Completed in 1895, The Breakers is the lavish summer home of Cornelius Vanderbilt II. It is one of many gorgeous mansions to be seen along Newport’s Gold Coast, but this Italian Renaissance style of architecture is arguably one of the best. In its day it stunned everyone who saw it, and had 70 rooms throughout the mansion. It even had electricity throughout the whole house – at a time when electricity was relatively novel.
Today, there are plenty of guided tours and lectures that allow visitors to be transported back in time. Also in Rhode Island: Nearby The Breakers is the Isaac Bell House. It is one of the country’s best-surviving examples of shingle-style architecture.
Delaware - Nemours
The DuPont family is a fundamental piece of history for the state of Delaware, and their legacy lives on in the Nemours house, located in Wilmington, Delaware. Alfred and Alicia DuPont got their home constructed by the New York firm of Carrère & Hastings, also the architects of the New York Public Library. You can currently visit the 300 acres of land that Nemour sits on.
The 77-room mansion now hosts tours, garden parties, and events all year long. Also in Delaware: The Winterthur home is Henry Francis DuPont’s childhood home, but it has now become a museum for American decorative arts.
Ohio - "A Christmas Story" House
This home may appear to be an ordinary house in the streets of a small Ohio town, but this home holds a lot of history in the entertainment world. As you might notice from the leg lamp illuminated in the window, this is Ralphie’s home in "A Christmas Story." Currently, the home is renovated into a house museum.
Guests are even able to book an overnight stay in the iconic rooms. If you're just going for the day, you can take home a memento from the gift shop. Also in Ohio: Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens is one of Ohio’s largest homes. It was built by Frank Seiberling of The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company.
Tennessee - Graceland
Graceland is a former cattle farm that became the iconic estate of Elvis Presley after he purchased it in 1957. Even though Elvis’ decorating taste might have been a little questionable, there is still a certain charm about the interior of the home that showcases the musical sensation’s personality. Currently, over 600,000 visitors go visit Graceland each year.
Visitors can see how the King and his family lived and tour the grounds for the full experience. Also in Tennessee: The Hermitage is Andrew Jackson’s Greek Revival mansion and farm. The tourist attraction is a must see for American history buffs.
Idaho - Pocatello’s Standrod Mansion
There are few homes in Idaho that are built in the Chateauesque style, and Pocatello’s Standrod Mansion is one of those homes. Unlike other houses around it, the mansion was built primarily from sandstone, giving it a castle-like appearance. Idaho locals say that the ghosts of the original homeowners still reside within the vicinity.
Whether that's true or not is yet to be determined. In the meantime, the mansion has provided the scenery for many a social event over the years. Also in Idaho: The McConnell Mansion, a landmark home built by a former governor, is the only house in the state that is built in the Eastlake style.