Burlington is 215 miles NW of Boston, 98 miles S of Montreal, and 154 miles NE of Albany, NY.
Burlington is a vibrant college town -- home to the University of Vermont, known as UVM -- that's continually, valiantly resisting the onset of middle age. It's the birthplace of hippies-turned-corporation Ben & Jerry's. (Look for the sidewalk plaque at the corner of St. Paul and College sts. commemorating the 1st store.) It elected a socialist mayor in 1981, Bernie Sanders, who's now Vermont's lone representative to the U.S. Congress. Burlington was also the birthplace of the jam rock band Phish.
It's no wonder that Burlington has become a magnet for those seeking an alternative to big-city life. Burlington has a superb location overlooking Lake Champlain and the Adirondacks of northern New York. To the east, the Green Mountains rise dramatically, with two of the highest points (Mount Mansfield and Camel's Hump) stretching above the undulating ridge.
In the mid-20th century, Burlington turned its back for a time on its spectacular waterfront. Urban redevelopment focused on parking garages and a few high-rises; the waterfront lay fallow and was developed for light industry. In recent years, the city has sought to regain a toehold along the lake, acquiring and redeveloping parts for commercial and recreational use. It's been successful in some sections (especially the bike path, discussed below), less so in others.
In contrast, downtown is thriving. The pedestrian mall (Church St.), a creation that has failed in so many other towns, works here. New construction has brought large-scale department stores (Filene's, for one) right smack downtown, reversing the flight to the mall that has plagued other small cities. The city's scale is pleasantly skewed toward pedestrians -- park your car and walk when you can.
