

Mt. Philo is a terrific place to bring a picnic lunch and linger at the summit for terrific views of Lake Champlain. There are lots of places to sit and soak in the outstanding views. There are even some camp sites scattered around the summit.

While descending Mt. Philo my husband and I passed by a mixed age group of hikers, one of whom seemed unsteady and tired being guided up by a family member. They asked us if the summit was close and, unfortunately, it wasn’t. We felt badly for the person who needed assistance and couldn’t imagine she was having fun.  A better plan would be to drive those in your party who are not hikers to the top and let them walk around and explore the summit once they get out of the car.  Don’t let the easy trail ratings fool you; Mt. Philo can be a tough trail for a non-hiker with balance issues.

After you’ve spent enough time hiking and exploring Mt. Philo you are bound to be hungry and thirsty.  There are some great craft breweries in the Burlington area. Two of my favorites are Foam Brewers and Queen City Brewery. Both are very close to Lake Champlain with Foam Brewers having outdoor seating closer to the lake. Foam also has lots of events that include live music, so it has a nice vibe. You can also order food at Foam consisting of small bites and charcuterie platters. Queen City allows you to order food at the outstanding Pizza 44 and bring it in to their back open-air and dog friendly bar. The apple pizza with the maple drizzle is not to be missed.  If you want to brewery hop even more, you can also hit Zero Gravity, directly across the street from Queen City. Make sure to try their Little Wolf beer.  Wherever you end up in Burlington you will enjoy the welcoming attitude and laid-back vibes that distinguish this fun Vermont city.

Helpful Info:

• Directions and general Mt. Philo information.
• Foam Brewers – Lots of fun here with live music quite often.           
• Queen City Brewery – This brewery makes a great selection of craft beers.              
• Pizza 44 – Some of the best pizza I have had.                    
• Zero Gravity  – I really like their gluten free Little Wolf beer .           
• Altra trail sneakers – I use these for less strenuous hiking; they are terrific with their wide toe box design.    
• Altra hiking boots – I’m loving my new Altra waterproof hiking books and can’t wait to try them on a more challenging trail.