Have you ever dreamed of stepping back in time to the early part of the century, or the Civil War era, or even the colonial days? Our nation has thousands of bed and breakfast and historic inns that give us at least a taste of the past, yet very few go the extra length to fully transport their guests to another era. A special few, however, are not only steeped in history buy actively encourage their guests to immerse themselves in the past.
Some B&B innkeepers greet their guests in Victorian costume; others decorate their inns authentic period style, paying careful attention to the tiniest details. The following are few samples were innkeepers have gone out of their way to provide a truly historic getaway.
From the moment you enter “An Elegant Victorian Mansion” in Eureka, Calif., you leave the present day behind. Innkeepers Doug and Lily Vieyra, a friendly, vivacious couple, love dressing in turn-of-the-century costumes.
“An Elegant Victorian Mansion,” certainly lives up to its name. The downstairs parlors are exquisitely detailed with hand-painted moldings, intricately pieced Bradbury and Bradbury wallpaper, rich draperies with century-old trim and Oriental rugs. As Doug leads you on a tour of their richly decorated mansion, he might crank up the gramophone and play popular tunes of the era. All 200 of their cassettes feature period music, and their 500 videos (some of which are silent) all have vintage themes. Upstairs the rooms are named after 19th-century notables, including Lillie Langtry and Leland Stanford Jr., who once stayed at these rooms.
In the East, Civil War buffs can immerse themselves in the 1860’s with an overnight at The Doubleday Inn, which sits directly on the Gettysburg Battlefield. The colonial style inn has nine guest rooms decorated with antiques and country quilts. Breakfast is a candlelit affair.
The Doubleday Inn also had a collection of more than 500 volumes devoted exclusively to the Battle of Gettysburg. On some evenings, guests can participate in discussions with a Civil War historian who brings the battle alive with accurate accounts, authentic memorabilia and weaponry. Staying here is an education in American history as well as trip to the past.
At Longfellow’s Wayside Inn in Sudbury, Mass., guests can stay in a painstakingly restored inn, which dates back to 1708. One can still enjoy a drink in the original tavern. The inn was immortalized by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s “Tales of the Wayside Inn.” Among the impressive historical features is a grist mill restored in the 1920’s by Henry Ford. All of the wheat for the inn’s hearty breads and muffins are stone ground here.
Still undecided? Go to www.iloveinns.com and browse through the 19,000 B&Bs and country inns that specialize in other events that may interest you. Many of the properties listed above are also in the best-selling bed and breakfast guidebook Bed & Breakfasts and Country Inns with a Buy-One-Night-Get-One-Night-Free Certificate.
About American Historic Inns and iLoveInns.com
American Historic Inns, Inc. founded in 1981, runs www.iLoveInns.com a top bed & breakfast and country inns directory listing 19,500 properties. Also, it is the leading publisher of bed & breakfast guidebooks, with more than 2.5 million bed & breakfast guide books sold.
Note: For photos or interviews, please contact Barbara Naylon at 949-497-2232, ext. 305.
