Burlington Vermont Recommendations
 

My husband and daughter are spending this weekend there, seeing Bob Dylan and checking out UVM. Any recommendations for restaurants? Casual/funky would be good. Perhaps something unique in Burlington.

They are staying at the Wyndham, Hopefully this is a good choice for location. Any comments? Any places close by to check out. They will be looking at the campus but beyond that there are many hours to fill.

Thanks for any suggestions.

Burlington is wonderful. Their hotel has great views across Lake Champlain, and there is a ton of stuff to do within an easy walk, lots of bars and restaurants, though with Dylan in town, it will be crowded. They can expect an hour wait for anything much except fast food. There is a place called Augie's Island Grill on College Street that we have enjoyed and it has been somewhat less crowded than other places downtown.

The hotel is right across from the Waterfront Park, and there are boat tours from there. Of course, there are plenty of shops in downtown Burlington.

The hotel is some distance from the campus, but you can drive or take a bus. Basically, the hotel is at the bottom of the hill, and the University is at the top.

The Vermont Teddy Bear factory is pretty cool, they give short tours and is fun.

There is also a huge Christmas store (I got a chuckle from the obligatory "Chanukah shelf") there which is worth a stop.

You can see pictures at:
http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog...4420/tpod.html

Thanks for the suggestions. Auggie's menu looks good (found many things I would order). I searched a bit and looks like there are a bunch of places to eat at the Church Street Market Place. Any favorites?

Checked out the boat tour thing. That seems like a good idea. I'm sure Ben and Jerry's will be on the itinerary as well.

Funny thing--this is my husband and daughter's trip and yet they have done NO RESEARCH which is flipping me out. Just had to get involved today...

They can take the ferry across Lake Champlain to visit Ausable Chasm. If they want to enjoy some scenery head north and drive south thru the Champlain islands. They can be back in Burlington for lunch. As a gardener, I loved Gardener's Supply store and demonstration gardens. They might prefer just checking out kayaking and biking opportunities in the Intervale area around the store. Church Street can be fun. A pedestrian area where events are sometimes held. Good place to wander and people watch.

The Wyndham is a good location for being close to the Church St pedestrian zone with lots of stores and restaurants. It's also close to the waterfront park, has good views of the lake.
Some restaurant ideas: we like Five Spice Cafe, A Single Pebble, Leuning's Bistro

The Echo Center is a good museum about Lake Champlain right on the waterfront.

Shelburne museum south of Burlington is a great museum of American art, New England architecture (37 buildings on 45 acres)--but maybe not a teenager's dream destination.

Ben and Jerry's factory w tours is in Waterbury , about 30 miles east on I-89. It is very crowded in summer. There is no ice cream production on weekends, just a video and tour of the facility.

The boat tours and ferry rides are beautiful--a way to see both the Green Mts and the Adirondacks

Thanks for the info. It's good to know that the hotel is near the Church St. area as that sounds like something they would enjoy.

The Shelburne would be ont the itinerary if I were going but this is their trip and will give them the chance to blow off all of the important things that I emphasize on trips! I tend to enforce the educational/active (hiking) etc. aspects of destinations. Without me there they will probably spend all of their time sitting around and seeking out music stores and local bands!

If they take the ferry is it necessary to take a car or are their things to do in the immediate area where they would dock? I will try to get further info regarding this online as well.

A car is needed on the other side. As I recall, it's very rural on the NY side and not much to see except for Ausable Chasm (gorge tour and boat ride).

Check out American Flatbread (the best flatbread pizza anywhere) and/or A Single Pebble (Chinese) for dinner.

Take a sunset walk on the bikepath along the waterfront.

If they took the ferry across from burlington to Port Kent they would probably want a car on the other side--certainly if they wanted to see Ausable Chasm. I see from the link that the co is recommending reservations for cars.
http://www.ferries.com/
There is another ferry ride south of burlington between Charlotte and essex NY. It would be possible to go across there w/o a car, stroll around essex a little and eat at the restaurant by the dock at the (what else) Old Dock House

If they go they should look out for Champ, the Lake Champlain see monster

for music Saturday they could check out the Higher Ground
http://www.highergroundmusic.com/calendar/view/

Bove's is a landmark in the area and right around the corner from their hotel. It is Italian, casual and cheap too.

