Burlington, Vermont lends itself to a walk. It sits on the eastern shore of Lake Champlain, its commercial heart is a pedestrian mall, and Battery Park sits at the western end of downtown, overlooking the lake. This self-guided walking tour links several downtown and lakefront stops that appear in public sources such as Wikipedia's list of Burlington sites of interest: Church Street Marketplace, the lakefront attractions, Battery Park and the lakeside bike path. You can do it in a single outing or split it across a weekend.
A caution first. We describe each stop and where it sits relative to the others, but we have not measured walking distances or times, and we do not want to print numbers we cannot back up. Use a current map on your phone, and allow extra time if you plan to go inside a museum or linger in a park. Opening hours, ticket prices and event schedules change, so check each venue's own website before you go.
Stop 1: Church Street Marketplace
Start in the middle of downtown at the Church Street Marketplace. The Marketplace describes itself as four pedestrian blocks with more than 100 shops, restaurants and local small businesses, and says it was founded in 1981 by Bill Truex Jr., Pat Robins, U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy and Paul Bruhn. Wikipedia adds that the pedestrian mall hosts festivals year-round.
What to do here:
- Walk the four blocks slowly once, then decide where to stop. Because it is a pedestrian mall, you can take your time and look around.
- Use it as your coffee, snack or lunch stop. With more than 100 businesses, there is a wide range to choose from, and the list changes over time, so we have not named specific shops.
- Check the Marketplace's own calendar for events during your visit, since it hosts festivals through the year.
Stop 2: The waterfront and ECHO, Leahy Center for Lake Champlain
From downtown, head toward the lake. Wikipedia's list of the city's sites of interest includes Burlington Waterfront Park. Also on the waterfront is ECHO, Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, which Wikipedia places at 1 College Street on the city's waterfront.
ECHO has been open to the public since 2003, according to Wikipedia. The same source describes interactive exhibits, a 30-foot 3D plesiosaur model of "Champ," the legendary lake monster, traveling exhibitions, a 3D theater, and more than 70 species of fish, amphibians, invertebrates and reptiles. Wikipedia also says the building is the only lake aquarium in the United States with LEED certification. According to Wikipedia, the name ECHO originally stood for Ecology, Culture, History, and Opportunities for stewardship of the Lake Champlain Basin.
Practical notes:
- Treat ECHO as a half-stop or a main stop depending on your group. If you have children, plan more time; if you are mainly interested in scenery, you may prefer to stay outside.
- Admission and hours are not covered here. Check ECHO's website, since we could not confirm current details.
Stop 3: Lakefront views and the bike path
Once you are at the lake, take a few minutes to look out across Lake Champlain. The waterfront is also where you meet the lakeside bike and walking path. According to Wikipedia, the Burlington Bike Path was complete by 1990, running from Oakledge Park in the south to the Winooski River in the north, and it later became part of the Island Line Trail.
The Island Line Trail is described by Wikipedia as a roughly 14-mile rail trail; its text gives 14.4 miles while its infobox says 14, so treat the length as approximate. Wikipedia says the Burlington Bike Path and Oakledge Park sections are paved, the causeway is gravel or crushed stone, and a 200-foot gap in the causeway is crossed by a bike ferry run by Local Motion that Wikipedia says operates in the summer months. If you are only here for a walking tour, you do not need to go far: a short stretch along the shore gives you the lake views without committing to the whole trail.
Stop 4: Battery Park
Battery Park sits at the top of Battery Street at the western end of downtown, overlooking Lake Champlain, and covers 14 acres according to Wikipedia. It is named for the artillery that American forces stationed there during the War of 1812. On August 13, 1813, Wikipedia says, American gunners, with help from the USS President, held their position against a British squadron led by Lt. Colonel John Murray. The land was deeded to the City of Burlington in 1870, and the Battery Park Extension was added at the southern end in 1972.
Things to look for:
- The view. Wikipedia describes wide, sweeping views of Lake Champlain, and says it is a popular spot for watching Independence Day fireworks launched from a barge in the bay.
