Visiting Burlington and Montpelier

Our armchair travels through the U.S. states have taken us to the northeastern state of Vermont which is also one of the New England States. It is a state with lovely nature, covered bridges, and popular for its maple syrup.

Exploring Burlington

Burlington is the largest city in Vermont and is located in a lovely spot on a hillside that overlooks Lake Champlain and the skyline of the Adirondack Mountains, on the opposite shore in the state of New York.

Shelburn Museum can be found on the outskirts of Burlington. This is a large, open-air museum which has original buildings from different eras and you can see houses, barns, and shops with period furnishings and see how rural life was in the past.

There are 39 historic buildings as well as the historic lake steamer SS Ticonderoga. On the grounds, you can also see a railroad depot, private car, and locomotive,

covered bridge, jail, print shop, apothecary, schoolhouse, country store, meeting house, lighthouse, and a round barn, which is one of the few still in existence in New England.

The two-room Settlers’ House built of logs shows how life was in Vermont in the 1790s. In the reproduction barn, you can see demonstrations of early crafts and cooking. Paintings represent American artists as well as French Impressionists and paintings by Rembrandt. A horseshoe-shaped building displays a 500-foot-long handmade miniature Arnold Circus Parade.

You’ll also find a carousel with hand=painted figures by the renowned Gustav Dentzel Carousel Company. The round barn offers special exhibits.

Lake Champlain stretches in a north-south line between Vermont and New York. A small portion of the northern end is in Canada. You can get sightseeing tours on the lake offered by Spirit of Ethan Allen III. The tours give a narration on the Revolutionary War and other periods in the history of the lake. Lake Champlain’s largest cruise ship carries 363 passengers and also offers lunch and dinner cruises and at times dancing cruises.

From the downtown docks in Burlington, you can get daily sailing cruises and private charters on the classic sloop Friend Ship. Ferries travel daily in the summer and autumn between Burlington and Port Kent, New York.

Church Street Marketplace pedestrian-only Church Street is the place to see some local action. All through the year lots of festivals and events are held here. There are cafes and restaurants.

Overlooking the scene from the upper end is the First Unitarian Universalist Church.

Here you’ll also find a granite line in the brick pavement with stones that have been engraved with cities around the world that lie close to the same longitudinal line. There are permanent public artworks on display like

the life-sized statue of local jazz artist Big Joe Burrell,

a sleek metal  Fish Fountain a drinking fountain, and

a mural, Everyone Loves a Parade by Canadian muralist Pierre Hardy. Church Street is listed as a National Register Historic District and has been named one of the Great Public Spaces in the U.S.

The Echo Lake Aquarium and Science Center on the shores of Lake Champlain features the natural history of the area as well as the historical heritage of the lake area. Permanent exhibits include 15 frog species from six continents, the geology of the Champlain basin and the people who lived in this region throughout history. Children enjoy the hands-on exhibits. The award-winning “green” building offers panoramic views of the lake and the Adirondack Mountains from its deck.

Next to the center is the Lake Champlain Navy Memorial in the Leahy Center for Lake Champlain’s Hoehl Park.

University of Vermont

The Robert Hull Fleming Museum of Art is on the University of Vermont campus. It features over 20,000 objects that cover American, African, European, Ancient Egyptian, and Middle Eastern art. You can also see artwork by Vermont artists. Among the Egyptian artifacts are a mummy and coffin.

The Hill can be seen as Main Street starts rising from just above the lake shore to the hilltop campus of the University of Vermont. It was in this area that Burlington’s prosperous merchants and leaders built their stately homes and mansions on the upper shores.

Many of the finest have been preserved as residences and as part of the smaller Champlain College.

The highlight is the ornate Williams Science Hall.

Ethan Allen Homestead sits on 1,400 acres of land north of the city. This is the home of Revolutionary War hero, Ethan Allen. He became a sort of folk hero in Vermont. Other farm buildings here house archaeology and history exhibits. There are hiking trails with signage explaining the natural environment.

The Ethan Allen Park has an observation tower with spectacular views of Lake Champlain and the surrounding area.

Waterfront Park and Burlington Bike Path

Near the docks, you’ll find Vermont’s only All-American Display Garden with the newest varieties of flowering ornamental plants that bloom all summer.

Waterfront Park is popular for running, cycling, walking, and picnicking. In the autumn and summer festivals are held here.

Above the shore is Battery Park at the top of Battery street.

The World’s Tallest Filing Cabinet is a 38-drawer monument and located just outside of Burlington. It was built in 2002 by a local artist. Each drawer represents the number of years of paperwork that the artist gathered while designing it.

The Lovely Capital Montpelier

Montpelier is the capital of Vermont. It is a vibrant city with plenty of architecture and art to please the eye and lovely parks.

 

Hikers who love the challenge will enjoy Camel’s Hump. The trail runs for several miles and goes right through the heart of the city on its way to Duxbury. The two cities are 12 miles apart. There are spectacular views along the way and in the wintertime, you can ski along the paths.

Maple sugar fans will enjoy a trip to Bragg Farm Sugar House. This is a family-owned and operated business in a very homey setting.

You can learn about the production of maple syrup and get maple candies in the gift shop.

Hubbard Park has miles of trails where you can walk or run. It offers great views of Camel’s Hump. The observation tower and a steep stone edifice have stood here for over one hundred years.

 

The Vermont State House is an impressive building which resembles the Capitol Building in Washington, D.C. It is topped by a golden dome. The manicured lawns are colorful with flowers and greenery and get for strolling.

North Branch Vineyards are family owned and run. They grow their grapes by the North Branch River to make their delicious wine.

There is a tasting room open to visitors.

The Vermont History Museum has interactive exhibits and informative displays. There is a lot to learn about the history of Vermont.

The T.W. Wood Art Gallery has an interesting mix of permanent and revolving exhibits. It was founded in 1895. It contains one of the oldest and largest Permanent Collections in the state and has the honor of being the repository of Vermont’s portion of the Federal WPA collection.

 

https://www.planetware.com/tourist-attractions-/burlington-us-vt-bur.htm

https://theculturetrip.com/north-america/usa/vermont/articles/the-top-10-things-to-do-and-see-in-montpelier-vermont/

https://theculturetrip.com/north-america/usa/vermont/articles/11-must-see-historical-landmarks-in-vermont/