Fall is a great time to visit Burlington Vermont but there’s plenty to do there for a short trip in the summer too! Check out where our family stayed, where we ate and what we did in the greater Burlington Vermont area in August 2026.
When my husband was attending a work conference in the Burlington Vermont, he asked if wanted to hitch a ride and occupy our time around the city while he worked. That’s just what my almost 13 and almost 11 year olds did for 3 days at the end of summer. Here’s a little glimpse into our days roaming and eating in the greater Burlington Vermont area!
Where We Stayed in Burlington
Hotel Champlain in Burlington – This hotel was the perfect location with only a short (uphill) walk to reach Church Street Marketplace to shop and eat and a short 2 block walk downhill to the waterfront area near Lake Champlain. Bike rentals are included in your stay’s resort fee so we were able to grab three bikes and helmets to ride the Burlington Greenway on day two. (Note: bike rentals were adult size bikes only so one was a bit high for my almost 11 year old but we made it work on all the flat runs on the Greenway).
Where We Ate in Burlington
Fiddlehead Brewery and Folino Pizza – We hit this popular Vermont brewery on the way into Burlington, as it’s about 20 minutes out. It’s connected to the pizzeria where our family of four enjoyed a margarita pizza and family size ceaser salad. We ate this at the Fiddlehead brewery side where my husband enjoyed one of their IPAs on tap.
Skinny Pancake – Best known for their crepes, this peaceful eatery was just a 2 minute walk from our hotel and offered a filling and delicious breakfast our first full day in Burlington. My 2 tweens and I split a Noah’s Ark (2 eggs, 2 bacon, home fries and crepe with maple syrup), Heartbreaker Crepe (bananas, strawberries and hazelnut spread) and an extra side order of eggs and toast. It was so yummy and served as my daughters’ first time enjoying a crepe! There’s plenty of seating in their indoor or outdoor space in a shady patio area.
The Friendly Toast – This retro style diner looking brunch spot was perfect for a yummy breakfast before a day of biking. My kids enjoyed a Belgian waffle and stack of buttermilk pancakes, while I had the classic eggs, toast and home fries style breakfast. Vermont staple maple syrup and their sourdough bread toast made it extra special!
RiRa Irish Pub – We enjoyed the Tuesdays special of $10 smash burgers and fries, along with free Smash Brothers video games on the big screen in the middle of the bar!
What We Did in Burlington
Ben and Jerry’s Factory Tour in Waterbury, VT – This is just a 35 minute drive outside of Burlington and is a must visit for Vermont vacations! For only $6 adult and $1 for each child, we toured their factory to see the 10 step process on how they make their famous chunk filled ice cream flavors. There are a few sampling stops on the tour and plenty of cow themed puns given by the cheery tour guides.
Cold Hollow Cider Mill in Waterbury, VT – Just a short 5 minute drive from Ben and Jerry’s, this is another easy stop in Waterbury. We tasted apple cider, enjoyed yummy apple cider donuts, and purchased some maple syrup to go!
Walked around Church Street Marketplace – This is a closed street area that’s open to pedestrians walking the streets to shop, eat and drink. It’s more of an afternoon/evening thing than morning so enjoy your mornings by the waterfront being coming this way for afternoon entertainment.
Biked the Burlington Greenway – This is a mostly flat, paved path along Lake Champlain that’s popular for bikers and pedestrians. Our hotel included bike rentals in the daily required resort fee so we were able to snag them one morning for about 2 hours as we rode 4 of the 8 miles up and 4 back to our spot. We stopped along the way to see some views and even checked out the beach.
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