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Located on the picturesque eastern shores of Lake Champlain, Burlington is the largest city in the state of Vermont. The 2000 Census listed the city's population as just under 39,000, though the Burlington Metropolitan Area boasted an estimated 206,000 residents, roughly a third of the state’s total population. Among the numerous benefits of residing in Burlington are its close proximity to large employers, a phenomenal public transportation system, state-of-the-art hospitals, retail centers, first-rate colleges, as well as some of the country's most famous ski resorts. But Burlington is more than just a quaint, convenient city, it’s the nexus of a region famous for its artistic and cultural accomplishments. Ice sculptures grace the city during the winter months, summer jazz festivals attract talent from all over the country, and galleries proudly showcase the work of artists who create in every conceivable medium. And because of its strong sense of community and rural, country-town flavor, Burlington is able to combine the amenities of a metropolis with the attractions of its abundant natural surroundings.

Education

In 2008, over 3,600 students were enrolled in the Burlington School District, which consists of six elementary schools, two middle schools, and Burlington High School. Burlington takes great pride in the accomplishments of its school's athletic programs. The Burlington Seahorses men’s basketball team has won the state Division 1 Championship four times in the past ten years, the Track and Field team won the Spring and Winter championships in 2009, while the women’s soccer team won the 2008 state championship! In addition to athletic accomplishments, BHS has had many distinguished alumni grace its halls, notables such as former First Lady Grace Coolidge and former Lieutenant Governor Doug Racine. The school district also features a remarkable public service strategy, one of which is the Community Service program, which requires each high school student complete ten hours of community service a year, such as assisting the Red Cross during blood drives occasionally hosted at the Burlington High School. Burlington also offers diverse institutions of higher education, such as the University of Vermont, Champlain College, Burlington College, and CCV (Community College of Vermont). In addition, Vermont Technical College has a campus conveniently located just minutes away in the town of Williston.

Town Life and Activities

There are plenty of recreational activities for the whole family in Burlington. During the warmer months, many residents enjoy walking or biking along the Burlington bike path, which often runs next to scenic Lake Champlain. There are also many wonderful public parks in Burlington. North Beach offers swimming and camping only minutes away from downtown, or you can head a few minutes south and enjoy the lake views at beautiful Oakledge Park. Raining out? No problem. The ECHO Lake Aquarium and Science Center is a fun learning experience for adults and children of all ages! All these amenities are managed by Burlington Parks and Recreation, which offers many day camps for kids and activities for the whole family.

During the winter, Burlington residents can go skiing or snowboarding at several famous ski locations such as Mad River Glen, Smugglers Notch, and Jay Peak, all within an hour's drive. In fact, the outdoors are never far away in Burlington. The majestic Green Mountains are close by for hiking, or you can enjoy fishing and boating in Lake Champlain. In fact, it is likely because of these abundant outdoor activities that Burlington is considered an extremely healthy place to live. In 2006 it was rated the ninth best city to live, and in 2008 it was rated by the Center for Disease Control as having the best proportion of people in good to great health. Plus, If you’re a sports fan, you can go see the UVM Catamounts Hockey and Basketball teams at Patrick Gymnasium, or during the spring and summer months you can watch the Vermont Lake Monsters, Burlington's very own minor league baseball team!

The Arts are a big part of life in Burlington, and nowhere is more central to the art scene than the Flynn Center for the Performing Arts, which features everything from orchestral concerts by the Vermont Symphony Orchestra to musicals like Porgy and Bess. The nearby club Higher Ground provides an excellent venue for all types of musical performances, as does Nectar's, a local establishment famous for it’s live music. And for you book lovers, Burlington also features the Fletcher Free Library, the largest free library in the state. Burlington’s media is lively as well, offering the newspapers 7 Days and the Burlington Free Press, several radio stations, and four network affiliated television stations. Residents within the city limits can enjoy inexpensive media options through the municipally owned Burlington Telecom, equipped with fiber-optic technology for lightning fast internet, as well as extensive T.V. and telephone service.

Business

Burlington is renowned for it’s wide variety of shopping. The famous Church Street Marketplace is a four block, outdoor pedestrian mall located at the heart of the city. The brick-covered street features many fine dining establishments, offering an amazing variety of cuisine sure to please any craving; French, Italian, Japanese, Chinese, Mexican, and Vietnamese delights are all available to satisfy your most exotic whim. Other notable business’s include Borders Bookstores, Abercrombie and Fitch, Banana Republic, Urban Outfitters, American Apparel, and many more. If it’s too cold to shop outdoors, then step right in to the Burlington Town Center mall and shop indoors, or catch a movie at Merrill’s Roxy Cinemas. Other destinations include a stop at the Burlington City Market/Onion River Cooperative, which specializes in health and organic foods.

Besides shopping pleasures, residents of Burlington have a wide variety of employment opportunities located right in town, including Fletcher Allen Hospital and the University of Vermont, each of which employ about 4,000 people. General Dynamics, G.S. Blodgett, Lake Champlain Chocolates, Burton, and Seventh Generation are other major employers in Burlington. Other notable employers in the surrounding areas of Chittenden County are IBM and General Electric, located only minutes away.

Transportation

Burlington is conveniently located right off of Interstate 89, with Routes 2 and 7 entering the city from the East and South. The King Street Ferry offers convenient access across the lake to New York, and CCTA (Chittenden County Transportation Authority) runs bus routes to many destinations throughout the surrounding towns. As an added bonus, CCTA conveniently connects to the downtown transportation terminal in the nearby town of Essex Junction, providing rail service through Amtrak. For longer trips, one can use the Pine Street Greyhound Terminal or fly out of the Burlington International Airport, which offers commercial flights on Continental, Delta, Jetblue, and others.

Burlington is more than a city, it is a beautiful, safe, convenient, and family-friendly community. Nowhere else can the majesty of nature, the cultures of the world, and the modernity of our global connections entwine to produce a place anyone will be proud to call home.