[debaucherous]

Hi all-

I did a quick search and found some generic info - but would like more. What is Burlington area like? Is it a good place for professionals w/out kids to live?

There is a position at UVM that they seem to want me for... I am from Idaho, I've never been to north VT and am looking for some general info. Weather, terrain, etc.

Any advice, or links would be appreciated.
Thanks.

 

[bmike]

Burlington, the San Francisco of New England or something like that from a horrible marketing campaign of years past.

Before I was married and moved here (and now have a little one) I called it Girlington.
Hour or less from skiing, hour or less from mountains (bikes, hikes, camp, tent, etc.)
Couple of hours from the ADKs depending on how you get there.

4 from Boston.
6ish from NYC
1.5 from Montreal

Small city, college town. Lots of youth and energy. Crabby politicians infighting that will probably gridlock any issues for the foreseeable future.

It can be cold and gray here in winters without much snow - but usually the mountains are white capped. Ski, board, backcountry xc... just over there. Great local food scene. Good farmers markets. Plenty of creative types running around. Lots of bikes on the road all year long. Generally fit and well educated populace - with a fair share of white trash and ******* thrown in. Lots of small towns around to get that quaint VT fix. Dirt roads just out of town. Good road riding. Good MTB. Couple of hours to the Kingdom Trails.

Big lake out there for sailing, kayaking, motorboating, fishing, ice skating, etc. Wilderness just across it in the ADKs for backcountry stuff... etc. etc.

 

[Dremer03]

I would stay away from about 1/2 mile radius of the Church Street Market place if you like it quiet at your place. Lots of good riding, road, path, and trail. Big lake to look at or use. 4 Good bike shops in town, the Ski Rack, North Star Cyclery, Old Spokes Home, and Royal Cycles. UVM has a nice cycling team you can cheer on. When you think of a college town you think of it having one college right? Well I think Burlington has at least 4. If you like organic foods there is the City Market in in the middle of the City. There are tons of restaurants, and 863 togo if you dont actually want to eat in any of them. Burlington is very ethnic, and has lots of refuge type people including a few Lost boys of the Sudan. Over all its a good place to live, someone even told me it was the healthiest city in the USA.

 

[LEW802]

I just moved to Waterbury about a half hour from Burlington or as mentioned above Girlieton. So far I love the area around Burlington and Waterbury and ppl seem really nice and helpful also. No idea where you are moving from but be ready for most trips to anywhere to take about a hour and up. There are only 2 major highways in the state both are north south roads 89 runs more east west if you ask me and 91 is on the east side of the state. For trails in the area and I will be first to say I am no expert on them since I have only lived in area 6 months the trails in Waterbury are said to be best in state trails in Stowe and Northeast Kingdom if you head south you have Middlebury and a little park in Rutland and also Killington does lift service.
Oh and I forgot there are alot of microbrews in the area.
you now know as much about the area as I do minus the rock and ice climbing

 

[WEBERTIME]

I grew up in South Burlington, went to UVM, work in Burlington, and live in Hinesburg...
My favorite quote about B-town, "Burlington is great because it is so close to Vermont".

Burlington itself is pretty cool but I would look into living in the surrounding towns (Jericho, Hinesburg, Essex, Westford, Richmond, So. Burlingon, Shelburne, Monkton) because you still have the same sort of laid back vibe but with a lower cost/crime/noise/closer to REAL riding... It'll keep the novelty of Burlington fresh as well as give you a taste of what the rest of VT is like.

IF you are set on living in Burlington check out the neighborhoods around/near Howard St down to Furgison Ave. (the "Soho" of Burlington) and out in the New North End.

Royal Cycles is the best shop (period) Jay and John are great.

Great sites/resources as to the Burlington area...
www.7dvt.com (village voice type paper)
www.fotwheel.org (trail advocates/builders)
http://www.city-data.com/city/Burlington-Vermont.html (for the demographics/weather/nerd-data)

What department are you looking at with UVM?

 

[Woozle]

Keep in mind that N VT can be cloudy and wet and muddy for long stretches, big diff from ID.

 

[Jwind]

Burlington is a nice little hip town. The college crowd certainly over runs it tho. Be ready for that. It's a small town with a big school.

 

[murph62903]

Burlington

Here's my take. I have lived in Burlington (Girlington) for 8 years now. We live in the New North End a more residential and quieter area. It is almost like a different town from the downtown and the college area
it is expensive but has many of the conviences of a bigger town (restaurants, nightlife, festivals)
I can ride/walk to the grochery store,post office, bank, beach, dog park etc
I can ride from my house and link together the many small sections of single track that are found throught the north end of town ( eathan allen park, behind burlington high school and along the bike path)
Yes, there are lots of college kids but the colleges also keep the town progressive
there is a strong art and music scene
Yes the winters are long, cloudy and cold ( it was 3 this morning when I woke up)
I find the skiing and riding the best in New England. Stowe, Smuggs, Bolton are all within a reasonable drive ( about an hour)
the local mountain biking group has done a wonderful job and building more and more HIGH quality trails every year (fotwheel.org) Most trails are about 30 min. drive from town with lots more with-in an hours drive.

