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.

Get the Brief, free →

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