Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1546515
B M & T ••• September/October 2026 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 12 seasonal ingredients have made the restaurant a longtime favorite. Nearby, Sotto Enoteca offers an intimate setting with thoughtfully selected wines and small plates. Burlington's culinary community has also been shaped by restaura- teur Leslie McCrorey Wells, whose Black-owned establish- ments have earned national atten- tion, including a James Beard Award nomination. One pleasant surprise for visi- tors arriving from larger cities is the absence of familiar chain restaurant logos. Burlington's din- ing scene belongs to chefs, fami- lies, entrepreneurs, and local busi- ness owners. Every meal feels connected to the community that created it. OFF THE AGENDA When attendees step away from keynote sessions, breakout rooms, and networking recep- tions, Burlington reveals itself gradually. Church Street Market- place serves as the city's gathering place, while the Flynn Center offers an easy choice for an evening performance. Shelburne Museum stretches far beyond what most people imagine when they hear the word museum. Visitors move between historic barns, a grand mansion, gardens, galleries, a beautifully restored carousel, and the leg- endary 220-foot Steamboat Ticonderoga. Monet paintings share space with Americana and architectural treasures spread across an expansive campus. For planners, the experience feels less like an attraction and more like stepping through multiple chap- ters of Vermont's story in a single afternoon. Chocolate tastings at Lake Champlain Chocolates, cruises aboard the Spirit of Ethan Allen, sailing excursions with Whistling Man Schooner, kayaking on Lake Champlain, and winter adven- tures throughout the region pro- vide additional options for atten- dees extending their stay. Families extending their stay will discover that Burlington wears leisure just as comfortably as business travel. Accessibility begins at Patrick Leahy Burlington International Airport. For an airport serving a destination of Burlington's size, the facility offers an impressive range of amenities, including din- ing options, event space, expanded passenger amenities, family- focused lactation suites, and ongo- ing improvements designed to support future growth. Recent funding and expansion projects continue strengthening air service while advancing sustainability ini- tiatives that mirror values found throughout the destination. The first thing I noticed about Burlington was its confidence. By the end of the trip, I understood where that confidence came from. It comes from a city that knows exactly who it is. It lives in the hotelier greeting a returning guest by name. It lives in the restaura- teur who built a gathering place instead of a trend. It lives in a community that understands hos- pitality is not a transaction but a responsibility. New hotels will open. Air serv- ice will expand. Development will continue. Yet the character that distinguishes Burlington was never built with steel, concrete, or public funding. It was built by people. People who refused to confuse progress with reinven- tion. People who still believe a warm welcome is among the most valuable amenities any destina- tion can offer. Burlington's confi- dence suddenly made perfect sense. WHO YOU GONNA CALL? Hello Burlington helloburlington.com (802) 863-3489 Shelburne-Museum