We fell hard for Burlington, Vermont. From the mountains to Lake Champlain to the restaurants and artisan food, this place had everything we crave. In no particular order, here are seven reasons to love Burlington, Vermont.

1. Factory Tours

   Do you watch “How It’s Made” on tv? Then maybe you’re like us and love factory tours. Burlington is flush with them for its size and a couple of them even come with delicious samples.
   

   • Ben and Jerry’s is in nearby Waterbury and runs tours of their factory (no photos in the production area for all you Slugworths). You do receive a sample at the end of the tour, but they have a full-service ice cream stand with lots of flavors, too. We liked wandering the flavor graveyard looking for past favorites and reading the very B&J humorous tombstones.
     
   • Burton Snowboards lets you take a tour of Craig’s R&D and prototyping facility (again no photos). For geeky product designers like ourselves, this was pretty awesome. Neither of us has ever stepped on a snowboard, but it really didn’t matter as the tour still captivated us.
     
   • Lake Champlain Chocolates is not so much a tour as a window into their factory. You’re seated the whole time while they explain the process and you watch everyone working. There are ample samples and it’s in their store selling their full line of chocolates and seconds which didn’t make the cut, but are still perfectly delectable. Across the street is the smaller factory room for their bean to bar venture, Blue Bandana. We used to dabble in bean to bar chocolate making and we liked watching the giant version of our melangeur grind the chocolate while we had lunch at the adjoining South End Kitchen.
     
   • The Vermont Teddy Bear Factory also has a tour, but we never made it there. It’s across from the Shelburne Museum and you may be able to tack it onto a trip if you budget your time accordingly, we did not.
     

2. Summer Festivals

   We have no doubt that Burlington is beautiful in the winter and filled with winter sports. After that snow finally melts, though, it feels like Vermonters try to suck everything they can out of the nice weather. I’m sure there are plenty of more festivals to see, but these are the ones we encountered while we were there.

   • The Festival of Fools fills Church Street marketplace with street theater. These buskers put on all kinds of performances from music to acrobatics to yo-yos. You can see busking in many touristy towns, but what is interesting here is the festival staff curates the performances and the performers hail from all over the world.
     
   • There are many outdoor music festivals in the area all summer, but we happened to arrive in time for the Summer Nationals Tour featuring one of my favorite bands Bad Religion. It was everything my 16-year-old self could want. It seems likely there would be some music to strike your fancy during your stay.
     
   • Nearby Stowe, Vermont hosts an Annual Antique Car Show and parade that started before half the cars were even considered antique! Combine it with some nearby trails and maple walnut ice cream and you’re set.
     

3. Local Specialties

   If you know us or read the sidebar, you’ll know we like to find regional foods. That is easy to do in Vermont. For some reason, I had it in my head before we arrived that I would try to cut down on my dairy consumption. Yeah, that didn’t last. Between the cheese and creemees, I was a goner.

   • Vermont is known for maple syrup and for good reason, the state produces 42% of the country’s maple syrup. Maple doesn’t only come in syrup form or have to be used on pancakes, check out our Maple Pumpkin Spice Muffins recipe.
     
   • Creemees are Vermont’s version of soft serve ice cream originally having a higher fat content than regular ice cream. They come in multiple flavors, but the most ubiquitous and unique to Vermont is maple. I don’t even care for ice cream all that much, it’s usually Brandon’s department, but I became addicted. To top it, some places offered black raspberry, my favorite fruit, so I ended up with a cream/purple swirl cone…and I’m starting to drool. Next!
     
   • Most people will recognize Cabot Creamery and some of their cheeses. They are a co-op of farmers across New England and New York and sell some fantastic cheddars including the hard to find Chipotle. They run three Cabot stores in Vermont including one in Waterbury Center, so you can visit on your way from Ben & Jerry’s. The stores have lots of other Vermont goodies, too. Technically, Grafton Village Cheese Company is in the southern part of the state, but you can find their products around Burlington, too, so be on the lookout. May we suggest the Maple Smoked Cheddar?
     
