72 Hrs In Burlington, VT - What *must* I do, eat, drink, see? (Rutland: apartments, rent)

[ligirl322]

My husband and I are going up to Burlington for job interviews next week.

I have never been there, but am pretty psyched to come up and check it out in person. Seems like a cool little town. And we are SO overdue for a little break from work. Road trip!

We also have to decide if it's someplace we want to live. So I guess we *should* do some sort of relocation type research while we're up there.

So tell me your favorite cool thing that can only be done in Burlington, Vermont. Preferably things that have to do with the lake, the mountains, short walks/hikes, cool little bike rides, people watching, just hanging out, coffee, wine, beer, and chocolate.

Where should we go for dinner? We're usually vegetarians, but will make the occasional exception for pastured beef or free range poultry.

Where should we go hang out and have some cocktails on our last night there? We're in our 30's; our hang out style is post-keg stand, but pre-brandy snifter.

We will be staying in South Burlington, but I don't think that's really a factor because we'll have a car and the town doesn't look that big.

So it would be awesome if I could get some positive insights* from some happy Burlington peeps who have already figured out where the cool stuff is.
Your suggestions are much much appreciated!

Thanks!



*Not to be mean, or give you the wrong impression, but I could do without the whiny replies about how I "won't really know what I'm getting into because I'm visiting during the nicest time of year". Or about how there's not one single job in the whole entire state. Or that Walmart is too far away from you. Or that you have to pay (gasp) taxes and having people look at you weird when you walk around with a gun is so terrible. I get it. It's cold. There's snow. I knit. I ski. I'll get over it.

VT is not for everybody. No place is for everybody. That's why there's thousands of places to live in the US. I'm happy wherever I am. Some places are just a little bit easier to be happy in. I"m not asking to be talked out of moving there or insulted about my non-native status.

[GypsySoul22]

There is a diner there, I think it is called the Burlington Diner???
It's up on a hill (google diners in Burlington). It was quite good, full of local color, good food...

I'm from LI, too, so don't expect a Long Island diner...diners in New England tend to be holes in the wall, have mismatched decor, but full of charm and decent food.

We also went to the Science Museum (again may not be the name) in Burlington. It's near Lake Champlain, you can take a boat to Plattsburgh.

It's a nice little area, maybe a bit like Port Jeff...

As far as being vegetarians, my husband is one and you can always find something in Vermont (diners offer omelets).

If you see any signs for CO-OP, these are often natural food stores where you can pick up food you will be happy with (our local one sells cooked soups and so on) as well as packaged goods.

Having been in this state 2 years, I have to say there is good and bad.

Is it better than Long Island?? Well, yes, I think so. Even if we leave this state in 6 months, going back to that 'dirty and crowded' place is not an option.

Good luck in whatever you decide.

[quickdraw]

Originally Posted by ligirl322

*Not to be mean, or give you the wrong impression, but I could do without the whiny replies about how I "won't really know what I'm getting into because I'm visiting during the nicest time of year". Or about how there's not one single job in the whole entire state. Or that Walmart is too far away from you. Or that you have to pay (gasp) taxes and having people look at you weird when you walk around with a gun is so terrible. I get it. It's cold. There's snow. I knit. I ski. I'll get over it.

VT is not for everybody. No place is for everybody. That's why there's thousands of places to live in the US. I'm happy wherever I am. Some places are just a little bit easier to be happy in. I"m not asking to be talked out of moving there or insulted about my non-native status.

Too many rules for me

Take charge NY'er doesn't want whiny replies from the natives. The Take Back Vermonters will not be pleased.

[Sherylcatmom]

Originally Posted by ligirl322

Where should we go for dinner? We're usually vegetarians, but will make the occasional exception for pastured beef or free range poultry.

Where should we go hang out and have some cocktails on our last night there? We're in our 30's; our hang out style is post-keg stand, but pre-brandy snifter.

I've had incredibly good vegan food at A Single Pebble, Burlington VT (http://www.asinglepebble.com/intro.htm - broken link). It was so good that the omnivores at the table, folks who usually scoff at veg dishes, kept eating off my plate!

Post-keg young adults whom I know like to drink here, where I've also enjoyed good meals: RÃ*Rá Irish Pub - The Real Flavor of Ireland. Others rave about the drinks & hangout vibe at Bangkok Thai on Church Street, where I think the food is okay but not great.

I hear you about the griping about Vermont. Lots of people are having a very tough time. I feel for them and have no problems with them sharing their experiences.

