FILE: MATTHEW THORSEN
Skateland
The X Factor NONALCOHOLIC FUN IN AND AROUND BTV BY DAN BOLLES
You don’t necessarily have to belly up to the bar to socialize or unwind in Burlington — there’s more to Queen City nightlife than creative cocktails and craft brews. Whether you’re straight-edge, sober, underage or just need a night off from the bar scene, the greater Burlington area offers plenty of booze-free fun. Read on for our recommendations.
JOHN JAMES
Skate or Die Do you like roller skates? Do you like snazzy lighting and upbeat pop music? Of course you do! Roll on down to SKATELAND in Essex Junction, Vermont’s only indoor roller skating rink and one of the largest in New England. If skating a half-pipe is more your style, check out TALENT SKATEPARK to get a taste of California-style pool skating.
Rock Out Live music is a cornerstone of BTV nightlife. And while many of the best shows do happen in bars, the scene is more accessible than you might think. HIGHER GROUND is almost always all ages. Ditto tiny, eclectic RADIO BEAN, speakeasy-ish SIGNAL KITCHEN, South End hipster hub ARTSRIOT and roots-oriented SKINNY PANCAKE. Midweek, hot spots such as NECTAR’S and the MONKEY HOUSE are typically 18-plus with a nominal cover for underage (read: nondrinking) fans — check the weekly club listings in Seven Days or at sevendaysvt.com. When it comes to local rocking, the kids are all right.
Spare Time
Roll With It The dude abides. And so can you at either of the area’s two bowling alleys. SPARE TIME in Colchester is huge, glitzy (as bowling alleys go) and a lot of fun — also, there’s a sweet laser tag arena. For those who prefer bowling in the kind of joint Jeffrey Lebowski would frequent, CHAMPLAIN LANES in Shelburne is a mom-andpop alley with entertainment on the weekends. Now if only it had Sioux City Sarsaparilla.
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