Burlington to Boston

View of Stowe from our hotel room.

While Jim finished up his last meeting I loaded up the car, got the bike and rack on the car so we could make the trip down to Boston.  Since we are taking route 89 southeast across Vermont I planned lunch back at Simon Pearce so Jim could enjoy the spot also.  We had a lot of rain the night before so the water was really heavy go over the falls.  We sat on the patio which was opened to enjoy the great weather.  We really enjoyed the sound of the water rushing over the rocks and the small breeze it created.

Water again.....another delicious lunch, checked out the glass shop and got on our way.  What a great spot!

We got to Boston and had a nice evening out with Alyson and Jordan in the North End area.

A good Italian meal, a stop by Mike's Pastry and a much needed walk.

Mike's famous string tied box.....you see alot of these
walking around Boston.

Nice view of Boston from the Sheraton.  They do a "birthday rate"
that is a good deal if you only need 2-3 nights, first night regular price
second and third night the price is the year of your birthday.

Paul Revere wearing a Bruins jersey, we were there during the playoffs.

Never ready for the fun to end we headed back to Pennsylvania after a great trip.

Last Day in Burlington

Bluebird Tavern, Vermont

What a great dinner we had here our last night in Burlington.  We had read about it before hand so decided to check it out.  A neat old building that alone was worth checking out, and it is perched out over the river.  It was a beautiful evening so we dined on the screened in porch overlooking the water.

Assorted oysters on the half shell.

Jim had the Lamb served in its own cast iron pot.

They are famous for their double burger and frites.
It was definitely an amazing burger and
it went perfectly with the beer in a frosted glass.

Great meal, great setting, you must try it if you are in the Burlington area.

A Dinner Adventure

Having researched before leaving home we had a few places in mind for our dinners depending if they fit the schedule.  This is one we are really glad we got to try.  The food was excellent but the location is what really set it apart.  It was so remote we couldn't believe it really existed out there.  It was about 40 min from Burlington, driving north then crossing out into Lake Champlain going through South Hero then on to North Hero these are islands in the lake connected by  causeways (not very high above the water).  The water being very high was right up to the edge of the causeway, can't imagine how they managed before the water started to recede.  Check out Shore Acres website for more details, but this is like going back in time.  We were just before the high season begins but still a number of diners considering the location.  You drive through a lot of empty space to get there.  Such a calmness that comes over you as you walk around the grounds.  With the lake water lapping onto the shore, the birds flying by, and the quiet peaceful surroundings you can't help but want to stay.

Shore Acres
237 Shore Acres Drive
North Hero, VT

Brie with poached grapes

Blue Cheese fritters

Steak, Garlic mashed, julienne vegetables.

Flourless chocolate cake

 A great meal and a wonderful experience, so glad we took the drive up.

the drive between islands

Time to explore Burlington, VT

After the first day on the road that was filled with things to do I decided to spend today downtown Burlington.  We were a bit ahead of the "season" so it was quieter, which works for me.  The whole Northeast of the United States had a very wet Spring season and Burlington was still hurting from it.  Along Lake Champlain there was still a lot of flooded areas, some of the worst they have seen in many years.  This is an area with a lot of outdoor activity hiking, biking, boating, festivals---- Summer is as busy or busier than Winter is with skiers.   After a quick breakfast I headed out for a bike ride along Lake Champlain.  There is a trail that goes for miles and at certain times there is a ferry that will actually take you the rest of the way across so you could go down the New York side.  That part is closed due to flooding damage for now.  I had been looking forward though to going on the old rail bed on the causeway out into the lake but it was also still flooded so I couldn't go quite as far as planned but it was a beautiful morning for the bike ride.  I stopped along the way to take in the view as it changed with the ride around the the north east side of the lake.

Rail to Trail sign along the path.  I am a big fan of using old rail
beds in communities for safe walking, biking, horses we are lucky to live
where we also have access to these trails.

When I got back to the city area I found a spot for a quick drink and lunch then headed back to the hotel to clean up.

Great park area with swings.

Map of Burlington

After Jim's meetings we headed back downtown for dinner and a walk listening to the different Jazz sounds.  There was a bigger crowd out and  with the music playing people would stop to listen or dance along the way.