I grow weary of the generalizing about Vermont and Vermonters (wherever they're from), and "predicting" what it will be like for others who move here. I've been in Northern New England for 21 years and in Vermont for 12. My husband and I love it here and plan to remain for the rest of our lives. No, it's not easy to make a good living. But we're managing and we are happier here than anywhere else we've been.

[momnh]

You'll love Burlington. We moved here earlier this year from tax-free NH. It's worth every tax penny. Quality of life is a lot better because of the lifestyle we value (kid friendly, healthy food accessible everywhere, lots of outdoor recreation, cultural experiences).

In Burlington itself...have a meal at the Skinny Pancake at College and Lake St (across from the Echo Aquarium). It's in a good location to orient you to the waterfront and is a unique experience. They make crepes (savory and sweet) using local produce, cheeses, and meats. And they have Switchback on tap, which is an excellent Burlington-made beer.

The Burlington bike path is a must see. It's touristy but excellent. You can rent bikes at Ski Rack on Main St and ride for miles along the lake. Or rent at Local Motion, which is behind the train station to the left of the Echo, on the bike bath. It's a non profit devoted to this path.

Church Street is also a must. It's the pedestrian mall downtown. It's busy any time of day or year, with lots of outdoor seating for dining and drinks. You can pick up a lot of local flavor (people watching) there.

Definitely check out the housing if you can, by driving around at least. Decent apartments are hard to get since it is so desireable to live in Burlington. There is a lot of competition. But there are also a lot of nice townhouses to buy. Red Rocks in the south end, near the bike path, seems to be a good spot since you can ride into town quite easily. If you are more in the market for a small single family home and want a little bit of suburbia, look in the New North End. It also has the bike path going through it so it is a quick jaunt downtown. And if you are in the market for a big house with lots of architectural features/history, and have the $, check out the "Hill" section around UVM.

For food shopping experiences, try City Market Co-Op in town, and Healthy Living in South Burlington. Those are the two largest natural food stores, although many smaller ones exist too. Plus a Whole Foods is planning to be here in 2011.

Hmm, lots more to tell you about but out of time. That is the beauty of Burlington. For a city that is only 38,000 big, there is the same amount of stuff to do as when I lived in much larger cities. And the bonus is that EVERYONE is laid back.

[Sherylcatmom]

Originally Posted by ligirl322

So tell me your favorite cool thing that can only be done in Burlington, Vermont. Preferably things that have to do with the lake, the mountains, short walks/hikes, cool little bike rides, people watching, just hanging out, coffee, wine, beer, and chocolate.

Just 30 minutes from Burlington you can visit the Lake Champlain Islands, which are beautiful. Plenty of walking/hiking and other ways to relax and get something to eat. Heck, just driving the length of the road there is a treat with views galore.

Lake Champlain Islands Chamber of Commerce

Go to http://www.yelp.com/ and search "South Hero, VT." You'll get a bunch of stuff in S. Hero, Grand Isle, and N. Hero.

[harry chickpea]

Shucks. I was going to suggest the McDonalds on Williston Road (it was the first in the state, ya know? Quite a surprise when that came in and gave Al's a run for the money) and then maybe a drive down Main Street to the old bus terminal, which is just a walk up from the old train station (closed). From there you can see where they ripped up a lot of the tracks from the Rutland Railway (defunct) and the Central Vermont (defunct). You could also look at the old power station (closed), or drive down Pine Street past the old Maypo plant (closed) or the old gasworks (closed), and see where the trolley went to Queen City Park (closed, and no relation), and then see the old movie theatre on Shelburne Road (closed).

[Lilybeans]

Leunigs is a fun bistro to people watch from.

[quickdraw]

Originally Posted by harry chickpea

Shucks. I was going to suggest the McDonalds on Williston Road (it was the first in the state, ya know? Quite a surprise when that came in and gave Al's a run for the money) and then maybe a drive down Main Street to the old bus terminal, which is just a walk up from the old train station (closed). From there you can see where they ripped up a lot of the tracks from the Rutland Railway (defunct) and the Central Vermont (defunct). You could also look at the old power station (closed), or drive down Pine Street past the old Maypo plant (closed) or the old gasworks (closed), and see where the trolley went to Queen City Park (closed, and no relation), and then see the old movie theatre on Shelburne Road (closed).

Alabama is attacking us. Can West Virginia be far behind? Mexico even?

[GypsySoul22]

Originally Posted by quickdraw

Alabama is attacking us. Can West Virginia be far behind? Mexico even?

Oh no, not illegals from Mexico...they might come and lower the wages or take all the jobs..

*Note sarcasm...

Wages can't get much lower...as for jobs...???