   • Apples are grown throughout the U.S., but not everywhere we’ve lived or visited, so seeing an orchard always make me happy. We were a little early for full-on apple season, the honeycrisps were starting to ripen, but that didn’t stop us from visiting Cold Hollow Cider Mill nor from them having an Apple Cider Festival. The mill has a store filled with Vermont-made foods (including the aforementioned Grafton cheese) and often have tastings of different varieties. In addition to a large jug of cider, we picked up apple cider jelly, and a cider doughnut that is made right in front of the store. Also, they have a separate lunch restaurant that was pretty good.
     
   • Finally, I know a lot of our friends and fellow RVers would be all over the brewery scene happening here, but that’s just not our jam. We did try a sampler at Citizen Cider, but overall, I’ll just say there are a lot of breweries for you craft beer loving folks. Fun fact: Vermont has more breweries per capita than any other state. Of course it has the second lowest population, too.
     

4. Good Eats

   Yes, more food! There are so many awesome restaurants in the area that we hardly made a dent in the selection. Here are a few of our favorites that we did get to try.

   • Sneakers Bistro is in nearby Winooski. The campground owner recommended this place and he did not steer us wrong. We went for brunch, so I could get the top rated breakfast items while Brandon could still have his preferred lunch fare. Both were delicious!
     
   • Another endeavor of Lake Champlain Chocolates is South End Kitchen. We had lunch there after touring the chocolate factory and it was just as good as their chocolates. Brandon’s burger and my quiche may seem at opposite ends of the spectrum, but they were both equally good. They also offer classes on cooking and chocolate making at this location.
     
   • Folino’s Wood Fired Pizza in Shelburne turns out exquisitely made pies. I chose The Yellow Submarine and it was one of the best pizza choices I have ever made. The yellow San Marzano tomatoes were a little sweet, but that’s balanced by the bite of arugula and black pepper. Goat cheese bathes the mouthful in a tangy creaminess. Folino’s is BYOB, but Fiddlehead Brewery is connected right next door, so no worries on picking up some brew.
     
   • On Friday nights in the summer, food trucks gather behind Arts Riot in the South End Arts District for Truck Stop. There are a lot of choices from tacos to cupcakes.
     
   • For a quick-lunch in Church Street Marketplace, the Red Onion serves hearty sandwiches.
   • If you want a quick bite next to the Lake, try The Skinny Pancake for savory and sweet crepes.

5. Outdoor Activities

   It’s Vermont! You know there will be plenty of things to do outside.
   

   • One of the unique things to do is bike across Lake Champlain. The Island Line Trail extends into the lake with a small break for boats to go through. At this point, there is a bike ferry that will take you across to the island in the middle. If you’re feeling strong and adventurous, you can bike to the other side of the island and catch the ferry to Plattsburgh, NY, then ride south to catch another ferry back to Burlington. We weren’t feeling that adventurous, but we did pick up some apples and a baby creemee at a little store on the island.
     
   • Hiking abounds in Vermont. Pull out a map, put your finger on it, and I’m sure you’ll find a trail.
   • For those who prefer to stay in town, Stowe has a 5.3 mile recreation path that allows you to walk, run, or bike around the city.

6. Diving in Lake Champlain

   Maybe this is an outdoor activity, but Brandon thought it was so awesome, he wrote a whole post about it.
   

   • It’s cold and dark, but it’s clear.
   • The chilly freshwater has preserved shipwrecks, unlike the ocean where they tend to disintegrate.
     

7. Shelburne Museum

   This museum deserves a point by itself and not just because it doesn’t seem to fit anywhere else. It’s another one that we had to write a separate post about because it was So Much More than We Expected.
   

   • The museum houses a vast and amazing collection of New England buildings, art, decor, and more.
   • It is so overwhelming, your ticket is good for two days.
   • Just standing in front of the Ticonderoga and pondering how they moved this giant steamship to the middle of the field is worth the admission price.
     

So there you have it, our reasons for loving Burlington, Vermont. It checks off all our criteria, drive, dive, and devour, plus a few more. Maybe next time we’ll make it to Misery Loves Company, a restaurant recommended by a local diver and add it to the list. Or we’ll pick up a new roasted caffeine habit and seek out Green Mountain Coffee. For now, though, I’m pretty happy with our list. Is there anything you’d add?

