Inn at Shelburne Farms

Top choice


One of New England's top 10 places to stay, this inn, 7 miles south of Burlington off US 7, was once the summer mansion of the wealthy Webb family. It now welcomes guests, with rooms in the gracious, welcoming country manor house by the lakefront, as well as four independent, kitchen-equipped cottages and guesthouses scattered across the property.

Relive the Webbs' opulent lifestyle by taking tea (served every afternoon) or eating in the inn's fabulous restaurant (dinner mains range from $28 to $36; most of the menu is built around produce from the surrounding 1400-acre farm). Or chill out playing billiards or relaxing in one of the common areas, complete with elegant, original furnishings. If you're feeling more energetic, the hiking trails, architect-designed barns and vast grounds are also worthy of several hours' exploration.