Waterfront Park

Use the City of Burlington's waterfront parking map and posted lot signs. Paid public lots are distributed along Lake Street and the waterfront, and event days can change availability or access.

Yes. The City lists year-round public restrooms near Penny Lane and the Burlington Greenway at the back of the water-treatment building. Current published hours are 10:00 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. daily.

Yes. Waterfront Park sits directly on the Burlington Greenway, making it an arrival point for walking and biking along Lake Champlain and toward other waterfront parks.

General access to the park and waterfront is free. Parking, ticketed festivals, marina services, rentals, and food vendors can have separate costs.

The lawn is a major event venue, so concerts and festivals can change public access, parking, paths, and setup areas. Check the City's waterfront event listings before a time-sensitive visit.

Use the College Street and Lake Street waterfront area for the event lawn, harbor, Community Boathouse, information center, and Greenway. Event days may establish controlled gates, so follow the published event map rather than a generic park pin.

Yes. Downtown is within walking distance, the Burlington Greenway reaches the park directly for bicycles and pedestrians, and Green Mountain Transit serves central Burlington. Check current routes and event detours before traveling.

The open waterfront and Greenway follow posted park access, while restrooms, marinas, events, and vendors have separate schedules. In 2026, nearby information-center restrooms are listed May 15-October 15 from 7 a.m.-8 p.m.; ECHO restrooms are available year-round 10 a.m.-4:45 p.m.

Yes. Open lawns and Lake Champlain views support casual picnics, but Waterfront Park is also the City's major outdoor event site. Concerts, festivals, setup, and vendors can occupy or control sections of lawn, so check the event calendar first.

Follow posted Burlington leash and cleanup rules and event-specific restrictions. The park is not a fenced dog park, and concerts or festivals may prohibit pets even when ordinary waterfront access allows leashed dogs.

Waterfront Park connects to the Burlington Greenway, Community Boathouse and marinas, ECHO center, nearby beaches, and seasonal events along Lake Champlain. These facilities have independent hours and fees, so navigate to the exact destination rather than the broad waterfront pin.

Waterfront Park's broad event lawn, promenade, and lake edge are largely exposed to sun, wind, and fast-changing lake weather. Burlington's reservable picnic shelters are at Oakledge and North Beach, not Waterfront Park. Seasonal restrooms and nearby boathouse, museum, marina, and commercial buildings follow separate hours and are not guaranteed refuge. Carry layers and sun protection; during lightning, strong wind, or dangerous heat, use an open substantial building or enclosed vehicle.

The paved Burlington Greenway runs along the park's eastern edge and through the waterfront district on an accessible grade, with a widened smooth surface, centerline markings, and soft aggregate shoulders for walking and running. Boardwalk and promenade connections lead toward the harbor and event lawn, while grass, shoreline edges, snow, ice, and wet lakefront surfaces are less predictable. Large events can fence the lawn or reroute the path, and cyclists must slow down and yield to pedestrians in this frequently congested section.

The City describes Waterfront Park as an event lawn and Greenway destination and does not list a conventional playground there. Children can use the open lawn when an event is not occupying it, watch harbor activity, and walk or ride the paved waterfront path. For equipment play, Oakledge Park's accessible playground and the newly rebuilt accessible playground at Pomeroy Park are separate destinations; navigate directly to the chosen park.

Waterfront Park itself is an event lawn and harbor-edge destination, not one of Burlington's official swimming beaches, and it has no listed splash pad. Do not enter Lake Champlain from marina, seawall, or event-lawn edges. For swimming, navigate to a named official beach such as North Beach, Leddy, Texaco, Blanchard, or Oakledge Cove and check Burlington's current water-quality status before entering.

Accessibility varies by entrance, route, terrain, and destination. Review the exact mapped subsite and its official source before relying on a specific accessible route.