First total solar eclipse here since 1932 – so plan accordingly
by the Lake Champlain Chamber
Greater Burlington and much of northern Vermont will be in the path of totality for the solar eclipse on Monday, April 8, 2024. This means that for a period of about three minutes and fifteen seconds, the sun will be almost completely obscured as the moon passes in front of it. For many residents, this will be a once-in-a-lifetime event. Greater Burlington saw its last total solar eclipse in 1932, and it won’t see another until 2106. It’s also a significant cultural event that historically brings a high volume of passionate eclipse enthusiasts with each occurrence, many of whom stay multiple days at a time in destinations that are inside the path of totality.
Start of Eclipse – 2:14:00pm
Start of Totality – 3:26:08pm
Maximum Eclipse – 3:27:45pm
End of Totality – 3:29:22pm
End of Eclipse – 4:37:20pm
Based on the experience of other destinations in recent years, we expect to see a large volume of visitors to the region in the days before, during and after the event. With this in mind, the Lake Champlain Chamber is encouraging cities, towns, and businesses in the region to plan accordingly. Most hotels across the region are all but sold out. The short term rental market (AirBnB / VRBO) is similarly saturated. Many hotels and short term rentals are also requiring multi-night stays which means the weekend before the eclipse will be unusually busy as well.
It is important to note that the greatest volume of visitors are likely to be daytrippers, arriving and departing on the same day as the eclipse. How many daytrippers will come will likely depend on the weather. As we get much closer to the date of the eclipse, we’ll have a better idea of what kind of numbers we might expect to see.
“Destinations that have been in the path of totality in prior years saw significant surges in visitors. We’re confident that the region’s hotel room inventory will come close to a full sellout and that short term rentals will do the same,” said Jeff Lawson, the Chamber’s Vice President of Tourism. He added, “Having our municipalities, businesses, and residents take a proactive approach to the eclipse will help our region mitigate some of the potential public safety issues while taking advantage of the economic opportunity and national media exposure.
Municipalities
- Municipalities may want to restrict access to public spaces that are not ready for foot traffic, or could be potentially hazardous to eclipse viewers.
- Municipalities should ensure that emergency service departments are aware that they’re likely to see a higher volume of visitor traffic than is usual for that time of year.
- Taking a deliberate, intentional approach, such as hosting public viewing events, will bring viewers where you want them to be, rather than having them wander onto public spaces that may not be suitable for heavy, springtime foot traffic or onto private land that is not open to the public. Hosting events can also insure against subpar visitor and resident experiences in the event that the weather does not provide optimal eclipse viewing conditions.
Businesses
- Businesses, especially those in the hospitality sector, should expect to see a high volume of visitor traffic. Many lodging options have minimum night stays so the weekend before will also be unusually busy. In particular, restaurants that may not normally be open on Sunday and Monday may want to adjust their schedule to take advantage of the opportunity.
- Any businesses near viewing events on Monday should let employees know to expect longer travel time to and from work.
- Any businesses that normally have deliveries on Monday may want to reschedule them if possible, as we could see more than double the amount of traffic on our roads.
Residents
- Make plans with family and friends! This is a once-in-a-lifetime event to experience together! Many schools in the region are planning for an early release since totality coincides with usual dismissal times.
- Take care of any important errands before Monday as traffic will likely be heavy.
For More Information Visit
Hello Burlington Eclipse Web Page
Vermont Department of Tourism & Marketing Eclipse Page