While the current presidential race is contentious and stress-inducing, there's a way to enjoy politics in a more relaxing, quiet way. Simply escape to a B&B touched by presidential history and be pampered at the same time.
BedandBreakfast.com has assembled a list of inns once visited by former presidents. Get away to one of these inns and create your own chapter of history. Here are five of the B&Bs with the most interesting stories.
Dwight D. Eisenhower played at this Victorian home as a young boy. It was built in 1887 by physician Edward E. Hazlett, whose son, Swede, was close friends with Ike. His time here shaped his successful career. According to the innkeepers, "It was Swede who encouraged Ike to attend West Point Academy, which of course led to Ike's distinguished military career and eventual election to president of these United States." You can stay in a guest room named after the president. To further immerse yourself in presidential history, visit Ike's nearby childhood home or the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum.
President William Taft once stayed at this inn, and President Truman was a guest as a vice president. The mansion originally belonged to State Governor and Senator Ralph Owen Brewster, who was portrayed in the movie "The Aviator." He and his wife hosted many parties and political gatherings here, which drew even more political figures, including seven senators.
This inn, which was completed as a home in 1825, is rich in American history. President Andrew Jackson stayed here while in office. It's said that he chose to stay here due to the inn's balcony, which he stood on to give a speech to locals. Other past guests include Presidents Andrew Johnson and James Polk. That's not where the property's history ends: The inn was captured by the Union forces in the American Civil War and used as a headquarters for the area.
Get pampered like a president at this B&B that once served as a retreat for politicians and celebrities. The 200-year-old manor was visited by Presidents Roosevelt, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, and Nixon when they needed R&R. A helicopter landing pad was added to the property for them. The guest rooms at this elegant inn are named in honor of each of the visiting presidents. Other famous guests here include Charles Lindbergh, Albert Einstein, and military icons General George Marshall and Admiral Chester Nimitz. If only walls could talk!
Trace the steps of three former presidents at this Romanesque Revival mansion built in 1893. It was first home to Frederick W. Lehmann, Solicitor General under President Taft and a personal friend of his. It is believed that three presidents were hosted here. The innkeepers have copies of Lehmann's personal correspondence, and it is believed that President McKinley and President Theodore Roosevelt were the other guests other than Taft. They say that Lehmann was nominated to the Supreme Court at the end of his career by Hoover (but declined for health reasons), so it is possible that Harding, Coolidge, or Hoover could be the visiting presidents instead.
