The corn is tall, school is back in session, and the magic of fall and crunchy leaves is right around the corner. Some say that July and August are the only worthy months to visit or, let alone, even be in the city of Duluth. I’d like to very strongly disagree with them.
The fall months are hands down my favorite time of the year in Duluth. The crazy bustle of summer slows down but the sunshine beauty of summer hangs on. It’s like this secret window of time that the world hasn’t caught on to yet.
That crazy, magical sweet spot of a season that is September remains true for Glensheen too. With summer vacations winding down, tours at Glensheen do as well. Smaller tour sizes mean you have the chance to experience Glensheen fully guided, plus, a little bit more room to stretch your legs.
What is going on at Glensheen during this magical month you ask? Let me wave my wand and tell you.
Extended Tour Hours | Sunday, Sept. 3rd from 9:00 am — 7:00 pm
Open Labor Day — Monday, Sept. 4th from 9:00 am — 4:00 pm
Chef in the Garden | September 6, 13, 20, 27
The Best Damn Tour | September 5, 12, 19, 26
The Best Damn Tour
Why have we named it this? Well, because it is.
The Best Damn Tour at Glensheen is just that — the best damn tour. Glensheen staff put their heads together to come up with an experience unlike any other in the country. And as far as we know, it is.
Guests begin their experience with an hour-long kayak tour, launching from Glensheen’s historic Lake Superior shoreline. You have the chance to take in views of the beautiful north shore rock face and catch a glimpse from the water of two neighboring mansions once owned by Chester and Clara Congdon’s children.
After you have dipped your toes in the kayaking Kool-aid, guests come ashore to enjoy a sunset over Lake Superior next to a bonfire. No bonfire would be complete without s’mores. So never fear, Glensheen is here.
(with s’mores)
Then, in the dark of the night, guests will experience the mansion in a unique light with a guided Flashlight Tour to complete the Best Damn evening. The Flashlight Tour brings guests to the ominous third floor. Most people’s only glimpse of the third floor has been from the bottom of the staircase while being stared down by the lion who guards its domain.
Under flashlight, details come alive in a way not seen during the day. You will make your way through four floors of the mansion, including the previously closed third floor. See Glensheen in a whole new light, like the full glory of the Paris-by-day-Paris-by-Night lamp pictured below.
With a maximum tour capacity of four people, the three-hour Best Damn Tour is sure to be an exclusive experience. These are the experiences that were once reserved only for the super special. Now it’s available to you.
The Best Damn Tour will only be available on Tuesday evenings in September. Reserve your spot here before it’s too late!
Extended Tour Hours
To help you hang on to that summer sun a little bit longer, we have extended our tour hours this weekend to 7:00 pm on Sunday, September 3rd. Skip the crowds and enjoy the evening hours on the shore of Lake Superior at the mansion.
We are also open regular business hours on Labor Day Monday, September 4th from 9:00 am — 4:00 pm.
We encourage you to book your tour ahead of time online at glensheen.org or give us a call at (218) 726–8910.
Chef in the Garden
Last, but certainly not least, a favorite event series from 2016 is back! Chef in the Garden is…you guessed it, where a UMD chef cooks for you in Glensheen’s vegetable garden.
The image is only meant to catch your attention, not frighten you 😉
Glensheen is known for the incredibly impressive mansion. However, the 12-acre estate is equally cool for reasons like our Vegetable Garden, which cranks out over 2,000 pounds of produce EVERY YEAR. It gets better; all of the produce is donated to a local food shelf, Second Harvest Food Bank.
As of August 2016, Glensheen donated 13,223 pounds of produce that helped create 10,578 meals during the last ten-year period of contributions to the local food bank.
Chef in the Garden takes advantage of this tasty gift we have in our back yard. A UMD Chef will showcase different recipes each week using vegetables straight from the ground of Glensheen’s Vegetable Garden.
They will literally pull carrots from the ground and pluck corn from its stalk to cook samples right in front of you. A Glensheen Grounds crew member will be present to answer questions specifically about Glensheen’s Gardens.
Chef in the Garden is every Wednesday night in September from 6:00 pm — 7:00 pm. The event is free and open to the public. Small samples will be served.
As always, we’d love for you to drop us a line and connect with us on our social pages. Follow Glensheen’s social channels here: