Framed on one side by sparkling Lake Champlain and surrounded by thick forests and historic sites of interest, Burlington offers all the charm of a small town while it enjoys its title as the largest city in Vermont. This university town acts as the cultural heart of the state and offers artistic and intellectual venues alongside a boisterous nightlife scene.
A large pedestrian area makes up the city’s heart and is lined with brick buildings selling everything from freshly brewed beer to antique curios. Famous for its local ice cream, the area is also a dining hotspot with an array of cuisines on offer. RV drivers can park in one of the city’s spacious lots before hitting the pedestrian zone to do a bit of exploring or enjoy a meal. There’s also a thriving waterfront where visitors can take in the view of Lake Champlain or catch a tour boat to enjoy seeing the city from the water.
For some early American history, a tour of the Ethan Allen Homestead allows a hearty glimpse of a bygone era, complete with demonstrations of frontier life and educational exhibits showcasing local Native American culture and customs of the time. There are galleries, art museums, concert venues, and theaters to feed any cultural yearning, and the city makes an excellent base to explore the thickly forested, mountainous regions that surround it. Depending on the time of year, there are also regular festivals, from a jazz music celebration in the summer to Mardi Gras and a winter carnival in the colder months.
North Beach Campground might be located right in the city of Burlington, but it gives its guests the illusion of being far away from it all. It’s open seasonally from May to October and offers access to Lake Champlain from a sandy beach. The RV sites are easy to maneuver into and offer full hookups, showers, and picnic facilities.
Sunset Rock RV Park is a 150-site campground that offers guests all the water sports they want from its shoreside location, including swimming, fishing, and kayaking. There’s also a swimming pool and tiki bar for some relaxing fun. If RV visitors are staying over a holiday, they’ll need to book at least three nights.
Lone Pine Campsites is especially favored among families, its appealing campground offers a recreation room, mini golf, children’s activities, a swimming pool, and a playground. Convenient features with RV drivers in mind include an on-site general store, a laundry, a mail center, showers, propane, and RV supplies.
Mt. Philo State Park is a quick half-hour trip from Burlington and provides views of the Adirondack Mountains as well as the beautiful Lake Champlain. RV drivers will want to arrive early if they’re planning on staying in the park, as the small campsite is popular and fills up quickly. As the roads are curvy, they may not be suitable for larger vehicles. The park is Vermont’s oldest and offers hiking up Mt. Philo and picnicking facilities at its base. Visitors will want to capture the expansive views in photographs and will enjoy spotting local wildlife like hawks and moose.
Grand Isle State Park offers the best way to experience Lake Champlain. Located just 25 miles north of Burlington, the island offers residential areas with shops, restaurants, and gas stations, so visitors won’t need to prepare for much before leaving the mainland. At the park, a 115-space campsite fills up quickly, so it’s a good idea to arrive early. The sites cater to RVs, but for those who would like a change of pace, there are also charming cabins available. Water sports are at the forefront of activities on offer, with kayaking being particularly popular, although swimming and fishing are not far behind. With plenty of activities geared toward younger children, the site is particularly popular among families.
Ausable Point Campground is just across Lake Champlain. It takes about an hour and a half to complete this drive from Burlington to just inside New York. It offers the opportunity to enjoy the lake and its activities from the New York side, and the campground is especially fun for children, with its large playground area and sandy beach. Kayaking, swimming, windsurfing, paddle boarding, and fishing are all popular pursuits, although RV visitors can also enjoy relaxing in the leafy campground and making use of its picnic areas. For convenience, there’s also an on-site dump station and recycling area.
Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park offers plenty of natural beauty and outdoor activities in addition to the fascinating historical insights offered by the curated exhibits in the house museum. Visitors can snowshoe or ski in the winter, while warmer months offer a chance to spot wildlife, appreciate the landscape while hiking, and take in the historic mansion and its visitor center carriage house. The focus of the park is on the history of conservation in America, and while there are no campsites in the park, there are areas nearby catering to RVs. The park is just over an hour from Burlington, offering a scenic drive along the way.
