the fells

942laurac

Anyone who enjoys a walk in an historic property that has beautiful plantings and great views needs to be here, Property of John Hay Adams, Secretary of State to Abraham Lincoln. Anytime of year, but check google for the Sculpture Exhibit which is good fun. The Fairy Garden and lots of trails are good for all levels. Not to be missed when in the area.

mikepero

The Fells estate is a classic home decorated by local artists and interior designers. Each had one room and the results are surprising and whimsical. We found some ideas for our home that, while scaled down I think will look good.

ShelSouthShore_MA

For 2 weekends in November, the Fells is decorated for Christmas. We toured last weekend and it was beautiful. Each of the 22 rooms was decorated by a different decorator or shop owner. This is not to be missed, along with the beautiful grounds.

948dm

enjoy the outdoors, quiet walks, tree canopies, bird tweeting. The Fells is a picturesque place. easy access off of Route 103A and maybe 10 minute drive from exit 11 or 12 off of I-89. The people who work at the Fells are very knowledgeable.

HMFoodie

Our inn keepers suggested that we visit The Fells. We enjoyed stepping back into time for an Informative tour. We loved the amazing grounds and gardens overlooking Lake Sunapee.

8585rachel

There are plenty of grounds to walk with stunning scenic views. Varied environments add to the wonder of the experience. The landscape design is unique, with many pleasant surprises. To make the most of the visit, you'll need 2 or more hours so you have adequate time to wander across many of the visual treasures and have time to enjoy a house tour.

uptowngirl94

It is small, but definitely worth the visit. Take the house tour, and learn about this fascinating family. Leave time to take the walks into the woods.

rcboater

The staff is very friendly here. The grounds and gardens are lovely to look at, and there are a number of trails you can hike. All are fairly easy, and range from 10 minutes to 45 in duration.We didn't take the house tour, which gets you upstairs-- but everyone is free to roam the downstairs. Our only suggestion for improvement was that we wished the plants in the garden were labeled.

495stuartr

John Milton Hay was remarkable: Lincoln's assistant at 22, he was later Secretary of State for McKinley and T.R. Figure all of that in one life. The Fells is his summer home and gardens, beautifully restored, with trails in the woods for walking. The story of how the property was saved from destruction is fascinating, and the docents giving the tours -- ours at least -- are excellent. Maybe not worth a special trip, but more than worth a stop for an hour or two if you're in the area.

PemiNH

Visited with a friend on a Sunday afternoon, and was greeted at the house by two volunteers. We had a lovely tour of the house, our guide was quite knowledgeable and was able to spend extra time with us answering questions. She seemed to be enjoying herself as much as we were.Our garden tour was led by an intern who was excited about the many plants/flowers etc. We especially were taken with the rock garden.

NancyN75

What a delightful surprise The Fells Historic Estate & Gardens were to us. We knew little of John Milton Hay's summer home. Hay was the private secretary to Abraham Lincoln, and Secretary of State under William McKinley and Theodore Roosevelt. Overlooking Lake Sunapee (although only a small part of the Lake is now visible due to the growth of trees that obscure the view) the home and gardens are gorgeous. The docent that led our 40-minute tour at 11 a.m. was knowledgeable and kept our attention the entire time. They also do a garden tour at 1 p.m. that is included in the small admission price. The only caveat - a ¼ mile walk from the parking area to the main house - which isn't bad going in as it's downhill, but coming back it's all up hill. They do have benches strategically placed however, for short rests if necessary. Our suggestion, do the Fells house and gardens in the morning and then after lunch take the Lake Sunapee cruise. We did and spent a delightful day in the area.

mc928

The Fells was the home of John Hay, Lincoln's Secretary of State and his descendants. Period home on the shore of Lake Sunapee. The gardens were lovely and well tended. Unfortunately the home had very few artifacts from the family itself except for the library. It needs a few more years of conservancy work inside. My mold allergy also acted up! If you are into history, architecture, gardens and walks in the woods, you will like it.

41maryr

We had a great tour. The volunteers are very passionate about The Fells and really are well versed and can answer any questions posed. The grounds were well maintained and we enjoyed hiking through the grounds

ShelSouthShore_MA

A great place to spend the day, bring sneakers as there are beautiful paths to walk and enjoy nature! Each June they sponsor a "Garden Tour" of local private gardens..this year's was spectacular!

BillNewburyNH

Great place to spend an afternoon, walking the grounds and gardens. House tour was very informative.