The Shelburne Craft School is a gem in the town of Shelburne. It offers an assortment of art…read moreclasses to both adults and kids in a cozy setting. The staff is friendly and creative. My two children have attended many classes over the years, with amazing results and they always leave smiling.

From the owner: Mailing Address: Shelburne Craft School…read morePO Box 52 Shelburne, VT 05482 The Shelburne Craft School is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. We offer opportunities to learn, teach, and develop as artists, artisans, and professionals.

The importance of Eagle Island in my life cannot be overstated. I spent many summers on this unique…read moreand beautiful private island (and national landmark) learning how to sail a boat, paddle a canoe, improve my swimming skills, learn songs and craft skills, live outdoors, appreciate unspoiled nature. But my greatest takeaway was in finding myself--building confidence, having strong women leaders, and coming away with an internal fortitude that has served me well into my adult life. My nieces will also be attending camp there and I could not be more thrilled for them and what they too will experience in this magical place.

From the owner: Youth Summer Day Camp for children entering grades 3-6…read moreGirls' Overnight Camp grades 5-9 Family Camp and more. . . An unplugged island experience. Located at a National Historic Landmark Adirondack Great Camp located on Upper Saranac Lake, New York

Apparently there's now "no walking allowed" on trails in the winter time, as we were told rudely by…read morea guy in a hoodie who seriously lacked any sort of service skills.

We did not know what to expect, and it all worked out. I think there may be two ways to get here. …read more . one is off the main-ish road, and another is through a scenic road by a horse farm. Anyway, the horse farm way was beautiful, but not open in the winter. . . so we backtracked and went around. There don't appear to be bathrooms here, so keep that in mind! We went with the intent to rent fat bikes, but the woman working here recommended that we do snowshoeing instead because the bikes were going to be hard to maneuver given that the snow wasn't super-packed. So, we had a really nice time snowshoeing (our first time) through very groomed trails. There were signs along the way, and the woman working showed us the map, so we had a picture of that. It was really really pretty - very scenic. Lots of trees, gorgeous sunlight filtering through the trees, very few people that we came across, and lots of interesting animal tracks to look at. Very fun.

My friends and I had an amazing time touring the farm. Katie was so friendly and kind and we loved…read moremeeting all the animals. We got to meet and feed the Alpacas, pet the horses, and hold the baby bunnies. It was such an amazing and unique experience if you have the opportunity when visiting the area definitely worth it. Also the views on her property were breathtaking.

We had the most amazing experience here. Katie, the farm owner, spent a good hour with us showing…read moreus all around the farm, introducing us to all of their animals. My boys adored the alpacas. The friendliest alpacas we've ever met, so sweet and curious! The boys got to pet the pony, hold/cuddle the rabbits, and play with the dogs. We had an incredible adventure and we are so grateful we got to come.

This is the most amazing camp in the USA. Kids from all over the country and the world attend…read moreChateaugay and return year after year. The activities they offer are so far and above what is offered at standard summer camps. For example, glass blowing, animal care, hip hop dancing, ropes courses, sewing, and every sport you can think of. It's a camp that has something to offer everyone. The staff is incredible and it's the only camp my daughter has ever been eager to attend and asked to return to.

Camp Chateaugay is everything you dream a sleep away camp to be. Both my sons had the most amazing…read moretime. There are activities for everyone. Horseback riding, water skiing, baby animals to feed, photography, ropes course, theater, cooking, sports, glass blowing, dance, sewing and more. Anything you can think of they have it. My boys were nervous to go at first but instantly were put at ease and immediately told me they loved camp and wanted to come back the next year.

My son has been to several summer camps at the Middlebury Studio School. He was fully engaged in…read moreeach camp he attended. He loved going in the morning, and when I picked him up he looked forward to what they would do the following day. I thought his teacher was fantastic. She kept the kids thinking and creating all week and I always felt that my son's experience was fully about him, and not about finishing something to be brought home to a parent. Now, he did bring home amazing creations, but they were completely from his imagination (not from a pre-packed arts and crafts dealer!). This year summer classes were offered at St. Mary's School in Middlebury. We loved the location and much preferred it to the Gailer School, where they were offered last year.

