Expert: David Beckett - 3/29/2006

Question
I will be in Burlinton VT for a weekend in mid-April. Will be busy with other activites until early afternoon both days, but will then have the rest of my day/evening free.

Any suggestions for sites to see in Burlington, walking tour of the city, neat places/shops/scenic spots not to miss?

Also looking for suggestions for restaurants for dinner, I like good food (no chains please) but prefer a casual, comfortable atmosphere and am open to all types of cuisine.

Thanks for your help.
Jennifer


Answer
Jennifer -

My suggestions are, Church Street - and The Waterfront. Visiting Burlington without seeing them both would be a terrible shame. And they are an easy walk from each other.  Look in the weekly paper (available on line) called SEVEN DAYS to see about special events when you're here.

I think you'll enjoy The Church Street Marketplace. It's a European-Style pedestrian main street. The CITY-owned parking garages are free for 2 hours and you can just wander and explore the shops, cafes and restaurants. The places I'd suggest for lunch and dinner are on or near Church Street too. I like "Leunigs" and "Three Tomatoes" an awful lot for dinner. I like Five Spice (a world class pan-asian place)  and the Thai place right next door a great deal. They are below Main Street at the bottom of Church Street. Less expensive, is Pacific Rim (where I go if I'm buying ;-) ) right across City Hall Park. I might have a drink at Leunigs for the atmosphere, then dinner at one of the other places I mentioned. Sweetwater's is also fun and has a seemingly endless menue. It's a very nice room too, right across from Leunigs. Then perhaps you'd wander up Church Street for ice cream at Ben And Jerry's.

You should also walk down College Street and see The Echo Center, our new lakefront hands-on science museum. It's billed as a children's museum, but I just love it, and it's one of the lakefront's most striking features. There's a free shuttlebus up and down College Street - which bisects Church Street. Once you get to Echo Center, walk on the boardwalk and enjoy the view of the Adirondacks across the lake. You're essentially in the middle of one of the longest bike paths in the country when you're on the boardwalk.      

If I had only a couple of days I'd certainly see Church Street and The Waterfront Park/Echo Center area!

Have fun,

David Beckett
david@askdavidbeckett.com