Road Trip to Burlington, Vermont

Since my husband and I are not working right now (we took off a couple weeks to prepare for our upcoming big move), we're trying to squeeze in as many final adventures and visits with friends as we can manage before we leave. Last week, we took a beautiful drive up to the Burlington, Vermont area, including a pit stop in Waterbury for a factory tour at Ben and Jerry's! After learning the magic of ice cream making and enjoying a free sample, we bought a larger serving of ice cream and took a walk up the hill from the factory to stroll around their Flavor Graveyard and admired the view of rural Vermont.

We continued our drive in the countryside spotting old barns, covered bridges, vibrant green pastures, and even blooming lupines.

Finally in Burlington, a vibrant little college town right on Lake Champlain, we strolled through their darling downtown area lined with shops, restaurants, and musicians playing in the streets. We ducked into Das Bierhaus and grabbed a table out on their rooftop biergarten to enjoy German beer, pretzels, and the afternoon sun.

Next, we met up with two of our favorite people and fellow Texans in New England, Crystal and Troy, for dinner at The Farmhouse Tap and Grill. They have cheese plates featuring local Vermont cheeses, fantastic burgers, and a great selection of local beers on tap.

On our after dinner stroll, we just happened to walk past the Burlington Ben and Jerry's which just happens to be the location of the original Ben and Jerry's factory. So naturally, we HAD to stop in for another ice cream! Who can pass up a historical landmark like that?  It was a great way to end the evening!

The next morning, we had a hearty breakfast at the Penny Cluse Cafe before hitting the road, and I'm so glad we did. This was hands down the highlight of the trip. It's a cute spot, walls lined with funky art submitted by local patrons. And the food! I ordered a spinach, mushroom, and cheese omelette that was light and fluffy and perfect and was served alongside homemade biscuits and jam, crispy home fries, strong coffee, and a grapefruit spritz made with freshly squeezed grapefruit juice. My husband's biscuits with herb gravy were equally good. They can sure cook up a good breakfast in Vermont!

After driving along the shoreline of Lake Champlain, we headed south toward Boston. It's a pretty long trip in New England terms (3.5 hours), but it's well worth it. I'm so glad we were able to pay Burlington a visit before moving away from the area. Now if only I could afford a summer vacation home along the lake...a girl can dream!