I would love to eat at A Single Pebble; mm; many think the food is best in Burlington, but alas we couldn't get in without a reservation. We did get in long enough to look around. Discard everything you think you know about Chinese restaurants. Very upscale and beautiful.

I appreciate the input. Although I am not going on this trip, should she decide to go to college there...sounds like I will be able to eat well while visiting(very important!).

It's pathetic but I am looking forwad to the college search from a selfish standpoint of checking out new regions/restaurants (and probably the only travel we will be able to afford for a few years!)

Evab, I had to chuckle about your last comment. You're right, your daughter should choose a college where you'll enjoy visiting! We visited our son in a couple of places and one of our best trips was "mooching off the kid" when he was living in a great vacation area. We even made a large contribution to a bargain elderly used car he wanted to get so we wouldn't have to use a rental car. (The contribution was cheaper than it was going to cost to rent.) Hope your daughter likes Burlington.

Another vote for A Single Pebble, but call now for a reservation.

I can't believe I am going to be lucky enough to be the one to introduce you to Libby's Blue Line Diner! (in Winooski, a suburb of Burlington).This local institution is absolutely authentic from the excellent diner specials, the hot sandwiches, the tapioca pudding and homemade pies and the fast and friendly wait staff (and a wine/beer license!)

My memories of Libby's date back 2 decades to trips from Toronto to Maine when the kids were small and we had to break in Burlington overnight. My daughter loved the place and had a Libby's Blue T-shirt that she wore and wore. It sort of disappeared at some point from my laundry when she went off to university.

On our 25th wedding anniversary, our daughter made us a quilt incorporating many fabrics from special duds and decor in our lives: there in the centre of the quilt was a swatch from the T-shirt with the Libby's logo still visible.

Go: it is the suff that memories are made of!

My husband and I stumbled across Libby's Blue Line Diner on a road trip a couple of years ago. LJ is right, it's authentic diner food & ambiance. Loved it!

I live outside Burlington- a few comments on what has been said.

Augies is going out of business soon, perhaps in the next few days.

I believe Five Spice Cafe burned down.

The Wyndham has a wonderful location with gorgeous views of Lake Champlain and the Adirondacks. The hotel is a bit tired though, its a renovated 70's Raddison. There's a brand new Marriott right next to it, a couple months old. I'd stay at the Marriott, but the Wyndham is good enough.

Interesting restaurants are American Flatbread (thin pizza),Daily Planet (eclectic)Stone Soup (vegan)

Good Breakfasts at Mirabelles on Main St. and Penny Cluse

I'd just walk around Church St and let them see what grabs them.

Leunigs is ok, a nice place to people watch if you can get a table by the window, or where the window would be if they had them.

Not to be a party pooper, but a Single Pebble was perhaps the worst restaurant I've been to. Everrything was really, really salty. And expensive. Although people rave about it.

Hopefully they'll have nice weather. The last two days have been HOT!!

Oooh! More recs! Thank you everyone. I swore I was going to stay out of this (their "Dad and daughter trip" and all) but I would be totally ticked off if they didn't check out the places that those in the know recommend. They would get hungry and stumble into the first place they came upon without my (your) sage advice (wink). Thank you!

We actually only live 3 hours away (and boy is it hot) but have never been to Burlington. We do have a Flatbreads the next town over though so I am sure they will hit that place up as the two of them love it. Husband is from NJ and loves diners so Libby's sounds like a winner too. Sorry to hear about Auggie's as that sounded good.

I am pleased that the hotel is well located. The Mariott rates were higher so I went with the Wyndham. I hope it's alright. Weather in MA is meant to cool down this weekend. I assume the same will be true for VT.

Thanks again!

Yes, whenever we have out of town guests we head right to Flatbread. My wife thinks
Auggies will be going out of business on the last day of the month.