 

[bmike]

We live in the New North End a more residential and quieter area. It is almost like a different town from the downtown and the college area

Thats the truth!

I'm out in the NNE as well... trying desperately to sort out our housing issues and get the place for sale in a down market. We need to be in the SE or out of town. Love living in town - but just can't take 'little suburbia' and the NNE mentality much longer.

I stitch together those same trails for a morning loop. Then hit downtown to climb some hills, and head back. Good for a quick fix in town, for sure.

 

[NW_Vermont]

'95 grad from UVM's Engineering and Math here.

I agree with all the above. Continue your "internets" search and you will see multiple articles from different reviewers/publications reporting on how great a place Burlington is to live.

As above, the Burlington area is great. There are few places like Burlington in the US where you can have a rural and healthy lifestyle, world renowned skiing, close proximity to major cities, Lake Champlain opportunities and a vibe of outdoor oriented activity.

UVM is growing. The Burlington waterfront is beautiful. I agree it is expensive, but unlike other cities you may know, we don't have any real vacant malls, storefronts, etc. I guess I'm saying the area is economically healthy, relatively speaking.

You should definitely pay Burlington a visit. Make sure you have a list of must-sees suited to your interests and the gang here can help you out.

Please reply with specific questions or interests.

Oh, and I re-read your posts. Weather stats should be available on line for highs/lows and other meteorological data. Burlington can expect to see minimum and max temperatures of -30F and 95F at least once per year. Burlington can be 0 to 20 degrees warmer than other parts of the state. Terrain- Near Lake Champlain, the terrain is generally the flattest in the state. Lake Champlain's level varies a bit but call it 100 feet above sea level. The terrain in the Champlain Valley area (next to the lake) is typically 300-1000 feet. About, say, 20 miles due east of Burlington you get into the spine of the Green Mountains. Mount Mansfield tops our state at 4,393 feet above sea level. The green mountains have a common ridge (spine) that runs north-south for the full length of the state. We have pretty rugged weather here-summer and winter but it is just a way of life. Snowfall amounts are lowest in the Champlain Valley with Jay Peak on the border with Quebec reporting about 360 inches (average) of snow per year.

NW_Vermont

 

[Uncle Jemima]

And then there were none...

The other aspect of Burlington is that it is a College Town, & has alot of Common Area. You will navigate past doofie kids with SOCIALISM peridoicals to distribute while at the Mall, begin to recognize street-corners for some persuasions and deregulation, and hear stories about Cultism and Cult activity.

The Campus is still recovering from a known cult member acting-out from a Mentally Ill-Equipped mind. There was a tragic Homocide at the Campus.

It was given a sense of Loss on 'YouTube'.

Whatever though. Anyone can focus on Negativity.

 

[murph62903]

Uncle Jemima: what are you talking about? yes, their are the socialist on Church street and the Anit war rallies? but do they really bother people/you that much?

 

[bmike]

And then there were none...

wha?

 

[bad news]

And then there were none...[/FONT

Talk about something coming from RIGHT field..

 

[skottt160]

If you have ever read some of the (mostly older) stuff in the iron horse forum you will know Auntie Jemima is full of crap; nothing more than a butthurt troll.

Burlington is great.

If by without kids and lifestyle, you are asking if there is a nightlife scene to keep you occupied, the answer is yes.

Burlington is also expensive. (compared to the other places I have lived).

 

[Uncle Jemima]

If you have ever read some of the (mostly older) stuff in the iron horse forum you will know Auntie Jemima is full of crap; nothing more than a butthurt troll.

Burlington is great.

If by without kids and lifestyle, you are asking if there is a nightlife scene to keep you occupied, the answer is yes.

Burlington is also expensive. (compared to the other places I have lived).

Allright dude, you have become a menace with taunting me on the IHBC Forum.

Tell all here with us in the Vermont Forum just what makes you the Moral Compass regarding mood and sentiment beyond Burlington VT and within its community?

You think I ride to put up with this???

 

[skottt160]

Allright dude, you have become a menace with taunting me on the IHBC Forum.

Tell all here with us in the Vermont Forum just what makes you the Moral Compass regarding mood and sentiment beyond Burlington VT and within its community?

You think I ride to put up with this???

Alright, chief.

You are pissed because I am ruining your riding experience? Wtf?

You don't ride to get bent out of shape when someone questions your assertion that one of the foremost features about an area is:

hear stories about Cultism and Cult activity.

The Campus is still recovering from a known cult member acting-out from a Mentally Ill-Equipped mind. There was a tragic Homocide at the Campus.

?

Man, that certainly is the reason I ride.

