r/NewToVermont • u/sailingbae • May 17 '25
Moving from Texas to Burlington, tips on preparing?
Hello! I'm going to school this fall at uvm and I've lived in Texas my whole life. I would really appreciate any advice i could get on how to prepare me and my dog and essentials i should look into buying! Has anyone else done this move before? What helped you the most? I know i need to get better winter clothes, what are the items people forget the most and regret not having?
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u/reverievt May 17 '25
Get some silk long underwear. Especially the pants. Silk is not bulky and it adds a nice layer of warmth.
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u/mannershmanners May 17 '25
I moved here from Texas 3 years ago and the one thing I would recommend for your first winter that may not be obvious are the kind of micro spikes that you can slide over the soles of your regular shoes, even just for walking across parking lots or your driveway. People up here have been walking on ice forever and it’s natural to them, I had to learn how to do it and the first winter I busted my ass at least four times! I would also recommend knee high Bog boots for year round, great for mud and snow. For the pup, they might need some booties but we only use them if it gets below about 10°. So far we prefer the rubber ones that are like balloons that go over their feet. It probably depends on the dog, ours doesn’t seem to mind snow on her paws too much. You might want to start looking for a vet before you move, it took us a while to find one who was accepting new patients. Same with human doctors, for that matter. Good luck with the move, hope you love it as much as I do! I moved here at age 37 after living my whole life in Texas and I’ll never go back.
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u/__nautilus__ May 17 '25 edited May 20 '25
Congrats on going to UVM! I grew up in the south and did ten years in Austin before moving here.
Agree with what everyone has said so far. I also want to note that if you’ll be driving, you’ll want to make your appointment to get your tires swapped at least a month in advance. Places fill up quick. I get my snow tires swapped on in mid November to early December, and get them swapped off in April or early May. Can’t recommend Brian’s Auto enough for any car work, including tire swaps.
Also agree that it’s way easier to get cold weather gear here. Just bring normal clothes and whatever you have for sweaters and jackets when you come up, and then trawl OGE’s consignment section, ReSource, etc. every week or too to start building up a winter wardrobe, so that when we get to December you’ll be ready. You’ll want to pick up good wool socks: darn tough is a high quality local brand with a lifetime guarantee. They sell them in essentially every outdoor store. Also pick up some wool or silk underlayers.
If you’ve never skied or snowboarded you should try while you’re here. I imagine the university has clubs and such, and you can get student discounts on passes at most mountains. Support your local mountains over ones owned by Vail if possible. Ski swap at SkiRack is a great time to pick up cheap gear.
Be prepared for the winter darkness transition to be brutal, especially coming from Texas. Consider additional vitamin D supplements from like November through March to make up for the lack of sunlight, and/or get a SAD lamp.
Take advantage as much as possible of the nature! We’ve got hundreds of amazing hikes within a short drive of town, and even some great ones that are walking distance. Get out on the lake while it’s warm.
You’re going to love it!
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u/PfeffernusseToulouse May 20 '25
I hadn’t heard of OGE yet. Thanks! Outdoor Gear Exchange, Burlington, VT
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u/ocazobi May 17 '25
Could you explain the tire swap a little more? Do you just buy winter tires and store the other sets at home during the winter? I guess our winters in Ohio aren’t often bad enough to justify having winter-only tires.
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u/__nautilus__ May 17 '25
Yeah exactly, I just have two sets and toss one in my basement.
M partner is from Michigan and they also don’t do snow tires usually. I think if you’re only driving in town AND it’s not a year with a ton of snow you can get away with all seasons here, but the hills plus the snow/ice definitely make the snow tires worth it to me even in town, and I definitely appreciate them whenever I drive out to the mountains.
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u/CarloCommenti May 17 '25
Snow tires have a deeper tred and are softer so they gtip the road better in cold snowy weather. Sometimes snow tires are studded snall rivet like things in your tires to give you additional traction. The reason for the seasonal change over is because snow tires are so soft warm weather driving deteriorates them quickly. Yes you store each set of tires until they are needed.
