____________________________________________________

Burlington, Vermont                              A great place to call home

Family Life as a Resident in Burlington

Family life in Burlington can be anything you want it to be. If you prefer spending unstructured days outdoors and enjoying all nature has to offer, then Burlington is for you. If you enjoy lots of activities for your children, including classes, camps, and sports, then Burlington is also for you. If you want a community that prioritizes families with an endless schedule of festivals, a vast support network, and child-friendly activities, then Burlington is definitely the place for you.

Burlington is consistently rated a top city for raising a family, and it's easy to see why. Year round, indoors and out, you can find something to appeal to every member of your family. The downtown Church Street Marketplace offers unique shops, fantastic restaurants, and a festive atmosphere, great for afternoon shopping or exciting nightlife (www.churchstmarketplace.com). In the summer you can boat on Lake Champlain, hike Camels Hump, and bike along the paved waterfront path. During the winter enjoy top-rated ski resorts, ice fishing, even a Penguin Plunge into Lake Champlain! The kids can participate in sports ranging from Little League Baseball to ice hockey, and everyone can enjoy watching the Vermont Lake Monsters (www.vermontlakemonsters.com) play at Centennial Field.

The Burlington School District (www.bsdvt.org) spends more money per child than the national average to ensure a quality education. To supplement the standard curriculum, your talented children might participate in the Vermont Youth Orchestra (www.vyo.org) or even run off to join the circus as part of Circus Smirkus (www.circussmirkus.org). For everything in between, check out youth offerings through the Fletcher Free Library (www.fletcherfree.org), classes at the YMCA (www.gbymca.org), and nature encounters at the Echo Center (www.echovermont.org).

Vermont farmers produce more than award-winning cheese and maple syrup. In fact, you will find that many of your favorite foods are grown in Vermont (www.eatlocalvt.org). Either harvest it yourself at numerous local farms (www.intervale.org), buy it at a nearby farmers market, or head to any number of popular restaurants that participate in the Vermont Fresh Network (www.vermontfresh.net). Your children will even be served healthy, locally-grown fruits and vegetables in their school cafeteria, thanks to recent efforts in the Burlington School District.

The whole family can enjoy community events all year long. Burlington hosts First Night for New Year's Eve (www.firstnightburlington.com), a Winter Festival, Kids Day, the Chew Chew Festival (www.greenmountainchewchew.com), and a Jazz Festival (www.discoverjazz.com), just to name a few. In the fall you can visit any number of harvest festivals to pick your own apples and sample cider doughnuts while enjoying the remarkable fall foliage.

Everyone in your family will find something of interest in Burlington. Whatever your hobbies, Burlington has something for you.

The Single Life as a Resident in Burlington

For a city of its size, Burlington boasts a multitude of opportunities to meet and mingle with other single folks. Burlington's multi-faceted charm and multiple universities attract people with varied interests from all parts of the world.

Burlington boasts many neighborhood coffee shops and unique eateries. In the summer months, grab a seat at one of the many outdoor cafes or clubs and enjoy the warm breeze rolling off the lake. International fare includes Hibachi grills, Brazilian Steak house, French and Italian country cuisine, and Indian and Asian selections. Traditional American restaurants, incredible brunch bistros, and waterfront eateries with prime seats for late night dates and sunset-watching, are all available to you.

After dinner destinations are in abundance. You can grab a seat at stylish lounges with avant-garde DJs or snatch a barstool at exceptional Microbrew-Pubs and anything in between. Dozens of smaller music venues show off local talent, while big name musicians pack the classic Flynn Theater and numerous other indoor and outdoor showcases. To satisfy the night owls, various dance clubs weave rhythmic vibes until the late hours.

An assortment of festivals held throughout the year will satisfy your passion for brews, eats, International Film, Mozart, and more. These are held at parks throughout town and provide an excellent destination for socializing or just relaxing with friends.

If you want to spend a weekend away in the big city, Montreal and Boston can be visited in an easy daytrip, and New York City is close enough to drop in for the weekend.

Sports and Outdoor Activities

Vermont offers incredible, year-round opportunities for the athletic enthusiast as well as the occasional weekend adventurer.

The winter provides ample snowfall in the mountains for ski resorts to open from November through mid-March. Stowe, Smuggler's Notch, Bolton Valley, and Jay Peak are the local favorites within about an hour's drive. Fletcher Allen Health Care offers employee and resident discounts on season passes to a number of ski resorts. Additionally, several back country paths exist for those who seek to ski or snowboard in a more private venue. Cross country skiing, snow shoeing, and snowmobiling can be done at any number of mountain trails, resorts, or back country. In the winter Lake Champlain, as well as local lakes, typically have ice cover providing opportunities for ice fishing, ice skating, hockey, and kite surfing. The generally hilly terrain means that most parks have slopes for sledding. If you want to check out other winter sports such as ski jumping and bobsledding, the Olympic Center in Lake Placid, NY is just a 2 hour drive.

Spring, summer, and fall see a change in outdoor activity as the snowboards and skis are exchanged for bikes and kayaks. Vermont has absolutely fantastic scenery for cycling, whether you are looking for a few leisurely miles along the Burlington bike path or a century ride through the rolling hills in the shadow of the Green Mountains. Mountain biking is quite popular too, with a number of clubs, races, and family-oriented activities. Summertime hiking means beautiful views from the peaks in the Green Mountains, with an abundance of well-kept trails accessible within a 45-minute drive from Burlington. The Vermont Long Trail runs along the ridges of the Green Mountains with many access sites for day-hikes. Rock climbers will not be disappointed by the opportunities in the Green Mountains, the Adirondack Mountains, the local gym Petra Cliffs and the University of Vermont climbing wall. The annual Vermont City Marathon is held in Burlington in May, with a strong tradition of representatives from the Anesthesiology Department fielding a team or running individually. Multiple running races and triathlon series are held in the area, with races ranging from sprint to ½ ironman distance. Water activities such as kayaking, sailing, kite surfing, fishing, and swimming can be done either on Lake Champlain or any of the inland lakes or rivers, with notable world-class trout fishing in Vermont streams.

Skiing/Snowboarding:

Running/Cycling/Triathlon:

Water Activities:

__________________________________________________

return to Neurosurgery main page