Waterfront Park — Attraction in Burlington

Burlington's Waterfront Park is a quiet, long, and narrow city park with open spaces for all the picnics, dog walking, and public events you could imagine. Although there's a number of surrounding businesses, a modest board walk, two nearby marinas, a bike path and a skate park, poor planning and lack of investments have managed to squelch these potential highlights. Despite the 400 year maritime history of Burlington, You could easily overlook the fact that this was once the world's largest lumber port because of the scarce historical information. However you could sign up for a pricey one hour segwey tour or just make an effort to find a sporadically placed plaque. It's seems such a pitty that this vast waterfront area is underutilized. The Lake Champlain Chamber of Regional Commerce could take a que from the tourism boards of Boston or any other waterfront town across the world. If the Waterfront Park were in any other state the charm would be off the scale. If you are well traveled, you'll agree that the park is REALLY missing something. The true character comes from views of the Adirondack Mountains and tiny towns of New York. The charm it does have comes from the random mix of people you'd meet. Aside from mountain views, 4th of July/New Year's Eve fireworks, several summer concerts, or the penguin plunge, a majority of the waterfront is pretty unremarkable at best. The main draw is ECHO Center which is an attraction similar to Boston's Aquarium, but on a smaller scale. It's also sad that the lack of infrastructure and interest have a negative affect on the flow of tourist dollars in this sleepy New...

I had not been to Waterfront Park in quite a while, and recently got the chance due to my daughters college graduation cruise. I dropped her off at the "Spirit of Ethan Allen" dock, and chose to stay in Burlington to sightsee. The weather was magnificent, but to me, any weather is beautiful by the water. May in Burlington, Vt is stunning- everything is that wonderful luscious green that heralds rebirth after a long winter. Leaves are bursting from branches, the electric purple of the rhododendron provide explosions of colour. The water was a mirror glass, reflecting clouds, sunlight, pylons, the pier....The rich blues of the Adirondacks framed all. I am a photographer and painter, so I took advantage of this natural beauty- and to reflect on the immensity of this amazing lake- Lake Champlain. If you like people watching, this is the place for you- I was a bit overwhelmed at first, but it also was the University of Vermont graduation, so an even bigger crowd was at hand. I walked up College St to Church St for some goodies and shopping- although many stores were closed by this time (6:30pm). I walked back down to the waterfront to watch and photograph the sunset! Just incredible- the light and shadows, the buoy lights coming on, the boathouse and dock lights coming on- There are concession stands that sell drinks and portable goods, parking is not too bad, and the Echo Center is also located there. If you choose the daytime for a visit, go the the Echo Center, a lake science museum that is definitely worth a looksee. Waterfront park is a must when...

Despite the on-going construction, Burlington's Waterfront Park is a pleasant and engaging area. I brought visiting family here to see Lake Champlain and experience the scenic views of New York's Adirondack peaks from Vermont's largest city. With dinner cruises departing from the marina, sidewalk museum activities, and a plethora of photo opportunities, Waterfront Park is rarely a disappointment. For the price of parking for a few hours, my family enjoyed the quintessential Burlington waterfront experience...snapping selfies along the docks, relaxing in the afternoon breeze, and exploring nearby shopping and attractions. We were even lucky enough to catch a hot air balloon drifting over downtown. The uphill view of Burlington from the waterfront is equally enchanting and reminiscent of larger west coast cities. Whether visiting with children or adults, the waterfront is a safe, fun, and beautiful place to enjoy the best of Vermont's early autumn weather and the perfect jumping off point for exploring the rest...