- Mandi Bateman

With the mountains in the winter and the lake in the summer, the Burlington, VT, area is an outdoor enthusiast’s dreamland. Access to world-class ski and snowboard areas, beautiful bike paths, and hiking trails are just a few of the reasons why Outdoor Explorer Magazine ranked Burlington, VT, as the "Number One Place for Families that Love Outdoor Sports." http://www.vtliving.com/sports/index.shtml

Local Motion Trail Finder

http://www.localmotion.org/trails/index.php

Ski Vermont

Burlington is one of the few ski towns where you can also hold down a "real" job. The best skiing on the East Coast is within an hour’s drive from Burlington. I hear from friends (sorry, I don’t ski) that Jay Peak gets the most snow.

Jay Peak Resort
www.jaypeakresort.com

Stowe Mountain Resort
www.stowe.com

Sugarbush Resort
www.sugarbush.com

Mad River Glen (skiers only, no snowboarders)
www.madriverglen.com

Smuggler’s Notch
www.smuggs.com

Bolton Valley
www.boltonvalley.com

Bike Path & Parks
www.enjoyburlington.com

The Burlington Bike Path and our many lakefront parks are some of the greatest features of this fine city. The bike path travels along the lake through many Burlington communities and parks. With incredible views of the Adirondacks and Lake Champlain, the bike path is a wonderful place to walk or ride if you want to get a feel for the city. Some of my favorite places to spend time are Oakledge Park (check out the tree house), Leddy Park, and Battery Park.

Hiking & Swimming Holes
www.voga.org/hiking.htm
www.swimmingholes.org

It’s easy to go hiking in Vermont: I can walk out my front door and be in the woods in fifteen minutes. More adventurous hikers can explore the Appalachian Trail or the Long Trail and then find a swimming hole to cool off in! Some of the most magical features of Vermont are the swimming holes. They’re not for everyone, but if you are the type of person who likes swimming in cold water on a hot day you might want to visit some of these spots. They remind me of a mystical fairy land—something out of a childhood dream world. As a result of the strong currents, there are beautifully molded rocks with deep, pristine cavities of water and blankets of moss. They can be dangerous, so be cautious even in seemingly calm waters and always listen to your intuition, not another swimmer.

Boating
www.fishvermont.com

This is a great area to spend time boating, too. Many people spend hours of summer enjoyment on the lake. If you moor your boat in Mallet’s Bay, you can drive over to Plattsburgh, NY, or around the bay to the Burlington docks. Pull your boat up to Breakwaters for lunch or, if you don’t have one, you might want to book a chartered fishing boat from Shelburne. Have Captain Rich take you out for some sport fishing and a lesson in Lake Champlain’s ecology.

Sports
http://www.vtliving.com/links/sports.shtml

Whether you like going to a baseball game on a beautiful summer night or to a rowdy ice-hockey game in the middle of winter, there is a sporting event for everyone in Burlington, VT. Burlington is home to the Vermont Lake Monsters (formerly the Vermont Expos), a class single-A baseball club affiliated with Major League Baseball's Washington Nationals. Burlington, VT, is also home to a newly formed professional basketball franchise, the Vermont Frost Heaves of the American Basketball Association. The Vermont Ice Storm is a semi-professional football team whose home field is in nearby Colchester, VT.

Collegiate sports can be found at the University of Vermont, where the Catamounts participate in the NCAA's Division I America East Conference. Vermonters have a special place in their hearts for ice hockey, and the Catamounts don’t disappoint! The school's primary spectator sports are basketball, soccer, lacrosse, and hockey, and UVM ski teams have had a long run of national championships.

Family Activities
www.vermont.org

If you have kids or just feel like one, then Burlington, VT, is the place for you! The Halloween Haunted Forest is a favorite in the fall, and in the winter you can bundle up and go ice-skating on Lake Champlain and then walk up to Champlain Chocolates on Church Street for the best hot chocolate you’ve ever had. The Catamount Family Center rents skis and has miles of cross-country trails and a great sledding hill. In the spring and summer, try local foods at the Burlington Farmer’s Market, pick your favorite berries at the Charlotte Berry Farm, listen to concerts on the lawn at Shelburne Farms, play mini-golf at Pizza Putt, or just take everyone for a swim in Lake Champlain!

Unique events in Burlington, VT
www.sevendaysvt.com

You know you’re in Burlington, VT, when the fall comes around and everyone’s talking about Oktoberfest and the Choo-Choo Festival. Every year, Oktoberfest features Vermont’s multitude of microbrews, followed by the Choo-Choo Festival’s lavish gourmet spread on the waterfront. If you’re more inclined towards intellectual pursuits, UVM hosts year-round popular lectures that attracts speakers such as Elie Wiesel in 2007. One of my favorite events in the summer is Concerts on the Green, a series of outdoor concerts held near the Shelburne Museum that has featured such musicians as Willie Nelson, Emmy Lou Harris, and B. B. King. For more popular local events, check out Seven Days, everyone’s favorite free, weekly Burlington newspaper.