Greater Burlington in the Summer
Top Picks in the Greater Burlington Region
Summer is your gateway to the sense of wonder and well-being that comes with slowing down and taking in your surroundings in Vermont. Plunge into a swimming hole, stroll a local festival, or simply find togetherness on the lakeshore or around the campfire. Hand-picked by the editors of Yankee Magazine, these 5 highlights are just some of what the Greater Burlington region offers as the Green Mountains come alive.
Colchester, Vermont
Sunset Drive-In & Starlight Inn
Double features have long been a hit for drive-in theaters—and that’s just what you’ll find at the Sunset Drive-In, a Colchester institution for more than 70 years. From spring till fall, it features movie pairings of new releases as well as classics on its four screens. (Restless kids will appreciate the playground and mini golf setup, too.) Make the evening a double feature and stay at the nearby Starlight Inn, an old-school motel with Hollywood memorabilia in each movie-star-themed room. Guests can sit outside their rooms with the FM radio tuned to what’s playing onscreen next door. But since drive-in admission for a whole carload is included in the room rate, many choose to go ahead and get closer to the action…and the concession stand’s famous hand-cut fries.
Burlington, Vermont
Burlington Discover Jazz Festival
Launched in 1984 with legendary jazz singer Sarah Vaughan as the headliner, this festival has been hitting the high notes ever since. Held over the course of several days in June, it draws more than 70,000 music fans to the Queen City for free and ticketed concerts at the historic Flynn Center, on the Lake Champlain waterfront, and at bars and other venues across downtown. Among the renowned artists to appear recently are Grammy winners Meshell Ndegeocello and Samara Joy, but Discover Jazz is not just about big names. The festival lineup also highlights emerging local musicians and composers and includes performances by middle and high school bands from across the state.
Adam’s Berry Farm, Charlotte
Growing strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and flowers makes this full-scale certified organic farm a favorite pick-your-own destination from early June all the way to October. Field work isn’t required, though, to get in on the bounty: A farm stand carries pre-picked berries and blooms, as well as fruity treats like small-batch jams, popsicles, and sorbet. Owners Adam Hausmann and Jessica Sanford established their farm with the help of the Vermont Land Trust and the Farmland Access Program, and their feeling for community connection is obvious. They sell goods from other local farms and producers at their stand, and they offer family-friendly events in their barn that range from music and storytelling to yoga.
Burlington, Vermont
Sailing Lake Champlain
Lake Champlain’s many sailing regattas and club races offer the beautiful sight of billowing sails on New England’s biggest lake—but why just watch the action from land? Visiting sailors can make Champlain their playground, too, with help from Burlington’s Community Sailing Center. For more than 30 years this nonprofit organization has helped people get out on the water through lessons and boat rentals, with proceeds going toward programs such as summer camp for BIPOC youth. For those who prefer letting someone else take the helm, private charters and small-group sails are available from Burlington-based tour operators such as the woman-owned Whistling Man Schooner Co., which takes passengers out on replica 19th-century sailing sloops.
Shelburne, Vermont
Vermont Teddy Bear
There’s nothing grizzly about doing bear surgery. At least not at North America’s largest manufacturer of teddy bears, where the half-hour factory tours are overstuffed with puns. John Sortino stitched the first Vermont Teddy Bears in 1981 and sold them from a cart. Now, more than 200,000 bears are made each year. You’ll be entertained and impressed as giant sheets of fur are cut, bear parts are expertly stitched and stuffed, and teddies are outfitted so they won’t enter the world “bear” naked. A favorite tour stop is the bear hospital, where these guaranteed-for-life companions receive full-coverage health care after, for instance, being chewed on by a family pet. In the shop, kids can even hand-make their own bears to cherish.
More to See and Do
Places to Visit In the Summer
Yankee Magazine’s editors hand-picked 5 places to visit in each Vermont region. Explore things to do in summer statewide.
