On your next trip, book a room at Benjamin Franklin’s old
hangout. Historic B&Bs offer charm, great breakfasts, and a history lesson
you won’t find in a classroom. Below, Karen Brown, founder of Karen
Brown’s Guides, uncovers the bed and breakfasts with the best stories
to tell.
The Inn at Warner Hall Gloucester, Virginia
George Washington’s great-great-grandfather, Augustine Warner I,
originally owned this mid-17th-century plantation, located about 50 miles from Norfolk Airport. The show-stealing
room is the large and sunny Washington Suite, with its stately fireplace and
waterfront views, but all 11 rooms offer period furnishings and 10-foot
ceilings. Stop by Oct. 18–19 to see a Revolutionary War re-enactment on the
property.
Hotel Sausalito Sausalito, California Built in 1915, Hotel Sausalito attracted bootleggers and
seafarers back in the Prohibition days, along with notorious guests like 1930s
gangster Baby
Face Nelson. In the ’60s, it served as an unofficial headquarters for
Sausalito’s artist’s colony. But today, Hotel Sausalito is a charming and
affordable B&B-style hotel, its 16 rooms filled with local art and period
furnishings that hint at the property’s colorful past.
The Thomas Bond House Philadelphia
When I visit America’s first capital, I like to stay at this
converted 18th-century townhouse in the heart of Independence National Historical Park. The
red-brick home of Thomas
Bond—a close friend of Ben Franklin—sits just steps away from Independence Hall. My
favorite of the 12 rooms is the intimate Robert Fulton room, with its angled
ceilings, dormer windows, and riverside views.
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Karen Brown had more B&B favs than we had space to
print. She offers two more picks:
Jacob Hill Inn
Seekonk,
Massachusetts One of my favorite New England discoveries, this exquisite
property is only about 15 minutes from downtown Providence but technically sits
just over the state line on a lovely old country estate in Seekonk,
Massachusetts. The main farmhouse went up between 1722 and 1723 and gave
shelter to generations of prominent New Englanders, including the property’s
namesake, an 18th-century deacon named Calvin Jacob. During the
1930s and ’40s, the building housed the Jacob Hill Hunt Club, whose exclusive
membership included a who’s-who of Vanderbilts and Firestones.
Walking through the house, I love to check out all the remnants of its
distinguished past: old doorknockers, horse trophies, antique wainscoting, a
servant’s call box. But don’t worry; you can still enjoy every bell, whistle,
and modern creature comfort, too, from oversized Jacuzzi tubs to high-speed
Internet access.
The
House on Bayou Road
New Orleans Hiding between the French Quarter and the New Orleans Museum
of Art, this two-acre “petite plantation” reminds me of a
little secret garden—one that most locals don’t even know about. A 18th-century
indigo plantation in a former life, the property’s main house, built circa 1798
and listed on the National
Register of Historic Places, honors its Creole past with
ornate, antique-filled rooms named after local bayous, a dreamy porch
overlooking gorgeous gardens, and one of the best two-course, plantation-style
breakfasts you’ll find in this cuisine-obsessed town. (Think thick, fluffy
baguette French toast topped with caramelized bananas, berries, and powdered
sugar). When I visit, I like to stay in the Bayou Barataria Suite—one of the
most requested rooms—with its king-sized four-poster bed, fireplace, and
Jacuzzi tub. Foodies also gather here to attend a unique, on-site cooking
school taught by award-winning local Cajun and Creole chefs.
Get the scoop on even more B&Bs below:
Want to stay at a bed and breakfast but aren’t heading to
any of the cities mentioned above? BnBStar and BnBFinder let you search for
B&Bs by location and also offer information on available specials and
discounts.
