You might visit Hildene Local favorite: Hildene, The Lincoln Family Home in Manchester, Vermont, to tour the historic estate, wander through its gardens, see the peonies blooming in early June or step aboard its beautifully restored Sunbeam Pullman car. But there’s another part of Hildene that deserves a spot on your Southern Vermont itinerary, especially if you’re visiting with kids: the farm.
We visited Hildene during lambing season, and the farm could easily have been an experience all on its own. There were day-old lambs curled up beside their moms, slightly older lambs hopping and racing around their enclosures, chickens and roosters wandering freely…
Then there were onkeys and alpacas, and cows grazing in the distance with Vermont’s mountains as the backdrop. If you love animals, farms or finding experiences that feel distinctly Vermont, make sure you leave plenty of time for this part of the property.
A Working Farm at Hildene
One of the things that makes Hildene so interesting is that this isn’t simply a historic house that has been preserved and frozen in time. The 412-acre property incorporates history, agriculture, conservation and education, giving visitors several very different experiences within one destination.
The farm is a perfect example. Depending on when you visit, you might find yourself watching lambs play, spotting chickens roaming around the property or simply taking in the pastoral views surrounding the barns and pastures. During our spring visit, lambing season made it especially memorable. Seeing tiny lambs that were only a day old and watching the older ones leap around the farm was easily one of the highlights.
And while kids will probably be the easiest audience to convince to visit a farm filled with animals, you definitely don’t need to be traveling with children to enjoy it.
More Than a Historic Manchester Estate
Of course, you shouldn’t visit the farm without exploring the rest of Hildene.
Hildene was built more than 120 years ago by Robert Todd Lincoln, the son of President Abraham Lincoln and Mary Todd Lincoln. Robert was the only one of the Lincolns’ four sons to survive to adulthood, and the Georgian Revival home he built in Manchester became a summer residence for generations of the Lincoln family.
Today, Hildene is a nonprofit organization dedicated to its mission of “Living the Lincoln Legacy.” That history becomes much more tangible once you’re inside the home, where you can explore the rooms and learn more about Robert Lincoln, his family and their lives in Vermont. You can even see one of Abraham Lincoln’s iconic stovepipe top hats.
But Hildene extends far beyond the house itself. The property encompasses hundreds of acres, with gardens, walking trails, agricultural areas and expansive views across the surrounding landscape.
Don’t Miss the Sunbeam Pullman Car
Another reason to give yourself plenty of time at Hildene is the Sunbeam, a restored 1903 Pullman palace car.
Robert Lincoln served as president of the Pullman Company, so the railcar provides another connection between the Lincoln family story and a much larger piece of American history. You can walk through the restored car and see what luxury rail travel looked like during the early 20th century.
Between the mansion, farm, gardens and Pullman car, Hildene is much more than a quick historic-house tour. You could easily spend a substantial portion of your day exploring the property.
Visit Hildene’s Gardens and Peonies
If you’re planning a late-spring or early-summer trip to Manchester, the gardens provide another reason to visit.
Early June is an especially beautiful time to see the peonies blooming in Hildene’s formal garden. Combine the flowers with the mountain views, historic home and farm, and you have a very different experience from what you’ll find during a fall or winter visit.
That’s one of the things I like about Hildene: the property changes with Vermont’s seasons. Lambing season brings newborn animals to the farm, early summer brings flowers to the gardens, and each visit can feel a little different depending on when you arrive.
One of the Best Things to Do in Manchester, Vermont, With Kids
If you’re looking for things to do with kids in Manchester, Hildene deserves a spot near the top of your list because there is enough variety to keep different ages interested.
You can introduce kids to American history inside the Lincoln family home, visit the Pullman car, head outside to see the animals and then spend time exploring the grounds. There’s room to move, plenty to look at and a nice balance between educational experiences and simply being outside.
The farm in particular makes Hildene approachable for younger visitors who might not be quite as excited about touring a historic home. Come for the Lincoln history, but don’t be surprised if the lambs, chickens, donkeys and alpacas end up being what they talk about afterward.
Make Hildene Part of a Manchester, Vermont Getaway
Hildene is located in Manchester, making it an easy addition to a Southern Vermont weekend or longer Manchester getaway. And if you’re staying nearby at the Kimpton Taconic Hotel, admission to Hildene is included for hotel guests, making it even easier to work a visit into your itinerary.
Give yourself enough time to see more than the house. Walk the grounds, visit the farm, look for the animals, explore the gardens and step aboard the Sunbeam. Hildene’s Lincoln connection might be what initially puts it on your Manchester itinerary, but the combination of history, animals, agriculture and the Vermont landscape is what makes the entire property worth experiencing.
And if you’re lucky enough to visit during lambing season, prepare to spend a lot more time at the farm than you planned.
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