Saint-Gaudens National Historical Park is the home of the famous sculptor, its lovely grounds providing a natural backdrop for a historic art colony that continues to the present day. Visitors can tour the grounds and house, admiring exhibits both inside and out. There are miles of hiking trails on offer and generous parking for visitors’ vehicles. The park is just under an hour and a half from Burlington, located right on the Vermont-New Hampshire border. The nearby Connecticut River provides recreational activities as well, with facilities for RV camping located not far away.
Saratoga National Historical Park in New York is just under three hours from Burlington and commemorates a decisive battle in the Revolutionary War. Visitors can take a self-guided tour of the battlefield and enjoy an educational film detailing events at the visitor center. Depending on the time of year, there may be actors in historic costumes giving lectures on weaponry or battle tactics. In addition to the battlefield, there’s also the Schuyler House, a monument, and the Marshall House to explore. RV drivers can park in the ample parking area and make use of the picnic area and restrooms. There’s hiking and biking on established trails that offer historic insight in addition to natural beauty.
At just around an hour’s drive from the city, Green Mountain National Forest makes an appealing day trip from Burlington. Best seen in autumn, when the extravagant mix of trees shows its colorful foliage, the park has plenty to offer visitors at any time of year, rewarding each changing season with an array of beautiful landscapes. Part of the Appalachian Trail cuts across the park, making hiking a top attraction and the best way to fully experience certain areas. There are two campgrounds in the forest, but the Chittenden Brook Campground can’t house trailers over 18 feet in length, making it more suited to smaller RVs.
White Mountain National Forest is located around two hours from Burlington and showcases some of the highest peaks in the eastern U.S. There are 1,200 miles of trails for mountain biking and hiking in the warmer months and snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, and snowmobiling in the winter. The Lower Falls Recreation Site offers swimming and picnicking, with nearby parking and charcoal grills. The Dolly Copp Campground offers hookups, flush toilets, and a seasonal camping range from May to October.
Finger Lakes National Forest offers camping, hiking, fishing, biking, and a range of winter sports, including cross-country skiing. The forest is bracketed by Cayuga and Seneca Lakes, making kayaking and swimming popular pursuits in the warmer months. While the forest is several hours’ drive from Burlington, the route passes historic sites of interest, like Fort Ticonderoga, that add plenty of educational value to the already scenic drive. Most campsites accommodate smaller RVs, although competition is fierce for spots and all sites are on a first-come, first-served basis. For visitors planning to spend several nights in the area, it’s a good idea to have a backup plan if a favored campsite is full.
Acadia National Park is a six-hour drive from Burlington, offering stunning scenery along every mile of this three-state trek. Located in Maine, it offers the rugged beauty of a craggy coastline and the allure of a maritime Maine experience in addition to all of the natural beauty. There are several campsites within the park, and RV drivers can reserve a spot up to two months in advance to assure a spot when they need it. Campsites are only open seasonally, however. Convenient shuttle buses take visitors from their campsite to local trailheads, so RV drivers can park and settle in for a stay. At the Blackwoods Campground, there’s a dump station, flushing toilets, potable water, and picnic facilities. The town of Bar Harbor is just five miles away for grocery or fuel runs.
Cuyahoga Valley National Park preserves 32,000 acres of forested trails, waterfalls, and the Eerie Canal towpath in northeastern Ohio. Located over 500 miles from Burlington, the park is loved by hikers, bikers, cross-country skiers, and bird-watchers. While there’s no longer any camping within the park, RV drivers will find suitable campgrounds nearby and can park their RVs in the spacious lots for day use of the park.
Shenandoah National Park follows the valley carved by the beautiful Shenandoah River, encompassing some of the tallest mountains in Virginia and offering scenic vistas like those of its famous Skyline Drive. There are several campsites within the park, most of them open from May to October and offering dump stations, potable water, laundry facilities, and camp stores.
In most areas, the price to rent a motorhome is around $200 a night and the price to rent a towable trailer is around $120 a night.
What does RVshare Protection cover with my Burlington, VT RV rental?RVshare's protection plan standard package covers up to $300,000 in comprehensive and collision coverage based on the value of the RV. It also includes free 24/7 roadside assistance and free towing and tire service. For more information on RVshare insurance, click here.
What is included in my Burlington, VT RV rental?You should find any amenities that are included with your rental in the listing details. But it never hurts to check in with the owner before you arrive at the RV or have it delivered to ensure you have everything that is needed to have a fun and enjoyable trip!
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