Burlington and Beyond

If you come to Champlain, be prepared to have friends from other colleges come to visit — a lot. In fact, be prepared to have them pretty much camp out in your room. Burlington has been called one of this country's best college towns, and after you've spent some time here, you'll see why. The politics are progressive. The music is alternative. There are tons of coffee shops, cafés and restaurants, plus every kind of outdoor recreation. If you're into hiking, biking, skiing or boarding, this is the place to be. Of course, it's also a great town for movie buffs, foodies and fashionistas.

And if you start to crave something a little more urban, you're in luck: Montreal is just an hour and a half away. Boston is also close (about three and half hours), and even New York is within an easy day's drive. Of course, the culture on campus isn't bad either: Some of the best bands and comedy groups regularly perform at Champlain, and recent guest speakers have included authors E.L. Doctorow (Ragtime), Khaled Hosseini (The Kite Runner), and Eric Schlosser (Fast Food Nation).