BURLINGTON VT; A GREAT WEEKEND GETAWAY

Located on the eastern shore of Lake Champlain, just 45 miles south of the US-Canadian border in Vermont is the quaint city of Burlington. Burlington is home to the University of Vermont, & Champlain College. Burlington is the largest city in Vermont at roughly 45,000 residents and in 2015 became the first U.S. city to run on renewable energy.

But don't let this small town in the 2nd least populated state in the U.S. fool you. It has style & pizzaz & if you don't watch it, you will find yourself loving it. It's focal point is Lake Champlain surrounded by the beautiful Adirondack Mountains. This lake offers boating, restaurants, museums, and shopping.

I stayed at the Double Tree Hilton, which is a great hotel for conventions. The rooms are beautiful and large. It has an indoor pool and a decent gym. Has two restaurants with great food, especially the fish & chips platter which is only bettered by a British pub, or the London Pavilion at EPCOT. I later stayed at the Hilton Lake Champlain which has the feel of a boutique hotel. The rooms are not as large, but the view right across the street from Lake Champlain is golden. It is walking distance to Church Street, which is an entertainment spot and of course Lake Champlain. You can catch a show at The Flynn House, in Burlington. They host a wide variety of shows and performances that are great for all ages. A few of the most popular shows include Matilda: The Musical, Hairspray and the Jersey Boys.

Church Street is the main pedestrian-only shopping street in Burlington, and the cobblestone streets are filled with shops and restaurants. In the summer, the streets are filled with live music, dinner on the patio, and just good people watching.

During the winter months, Church Street is decorated with holiday lights and decorations, and it is a beautiful place for an evening walk with a hot chocolate, apple cider or your favorite grown up beverage or enjoy one of their local brews.

If skiing is your sport, there are great ski resorts here, and the mountains average 210 inches of snow a year. Christmas is like being in a Norman Rockwell picture. Well maybe not that old, but it has a great small town feel, while giving you the feel of an Aspen, CO. There is also hockey from the University of Vermont.

The temperature in August of this year was in the mid 80's, so it was very comfortable. The people were nice & friendly. The city was clean and I felt safe walking around at night & in the day. I will return to this spot. I enjoyed my time there. If you are wanting to go somewhere off the beaten path, try Burlington VT, I think you will enjoy your visit whether you go in the summer or winter. GOD bless you all. Enjoy your travels.