The BTown Brief

Check daily.
Check once.

We've made a lot of things. Two lists sort out which is which: the ones that are different every single day, and the ones you visit once and keep for years.

Start with today ↓
Burlington
Everything here is free, and none of it wants an account. The first list refreshes itself — some of it hourly, some at midnight, one of it at 8:02 every night. The second list doesn't need to.

List one

Bookmark these — they're different every day

Ranked by how often it actually changes and how much you get out of one visit.

  1. 1
    Burlington Pulse

    Every local headline sitting next to the national wire — 80+ sources, one dense feed, no algorithm deciding for you.

    every 20 min
  2. 2
    Weather & the Lake

    Conditions, lake temps, can-I-swim beach statuses, and a written read on the day — not just numbers.

    hourly
  3. 3
    Lake Breath

    Two minutes of breathing with the lake — and the 8:02, when the whole town does it together. No streaks, no ranks, no guilt.

    nightly · the 8:02
  4. 4
    The Events Calendar

    Every event in and around town, pulled from 26 sources — so you can stop checking 26 sources.

    twice daily
  5. 5
    Since You Checked

    What actually changed in town since your last visit: beaches, roads, transit, agendas, new events. Built for exactly this.

    hourly
  6. 6
    What Now

    One answer to “what should I do right now” — not a feed, not forty options. Ask again tomorrow and it says something else.

    new every ask
  7. 7
    BTown Wordle

    A new Burlington word every midnight. The five minutes that turn into a habit.

    daily
  8. 8
    Maple Scramble

    Sixteen tiles, one sprint, the same board for everyone in town that day. The leaderboard resets with it.

    daily
  9. 9
    Tonight's Sunset

    Will it actually be good? A scored forecast, where to watch from, and a gallery of the ones that delivered.

    nightly
  10. 10
    Open Right Now

    Live kitchen hours, patios, late-night, and a dinner randomiser for when nobody will decide. Different answer at 2pm than at 9pm.

    live hours
  11. 11
    The News Quiz

    Did you actually read this week's Brief? Rebuilt from the real headlines, twice a week.

    Mon & Fri
  12. 12
    The Leaderboards

    Every game's best scores in one place — and it moves every time anyone in town plays anything. Find out if you're still on it.

    live
  13. 13
    Jobs This Week

    The newest local postings from thirteen boards — the city, the state, UVM, the hospital, GlobalFoundries, Beta — in one list.

    Mon · Wed · Fri
  14. 14
    Where in BTown?

    One photo, one guess, 74 spots in rotation. Tells you how well you really know your own city.

    daily
  15. 15
    r/GoodBurlington

    The good-news corner of Burlington Reddit — wins, kindnesses, openings, sunsets, dogs. Pulled fresh all day.

    hourly

And the ones that keep

These don't change much, because they don't need to. One good session each.

List two

Visit once — then keep them forever

The ones worth a real sit-down. Send them to somebody who just moved here.

  1. 1
    Table Talk

    Put it in the middle of the table and everyone opens it on their own phone — same prompt, same moment, no app and no accounts. Built for meetups, works at any dinner.

    for a table
  2. 2
    Stay Awhile

    273 questions worth staying at the table for — the ones that actually get people talking. Spin, land on someone, ask them something real.

    273 questions
  3. 3
    206+ Things To Do

    The local's list: breweries, beaches, trails, museums, and the definitive top 100. The page this whole guide grew out of.

    the master list
  4. 4
    The Walking Tour

    A 1.7-mile downtown loop with the history woven in — 14 stops, phone in hand, about 90 minutes.

    do it saturday
  5. 5
    The Arcade

    All 36 Burlington games behind one door — puzzles, arcade, board and card classics, party night. Free, no accounts.

    36 games
  6. 6
    Btown Party

    Live games for a whole room — everyone scans a QR code, phones stay pocketed, and the reveals land together on the big screen. Anyone can host.

    for a room
  7. 7
    Community Chat

    The Telegram group — locals swapping finds, quick questions, and what's actually open in a storm. Join once, it's there when you need it.

    join once
  8. 8
    Burlington, Briefly

    The city's whole story in a five-minute read — with the long version, plus Winooski, Essex, Colchester and South Burlington one click deeper.

    5-minute read
  9. 9
    Lake & Beaches

    Every swim spot from Oakledge to Leddy — the vibe, how to get there without a car, and a shore-long scavenger hunt.

    23-stop hunt
  10. 10
    Small Bites

    Every menu within a five-minute walk of Church Street on one filterable list — what can I eat, for how much, right here.

    walkable core
  11. 11
    The Archives

    Every issue of the Brief, searchable. Worth one good dig — you'll find the thing you half-remember reading.

    the back catalog
  12. 12
    Clubs & Groups

    Run clubs, board games, book clubs, pickup sports. The reliable way to meet people here — the page to send a new neighbour.

    meet people
  13. 13
    Vermont Hobbies

    The 39 hobbies this place is built for — sugaring, swimming holes, ice fishing, disc golf — each with the shop, club, or spot that gets you started.

    39 on-ramps
  14. 14
    Best of r/burlington

    What the subreddit actually recommends — every recurring “best X” question, linked straight to the threads.

    settled arguments
  15. 15
    Find an Apartment

    Every Burlington property manager, with contacts — email them directly instead of refreshing Zillow at midnight.

    save it now

All of it is free

And all of it exists because of one twice-weekly newsletter about Burlington.

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Want the whole toolbox instead of the highlights? Every single thing we've made ↗