I scheduled a trail ride on short notice for just me, and Tam and Sarah were very accommodating…read more They got me in next day, easy as that, and listened when I told them my riding experience. "Experienced rider" is a term that gets tossed around a lot when it comes to trail rides, and in general I think people say they're experienced in order to get an "exciting" ride, possibly with cantering or galloping, or to be given a lot of autonomy on the trail. The thing is, lots of cantering or galloping, letting riders do whatever they want rarely sets up a good ride, either for horses or riders, and as a former trail guide I'm all too aware of dealing with those expectations vs. what a trail guide can actually safely and reasonably do. So to the "experienced riders" who aren't actually experienced with being a rider on a paid trail ride, your experience may or may not be relevant to your ride and to your trail horse. The guides don't know you, the horse doesn't know you, and you might not know trail riding well; like all horse events it's its own particular beast. So, for me, I said I'd been a guide but I don't do much riding these days and besides that, I'm old and lazy and don't want a hippy hoppy happy bouncy horse, I want a nice horse with half a brain that does as they're told and has some common sense. The horse they gave me was Serena, a lovely Percheron/Canadian warmblood whom they've used for beginners on trail all the way up to experienced riders. She was a perfect pick for me and the reason I've gone to all the detail I have here is to once again point out that the key element to having fun on a trail ride is having the right horse, a good guide, a fun trail and things going along according to your expectations. Accordingly, I had a lovely horse who quickly realized I more or less knew what I was doing, and adjusted her game to match my skill. She was fun, willing, had her own personality but when it mattered, did precisely what I asked. It took me a while to get used to her gaits but after a while on trail I learned to get her collected into both a trot and canter that weren't too bone jarring. (A little more muscle tone on my part might have helped too, AHEM.) Meanwhile, Sarah's a wonderful guide. She had me ride Serena around the ring to assess my actual versus reported skill, and once she was satisfied I'd be all right, off we went. The trails around Breakaway are *stunning*. Given my experience and enjoyment Sarah had me exploring some pretty dense forest with her, which was some fun challenging riding and incredible scenery including vast meadows, silvery-hued marshes, the mountains in the distance and finally my absolute favorite moment, what Sarah calls "The Cathedral," a stand of maples planted in long rows whose branches form vaulting pointed arches of green over dark naves of loam. The ride was long and satisfying, with varying scenery, good conversation, some nice challenges like trailblazing and a bit of trotting and cantering. Sarah was at all times alert to me, what I was doing, Serena's behavior and the safety and well-being of all four of us, horses and riders. This is the epitome of an excellent guide. The rates are very reasonable for the rich experience you get. An hour was fifty dollars and I tipped heavily, which is customary for such a great experience, solo, tailored exactly to my skill and what I wanted out of the ride. Breakaway is not a "fancy" stable; it's a working stable. There are geese, sheep, ducks, dogs, ponies, mules and horses there, all of whom are well behaved and well cared for. All the horses I got to hang out with and pet (I really had to go introduce myself to their glorious Fresian!) were calm, inquisitive ranging on downright affectionate, which is always an indication of how well socialized and cared for they are. In short, if you'd like a fun, scenic trail ride with horses and guides who know their stuff, this is the stable to call. Just be honest about your experience and what you want out of the ride, and you're sure to have a great time.

the guide was so awful and rude. she seemed young and i wanted to almost tell her how she could…read morebecome a better leader but she was so cruel to not only us but the other rides and even the horses, it would've fallen on deaf ears. don't recommend, im writing this almost three weeks after it happened because it still bothers me how awful she was

It's a place that will stay with you for a life time. The experience, the friendships, the setting…read more It's a special place. Thomas Edison sent his sons and nephews here. Rich in tradition! You will ask yourself. What's your number.

They "held back" and then destroyed my sons postcards that were addressed and stamped and had…read moredesperate pleas for me to pick him up. He had a severe head injury from the first days at camp by the third day demonstrating every possible symptom of a concussion -- trouble sleeping, ringing ears, nausea, noise sensitivity, crying incessantly. All obvious to the camp leaders, but they never took him for medical evaluation. He had forgotten how his family looked or the year before camp and was panicked about those things, but they would not even allow him to rest. My son thought I forgot to send sheets (I told the counselors that they were in the trunk) and slept with no sheets for 3 weeks -- child abuse and negligence. He pleaded to call home, tried to walk home, and they refused and told him that they were his guardians now, his mother was no longer his guardian. In the words of his counselor and section head Doug Hinton, "he was just manipulating them". My 10 year old son spent 21 days in a living nightmare. After the brain trauma 2 kids in his cabin physically assaulted him on a daily basis, punching kicking jumping, constantly worsening his concussion. My son thought we had forsaken him because we never got his letters. He has a long road to repairing the physical damage and to recover from the traumatic brain injury and regain his mental acuity. But nothing can erase the terrifying memories for him and the horror that I live with for leaving him there. They will not allow any phone call home under any conditions -- and if the child is clearly suffering they will paint a very different picture for you. If there is one thing I could erase from my life and my sons' it's the 21 days he was at Camp Dudley.