Her Campus Logo Her Campus Logo
placeholder article
placeholder article

Our Top 6 Warm-Weather Activities In and Around Burlington

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at SMCVT chapter.


Contrary to popular belief, Vermont isn’t an icy blizzard 100% of the year. Actually, when arriving back on campus in August, the weather is (gasp) HOT! Now that it’s Fall, we don’t have much time before we’ll need to bundle up and stay inside. So prepare yourselves, collegiettes™! We’ve compiled a list of a few of our favorite warm-weather activities that are definitely worth checking out…enjoy!

Do you have a sense of adventure? Want to explore or do something even a little risky? If you answered yes, then head over to the Wilderness Program office! (Located upstairs in Alliot) There are tons of options for outdoor excursions- from rock climbing to kayaking. What better way to take advantage of the lovely Fall weather than to do something bold and adventurous while surrounded by all of Vermont’s natural beauty? Save those cute Autumn boots for another weekend, ladies. Opt for some sneakers instead- you’ll need them for these activities!

Not ready to hike a mountain quite yet? Instead, remember to bring your bike from home and head out on a bike ride with some friends! On a sunny day, pedal down the Burlington bike path, which will bring you through beaches and parks all with a beautiful view of Lake Champlain. The fresh air will leave you feeling clear and content, and those endorphins? Well, those will make you happy! (Channeling our inner Elle Woods) To make a whole day of it, head out on the bike ride with a picnic basket full of food for later, and combine with number 3 on our list…

Beach day with the girls! And let’s be honest- who doesn’t love a day on the beach with friends, food, and great music? It was may be a bit too chilly to go swimming, but you can certainly spend the day relaxing! There aren’t many more days that are weather-worthy for this super summery activity, so take the opportunity to head down to the Lake Champlain waterfront ASAP!

Do you have a passion for community service? Or maybe just love apple picking season? We sure do! For our (fabulous) first-years, we hope you signed up for freshman apple picking through the MOVE program! If you didn’t (or if you want to go apple picking again), go now! It might be one of your last chances of the season to throw on those favorite denim shorts, and pair it with a classic Vermont flannel to head over to the orchards for a fun day of apple picking with friends. Plus, this is a great way to bond with your classmates!

Whether you prefer some soft acoustic tunes or that Skrillex remix you heard playing in the 3’s last weekend, we can all agree that any live music trumps it all, can’t we? Well, you’re in luck, collegiettes™! Burlington has a number of venues that will have concerts throughout the year. One of the most popular venues is Higher Ground; check out their concert calendar to plan ahead!

Show your school spirit, ladies! Attend a SMC sporting event in the sunshine, decked out in Purple Knights attire, of course. Whether it be cheering for your crush at the soccer game, or waving a poster for your best friend at the field hockey game, find a way to show your Purple Knight pride. Hey, you’ll be soaking up some rays while you’re at it!

Before it’s time to trade in those boat shoes for your warmest pair of winter boots, grab a friend and your sense of adventure to make the most of the beautiful Vermont weather. It’ll be chilly before you know it, collegiettes™, so grab some sun while it lasts & have a great start to the semester!

Juliana is a senior Media Studies, Journalism and Digital Arts major with a minor in Global Studies at St. Michael's College. She serves as managing editor for her college newspaper (The Defender), is an online student ambassador for St. Mike's, writes a personal style blog (littlecupofj.com) and is an editorial intern at WellWed Magazine. Juliana hopes to move back to Cape Town after graduation, where she spent her spring 2014 semester abroad and work as a magazine editor or as an online/social media coordinator. Her favorites include blogging, all things pink, peonies & proteas, elephants, iced coffee, whistling, running and catch phrases.
Lauren Mazzoleni is a junior at Saint Michael's College where she majors in Digital Arts, Media Studies, and Journalism and minors in Psychology. Lauren and Alexandra Brenock are the two campus correspondents for Saint Michael's HC Branch. At Saint Michael's, she is a student blogger, a tour guide, and a disc jockey at WWPV 88.7 FM. Many of her friends would say that when she is not busy attending her classes or working on HC articles, you could find her watching many of the shows she always DVRs (Glee, Gossip Girl, Pretty Little Liars, etc), shopping on Church Street in downtown Burlington, and hanging out with her friends from Saint Michael's and from her hometown in NH.