When the air turns crisp and the leaves start to change, Burlington shifts into fall mode. The city slows just enough to savor it. Jackets come out. Farmers markets overflow with apples and pumpkins. Breweries roll out their harvest ales. And suddenly, every day feels like a reason to get outside.

Maybe it’s the way Lake Champlain reflects the reds and golds along the shoreline. Or how Church Street smells like cider donuts hot coffee, with music drifting from a nearby café. It could be the trails lined with crunching leaves, the farm stands loaded with fresh produce, or the way the sunsets seem to last a little longer. Whatever it is, autumn here feels alive.

You can bike the Island Line Trail under a canopy of color, paddle across glassy bays, hike into the Green Mountains for sweeping foliage views, or catch live music at Higher Ground or one of the many venues around town. Or don’t plan a thing.. Just wander, and let Burlington in the fall surprise you.