Welcome to our third post on our Visit Southern Vermont guide. 

Hildene is hosting a food and wine pairing May 23rd as part of the inaugural Manchester Food & Wine Festival this weekend. Get tickets here.

Hildene is a lot of things: a museum, a garden, a working farm, a nature preserve, a home for events, including the first Manchester Wine & Food Festival this weekend. But, above all, it is a sliver of Vermont paradise. One visit and you’ll see why Robert and Mary Todd tried to spend as much time here as they could.

Hours: 10 AM – 4:30 PM, Thursday – Monday

Admission: $25/adult, $8/children, Free/Children Under 5

1005 Hildene Road, Manchester | https://hildene.org/ | 802 362-1788

Getting there couldn’t be easier. Hildene is just south of Manchester Village.

The Gardens

The Formal Garden is a European-style garden designed by Lincoln’s granddaugther Jessie Lincoln. It is most known for its grand display of peonies. With over 100 peony plants, it is a quite a sight in June. It can be tough to time it exactly, but they tend to peak in early June.

Jessie laid it out to mimic a stained-glass window and it really does pop when everything is in bloom. Even if you can’t make it then, give it a visit anytime. It truly is a beautiful garden regardless if its star attraction is showing off or not.

The estate sits on a high point in the valley between the Taconic Mountains on the east side and the Green Mountains on the west. The sight of the formal garden surrounded by the this wide vista of the mountains with the farm below is a unique view and definitely worth seeing.

There is also a kitchen garden and a butterfly garden on the east side of the house.

The Trails

The estate features 12 miles of trails open much of the year. They wander through forests, meadows, farmland and marshes. These are wide, well maintained trails and much of it is ADA accessible.

The trail network might be one of the best reasons to have an annual membership, as they are always changing throughout the year. They even stay open in the winter for XC skiing and snowshoe access.

There are some trails close to the house and they wind down the hill to the farm below and then continues through the farmland and into the marsh. They also run regular shuttles down the hill to connect to the farm and trails below.

The Home and Museum

And, of course, there is the house itself. A twenty-four room Georgian style mansion designed by  Boston architectural firm Shepley, Rutan, and Coolidge. Robert, Abraham Lincoln’s son, and his wife Mary, purchased the land and had this vacation home built. You can learn all about it when you visit. The excellent tour guides give way more information than I can retell here. It has been faithfully restored and is a fun and educational window into the time, and their life.

Gotta love the wallpaper.

This bathroom was on the first floor and had a timeless design. Still looks contemporary today.

Here are the servant’s quarters and the kitchens. That stone sink is epic.

Back down the hill on the farm, there is a schoolhouse that pre-dates the Lincoln family by some time. The Hollow School dates back to 1832.

Finally, there is the Pullman’s car on site. It has been meticulously restored with every detail brought back to life. The car and accompanying exhibit are worth checking out.

Are you a Hildene Fan?

Are you a member? What’s your favorite thing about Hildene? Got any tips for new visitors? Let us know at hi@postcardstation.net