Driving into Gulf Shores, you can tell it’s one of those summer play-lands with go-karts, a small amusement park, arcades, and beautiful beaches. It would be a great family fun place with kids and sun. Of course, we weren’t there in the summer; we stayed before the official start of spring during the end of February/beginning of March and we don’t have kids. So what did we do? Well, a lot in fact. We had never been to Gulf Shores before and didn’t know what to expect, but found some great surprises that will have us going back.

First, let me say just because it’s not summer doesn’t mean it’s not busy in the RV parks. It’s a snowbird haven and I called over half a dozen parks before finding a spot; most places were booked until April. So my suggestion is to book as early as possible if you want to visit in the winter. I can’t speak for spring and summer, but I’d be prudent and call ahead then, too.

It was a bit chilly our first night.

The night we got in, we went to local favorite Lulu’s for dinner. They have a large, outdoor bar and seating area in sand that would be awesome in warmer weather, but it was quite chilly that night, so inside we went. Thinking even the enclosed patio may be too chilly, we apprehensively followed the hostess to our table by the edge of the water. We needn’t be worried, though, as there was a large heater directly over us and the clear, plastic enclosure that let us view the outside without feeling it, kept us nice and toasty. Between our seating and the live trop rock music, it felt like we were in a more tropical location, so we ordered drinks to match. Brandon ordered the The Scuba Lu which was named in honor of the Lulu reef off the coast of Gulf Shores. This was as close as he’d come to it this trip as the ocean is too rough and unpredictable this time of year to have boat trips out to the reef. It’s just another reason for us to go back.

We filled up on guacamole and house-made hot sauces while sipping our drinks and listening to Brent Burns sing about tiki huts rocking. Lulu’s is owned by Lucy Buffett, sister of Jimmy Buffett, and she seems to have a passion for the Gulf coast, hosting and entertaining, and the laid back lifestyle just as much as her brother. Brandon ordered the jerk chicken sandwich and I had the veggie burrito. Both were delicious, but I had to put back half my burrito to save room for dessert. Another side note worth mentioning is the allergy menu (gluten, dairy,etc). I know a few people who would appreciate this.

They have three desserts on the menu: key lime pie, hot fun Krispy Kreme bread pudding, and brownie in paradise (served with ice cream). Brandon is not a fan of key lime nor bread pudding, so he went with the brownie. After the manager joked with us that it’s just a brownie and not as unique as the other two, we found it to be decadently delicious. I would have a hard time passing it up again.  All three sounded good to me, but I felt it my duty to try the bread pudding made with Krispy Kreme doughnuts. It took me awhile before I learned to like bread pudding and I still tend to only like the chewier, less pudding like kind. The yeast doughnuts made this pudding very light and soft. It was not my favorite texture, but I know plenty of people who favor this in a bread pudding, so if that’s you, try it. The flavor was good and the addition of cinnamon hit the spot. Next time, though, I’m trying the key lime.

We did make it back to Lulu’s during the day and split a salad and nachos. We couldn’t decide whether to be good or bad, so went for both. We were both really happy with this combo. Their house salad (Fresh & Fancy Greens) was anything but basic and included things like sprouts and pumpkin seeds and the nachos had a warm layer of queso on the bottom. We finished every bit of both.

The Mountain of Youth and outside seating at Lulu’s

Our first couple days were a little cool and rainy, so we visited an arcade and played some skee-ball. I have loved this game since I was a kid and Brandon and I can get pretty competitive. We also decided a typically summer treat was just what we needed and headed to Matt’s Homemade Alabama Ice Cream. I chose Matt’s Lemon Ice Box because it reminded me of a sunny day. It tasted like a creamy lemon pie and was just what I needed. Brandon found his new favorite ice cream in a purely Gulf Shores flavor, Original Oyster House Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Pie. This pie was listed as one of the top 100 things to eat in Alabama before you die and we think the ice cream may be one of the best ways to consume it. The kid behind the counter said two whole pies are blended into the ice cream. Are you surprised we went back here before we left? Evidently some people go every night they’re in town; I can’t say I blame them.

