Best Historic Bed and Breakfasts in the US
A typical bed and breakfast (B&B) usually offers bed and breakfast accommodation. The beauty of staying at a bed and breakfast is the personalized, homey touch that is like a home away from home. For a more private and quiet stay, some travelers prefer bed and breakfast places where, on average, there are only around six to twelve rooms.
There are many great B&B spots in America, and some of the best are restored mansions and private homes that have historical ties to the area. These restored houses are the product of two pieces of legislation: the National Historic Preservation Law of 1966 and the Tax Reform Law of 1976. These laws allowed obtaining tax discounts for the restoration and reuse of historic houses.
We’ve compiled a list of America’s best historic bed and breakfasts, where visitors can appreciate great architecture and experience interesting stories.
1. The Twelve Oaks
Located in Covington, Georgia, The Twelve Oaks evokes the legendary mansion from Margaret Mitchell’s novel Gone with the Wind. It has been voted one of the top ten B&Bs in the US. The mansion was built in 1836 and features eight luxurious rooms with modern amenities and en-suite bathrooms. It is located near the historic Covington Square and the city is full of antebellum mansions. It is also conveniently located just 30 minutes from downtown Atlanta.
2. Aaron Burr House
This B&B sits in the very spot of the house where the 3rd Vice President of the US hid after his infamous duel with Alexander Hamilton, which ended Hamilton’s life. Located in New Hope, Pennsylvania, the original stone foundation is all that remains of Aaron Burr’s home now. All rooms are decorated with unique stencils and have beautiful glossy hardwood floors. With interest in Hamilton and Burr due to the hit Broadway musical, this is sure to generate a lot of interest.
3. Tivoli Castle
One of the best historic breads and breakfasts on the West Coast, Chateau Tivoli is located in San Francisco, California. The structure itself is very familiar because it is one of Steiner Street’s famous “Painted Ladies,” which features prominently on postcards of San Francisco. Built in 1892, the structure has been used for different purposes over the years. The bed and breakfast opened in 1989 and has nine luxuriously decorated rooms.
4. Bed and breakfast on the battlefield
It is located in Pennsylvania, right on the Gettysburg battlefield. This is one of the most unique bed and breakfasts in the country because it gives visitors the unique experience of living during the Civil War era. Originally built as a farmhouse in 1809, it has the original beamed ceiling, chestnut wooden floors and stone walls. Each room has a theme honoring the battlefield troops of the Southern Cavalry. There is a history lesson available from costumed characters from the Civil War.
5. Sugar Hill Harlem Inn
Located smack bang in the middle of New York, the area where the inn is located is smack dab in the middle of the early 20th century Harlem Renaissance. This is the area where the black families moved. Jazz legend Duke Ellington, poet Langston Hughes, and former Associate Justice of the Supreme Court Thurgood Marshall all lived in this area. The inn features 5 themed rooms, all named after a prominent African-American.