Just seven miles south of Burlington, Shelburne offers a refreshing taste of small-town life within Vermont’s most populous region — and cows! Near the lake, the 1,400-acre Shelburne Farms provides grassy expanses and wooded trails ideal for wandering. Around the village green, independently owned shops include a circa-1850s country store and upscale boutiques. And right along the main drag, Shelburne Museum’s “collection of collections” ranges from duck decoys to French impressionist paintings to a 220-foot steamboat.
If you want to visit Shelburne, Vermont, here’s a suggested itinerary.
Note: Check websites to confirm business hours for the day you visit.
Leunig’s Le Marché Café
Opened in December 2022, Le Marché quickly brought a bit of je ne sais quoi to town, with French-inspired favorites ranging from quiches to salade Niçoise to duck confit poutine. Chef-owner Donnell Collins lives in Shelburne and designed the café and bakery to be the kind of place she and her family wanted nearby: somewhere they could go for a takeout sandwich or a box of pastries. Grab breakfast or a sweet creation inspired by a local mountain, such as a maple-inflected Mt. Mansfield Tart or a chocolaty Mt. Philo Cake. Collins’ latest venture, Electra’s Restaurant, is open for dinner just up the street at 5247 Shelburne Road.
5597 Shelburne Rd., Shelburne
Shelburne Museum
Founded in 1947 by prolific collector Electra Havemeyer Webb, Shelburne Museum has more than 150,000 items in its permanent collection and connects past to present in compelling special exhibitions. View the art in 39 different structures, from the Ticonderoga steamboat to the contemporary Pizzagalli Center for Art and Education, and stroll 22 gardens spread across the 45-acre campus.
6000 Shelburne Rd., Shelburne
Shelburne Vineyard
Winemaker Ethan Joseph pioneers new techniques in the vineyard and the cellar. Sample the fruits of his labor— and harvest-based beverages from Eden Ciders, the vineyard’s sister company — in the airy tasting room, out on the patio or in the loft.
6308 Shelburne Rd., Shelburne
Folino’s and Fiddlehead Brewing
Wood-fired pizza and IPAs are staples of the Vermont diet, and you can find both in the red roadside building that’s home to Folino’s and Fiddlehead. Grab a pint or a growler fill of Fiddlehead’s hazy classic in the brewery’s taproom or bring it next door to pair with a pie — Folino’s is BYOB.
6305 Shelburne Rd., Shelburne
Shop Small
Shelburne’s shops have something for everyone, and most are walkable from the village green. Find antiques at mother/daughter-owned Brianne’s Vintage Chic (5462 Shelburne Rd.); grab games and gifts for little ones at Jamie Two-Coats’ Toy Shop (54 Falls Rd., Suite 101); browse books at the Flying Pig Bookstore (5247 Shelburne Rd.); and get your boutique on at Mysa (65 Falls Rd.), Mendy’s (30 Harbor Rd.) and Monelle (5597 Shelburne Rd.). Shelburne Country Store (29 Falls Rd.) is stocked with Vermonty souvenirs, and Village Wine & Coffee (5288 Shelburne Rd.) has your buzz covered for both ends of the day.
Shelburne Farms
Visitors are welcome from mid-May to mid-October at this working farm, forest and National Historic Landmark. Stock up on the farm’s maple syrup and cheddar cheese, loaves from on-site O Bread Bakery, and other picnic provisions at the Farm Store & Welcome Center, then head out for a peaceful walk along the extensive trails.
1611 Harbor Rd., Shelburne
Vermont Teddy Bear Factory
Commemorate your Vermont excursion by creating your own bear at Vermont Teddy Bear’s Bear Shop. Factory tours offer a glimpse of the stuff (and stuffing) behind the scenes, where craftspeople make bears one by one. The first-come, first-serve tours also visit the Bear Hospital, where a care team assesses injuries and performs any necessary surgeries for Vermont Teddy Bear-made stuffies, which come with a lifetime guarantee.
6655 Shelburne Rd., Shelburne
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