There are whack-jobs everywhere. When there is ONE among a student body of 9,000 ( i think UVM is about that size now...) or so that goes nuts, I don't think it defines a city.

Feel free to disagree, and have that disagreement improve your riding experience. :skep:

I'm sure you could find more antagonistic things to talk about. How bout we talk about the alleged Coast Guard sh1t that happened years ago? I bet one can find shitty things that have happened nearly anywhere. When one asserts these shitty anomalies are what define an area, I think that statement is more telling of the speaker than the area.

I have become a menace to you? You give me too much credit. I have responded to how many, lets see, three of your posts within the last month? And you are calling ME out? Interesting.

I am going to find it real shocking if I am your first experience in being disagreed with on the interwebs. In fact, in the Iron Horse forum that you allude to, I am pretty sure your a$$hole has been reamed by far more scathing posters than I. Do they get the same love and attention that I do? You might have to be careful, I have kind of a thing for abusive relationships occasionally. Meet up sometime?

As far as your whinings about a moral compass, if my assertion that "Burlington is great" designates me the 'moral compass' regarding Burlington and the surrounding area in your eyes, that isn't really my problem. If my assertion that "Burlington is great" makes me the irrational one, and yours that Burlington is full of socialist cults is the sage voice of reason in this thread, then I don't think the burden of proof is on me to show that.

We could talk about the great scenery, the incredible people, how active the community is, things like Bike Recycle Vt and local motion. We could talk about the skiing, we could talk about the availability of local food, we could talk about how the campus helps out in the community. But anyone can focus on the positive parts of an area

What is even so bad about the socialists with their pamphlets anyway? You might find in reading some of their literature their viewpoint is a little less radical than you think.

So how about it? It sounds like we are pretty close. Dinner sometime?

Then again, maybe Vermont is pretty crappy. We do have Uncle Jemima here... and that Dremer/vtolds. Aah, whatever. Screw this place.

 

[NW_Vermont]

Go start the bus!

A bit of history for the original poster:

Long about 50 years ago, little ol' Vermont got some excitement that certainly brought some change to the state. It involved the construction of the interstate system. I89 was born and runs right by Burlington. It brought people into the state and...better yet...allowed people to get out that much faster.

So, my point: Welcome to the people from out of state that want to embrace our way of life here. For the grumpy-asses who just want to crab..start the car...I89 runs both ways straight out of Vermont.

 

[Dremer03]

I Like Burlington, lived in the Old North End for the better part of a year, and now I live in South Burlington. I never had any issues with people, or cults, or crazies. There are serious drug issues in Burlington, but what city doesn't have a huge drug problem.

 

[Uncle Jemima]

Alright, chief.

You are pissed because I am ruining your riding experience? Wtf?

You don't ride to get bent out of shape when someone questions your assertion that one of the foremost features about an area is:

?

Man, that certainly is the reason I ride.

There are whack-jobs everywhere. When there is ONE among a student body of 9,000 ( i think UVM is about that size now...) or so that goes nuts, I don't think it defines a city.

Feel free to disagree, and have that disagreement improve your riding experience. :skep:

I'm sure you could find more antagonistic things to talk about. How bout we talk about the alleged Coast Guard sh1t that happened years ago? I bet one can find shitty things that have happened nearly anywhere. When one asserts these shitty anomalies are what define an area, I think that statement is more telling of the speaker than the area.

I have become a menace to you? You give me too much credit. I have responded to how many, lets see, three of your posts within the last month? And you are calling ME out? Interesting.

I am going to find it real shocking if I am your first experience in being disagreed with on the interwebs. In fact, in the Iron Horse forum that you allude to, I am pretty sure your a$$hole has been reamed by far more scathing posters than I. Do they get the same love and attention that I do? You might have to be careful, I have kind of a thing for abusive relationships occasionally. Meet up sometime?

As far as your whinings about a moral compass, if my assertion that "Burlington is great" designates me the 'moral compass' regarding Burlington and the surrounding area in your eyes, that isn't really my problem. If my assertion that "Burlington is great" makes me the irrational one, and yours that Burlington is full of socialist cults is the sage voice of reason in this thread, then I don't think the burden of proof is on me to show that.

We could talk about the great scenery, the incredible people, how active the community is, things like Bike Recycle Vt and local motion. We could talk about the skiing, we could talk about the availability of local food, we could talk about how the campus helps out in the community. But anyone can focus on the positive parts of an area

What is even so bad about the socialists with their pamphlets anyway? You might find in reading some of their literature their viewpoint is a little less radical than you think.

So how about it? It sounds like we are pretty close. Dinner sometime?

Then again, maybe Vermont is pretty crappy. We do have Uncle Jemima here... and that Dremer/vtolds. Aah, whatever. Screw this place.

Like the Sex I told you have with yourself when I responded to your wanker Messages, don't expect me to take any interest here with your Basketball Diaries.