12 Best Sights in Northern Vermont, Vermont

Burlington’s Saturday farmers’ market is an absolute must-see when visiting in summer or fall. Set up in a spacious lot in the city's South End, the market is jam-packed with local farmers selling a colorful array of organic produce, flowers, baked goods, maple syrup, meats, cheeses, and prepared foods. Local artisans also sell their wares, and there’s live music.

For nearly 40 years, this pedestrian-only thoroughfare has served as Burlington's center of commerce, dining, and entertainment, with boutiques, cafés, restaurants, and street vendors the focus by day, and a lively bar and music scene at night. On sunny days, there are few better places to be in Burlington.

Co-founder and acclaimed brewer Todd Haire spent 13 years at Magic Hat Brewing and another two years at Switchback before opening his own Burlington operation alongside fellow co-founders Bobby Grim, Sam Keane, Jon Farmer, and Dani Casey in 2016. Since then, Foam has gained international praise, including a spot as one of the world's 10 best new breweries—bestowed by BeerAdvocate—the year they opened. Snack boards and food truck pit-stops compliment their sought-after drafts, also available at the attached sister restaurant, Deep City. An outdoor patio faces the stunning views of the Lake Champlain Waterfront.

Kids and adults can explore the forces (natural and man-made) that have shaped the Lake Champlain basin through the museum's more than 100 interactive exhibits. Visitors can experiment with lasers through fog mist, step through a steam devil (a small, overwater whirlwind), or even play with a hands-on 3D water projection sandbox, as well as get an up-close look at 70 species of indigenous animals, or immerse digitally in the natural world at the 3D theater, which presents science and nature films every day.

When Vermont hero Ethan Allen retired from his Revolutionary activities, he purchased 350 acres along the Winooski River and built this modest cabin in 1787. The original structure is a real slice of 18th-century life, including such frontier hallmarks as saw-cut boards and an open hearth for cooking. The kitchen garden resembles the one the Allens would have had. There's also a visitor center and miles of biking and hiking trails. In warmer months, climb Ethan Allen Tower at the south end of neighboring Ethan Allen Park for stupendous views of Lake Champlain and the Green Mountains.

Don't forget mosquito repellent.

This is a wonderful place to discover Vermont's outdoor wonders. The center's 255 acres of diverse habitats are a sanctuary for all things wild, and the 5 miles of trails provide an opportunity to explore the workings of differing natural communities. Events include bird-monitoring walks, wildflower rambles, nature workshops, and educational activities for children and adults.

Along Burlington's "new" North End a long line of beaches stretches to the Winooski River delta, beginning with North Beach, which has a grassy picnic area, a snack bar, and boat rentals. Neighboring Leddy Park offers a more secluded beach. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking (fee); showers; toilets. Best for: partiers; swimming; walking; windsurfing.

A once-abandoned relic of the Industrial Revolution, Pine Street is the heartbeat of Burlington's recently revamped South End Arts District, an enclave of bars, restaurants, breweries, art galleries, and eateries. Start at the intersection of Pine and Maple Street and begin walking south to find a treasure trove of all things art, music, food, and drink. Dedalus Wine Market & Bar has one of the most expansive selections of natural wine on the East Coast. Myers Bagels has been turning out wood-fired, Montréal-style bagels for over twenty years. The S.P.A.C.E Gallery and Conant Metal & Light attract artists from within state borders and far beyond, and the popular restaurant and performance venue ArtsRiot hosts weekly food truck celebrations in the warmer months. Make sure to stop by The Soda Plant, a small business incubator with over thirty local artisans, artists, and makers inside a newly refurbished 19th-century industrial soda factory, including nationally acclaimed Brio Coffeeworks.

Crowning the hilltop above Burlington is the University of Vermont, known as UVM for the abbreviation of its Latin name, Universitas Viridis Montis, meaning the University of the Green Mountains. With nearly 12,000 students, this is the state's principal institution of higher learning. The most architecturally impressive buildings face the main campus green and have gorgeous lake views, as does the statue of founder Ira Allen, Ethan's brother.

What started as a single bar tap in a pizza restaurant has turned into one of Burlington’s most successful and hippest beers, thanks to frothy gems like Conehead and Green State Lager. Its shiny new brewery in the South End Arts District is always buzzing—and starts that buzz first thing in the morning with coffee and waffles. Tasty complements continue throughout the day with items like bratwurst, crispy cheddar curds, and foodie-friendly bistro bites.