- A sunset claim. Wikipedia credits Rudyard Kipling with calling Battery Park's sunset view one of the two finest in the world. The source it cites is President Lyndon B. Johnson's remarks at Battery Park on August 20, 1966, in which Johnson said Kipling called the view one of the two finest on earth. We could not find Kipling's own words, so treat this as a well-repeated local story, not a documented quote.
- Features and monuments. The park has a bandshell, a playground, a bronze statue of Civil War veteran General William W. Wells and a red oak sculpture of Chief Gray Lock, a veteran of Gray Lock's War.
Optional add-ons
If you still have energy, public references point to a few more places worth looking up:
- The Flynn Center for the Performing Arts, which Wikipedia lists among Burlington's sites of interest. Check its schedule if you would like to pair the walk with a show.
- Oakledge Park in the South End, on the waterfront, which Wikipedia places at the southern start of the bike path.
- The Intervale, a large area of farms and nature preserves along the Winooski River, with a 360-acre campus of farmland, trails and open space managed by the Intervale Center. It sits along the Winooski River rather than on the downtown waterfront, so check a map and consider planning it as a separate outing.
Planning your day
A few general tips, none of which depend on a particular time of year:
- Check the weather. Burlington's winters are snowy; Wikipedia gives an average annual snowfall of 86 inches. If you visit in winter, dress for cold and wet footing, and check the City's winter parking page if you leave a car on the street overnight.
- Wear comfortable shoes. This is a walking tour; the route mixes pedestrian streets, park paths and the lakefront.
- Order your stops to suit the day. Start at Church Street, head toward the lake, then finish at Battery Park, or do it in reverse if you want to catch the view later in the day.
- Confirm everything with the source. Venue hours, event dates and admission prices change. The links in the Sources section are a starting point, not a substitute for each venue's own current information.
A suggested order, at a glance
| Order | Stop | One-line summary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Church Street Marketplace | Four pedestrian blocks, 100+ businesses, founded 1981 |
| 2 | Waterfront and ECHO | Lake Champlain exhibits and aquarium at 1 College Street, open since 2003 |
| 3 | Lakefront path | Part of the Burlington Bike Path / Island Line Trail |
| 4 | Battery Park | 14-acre park above the lake, linked to the War of 1812 |
What we did not include
We did not include restaurant recommendations, ticket prices, parking rates or opening hours, because they change often and we could not verify current figures. We also avoided ranking stops as "best" or "must-see"; the right route depends on how much time you have and who is with you.
Sources
- Church Street Marketplace, About (four pedestrian blocks, 100+ shops/restaurants/small businesses, founded 1981 and by whom): https://churchstmarketplace.com/about-us/
- Wikipedia, "Burlington, Vermont" (festivals on Church Street, sites of interest, bike path complete by 1990, Oakledge, Flynn, Intervale, snowfall): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burlington,_Vermont
- Wikipedia, "ECHO, Leahy Center for Lake Champlain" (1 College Street, open since 2003, exhibits, 70+ species, LEED, name meaning): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ECHO,_Leahy_Center_for_Lake_Champlain
- Wikipedia, "Battery Park (Burlington, Vermont)" (14 acres, War of 1812, August 13, 1813, deeded 1870, extension 1972, views, fireworks, Kipling attribution, monuments): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battery_Park_(Burlington,_Vermont)
- American Presidency Project, Lyndon B. Johnson, "Remarks at Battery Park, Burlington, Vermont," August 20, 1966 (source Wikipedia cites for the Kipling sunset line): https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/remarks-battery-park-burlington-vermont
- Wikipedia, "Island Line Trail" (14 / 14.4 miles, surfaces, 200-foot gap, Local Motion ferry): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Island_Line_Trail
- Intervale Center, Mission & Vision (360-acre campus, along the Winooski River): https://www.intervale.org/mission-vision
- City of Burlington, Winter Parking (overnight street parking during snow bans): https://www.burlingtonvt.gov/628/Winter-Parking
Facts checked 2026-10-09 and re-checked 2026-10-12. Re-verify hours, prices and event details before publishing.
