Hi there! Planning a trip to Burlington this winter? Welcome to your guide to fun things to do in Burlington, Vermont in the winter!
Burlington is a beautiful little city to visit year round. Despite being Vermont’s largest city (with a population of just 42,000), it still retains much of its small town charm.
Winter is a wonderful time of year to visit Burlington. The snow covered streets, holiday lights and cozy restaurants and shops make the city a true winter wonderland.
Ready to start planning your trip? Keep reading for fun things to do in Burlington, Vermont in the winter!
Fun Things to do in Burlington, Vermont
Catch a Show at the Flynn
The Flynn Center in Burlington hosts a wide variety of shows and performances that are great for all ages.
Visitors can purchase tickets for comedy routines, musicals, live music and other performances!
A few of the most popular shows include Matilda: The Musical, Hairspray and the Jersey Boys.
Visit Church Street at Night
Church Street is a beautiful place to visit any time of day, but in the wintertime, I recommend checking it out at night.
Church Street is the main pedestrian-only shopping street in Burlington, and the cobblestone streets are filled with shops and restaurants.
During the winter months, Church Street is decorated with holiday lights and decorations and it is a beautiful place for an evening walk with a hot chocolate or apple cider.
Take a Walk by Lake Champlain
Checking out Lake Champlain is an essential part of any visit to Burlington. Although during the wintertime visitors won’t be participating in traditional lakeside activities like boating and relaxing in the sun, the lake is still a great place for a walk.
Lake Champlain is beautiful in the wintertime, and there are many walking paths for visitors to enjoy. Check out Waterfront Park for stunning lake views year round.
Go Skiing at a Nearby Mountain
Burlington is conveniently located nearby to many ski mountains! Two of the most famous are Smugglers Notch and Stowe. Both of these mountains offer great skiing and snowboarding and are lots of fun for the whole family.
Both Stowe and Smugglers Notch are less than an hour away by car, and they make great day trips!
While you’re in Stowe, be sure to also check out the famous Trapp Family Lodge!
Watch a Hockey or Basketball Game at UVM
Watching a college hockey or basketball game is a great addition to any trip to Burlington!
Visit the Local Breweries and Distilleries
There is something so fun and cheerful about visiting breweries in the winter, and Burlington has so many great options! The craft beer scene is exploding in Vermont and there is no shortage of delicious beer.
A few of my top recommendations in the Burlington area include:
- Switchback Tap Room
- Burlington Beer Company
- Foam (popular with UVM students)
- Zero Gravity
- Citizen Cider
- Vermont Pub and Brewery
If you prefer hard alcohol to beer, Burlington is also home to great distilleries and tasting rooms.
- Mad River – known for their rum, bourbon and brandy
- Smugglers Notch Distillery, Church Street Tasting Room
Eat at the Cozy Restaurants
Breakfast, Brunch + Coffee
- Penny Cluse Cafe – my favorite breakfast/lunch spot in Burlington!
- Skinny Pancake – delicious crepes made with fresh ingredients
- Kru – a great place to grab a coffee on Church Street
Lunch + Dinner
- The Farmhouse – a farm to table restaurant serving classic Vermont dishes
- The Daily Planet – they have a great selection of vegan + vegetarian options
- Gaku Ramen – for delicious ramen and Japanese dishes
- Leunigs – delicious French + classic Vermont dishes
- Monarch and the Milkweed – a fun cocktail bar that serves pizza from American Flatbread
Be sure to also check out our guide to the most popular and delicious Vermont foods, as well as our guide to must-try maple dishes in Vermont!
Spend the Night
Although Burlington is a relatively small city, and you can see many of its major attractions in a single day, I definitely recommend spending the weekend! Burlington is a fantastic weekend getaway, and there is certainly enough to do and see in the area for a few days of exploring.
Hotel Recommendations in Burlington, VT
- Hotel Vermont – located near Church Street
- Green Mountain Suites Hotel – located in South Burlington
- The Essex Resort – located 20 minutes by car from Burlington
I hope you found my recommendations for fun things to do in Burlington, Vermont in the winter to be helpful!
Burlington is the perfect winter destination for weekend getaway. There is so much to do for all ages and everyone is sure to have a great time.
If you have any questions, or anything you’d like to add to this post, let me know in the comments!
Lastly, we appreciate you sharing this post with someone you know who would love a trip to Burlington, Vermont in the winter!
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♡Kate
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Two things we love: skiing for the family and local beer for Matthew. We always think of Vermont in the Fall, but it seems like a great Winter destination as well.
Vermont looks like such a fun place to visit in the winter! We can’t wait to visit and hike around. Thanks for the great tips! Kru looks like our kind of place for coffee and donuts!
I love VT and never realized there is so much to do in Burlington! The breweries and eateries look like so much fun. Definitely going to save this post to plan my next trip.
I’ve always wanted to visit a ski resort in Vermont, Smuggler’s Notch looks awesome! I had no idea there was so much to do around Burlington, thanks for sharing!
I’m so sad we missed Burlington when we were in the area. We had planned to go, and my husband was excited about the breweries… but we got invited to a wedding, so had to cut some of the itinerary! Next time, for sure!
Sounds like an amazing place to visit in Winter. I’ve always wanted to watch a hokey or basketball match, I bet they are very exciting. And would love to try my hand at skiing! Oh, and I would definitely enjoy the cozy restaurants!
I’ve always wanted to visit Vermont, especially in the fall when all the leaves are changing. It is good to know there are still tons of things to do in the winter time! I would definitely be interested in skiing and visiting some of those distilleries!
Ooo, I’ve only been to Burlington once but it was in the fall (+ pouring so we sadly couldn’t do the hike we’d wanted to do) — winter looks like a cool (hehe) time to visit though! It’d be awesome to get to walk down Church Street with a hot apple cider!
There’s so much to do, inside and outside. And, the snowfields look especially stunning. Thanks for sharing all these great ideas.
A walk around the lake and then some dinner at one of those restaurants sounds like the perfect evening out!
I have never been to Burlington, but it seems to be a lovely place. I would love to ski in the mountains and eat in the cosy restaurants/cafes. Saving this for the future 🙂
Vermont looks so fun! Thanks for the tips!
Love visiting Vermont in the Fall- and going to Burlington in the Winter is high on my list- thanks for all the extra tips on places== there are always so many amazing new foodie places popping up!
I’ve never been to Vermont, but I’d love to visit one day hopefully soon! The east coast seems so charming in the fall and winter!
Lake Champlain is gorgeous! Would love to walk there with our dog because we travel with him a lot!
Hi Kate, Burlington looks amazing. It looks so Christmassy in the snow and I imagine it’s equally as stunning in the summer months. I bet the air is really fresh there too. Gosh I really hope I make it there next time I visit the US. Also, thanks for mentioning where you can go for vegan and vegetarian dining. When I visit a new place I often struggle with trying to find options. Enjoy your travels with your sister and keep us posted, Marisa Mackle (Ireland).
Saved! Thanks for the great guide- I always wanted to go to Vermont to snowboard. Church street looks so beautiful!