Church Street Marketplace

In the 1970s, like many American downtowns, Burlington's core was struggling against suburban malls. Rather than surrender, the city took the bold step of closing its main commercial street to traffic and rebuilding it as a landscaped pedestrian marketplace, which opened in 1981.

The gamble paid off. While many downtowns hollowed out, Church Street filled with independent businesses and became a model that planners still study, proof that a walkable, human-scaled street can outcompete a parking lot.

The mall mixes local boutiques and bookstores with restaurants whose tables spill onto the brick, plus a rotating cast of buskers, from folk singers to acrobats, licensed to perform along the street. Kiosks and carts sell crafts, food, and Vermont-made goods.

Because Burlington is a college town, home to the University of Vermont, the crowd skews young and lively, and the street stays busy into the evening. Seasonal festivals, holiday lights, and farmers markets keep bringing people back.

Church Street points straight toward Lake Champlain, and it is a short walk down to the revitalized waterfront, with its parks, boardwalk, science center, and ferries to New York. The Island Line bike path runs from here out along the lake on an old railroad causeway.

That connection between a vibrant downtown and a working, beautiful lakefront is what makes Burlington feel larger and more spirited than its modest population would suggest. The Adirondack peaks across the water complete the view.

Summer and early fall are the marketplace at full tilt, with outdoor dining, festivals, and long evenings, and foliage season adds color to the hills across the lake. It is the best time to experience the street's energy.

Winter brings holiday lights and a hardier crowd bundled between the shops and heated cafes, with skiing an hour away in the mountains. Spring wakes the street back up as the tables return to the brick.

The closest Boutel™ stays, so you can turn this stop into an overnight. Each is a place we chose through independent editorial review, never a paid placement.

The Church Street Marketplace, in downtown Burlington, Vermont, is a vibrant, historic, four-block pedestrian mall that is the lively heart of the city, lined with shops, restaurants, cafes, and entertainment. Closed to cars and paved with brick, the bustling marketplace features a mix of local boutiques, national stores, and eateries in historic buildings, along with street performers, outdoor dining, public art, and a festive atmosphere in all seasons. A beloved gathering place and shopping and dining destination near the shore of Lake Champlain, it captures Burlington's welcoming, walkable spirit. With its shops, dining, and atmosphere, the Church Street Marketplace offers a delightful destination in Vermont.

You can stroll the car-free brick-paved marketplace, browse local boutiques and shops, dine at the many restaurants and cafes, enjoy outdoor dining and street performers, admire public art, and soak up the lively downtown atmosphere. The shopping, the dining, the street entertainment, and the festive, walkable ambiance are the draws, making it a favorite place to spend an afternoon or evening in Burlington. It is lively in every season, near the Lake Champlain waterfront. With its shops and dining, the Church Street Marketplace offers a rewarding experience in Vermont.

The mild months of spring through fall offer the most pleasant weather for strolling the outdoor marketplace, enjoying outdoor dining and street performers, with summer especially lively and fall beautiful with foliage, while the marketplace is festive year-round, including during the holiday season. Evenings are lively for dining. For the liveliest atmosphere and outdoor dining aim for spring through fall, or enjoy the festive holidays, at the Church Street Marketplace in Burlington, Vermont.

The Church Street Marketplace is a walkable, car-free district best enjoyed on foot, so comfortable shoes and time to wander help, and parking is available in nearby garages and lots. It is liveliest around mealtimes, evenings, weekends, and during festivals and events. Shop and restaurant hours vary by business, so checking ahead for specific spots is wise. It pairs well with the nearby Lake Champlain waterfront. Planning for parking and business hours ensures a pleasant visit to the Church Street Marketplace in Vermont.

The Church Street Marketplace is in downtown Burlington, Vermont, near the Lake Champlain waterfront, within reach of the ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, the Shelburne Museum and Shelburne Farms to the south, and the Burlington area. That makes the Church Street Marketplace a delightful stop to combine with the ECHO Leahy Center, the Shelburne Museum, and the other attractions of the Burlington area on a visit to Vermont.