A highlight of working in the travel industry will forever be experiencing new places. That very privilege brought me to somewhere I’ve always wanted to visit but never had: Vermont. More specifically, Burlington, the Green Mountain State’s largest city.
On a familiarization tour hosted by Hello Burlington, I was shown the best of what the city has to offer, from adventures on the lake to sampling tasty confections. My takeaway is simple: Burlington is an ideal destination for group tours. Allow my own experience to guide your next visit.
Day 1
After flying in via the newly renovated Patrick Leahy Burlington International Airport, I checked into my home-base hotel for the week, Hotel Champlain Burlington, Curio Collection by Hilton. Only a block from Waterfront Park, this beautiful property embodies the spirit of Vermont while featuring panoramic views of the lake.
Our first activity of the trip was a happy hour reservation at Wilder Wines, a woman-owned natural wine shop that specializes in small-batch, low-intervention producers. Best suited for smaller groups, Wilder Wines offers an array of wine types and flavor profiles that might appeal to your pickiest wine aficionados.
Following happy hour, we walked to Trattoria Delia. This woman-owned Italian restaurant sits in a building that was once a working sugar house. (For those unfamiliar with the phrase, a sugar house is a building where maple sap is boiled down to produce pure maple syrup. Your tourgoers will quickly learn that maple syrup is a major product in Vermont.) Seasonal ingredients at Trattoria Delia are locally sourced from community farms, and the subterranean location of the restaurant curates a vibe that is both cozy and sophisticated.
Day 2
My second day in Burlington kicked off with a tour of The Harborvale, soon to be an Autograph Collection by Marriott property. Adjacent to The Harborvale is its sister hotel, Hotel Vermont. You’ll notice a clear theme when in this area of Burlington: There are several group-friendly hotels clustered close together, each offering their own unique vibe while simultaneously upholding a cohesiveness that only comes with staying in a close-knit community.
After our tour of The Harborvale, my group headed to The Grey Jay, yet another woman-owned restaurant that serves Eastern Mediterranean breakfast and lunch. Though on the smaller side, the restaurant features both sit-down and carry-out options that highlight the natural flavors of the region. I personally recommend trying the maple rose donut. The combination might sound unusual, but the taste is unbeatable.
Your group can walk off their breakfast with a visit to the Church Street Marketplace. Another theme you’ll notice here: Burlington is incredibly walkable, should that be your group’s preference. Church Street is a brick-lined pedestrian walkway that does not allow vehicles. The charming, four-block community gathering point is lined with more than 100 local businesses, boutique shops, and cafes. The street also hosts several festivals, concerts, parades, rallies, and rotating vendors throughout the year. My trip coincided with the start of Burlington’s annual Jazz Festival, which featured musical acts performing all along the marketplace.
Next, we made our way over to The Flynn. This historic performing arts venue was built in 1930 and today features touring productions, musical performances, and movies. An estimated 200,000 people visit The Flynn each year, and the theater seats up to 1,493 guests. The venue offers ticket discounts for groups of 10 or more, though these might vary by show.
We enjoyed our first lunch of the trip at Burlington Beer Co. before heading over to the Shelburne Museum. Of everything we did in Burlington, this museum surprised me the most. Here, your group will find American folk art, French Impressionist paintings (including several Monets), historic New England architecture, and an endless collection of artifacts collected by the museum’s founder, Electra Havemeyer Webb.
The Shelburne Museum is set up in a “village” of historic buildings that have been transported from across the region. These buildings include a massive round barn that houses a collection of vintage carriages and Steamboat Ticonderoga, a 220-foot restored steamboat that was moved to Shelburne via rail from Lake Champlain. The boat displays exhibits depicting how life might’ve been aboard the boat during the early 1900s. Groups can even rent out the space for events, utilizing the ship’s deck as a dining space.
Other collections featured at the museum include circus artifacts, textiles, vintage toys, vintage hunting decoys, and several historic buildings that range from a blacksmith shop to a covered bridge. In other words, there’s a little something for everyone to enjoy at Shelburne Museum. The museum offers guided group tours and discounted rates for groups of 15 or more. The property features dining at Weathervane Cafe, or groups can opt for a picnic on the grounds. Parking at the museum is free, and buses are welcome.
