Are you thinking of moving or relocating to South Burlington, Vermont? Would you like to know what the quality of life is like living in South Burlington?
Janine F. reports in this review:
Weather | | How much crime? | | What are the neighborhoods like? | | What are the people like? | South Burlington experiences typical Vermont seasons - long, cold winters with significant snow fall, followed by "mud season" when it all melts. There are parts of South Burlington that are closer to Lake Champlain that may experience flooding when heavy snow is followed by warm weather. In a good year mud season will give way to a temperate and sunny spring, though sometimes we skip right into summer. Summers are short, hot and humid and fall is crisp and refreshing. The weather has been less predictable in recent years, but it's not uncommon for a few "grand finale" snow falls in April. | | I have yet to be a victim of a crime in this area (other than feeling threatened on the road by reckless drivers, which are plentiful, especially in a state where it is still legal to talk on your phone while behind the wheel). I have heard about car break-ins, and one neighbor reported their condo being robbed on a Sunday afternoon. | | South Burlington is fairly large by Vermont standards, and includes some very ritzy residential areas, while also being home to a significant homeless community. The part of S. Burlington that is closer to Williston Road boasts several condominium communities, which range in quality from upper-middle class to lower income.
The section of Dorset Street that intersects with Williston Rd boasts a mall, a Mac specialty store, a Barnes & Noble, a high-end health food store, Trade Joe's and the local middle school, high school and public library. The police and fire departments are across from the schools.
Farther up Dorset is Dorset Park, a recreation area, which is also home to a community garden. Dorset and Spear Streets are home to several pockets of "McMansions."
The Route 7/Shelburne Road area of South Burlington is lined with strip malls, senior living facilities and car dealerships. This area of S. Burlington is extremely commercial as opposed to the aforementioned more residential areas, and is home to a large homeless population. It is not uncommon to find panhandlers begging at the Interstate off-ramp and at the entrances of the area shopping plazas.
| | The Route 7 side of South Burlington seems to attract more younger singles and couples who are still getting their financial footing, while the Dorset side is better suited for folks who are more settled down.
Many of the condo areas are home to white retirees who split their time between here and somewhere else (usually Florida). Some are very laid back and easy going, some would clearly be more at home in a gated community where they can control everything. Although I see much more racial and cultural diversity than when I was growing up in the area it is still a predominantly white, middle-to-upper class city. There are a few military bases nearby, and we recently signed a contract to bring in a new fleet of military fighter planes (despite much opposition due to noise and safety concerns) so you'll see a lot of military personnel around. | Downtown Area | | Restaurants | | Schools | | Single life | There is no "downtown" South Burlington, though Dorset Street and Route 7 are the local shopping areas. There are also several shopping centers in nearby Williston in addition to Downtown Burlington itself. There are a number of local stores on Church Street in Burlington, whereas Williston is home to more big-box chains such as Best Buy, Old Navy, Dicks and Staples. | | The Rotisserie steakhouse and bar is a great, low-key place to get a good quality meal in a relaxed setting. The Parkway Diner recently re-opened, and the Wooden Spoon Bistro has a positive reputation. The Windjammer is another solid option for steaks and seafood, or you can go upstairs to the Upper Deck Pub for more casual fair that is equally high quality. | | The schools are well regarded, and the students I've interacted with are polite, intelligent and well-spoken. There is a strong emphasis on community service in the local school system. | | I have never dated in Vermont. I imagine many couples meet in school, at work, through friends or online. There are a number of fun places to go on dates - i.e. Pizza Putt mini golf, Champlain Lanes for bowling, and a number of local bars and restaurants. | Noise | | town comparison vs. | | Best hospital | | Tourist attractions | Depending on which part of the city you live in the majority of area noise comes from Interstate 89, Route 7 and the Burlington International Airport. It is also common to hear geese on a regular basis towards the end of autumn. | | South Burlington is fairly close to Downtown Burlington, home to several area colleges and therefore college students. Although downtown is charming, walkable and is considered to have more character in the form of local businesses and restaurants (as opposed to the chains that are more prevalent in South Burlington), it is exceptionally difficult to find adequate housing - Burlington has a 99% occupancy rate.
South Burlington is convenient to many locations, from Downtown Burlington to Shelburne, to Williston and Essex Junction. Although not as walkable as the downtown area it is much quieter and adult/family-friendly than the areas of Burlington that are swarming with college kids and adults that think they still are college kids. If you are looking for a calm environment with easy access to shopping, dining and entertainment, South Burlington might make a better choice than Burlington itself. | | Fletch Allen Health Care has an absurd monopoly over local health care. Even if you see a doctor at a private practice you will ultimately be forced to deal with FAHC at some point, be it for blood work, tests or a procedure. The hospital itself, which is in Burlington, is a nice facility and the bedside manner is generally good, but it is a teaching hospital which means uninvited med students are a common invasive factor when seeing an FAHC doctor. It also takes an absurd amount of time to get an appointment when you are a new patient, and I often find myself deeply missing my doctors from New York when dealing with FAHC bureaucracy. | | Red Rocks park is a beautiful recreation area off of Lake Champlain, and Shelburne has many scenic attractions including the Shelburne Museum and Shelburne Farms. There are a number of craft breweries nearby as well. If you don't mind a drive Waterbury, which is home to the Ben and Jerry's factory, is about 45 minutes away, as are local ski resorts such as Bolton and Smuggs. | General comments | | | | | | | South Burlington has a lot to offer if you want something slightly bigger than the neighboring small towns with many of the conveniences of being in a city (if you consider Burlington to be much of a city). There are a lot of sanctimonious people, whether liberal or conservative, that like to espouse their opinions at city council meetings, via online forums and through preachy bumper stickers, and this can be a bit off putting; however, there are also a lot of friendly folks who just want to be involved in their community and help in improving it. | | | | | | |
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