10 Kid-friendly House Tours not to miss
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Imagine the thrill of visiting someone else’s house, especially a famous one, after a year in which many spent much more time at home than ever before. The country’s most famous residences aren’t just marvels of design. Whether it’s a haunted property, celebrity digs or the homes that inspired classic novels and films, this country’s best houses have a story to tell. We’ve created a list of ten homes across the United States that are guaranteed to cure your housebound blues while also providing the perfect blend of history and trivia. Here are 10 house tours not to miss.
Eames House
Location: 203 N. Chautauqua Blvd. Pacific Palisades, California
Charles and Ray Eames are best known for their furniture creations, but the couple’s creativity and ingenuity for design carried over to every aspect of their life, including their home in Pacific Palisades California. The Eames House was part of a case-study house program that started in the 1940s. The house’s modern architecture, interior design and even the arrangements of personal objects inside remain very much the same as when the Eames were alive.
It’s a fantastic home for architecture fans. If you are interested, you can take a look at this modern-style building and consider it when it is finished, as it will serve as a model for future houses. I just took a look at the house’s exterior design. The windows and doors are visible. In-house tour guides are costly. The tree is beautifully designed. I also made a reservation through their website. The parking instructions are simple to understand.
The House of the Seven Gables
Location: 115 Derby St, Salem, MA 01970
It’s always an added bonus after reading a classic novel to find that the locations mentioned actually exist. The House of the Seven Gables in Salem, Massachusetts, was the inspiration behind Nathaniel Hawthorne’s gothic novel of the same name. The house was built in 1668 and is the oldest surviving 17th century wooden mansion in New England. You can marvel at the home’s seaside gardens, dark towering design, and of course that mysterious staircase. Salem’s witchy history makes it the ideal Halloween tour.
A one-of-a-kind and inventive structure that represented the pinnacle of American architecture at the time has now become a key conservation project in the U.S. It has become the darling of scene pursuit in many film and television shows, and it is a classic building that can be found in the annals of history.
Mount Vernon
Location: 3200 Mount Vernon Memorial Hwy, Mt Vernon, VA 22121
Mount Vernon was not only George Washington’s home for over 40 years, it’s also his final resting place. The 50 acres of land had been in Washington’s family since his great grandfather purchased it in 1674. Building on the land took place between 1737 and 1787, so it features a wide range of architectural styles, though most would refer to the design as Georgian. Also on the Virginia estate you’ll find a working blacksmith shop, a four-acre demonstration farm and George Washington’s Tomb.
Oheka Castle
Location: 135 W Gate Dr, Huntington, NY 11743
Oheka Castle is said to be the real inspiration behind Jay Gatsby’s home in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic novel. Financier Otto Hermann Kahn finished building the French-chateau style estate in 1919. Set amongst 443 acres of land in New York’s prestigious Long Island, the gardens are just as impressive as the house. The lavish property still has that old-world, old-money feel. On top of inspiring Fitzgerald, Oheka also lit up the screen in Citizen Kane.
The drive through the large gates up to the castle entrance is stunning, and the walk through the castle entrance facing the romantically twisting staircase is even more so. The Library is a room with a central focus.
The dining rooms are also appealing, and the rooms are extremely comfortable. The estate grounds are vast and breathtakingly beautiful. And going back in time – the Great Gatsby timeline – learn the history behind the name and take the tour. And on top of that, the staff is extremely friendly and accommodating, and the food is delicious. And the owner frequently stops by to say hello.
Hearst Castle
Location: 750 Hearst Castle Rd, San Simeon, CA 93452
One of the many gems on California’s Pacific Coast Highway, Hearst Castle was built on what William Randolph Hearst called “La Cuesta Encantada” or “The Enchanted Hill.” This spectacular residence is hard to miss. Hearst, a media mogul, started building his castle in 1919. With inspiration from Europe and the help of Julia Morgan, California’s first certified female architect, it took 28 years to complete the dream home. On tour, you’ll not only hear stories of visits from people like Charlie Chaplin, Carrie Grant, and even Winston Churchill, but you’ll also get to visit the rooms where they once stood. Hearst’s private art collection on display in the mansion is just as incredible as the view of the coast from the grounds.
