Where to base yourself
Downtown near Church Street Marketplace is the walkable choice — Hotel Vermont ($280-$450) and Courtyard Marriott ($200-$320) are the picks. The waterfront district near ECHO Center is quieter and has lake views. Skip the Williston chain hotels 10 miles out unless you’re catching an early BTV flight — nothing to do out there. The Hill Section near UVM has a couple of B&Bs and quick walking access to campus and downtown.
What to actually do
Walk Church Street (blocked to cars, packed with local shops and buskers), rent a bike and ride the Island Line Causeway to the Colchester bike ferry ($8 return, only summer), and eat. Really eat. Hen of the Wood, Honey Road, Pizzeria Verità, A Single Pebble for Chinese, and Lake Champlain Chocolates for the sample platter. Skip the ferry to New York unless you have a car on the other side.
Getting around
Burlington is walkable in about 25 minutes end to end. Green Mountain Transit runs local buses ($1.50). Uber and Lyft work but supply is thin — expect $12-$18 rides. The BTV airport is 3 miles east; a cab is about $18.
Good to know
Is Burlington worth more than 2 days?+
For the city itself, no — 2 days is right. But use it as a base for Shelburne Museum, Lake Champlain wineries, and Smugglers' Notch day trips and you can fill 4 days easily.
Best time to visit?+
Late June through early October. Winter is grey, cold, and lacks the mountain access that makes rural Vermont worth it in that season.