Five things to do in Burlington, Vermont

Visiting the college town and craft beer haven has been on my to do list for a long time. Having a sister at UVM is what finally made it happen. I fell almost instantly for the pedestrian friendly streets filled with adorable shops and delicious looking restaurants. Coming at peak foliage time only made the area more beautiful, if a bit more crowded. So, if you find yourself heading here for a weekend, some ideas for things you shouldn’t miss!

1. Wander around the church street shopping area. Tons of outdoor shops, coffee shops and tempting restaurants. All set up on a perfect New England Main Street. A tip though, if you have your heart set on a particular restaurant, call ahead to avoid disappointment. 
2. Stalk the Heady Topper deliveries. The self proclaimed most elusive beer in the world is only available in this area, and sells out almost immediately. There are websites dedicated to finding out when and where to buy it. The beer is delicious and you can reward yourself with one when you track it down.     
3. Watch some Catamount Hockey. The University of Vermont has one of the best college hockey teams in the country, often with NHL prospects playing.    It’s a fun (and reasonably priced) way to catch a sporting event. 
4. See how things are made! The Magic Hat brewery is not far out of town, and the Ben and Jerry’s factory is close by too! (And who can resist ice cream?) If neither of those sounds appealing, the Cabot Cheese factory is also worth a visit, and has tons of free samples. 
5. Catch a sunset over Lake Champlain.  With the beautiful water and photogenic mountain backdrop you can’t go wrong.  

Have you been to Vermont?