The Many Sights of Burlington, Vermont

A great place to take trip to is Burlington, Vermont. Burlington is a wonderful place to visit during any season. Located in northern Vermont, about an hour from Canada, it sits on banks of Lake Champlain. Although Burlington is the largest city in Vermont its population is only 40,000 people. It is the home to many colleges, its largest being University of Vermont.

Getting around is easy as it is pedestrian friendly & offers many cruises to sight-see on Lake Champlain. The main drag in Burlington is Church Street, which is closed off to cars and offers a variety of shopping & restaurants. You can rent a bike to get around, or bike along a 13 mile bike path along the shores of the lake. A bike ferry is even available during the month of August to allow you to continue your ride all the way through to South Hero along the coast.

Echo Lake Aquarium is a must see for all ages when visiting Burlington. There is a $8-$10 admission fee for children & adults. The aquarium has many live exhibits of natural habitants of Lake Champlain. The exhibits are truly interesting and most of the aquarium is sponsored by University of Vermont and promotes learning & discovery. It is child friendly & has a cafe for the whole family to enjoy lunch. For more details visit their website http://www.echovermont.org/.

Head outside afterwards and take a family picture with the mountains and Lake Champlain in the background. Don't miss this view it is breathtaking. If you are lucky your may even have "Champ" sighting. Champ is Lake Champlain's mystical lake monster, while friendly of course, he is elusive and a rare sight.

The Magic Hat Brewing Company is located on Barlett Bay Road in South Burlington, offers free tours & a place to enjoy one of their special brews. Take the tour, sip some beer and relax after sightseeing with friends. You can even call ahead to find out what brews are on tap for the day. Visit their website at http://www.magichat.net/visit_us/directions.

If you are looking for more family style fun, the Vermont Teddy Bear Company is about 5 miles down the road. Your & your children can take a tour of the factory & then make their own bear. A large corn maze sits outside and can allow for hours of fun running around and trying to discover you way. This is their website http://www.vermontteddybear.com/Static/Tour-Essentials.aspx.

If chocolate is more your preference, visit Lake Champlain Chocolates at 750 Pine Street, Burlington. They have a small tour and show off how they make their chocolate. The smells alone are worth the trip and free samples are offered as well. Visit them online at http://www.lakechamplainchocolates.com/VisitUs.aspx.

When you are done shopping, be sure to stop at Ben & Jerry's shop on Church St. Its creators are Vermont locals & you can experience one of their awesome flavors, while relaxing & unwinding.

Your will be glad you visited this amazing city. It is truly one of a kind. With the friendly people on the streets and the never ending lists of things to do it is a sure win for a weekend trip or family vacation.