When the rain cleared up, the days became beautiful and we were able to enjoy more outdoor activities. We took the dogs and Gypsy cat out for a walk along the Backcountry Trails. The trails are paved and are perfect for biking or walking. You might even get to see an alligator in few marked viewing areas.  There are more than 11 miles of trails, but the little kitty can only handle around 5, so we cut the walk short and headed to happy hour at Tacky Jack’s.

The landscape is both stark and lush after a prescribed burn

Our mountain lion

Walking the Gypsy cat

Tacky Jack’s is another eatery that would be fantastic in warm weather. It’s situated along the canal with tons of outdoor seating. We ordered some happy hour specials and perused all the names taped to every surface, a Tacky Jack’s tradition.

We visited the beaches multiple times on our visit. The first time, we saw a couple of bodyboarders hitting the waves in just swim trunks and a couple walking the beach bundled up in coats with hoods. It got decidedly warmer as the week progressed, but really it’s all a matter of opinion and tolerance level. Although it was too cold for us to swim, Brandon enjoyed flying his kite along the beach and just watching the waves as we walked along the white sand was gratifying.

Ooh, he hit a gust!

Fort Morgan is a short drive from Gulf Shores and offers a bit of history to your coastal trip. We visited at the end of a foggy day and had the whole place to ourselves. The fort was built after the War of 1812, but it’s most famous moment came during the Civil War. During the The Battle of Mobile Bay, Confederate soldiers opened fire on the 18-ship Union fleet heading towards the fort. The leading Union monitor struck a mine (known as a torpedo) and sank within minutes. This setback caused confusion and hesitation in the fleet. It was at this point the commander Admiral D.G. Farragut gave the order, “Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead.” He then led the remaining fleet past the fort, through the minefield, and into Mobile Bay. The fort is under going a bit of restoration which is needed, but we do like the look of it now. Being on the coast the water seeps through the walls leaving white deposits that give it an interesting and eerie look.

All this outdoor activity works up an appetite and we found The Cayman Grill in Orange Beach helps satisfy it. It’s a funky building from the outside, but modern and charming inside. They have an 8,000 gallon stingray pool in the center of the restaurant, that’s not something you see every day. They also have the prettiest pizza oven we’ve ever seen all tiled in blue glass tiles. Brandon made sure to utilize this oven by ordering the lunch special of a pizza and drink. Although the pizzas were a deal and sounded delish, I had to go with the griddled crispy zucchini sandwich. The pizza had a nice blistered crust and a nice buffalo zing with blue cheese drizzle. The sandwich surprised me in a good way with breaded zucchini and layer of over roasted tomatoes and cheese. Both were delicious and I’d like to go back for my own pizza.

Brandon’s pizza going into the pretty pizza oven

Sitting on Lake Shelby is Gulf Adventure Center at Gulf State Park which offers zip lining, kayaking, and paddle boarding. Although the zip lines looked really cool and fun going over the water, I couldn’t bring myself to do it. Instead we took some photos of the more adventurous types on the lines and we chose a kayak. It was still a little foggy when took to the water, but it just added to the ambiance. We moved swiftly through the water and went towards another bank. We paddled around for a bit and then went towards the zip lines to get some shots from the water. Maybe next time I can muster up the courage to step off the platform…maybe.

Later, we stopped by The Beach House Kitchen & Cocktails for a light bite and refreshing cocktail. They squeeze their own juices, make their own syrups, and prepare their own garnishes; this is a well-crafted cocktail that appeals to all my senses.

One of the coolest things we’ve gotten to do the road was at the Coastal Arts Center of Orange Beach. They have both a Hot Shop for blowing glass and a Clay Studio for building pottery. Unlike most glass shops we’ve ever visited, you can actually participate in a class here. It’s also run by the city, so the prices are reasonable. First we watched the glass artist-in-residence Adam and assistant Kerry demonstrate how everything works and how to make a glass ball ornament, flower, or paperweight. Then we got to choose which of the three we wanted to make. I went with the flower while Brandon chose the ball ornament. There were a few people who were there to just watch the class and shop the galleries, but we had a lot of participants including a young girl. She was going next door to the clay studio after making her flower, too. What a great visit to Grandma and Grandpa’s she had! We would definitely recommend taking advantage of this unique opportunity.

