There’s something about train travel that slows everything down. Think about it. When we’re driving, we’re responsible. We need to pay attention. At a minimum, we need to be conscious. Trains take the pressure off. Flying? It’s for the birds. We’ll be subjected to a security search that requires you to partially undress in front of strangers, breathe stale air and jam into a canister like a sardine, just hoping to survive. But trains… they run on tracks. There’s something reassuring—no, soothing— about that. Once aboard, there’s nothing to do, except enjoy the scenery and let everything else run its course.
If you happen to be headed somewhere special, it’s even better. Today, we’re scheduled to ride on the Ethan Allen Express from Albany, NY, to Burlington, VT.
It’s time to let go and let the journey begin.
Friday
4:30pm • Arriving at the Albany-Rensselaer Amtrak stop, we begin to relax right around the time we hit the railway platform. The cityscape has now faded. There’s a simplicity to our surroundings and a clear path ahead. Soon, we’ll be on a train—which means we’ll be on a break.
If we started our journey in New York City from Moynihan Train Hall, we’ve already passed Yonkers, Croton-on-Hudson, Poughkeepsie, Rhinecliff and Hudson on a three-hour jaunt along the picturesque Hudson River. Now, it’s time for the wild part. Keep in mind that, although we’re headed a mere 45 miles shy of the Canadian border, each of the places along the way could be our true destination. Lives have magically changed in ways like these.
5:09pm • As we leave the station, graffiti-splotched underpasses soon dissolve into tranquil Upstate forests. The first stop is Schenectady, where the massive General Electric building looms on the horizon, a reminder of the region’s robust (and historic) industrial past.
Our route continues north to Saratoga Springs, a 19th-century resort town made world famous for its horse races and mineral baths. This year, it hosts the Belmont Stakes on June 6. It attracts music lovers to its fabled outdoor Saratoga Performing Arts Center and liberally minded undergrads to Skidmore College. If we were to stay in town, we’d make a pilgrimage to Yaddo Gardens, a bucolic 400-acre artist retreat that features Italian marble statues and rose gardens in a peaceful, secluded atmosphere.
6:17pm • Next comes Fort Edward, set along the upper reaches of the Hudson. Originally a British fort built during the French and Indian War, it’s a small, quiet river town known for its history and setting along the Champlain Canal. This 60-mile-long estuary that connects the Hudson River to Lake Champlain opened in 1823, two years before the Erie Canal, helping move timber, iron and grain between Vermont and New York City.
7:19pm • Our steady train veers east, crossing into Vermont and the heart of the Green Mountains. First, a brief stop in Castleton, home to Castleton University and Lake Bomoseen, the largest body of water entirely within the state. From here, it’s a scenic ride to James M. Jeffords Station in Rutland, nearby Killington Peak. At 4229 feet above sea level, it’s the second highest summit in the Green Mountains and home to Vermont’s largest ski resort. If we decide to spend the night in town, we’ll be sure to check out the Paramount Theatre for live entertainment.
8:45pm • We’re now cruising northward into the Champlain Valley, a broad expanse of gently rolling hills dotted by dairy farms and orchards. If we get bored, we count cows. They say they outnumber the people. We’ll pause in Middlebury, home to its namesake liberal arts college, a quaint 19th-century downtown and several classic inns. Middlebury Falls and the Henry Sheldon Museum are only a short walk away.
9:05pm • Just north, the train stops in Ferrisburgh, where we soak in the Lake Champlain shoreline. A short car ride could take us to Vergennes, Vermont’s first and smallest city, and home to the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum. Now, Burlington. The Queen City, is a bustling hamlet of 45,000 and a microcosm of what makes Vermont so special.
9:50pm • Pulling into the circa-1916 Union Station, the city’s modest skyline rises against a backdrop of Lake Champlain and the silhouette of the Adirondacks floating above the water. A short walk up Battery Street takes us to our home for the weekend at Hotel Vermont for some well-earned rest. Other quintessential lodging options include Blind Tiger Burlington or Made Inn Vermont.
Saturday
8am • The next morning, we wake up refreshed, ready to spend a full day exploring the city and its landscape. We start with breakfast at the Skinny Pancake or Rosie’s Restaurant. If you happen to prefer your coffee first, I’d take you to Speeder and Earl’s, August First, Cosmic Grind or Muddy Waters Café to get a true sense of the local vibe.
10:22am • If we brought the kids, we take them to Waterfront Park to visit ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, an interactive, lake-focused science and nature museum. Then at noon, we embark on a two-hour cruise on the Spirit of Ethan Allen ferry to explore and picnic among the Lake Champlain Islands.
2:49pm • After a lovely morning on the lake, it’s time for shopping and lunch. Burlington is oh-so walkable and in ten minutes of uphill strolling, we’re at Church Street Marketplace.
In the summer, we’ll find the Farmers Market and cultural events such as the weekly Party On The Bricks concerts, an annual Sidewalk Sale and Discover Jazz Festival, not to mention daily buskers and other fascinating people. We discover what we never knew we needed at curated shops Local Threads, Mallet’s Bay General Store, Made Here Shop and Phoenix Books.
4:30pm • With energy to spare, we bike to the South End, swing by The World’s Tallest Filing Cabinet, then a sample of breweries including Fiddlehead, Zero Gravity and Switchback, before looking around the ever-changing art studios hidden among the city blocks. A short ride north takes us through the campuses of Champlain College and University of Vermont where generations of young people have come of age.
6pm • After a quick nap at the hotel, it’s time to explore Burlington’s night life. Tonight, we’re going to The Flynn to see Vermont Symphony Orchestra. Opened in 1930 as a vaudeville movie palace, this historic gem is Burlington’s community arts hub. Higher Ground is another fantastic venue if you happen to be in town for a show. We’ll have grabbed a copy of Seven Days, Burlington Press or VTDigger to see what’s going on.
But first, we dine at Hen of the Woods for farm-to-table, locally sourced, seasonal cuisine in an elevated, yet welcoming setting. Other excellent options include Leunig’s Bistro, Bistro de Margot and Farmhouse Tap & Grill.
9:30pm • The show is fantastic and it’s time for a night cap, so we catch the late show at Radio Bean Coffeehouse. Maybe our old college buddies are reveling at Red Square, so we go there, too. We have a lot of options for a good bar in town: Archives, Wallflower Collective, Metronome, ESOX, Light Club Lamp Shop and Monarch and the Milkweed. It’s one last drink and time for a good night’s rest.
Sunday
9:50am • On the way home, Mount Mansfield and Camel’s Hump loom on the horizon, beckoning us good wishes on our journey. We’ll be back in Albany just before 3pm… Unless, of course, we decide to stop again along the way. Funny…who knows what comes next.
Amtrak offers a daily Ethan Allen Express train departing from New York City mid-afternoon and arriving in Burlington approximately 7.5 hours later. Check Amtrak.com for more information.