We wrapped Day 2 with dinner at Frankie’s, a farm-to-table restaurant that specializes in American small plates and creative cocktails. And, yes, this one is also woman owned. The restaurant was recognized as one of America’s best new restaurants by Eater in 2024. The menu rotates, but I had the schnitzel (amazing) before capping off my day with a Vermont classic: a vanilla creemee. Never heard of it? Neither had I, but it is essentially Vermont’s take on soft-serve ice cream.
Day 3
Our next day kicked off with breakfast at Juniper, Hotel Vermont’s in-house restaurant, before we toured the hotel. Then, we made our way to Lake Champlain Chocolates for a guided tasting experience. Here, we learned about the chocolate-making process, the proper tasting technique, and, of course, we sampled the product. I left with a maple caramel chocolate bar and a new appreciation for the art of chocolate making.
We had lunch aboard the Spirit of Ethan Allen, a motorized cruise ship that features a slew of tour options on Lake Champlain. Groups can opt for the “Scenic Narrated Cruise,” a “Sunset Cruise,” the “Lunch on the Lake Cruise,” the “Champagne on Champlain Brunch Cruise,” and more. Did you know Lake Champlain is the sixth-largest lake in the country and was briefly designated as a Great Lake? A trip aboard the Spirit of Ethan Allen is a great way to learn about the lake’s expansive history. The boat can host up to 363 guests at a time.
That afternoon, we traveled to nearby Winooski for a sneak-peak tour of Sugarhouse Hotel, slated to open later this summer or in the early fall. An homage to Vermont’s maple industry, this property will feature a 20-foot maple tree in the lobby and decor that reflects the history of the state’s actual sugar houses. Sugarhouse Hotel will be Marriott’s first all-electric, net-zero energy, and LEED Platinum property in the world, and it is situated directly in front of a 104-acre nature preserve.
The hotel was still in the process of being built at the time of our visit, but I’m eager to see—and hopefully experience—the final product someday. Winooski is smaller than Burlington, but it’s very close and a charming destination in its own right. Also in Winooski is Waterworks Food + Drink, which is where we had dinner. Situated in the historic Champlain Mill directly on the edge of the Winooski River, this restaurant was the perfect final dinner spot for my trip. The menu features a large variety of American dishes, spectacular views, and has the capacity to host large groups.
For my final night in Burlington, we were treated to something truly unforgettable: a sunset cruise on Lake Champlain with Whistling Man Schooner Co. Our tour was aboard the company’s newly acquired picnic boat, Buttercup. This two-hour excursion allowed me to sit back, relax, sip some wine, and take in the natural beauty of lake—all against the breathtaking backdrop of a perfect June sunset. It was definitely my favorite part of the trip, and I highly recommend it to anyone visiting Burlington.
Day 4
On our final day in Burlington, we participated in a brunch cooking class at The Essex Resort and Spa. I’ve never made crepes before, so the experience was both exciting and daunting. But the staff at the resort were friendly, knowledgeable, and patient, making the class enjoyable and even relaxing. Of course, we were able to eat our tasty confections at the end of the demonstration, each crepe adorned in lemon-whipped ricotta, house-made lemon curd, and fresh fruits.
The trip wrapped up with a tour of the DoubleTree by Hilton Burlington Vermont, which recently expanded to add 70 guest rooms; and a tour of the Burlington airport, a “Top 5 Small Airport” in the U.S., according to USA Today.
Although my visit to Burlington was short, a lot was packed into it. But that doesn’t mean I got to see and experience everything that the city has to offer. Regardless, I can say with confidence that Burlington has a little bit of everything your group might want. It’s a hidden gem among the Green Mountains, but I have a feeling it won’t stay that way.
By Madeline Fuerstenberg
Main Image: Burlington, Vermont; Credit: Madeline Fuerstenberg
