Just seven miles south of Burlington, Vermont’s largest city that offers an artsy, urban vacation, lies Shelburne, a quaint and quiet agricultural town marked by undulating fields dotted with farmhouses and country markets, set against the backdrop of stunning Lake Champlain. This charming community also boasts a bevy of world-class treasures.
In the late 19th century, Dr. William Seward Webb and Eliza Vanderbilt Webb, heiress of the extremely wealthy Vanderbilt family, built Shelburne Farms, a grand estate with a working farm and lakefront summer mansion. Decades later, the Webbs’ son, James Watson Webb II, and his wife, Electra Havemeyer Webb, opened the Shelburne Museum, with an impressive collection of fine American and European paintings, decorative arts, and historic buildings. Today, visitors can tour both Shelburne Farms and Shelburne Museum and even stay and dine in the Webbs’ lavish Tudor Revival-style home, which is now a boutique inn.
The picturesque setting, where the rolling hills of the Vermont countryside meet the panorama of Lake Champlain, is a true wonder to behold. Foodies will delight in the fresh and innovative farm-to-table cuisine available in the area, while active types can head out on lake excursions or nearby hikes. Shelburne, Vermont, is a 20-minute drive south of Burlington International Airport. The town is also a two-hour drive from Montreal, Canada. The best time to visit Shelburne is between May and October as many of Shelburne’s attractions are only open seasonally. The fall months are particularly beautiful here when the trees glow with red and gold hues.
What to see and do in Shelburne
Encompassing 1,400 acres on Lake Champlain, Shelburne Farms, designed by landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted, is a National Historic Site. Between May and October, the working farm offers daily tours of the sprawling property in a tractor-driven wagon, as well as Sun to Cheese tours to learn how the farm’s cheddar cheese is produced. Kids can enjoy visiting the Children’s Farmyard to see cows, sheep, horses, and pigs. About 10 miles of walking trails also lace through the property for bucolic strolls year-round. After you’ve thoroughly explored the Farms, stop by the Farm Store to pick up the Farms’ produce and products.
Just a five-minute drive away from the Farms is the Shelburne Museum. The museum’s landscape is dotted with 25 historic structures that were transported to Shelburne, such as the 1840 schoolhouse from Vergennes, Vermont’s oldest town, and a Lake Champlain lighthouse. The Ticonderoga, a 220-foot steamboat that prowled Lake Champlain in the first half of the 20th century, is also exhibited on the property. Inside the museum’s galleries, you’ll find fine Impressionist art by Claude Monet and Mary Cassatt, as well as unique Americana, including horse-drawn carriages, dolls, textiles, and more. The museum is open daily between May and October from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
For active types, Lake Champlain beckons with water sports in the summers. Later in the season, one of the best things to do on your fall getaway in Vermont is to head out on hikes and scenic drives when the trees are awash in vivid color.
Where to stay and eat in Shelburne
