Glensheen, The Historic Congdon Estate, Duluth

Pretty cool overall, but I have a feeling spring/summer are a better time to visit then November. They have 2 entry costs, $20 or $30. We did $30 because we wanted to see the entire property. $20 removes the 3rd floor and attic. Honestly, since these are self-guided, $30 felt like too much and not worth the extra $10. They should really just have 1 fee and make it $20 or $25. There were also many closed doors in the mansion that made you wonder what was behind them. Particularly in the servants area. It's kind of a let down to pay $30 and not see everything and leave wondering what was behind the doors. Even if it's just storage or empty, I'd like to know. Oh and the carriage house as well. Apparently there are carriages upstairs but it was blocked off. It was still interesting though and the info boards they had everywhere were cool to read.

I have an annual membership. The grounds are, in my opinion, worth spending the most time exploring. The landscape is great in the Fall and Summer. The on-site coffee is always hot, no iced coffee, and there are alcoholic beverages in the summer. Donuts are big and fluffy. There are plenty of places to relax, like the secret rope swing, hammocks, and picnic tables. The fish are huge and seem to wait for you to throw them something to eat. The creek is very pleasant, shade from the tall trees, and there are very few bugs. Its quiet. The flowers in the garden are gorgeous. Pebble beaches for skipping rocks. It’s a perfect place on a summer’s day.