Colchester Real Estate
Colchester is a lovely town located just north of Burlington Vermont along the shore of Lake Champlain. It is the fourth largest municipality in the state and the second largest town by population with just under 17,000 residents, according the the 2000 census. In addition to it’s country charm, Colchester offers plenty of retail shopping and activities and is only a few minutes drive from the amenities of the “big city” of Burlington. The Green Mountains are only a little less than an hour’s drive away, and just to the north of Colchester on Route 7 are the four scenic “Lake Champlain Islands,” a paradise for fishermen and boaters! But you don’t have to leave Colchester to enjoy Lake Champlain – beautiful Mallets Bay and the Causeway offer something for everyone.
Education
The School District of Colchester serves about 2,200 children and features three elementary schools, which feed into Colchester Middle School and Colchester High School. According to greatschools.org, Colchester HS has been awarded 4 stars out of 5. Colchester high boasts a student to faculty ratio of 13.49 to 1, and has a school completion rate of 93.6, higher than the state’s average, and the Colchester School District accepts out of town students from Grand Island, North and South Hero, and other districts. The Colchester Lakers are a division I High School, and the Colchester Theater Company is an award winning troupe which traditionally puts on three shows a year.
Activities
There’s a lot to do in Colchester! The Parks and Recreation department have youth activities for all interests. During the summer they offer athletic camps in ten different sports, from archery to skateboarding. For kids that love the outdoors there are the Explorer and Jr. Explorer day camps, or the adventurous can take the whole family out for sailing lessons! For mom and dad there are programs in tennis, volleyball, and many others.
The Town of Colchester has twelve public parks that are great for families. Take advantage of the family camping on Law Island, or enjoy a bike ride along the Causeway. The Causeway connects Colchester to the Lake Champlain Islands and was once the bed for the Rutland Railroad. There’s also the Niquette Bay State Park, which is open for day use and has picturesque limestone cliffs offering a stunning view of the lake.
Business
Colchester has some great restaurants, such as local Italian Restaurant Junior’s and the Dragonfly Cafe. There’s plenty of shopping in town, including the region’s only Costco, while the University Mall and Church Street Marketplace are only a few minutes away. There are also several major employers in the town, notably St. Michael’s College and Mywebgrocer. IBM, Fletcher Allen Healthcare, and General Dynamics are also within easy commuting distance.
Transportation
Colchester can be reached right off of Interstate 89, and is only a few minutes away from the Essex downtown transportation hub, which offers rail service by Amtrak. CCTA, the county’s amazing public transportation system, also runs routes connecting Colchester to various points in Chittenden County. The Burlington International Airport is also close by and books commercial flights with Continental, Delta, JetBlue, and others.
For anyone looking for a quiet, rural setting on the shores of Lake Champlain, Colchester is a great place to settle down. It’s a rare combination of stunning natural beauty and suburban convenience that’s hard to come by, and all within less than fifteen minutes drive from the “big city!”