Finally, we waited until the end of our stay to visit The Gulf, but I wish we had gone sooner, so we could have gone more than once. The Gulf is a restaurant located on where else but the gulf. It’s built out of shipping containers for a cool, industrial look and is all outside seating (avoid cool, windy days). The seating and lounge areas here are what really appealed to me. I could see just hanging out all day with the dogs lounging in the sand, moving to a picnic table, and then sitting at the bar. The food itself was good, although a little sparse for vegetarians. They do make fresh-cut fries which earns them a gold star in my book. It’s small, rotating blackboard menu, but they keep the fries, salad, hamburger, and grouper sandwich on the menu. Brandon enjoyed the burger and the sunny day only heightened the good feeling.

Overall, our time in Gulf Shores was well spent. We experienced beautiful beaches, had great experiences outside, took an awesome class, and ate some wonderful food. We’ll have to go back when the ocean is more cooperative for diving and the weather is a little warmer to lounge outside all day on the beach. But we’re still happy to experience Gulf Shores at our own pace in the off-season. Sometimes for us, that’s the best season. What’s yours?

Have you been to Gulf Shores? Did we miss anything? Let us know for next time.

*Thanks to Gulf Shores and Orange Beach for hosting us. Opinions expressed are always our own.

While exploring the waters of the Crystal River, Florida area, we made sure to do a little food exploration, too. After our paddle up and dive down Rainbow River, we made a stop at the Blue Gator in Dunnellon. It’s mainly bar food, but good after the exertion and Brandon was a happy camper with the hushpuppies. What was great about this place was the huge patio that would be awesome in the warmer months. We still sat outside, but it was rather sparse that night.

We also stopped by The Front Porch and Pie Shop hoping to grab lunch with our dogs on the, well, front porch. A call that the technicians were ready to replace our windshield changed those plans to grabbing slices of pie to go. The pie was good, but we really didn’t get a meal there, so we’ll have to try this cute place next time we’re in town.

We did get to experience two places that we would highly recommend if you’re in the area, The Pizza Joint Wood Fire Pies and Lynn’s Homemade Ice Cream & Belgian Waffles.

I saw the The Pizza Joint on Google maps while looking at our campground and thought, “Perfect!” If you know Brandon, you know he loves pizza and this place looked good. We went with our friends the first night we got in town and were not disappointed. It shares a building with a gas station, but don’t let that fool you. You can see the wood stacked up when you walk in and then you look through the window and see the pizza oven, both good signs. The owner greeted us like family and was enthusiastic about his product. Brandon and I split a pie (the eggplant special with pepperoni on his half) and it was delicious. The wood fire blistered the crust in all the right places and the toppings were fresh and evenly distributed. We liked it so much we went back later in the week! Take note that it is cash only and BYOB, but you can always grab something from the gas station next door.

Our Old School Margherita with pepperoni and sausage on half

We met up with our friends later in the week who had moved a tad farther south to visit other friends that had just moved to the area. These recent transplants already learned of a great ice cream place and shared it with all of us. Lynn’s Homemade Ice Cream & Belgian Waffles in Inverness is like one of those build your own burrito type joints except instead of tortillas, you get to choose your waffle type. They make crispy waffle bowls, fluffy Brussels waffles, and sweet, chewy Liège waffles. I immediately knew which I was getting; every once in a while I’d treat myself to a Liège waffle from the Wafels & Dinges truck back in NYC and today would be no different. Next you choose your ice cream and toppings. They had lots of delicious sounding flavors and Brandon went with his typical chocolate, but I spied another of my flavor weaknesses. Labeled as “Belgian Cookie”, I knew this was American for speculoos. You know when you fly Delta and they give you those little packages of Biscoff cookies? That’s speculoos and I try to limit them to flights rather than purchasing a box or making them for good reason. When I heard the owner’s accent, I knew this was the real deal. She recommended the chocolate sauce as the topping, so how could I say no? The flavors were decadent and I think this waffle was even better than in New York.

These two places were so good that if I were only allowed two foods while in Crystal River, pizza and ice cream waffles would be it!

To see more about the adventures in the area, see the post Snorkel, Scuba, Paddle: Adventure’s on Florida’s Nature Coast.