Nathan and I decided to travel to Burlington, Vermont this October to celebrate his 30th birthday in a place we've never been. We also wanted fall weather and colors, which we definitely got during our long weekend up north!
Unfortunately there aren't any direct flights from RDU to BTV, but we didn't have to wake up super early and we didn't miss our connecting flight (barely!), so that's good. We got into Burlington around 2:30pm and after quickly picking up our rental car (very small, chill airport!), we drove the few short miles to our home for the weekend: Howard Street Guest House. It was a very sweet little place -- a garage next to the owners house that she had converted into two large studio apartments, one on each floor. We rented out the top floor, and had our own bathroom, living room, kitchen, dining nook, and bed, along with the many comforts of home (nice blankets, a tv, plenty of extra towels and toiletries). It was a great place to stay and feel like we had our own little apartment in VT!
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Our home for the weekend
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We decided not to be bums when we first arrived, and instead got in the car and headed downtown (about a mile away). We walked around a bit, had a snack at Dobra Tea House, and got familiar with the downtown vibe. It's very casual there and we, like most folks, were bundled up the majority of the weekend. It was never TOO cold, but definitely brisk!
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| Downtown Burlington |
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Dobra Tea House
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Per usual, we made time to check out the University of Vermont's campus, which was very pretty. Great to see fall colors on the trees, too!
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| University of Vermont |
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Fall Foliage
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UVM Career Services
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That evening, we went to American Flatbread for dinner, where they specialize in pizza and have their own brewery, Zero Gravity. We enjoyed tasting both!
The next morning, we had breakfast (and tea again!) at Magnolia's. I was excited to see vegan french toast on the menu (which I ordered) and of course I got to try REAL Vermont maple syrup. Great way to start the day.
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| Breakfast at Magnolia |
After breakfast, we walked down to the waterfront, just a few blocks away, and enjoyed the views of Lake Champlain, and NY in the distance. It was chilly by the water, but definitely a lovely place to wander around.
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| Lake Champlain/Burlington Bay |
After checking out the water, we walked back up to the center of downtown and browsed the nice farmer's market set-up that goes on every Saturday. It was definitely the place to be, with lots of food and craft vendors, and locals abound. That afternoon we drove out to Magic Hat Brewery for a tour and tasting (our favorite was called Magic Hat #9).
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| Magic Hat Brewery |
The next day we went out to Shelburne to visit Shelburne Farms and the Shelburne Winery. Both were beautiful and a lot of fun. At the farm, we got to see animals, try cheeses made on the premises, and get pulled by a tractor back to the gift shop at the end of our adventure.
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Shelburne Farms
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| Olive & Ciabatta |
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| Friends not food |
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| What'd you say? |
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| Piggos |
At the winery, we tasted a number of dry and sweet wines, and then each got a glass to savor on their back porch, overlooking the vines. It was a bit too chilly to stay out for long, but still a fun vacation activity.
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| Shelburne Winery |
Our last big stop on our Vermont journey was the Ben & Jerry's factory. We went on a tour (which included a free sample of mint chocolate chip ice cream at the end), checked out the gift shop and "Flavor Graveyard," and split a big waffle bowl to cap off the day.
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| Ben & Jerry's Factory Tour |
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| Paying our respects at the Flavor Graveyard |
We definitely enjoyed a number of good eats, drinks, and sights while in Burlington. We fit as much fun and relaxation into a few short days as we could, and it was definitely the type of place we enjoy (casual people, cool weather, beautiful outdoor scenery, and plenty of veggie-friendly restaurants). We hope to go back someday, but for now, it will be a great memory as the place we celebrated Nathan's 30th birthday!