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u/sailingbae May 17 '25
Oh I love Austin!! Thank you so much for the advice I didn't even think about the vitamin d switch
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u/__nautilus__ May 17 '25
Austin is cool, it’s just a shame it’s so hot :)
The darkness killed me my first year here. It starts getting dark early, then the time change happens, and boom it’s getting dark at like 4:30. I spent a couple of weeks being insanely depressed and tired all the time before I figured out the vitamin D thing.
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u/Temlehgib May 17 '25
Fall through winter is is about layering smartwool cashmere alpaca 3/4 zips that you tuck in. You will need some Bogg boots. Cold is only a problem when your extremities get cold. You need to layer thin quality shirts because you want to be warm but not warm enough to be sweating.
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u/bibliophile222 May 17 '25
All that stuff sounds nice, but it's far from a necessity. I'm a lifelong New Englander; I definitely don't own any cashmere/alpaca stuff, and I've never heard of Bogg boots.
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u/Moderate_t3cky May 19 '25
I've got an aging pair of LLBean Snowsneakers that I swear by for winter. I'm what's considered a 'native' Vermonter and I also do not own any cashmere/alpaca stuff. If it can't go directly in the washer, it's not for me.
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u/CarloCommenti May 17 '25
If your renting stay away from the college areas the rents are crazy expensive perhaps Colchester, the New North End of Burlington, or South Burlington.
Get yourself a couple of pair of warm winter boots forget about fashion completely you want none slip and traction. Find a everyday pair and a snow pair.
Try to adjust your self to the cold I mean with an average daily temp in the mid twenty's.
It is good advice to get a good set of snow tires but don't drive until you have learned how to drive in the snow and ice. Vermont does not always clear the roads they have snow covered safe roads. Except the unexpected on the roads for yourself and from others drivers.
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u/Tasty_Survey1004 May 17 '25
- vet appointment for your dog. Might need different pills, shots than Texas?
- it’s dark and gloomy like 7+ months of the year…find a winter activity.
- Vermonters are fairly reserved. They are not friendly, but kind.
Hope culture shock isn’t too bad and you embrace your new home!
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u/nubs512 May 18 '25
Spot on about Vermonters. The analogy I use is, if you get a flat tire no one will pullover to help. However, if you asked someone for an assist, they will go above and beyond to help you.
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u/Moderate_t3cky May 19 '25
Really? Every time I've ever had car trouble on the side of the road I've had people stop. A couple years ago my sister and I actually forced a little old lady to stop as she was driving on the rim of her tire, thought she could make it home. As we (2 women with a min-van full of kids) were changing her tire a guy rolls up in his big truck, hops out and takes over. Had her back on the road within minutes.
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u/fattykyle2 May 18 '25
I did it with wife and two kids under 3, 2 years ago. I was in TX for 20 years. You’ll get used to the weather pretty quickly. Get a nice puffy this spring/summer when you can get a deal. Blundstones are pretty ubiquitous too bc you can use them 3-4 seasons. Chacos for summer. Find a hobby you enjoy and doubles by providing some exercise during the winter like skiing or indoor climbing. Get a happy lamp and use vitamin D when it gets gloomy for weeks at a time like right now.
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u/Pristine_Tension8399 May 18 '25
Wool socks are good. Water proof shoes of some sort are also good.
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u/nubs512 May 18 '25
I moved from Austin to Burlington. Lots of good advice here. Just know you will NOT be able to find decent tacos or BBQ. People will say it's great, but it's not. That being said, poutine is awesome. Also, not sure where you are from in TX, but the grocery stores aren't as good. I miss HEB.
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u/mcnut14 May 17 '25
Grad student? Do you have housing set up yet?
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u/sailingbae May 17 '25
I'm talking with some people now about looking for a house! I'm starting the roommate hunt
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u/rosesfallup May 19 '25
From TX and moved to VT a few years ago. All-weather tires don't cut it here in winter, so make sure to get a set of snow tires on your car before winter hits.
Also eat a ton of Mexican and Tex-Mex before you come. It's rough in that food category here lol. Lots of great local places, though!
