Church Street Marketplace & Burlington Waterfront

Church Street Marketplace is Burlington's four-block pedestrian retail and dining corridor running from Pearl Street to Main Street in the heart of Vermont's largest city. The brick-paved street is lined with more than 100 shops, restaurants, and cafés — ranging from local Vermont boutiques and national retailers to food carts, street musicians, and public art installations. The marketplace dates to 1981, when the street was converted from a car thoroughfare to a pedestrian zone, and has since become the commercial and social heart of Burlington. At its northern end, the 1816 Unitarian Church anchors a long view down the corridor. Three blocks west, the Burlington Waterfront stretches along Lake Champlain's shoreline with public parks, a paved recreation path, kayak rentals, and launch facilities. Waterfront Park hosts summer concerts, the weekly Saturday Farmers Market from May through October, and public events throughout the season. The ECHO Leahy Center at 1 College Street anchors the southern waterfront, with an aquarium and science exhibits on the lake's ecology. Cyclists can access the Island Line Trail from the waterfront, a rail-trail crossing Lake Champlain via a causeway to the Champlain Islands. Church Street is most vibrant June through September, when street performers and outdoor café seating fill the corridor daily. December brings holiday lights and a festive atmosphere to the marketplace. Most visitors spend 2–4 hours covering both Church Street and the waterfront, though a full afternoon with a waterfront sunset easily extends to 4–6 hours in summer. Parking is available in the Marketplace Garage on Cherry Street at $1.50 per hour.