Winchester Mystery House
Location: 525 S Winchester Blvd, San Jose, CA 95128
Known as “the house that was built by spirits,” Winchester Mystery House is probably America’s most popular haunted house and it has quite a tale to tell. After losing both a child and a spouse, it’s clear why millionaire Sarah Winchester was worried about evil spirits. While building the Victorian mansion, which was completed in 1886, they say Winchester would hold nightly séances to ward off bad spirits. Inside the San Jose home you’ll find a rifle collection, staircases that lead nowhere and others that get skinnier as you walk down.
The Self-Guided Mansion Tour has one-way tour paths and a focus on the mansion’s larger rooms. Guests will be able to enjoy the house like never before, with plenty of space and time in each room, and will be able to tour at their own pace in your space. The Mansion Tour ticket includes admission to the Victorian Gardens as well. With all-new audio and content, you can discover the secrets of the Winchester Mystery House and learn about Sarah Winchester’s vast estate.
Ernest Hemingway House and Museum
Location: 907 Whitehead St, Key West, FL 33040
This classic Floridian home was originally built by marine architect Asa Tift in 1851. Hemingway purchased it in 1931 and lived there for about nine years with his wife Pauline and two sons Patrick and Gregory, before moving to Cuba on his own. While Hemingway’s influence can still be felt in the home, which contains quite a bit of furnishing from his time there, that’s not they only legacy that remains. During Hemingway’s stay in Key West, a ship captain gave him a white six-toed (polydactyl) cat named Snowball. Approximately 40-50 descendants of that first cat still roam the grounds today, and about half are polydactyl.
Not many people realize it, but Nobel Prize laureate Ernest Hemmingway spent around a decade in Key West, where he wrote roughly 70% of his books, many of which are considered to be his best works. Hemingway is said to have lived in this Key West house until his death, and it has been preserved in its original condition. Unfortunately, there aren’t many of his personal belongings on display here. Some of the exhibits include a few letters written to him, some of his books, and a plethora of photographs to help visualize his daily life. Hemmingway was known to have a fondness for the feline clan, and there are still many cats in the compound, including descendants of the six toed cats. Tickets to the Hemingway house include a guided tour.
Monticello
Location: 931 Thomas Jefferson Pkwy, Charlottesville, VA 22902
They say you can trace Thomas Jefferson’s entire life at Monticello. Jefferson was born on the property, and it saw him through creation of the document that would change American history forever: The Declaration of Independence. Both the home and gardens are open to visit. Visitors will also get a look into a very grim time in American history: slavery. Throughout the American Revolution, his presidency and beyond, Jefferson always returned to Monticello and continued to build on it. He died at Monticello on July 4, 1826.
You can now discover Monticello with the ultimate insider’s perspective. Enjoy an intimate group setting while exploring Jefferson’s mountaintop home on your own personal tour tailored to your specific interests. Your Monticello guide will meet you at the David M. Rubenstein Visitor Center and take you on a three-hour private tour of the house, the third floor dome room, Monticello’s beautiful gardens and grounds, and the museum galleries.
Falling Water
Location: 1491 Mill Run Rd, Mill Run, PA 15464
Legendary architect Frank Lloyd Wright was commissioned by the Kauffman family, owners of Kauffman Department Store in Pittsburgh, to build a summer retreat home for them in the 1930s. All they asked for was a view of the waterfall on the property, but they didn’t specify what kind of view. Needless to say they were shocked when they saw Wright’s original blueprints that placed their home literally on top of that waterfall. Learn about how Wright designed the flow of water to act as a natural cooling system, and how his signature “deconstruction of the box” design makes the rooms feel more open. The house is preserved almost identically to how the Kauffman’s had it. On tour you’ll see their private art collection, which includes pieces by Pablo Picasso and Diego Rivera.
Graceland
Location: Elvis Presley Blvd, Memphis, TN 38116
Fit for a king, Elvis Presley purchased this 13.8-acre estate, built in 1939, at the start of his career in 1957, naming it Graceland. Presley lived here from 1957 until he died in his bathroom on August 16, 1977. On the tour, you’ll actually follow the voice of Elvis through the mansion, which remains completely decorated in his rock ‘n’ roll style. You’ll also see his personal car collection, which includes his 1955 Fleetwood Series 60 pink Cadillac.
We’ve driven through Memphis far too many times to not stop. The kids were very receptive to the iPad tour, which I believe helped them engage in what they were seeing. Congratulations to Graceland for making those available to all visitors. The staff was all very helpful and friendly, and they were all eager to answer questions. Make sure to stop by the Graceland shop for some unique souvenirs.
