A house in Burlington, VT, a college town near the slopes, for $799,900

One of Vermont's most popular destinations (out of quite a few) is Burlington, a picturesque city along the widest section of Lake Champlain. Burlington's location makes it a prime spot for outdoors enthusiasts, thanks to its proximity to Champlain and the Adirondacks; it's also a thriving college town, home to the University of Vermont and plenty of college-friendly bars, restaurants, and shops.

Burlington's main retail hub is Church Street Marketplace, a multi-block, open air mall filled with stores and eateries. The city's got lots of sustainable and farm-to-table restaurants, as per Vermonter tradition, with standouts including Bleu Northeast Seafood, Hen of the Wood, and brunch spot Monarch & the Milkweed. There are also lots of cafes, bars, and gastropubs, college-friendly and otherwise, and of course there's a Ben & Jerry's outpost (at Church Street).

Good food and good outdoors aside, Burlington's a mere two-hour drive from Montreal, close to the rest of Vermont's beautiful mountains, ski slopes, and changing leaves, and full of houses as lovely as its landscape. Take, for instance, the three-bedroom, three-bath property at 52 Southwind Dr., now on the market for $799,900 and located right at the lip of Oakledge Park. The townhouse, which was built in 1990, opens with a generous tiled-floor foyer.

The kitchen has been renovated recently and stainless steel appliances and granite countertops were installed.

There's an airy open-concept dining area with a double-sided gas fireplace and French doors that lead to the patio.

The dining room leads into the sunroom, which has big windows, a vaulted ceiling, and a gas stove.

There's an additional living space on the first floor, framed by French doors.

The living space has heart pine floors and a gas fireplace.

The master bedroom is on the second floor, and features a walk-in closet and lots of light.

The master bath has a large, custom glass shower and radiant-heat tiled floors.

Here are two more bedrooms.

And another bath with a tub/shower combo.

There's a bonus space on the third floor that you can use as an office, guest room, or additional living area, if you choose.

The rooftop's got a lovely widow's walk.

Outdoor space includes a landscaped yard with a brick patio and hot tub.

Look at all that nature.

The house is just over a five-hour drive from Manhattan.