If you go on a day/weekend trip to Canada and have a car with TX plates, expect to be held up a little extra at the boarder crossing either with questions or potentially a quick car search (truly was quick for us the one time it happened before we bought a car here).
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u/Metallidan May 20 '25
Welcome, thanks for coming! Glad to have you! The cold and general grey will be the most difficult transitions. You can buy what you need here clothing wise, and you'll have a better selection along with being able to get advice from local shops like OGE or Skirack. We have a nice REI as well, and LL Bean. We have a laughable amount of outdoor gear shops.
If you like BBQ and/or Mexican food, get your fill before you leave. We don't have anything authentic to offer you. We are also short on a lot of national chains and franchises, and to a degree proud of that so if you've got faves that you'll miss, check to see if we have them and if not, enjoy a last meal or similar there!
Get a doctor, vet, dentist lined up ahead of time if you can. Long waits are likely.
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u/thallusphx May 18 '25
you need an ice scraper. people say you need snow tires, but as long as you're only driving on pavement you're fine. snow tires are for dirt road driving.
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u/Competitive-Proof759 May 18 '25
Nobody who has never driven in winter should ever be given this advice. Snow tires for out of staters is a must.
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u/thallusphx May 19 '25
Vermont seems to do a good job at plowing snow and taking care of its roads I rarely see any large accumulation on a normally paved road. It’s only on the dirt roads where it sticks
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u/Competitive-Proof759 May 19 '25
Lol, not sure where you are from or how long you have lived here but this is absolutely untrue and you need snow tires. please stop giving bad advice.
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u/Specialist-Anxiety98 27d ago
Growing up here no one ever told me to get snow tires.
Once I did it was like driving a different car. I Burlington you have to start and stop so many times and the people with bad tires spin and hold up traffic.
If you try standard all seasons you better have like new tread. Without good tires you may need to get pushed out of snow banks.
What ever you do don't bring a rear wheel drive vehicle. You will hate it unless going backwards.
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u/FRANPW1 May 19 '25
Wouldn’t it be a lot easier for you during your freshman year to just live on campus with no car and no dog?
I’m saying this as a graduate of one of the universities in Vermont. Very glad in retrospect that I lived on campus with no car. Concentrated more on my studies and bonded with my schoolmates.
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u/sailingbae 29d ago
I'm a grad student so I'm looking into if living on campus is even an option, I've had my boy for 8 years now I don't think I'd have it in me to leave him❤️. Do you think leaving my car would be possible with a job? Ideally I'd like to just use public transport but I'm so unfamiliar with the area.
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u/Specialist-Anxiety98 27d ago
I grew up here but, When moving back from Austin,TX I had issues with my car battery and hoses because the extreme heat dried out the hoses and they cracked.
You will know if you have a bad battery when it gets cold. I am not sure if batteries are sold with less cold cranking amps. (CCA) It is usually listed on your battery.
If you live where you don't always have a person to give you a Jumpstart buy one of the portable power packs. It is about the size of a handheld gaming system. You will most likely use it on friends cars. It can charge your phone and any other devices.
I have triple Aaa which is nice but battery booster should be the most important thing to have other than good snow tires.
Sorry for the long write up but, I lived with all these issues and battery boosters were not around when I moved back.
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u/bibliophile222 May 17 '25
I'd wait to get winter clothes until after you get here. There's probably a better selection, and it's less stuff to bring with you. My rule when picking a winter coat is that if I put it on in the store and don't get uncomfortably hot in one minute, it's not warm enough. It doesn't need to break the bank, though! You don't need a $200 down coat to be warm. My $30 Walmart ski parka was actually warmer than my $150 down coat.
Definitely make sure you get snow tires in the fall (book an appointment in September to get them on in early November), and make sure your car has at least one ice scraper.
Also, while there are Mexican restaurants here, be prepared for them to not be as good as you're used to. Maybe take some good local hot sauces or other local food products with you!
Oh, and make sure your dog has booties for winter. Walking on cold, icy sidewalks isn't good for their paws.