Burlington, home of the University of Vermont and the birthplace of Phish, Ben and Jerry’s and Seventh Generation, has long embodied the earthy progressivism and can-do independence that define the state’s spirit. Lately that ethos has taken on a sophisticated sheen, as chefs apply Vermont’s longtime obsession with local ingredients in exciting new directions. There are still plenty of Birkenstocks about; they’re just parked under tables spread with confit duck poutine, braised leek crepes and crisp, complex Vermont craft brews like Alchemist’s Heady Topper, a beer of near-mythic reputation among hops aficionados.

Burlington, Vermont’s largest city at just over 42,000 residents, comes alive in summer. The deep aquamarine Lake Champlain thaws and Waterfront Park, built on industrial land reclaimed in the 1980s during Senator Bernie Sanders’s tenure as the city’s mayor (he announced his bid for the Democratic presidential nomination there in May), teems with students and families. Kayaks and skiffs dot the water’s glassy surface while runners and bikers fill shoreline paths. Abundant recreational opportunities along with the city’s high walkability factor — you can stroll from the postcard-pretty downtown to the burgeoning arts scene in the South End — mean foodie tourists can burn off calories as quickly as they pack them on. (It’s a nice thought, at least.)

Friday

1. Bike and Brew | 4 p.m.

Hit the ground running — or rolling — by pairing two pillars of Burlington life: craft beer and biking. Small-town breweries like Alchemist and Hill Farmstead make some of the world’s most acclaimed beers, but you don’t have to leave Burlington to find top beermakers. Rent a bike at Local Motion, a nonprofit “promoting people-powered transportation and recreation” ($32 a day) and cruise south along the lake to Switchback Brewing Company, one of the city’s craft beer pioneers. The smooth and malty Switchback Ale, the brewery’s first offering in 2002, remains its most popular (beer flights include four samples for $5). Head up Pine Street to sample the suds at Zero Gravity, now in an airy industrial-chic space, and Queen City Brewery. Want a break from beer? Keep pedaling up Pine for flights at Citizen Cider, an award-winning hard cider producer. ArtsRiot Truck Stop, an event heldevery Friday throughout the summer, brings together favorite food trucks like Southern Smoke and Taco Truck All Stars, hungry hordes and live music. Note: Tipsy skippering is dangerous, even by bike, so embrace moderation.