Famous homes you have to see on your next vacation.

Boone Hall Plantation & Gardens – Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina

Villa Lewaro – Irvington, New York

Considered the first self-made female millionaire in America, Madam C.J. Walker built Villa Lewaro as “a monument to her race” and, according to Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens, “an inspiration to the African American community about a wealth of business possibilities.” The daughter of former slaves, Walker made her fortune developing and marketing cosmetics and hair products specifically for Black women. Villa Lewaro was designed by New York’s first licensed Black architect, Vertner Woodson Tandy, in 1918 and became a gathering place for the big names of the Harlem Renaissance. Today you can take a virtual tour of the National Historic Landmark and National Trust for Historic Preservation National Treasure.

The Mark Twain House & Museum – Hartford, Connecticut

It’s little surprise that the home of Mark Twain, who penned such classics as The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer, is said to be part steamboat. In fact, the Connecticut house is where he wrote the two novels. Built in 1874 by the author and his wife, it is now a National Historic Landmark. If you can’t make it to this piece of Americana in person, The Mark Twain House & Museum also has virtual tours.

The Mark Twain House & Museum – Hartford, Connecticut

Hobbit House Micro-Castle – Asheville, North Carolina

When you think of American castles, Biltmore Estate is usually at the top of the list. It seems the Biltmore isn’t the only castle in Asheville, North Carolina, though. On a much smaller scale is the Hobbit House Micro-Castle. Just 850 square feet and inspired by The Lord of the Rings, you can rent this vacation home for your next getaway.

Boone Hall Plantation & Gardens – Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina

If you just can’t quit touring houses from your favorite movies, you need to make a stop in South Carolina and visit some of the most-recognized filming locations from The Notebook. Allie’s family’s summer house is actually Boone Hall Plantation & Gardens. Founded in 1681, today it’s open for tours, special events and educational programs related to the area’s history, Gullah and Black cultures, and more. Even more popular is the house renovated by the fictitious Noah. Located in Wadmalaw Island, it is still sometimes used as a private residence, so please be respectful when visiting.

Boone Hall Plantation & Gardens – Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina

Steel Magnolia House – Natchitoches, Louisiana

The house earned its place in history thanks to the 1989 movie Steel Magnolias, but it was originally built and used as a store in the first half of the 1800s. About a century later, it became a family home and remained so until 2014 when it opened its doors as a bed and breakfast.

Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio – Oak Park, Illinois

Many of the homes designed by the famous architect can be toured – Pennsylvania’s Fallingwater is among the most iconic – but why not go where the man himself lived? As you would expect, Frank Lloyd Wright designed the home himself. He drew up the plans early in his career, however, so the home might not have all the architectural details he’s most known for today. Built in 1889 and then expanded nine years later to include a two-story octagonal drafting room, the National Historic Landmark is open to the public.

Tovrea Castle – Phoenix, Arizona

Imagine a tiered wedding cake in the desert and you have Tovrea Castle. Built as a hotel prior to the Great Depression, it was bought by cattle baron E.A. Tovrea because his wife liked the look of it. When you tour the castle today, you’ll also take in the Cactus Gardens, originally planted with more than 500 species of cactus.

Tovrea Castle – Phoenix, Arizona

Cherry Tree Inn B&B – Woodstock, Illinois

Bill Murray might not want to relive another Groundhog Day, but you can with a visit to Cherry Tree Inn B&B, the Victorian bed and breakfast featured in the movie. Just make sure you head to Illinois rather than Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, where the film is set. Built in 1895 and with 6,000 square feet, the current owners bill it as “anything but stuffy and repetitive!”

Amelia Earhart’s birthplace – Atchison, Kansas

Although perhaps not the grandest house on this list, the birthplace of Amelia Earhart is noteworthy for the aviation pioneer it produced. Built in 1861, it was the family residence of Earhart’s mother and where the pilot spent her early childhood. Earhart went on to become the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean in 1932 and the first person – man or woman – to fly solo from Hawaii to the U.S. mainland three years later. The house is now a museum run by the Ninety-Nines. Earhart was the group’s inaugural president, and its mission of recognizing the contributions of women in aeronautics continues today.

Ingalls Homestead – De Smet, South Dakota

Adventure and imagination abound in the Little House on the Prairie books. You can get a taste of what Laura Ingalls Wilder wrote about at the Ingalls Homestead in South Dakota. This is one place where it’s more about the experience than the house. Drive a pony cart, make pioneer crafts and try out other pioneer-era activities on your visit. If you’re on an epic roadtrip, don’t miss the Laura Ingalls Wilder Historic Home & Museum in Mansfield, Missouri.

Ingalls Homestead – De Smet, South Dakota

Turnblad Mansion – Minneapolis, Minnesota

Swedish immigrants Swan and Christina Turnblad settled in Minnesota in the late 1800s. In true American Dream fashion, Swan rose from being a printer by trade to owning the largest Swedish-language newspaper in the United States. The family eventually built Turnblad Mansion, completed in 1908 with 33 rooms and 11 stoves imported from Sweden (because it gets cold in Minnesota?). The Turnblads donated the home in 1929 to what is known today as the American Swedish Institute.

Bishop Castle – Rye, Colorado

Even the oldest castles were new at one point, and Bishop Castle is still a work in progress. Owner Jim Bishop has been enjoying this labor of love for almost six decades. You’ll find towers, bridges and what looks to be a giant fire-breathing dragon escaping from the roofline. It’s free to visit and explore, and Bishop is available to speak to school groups about the importance of living out your dreams.

Bishop Castle – Rye, Colorado

Mt. Ada-Wrigley Mansion – Catalina, California

What do you do when the Chicago winters get too cold? You build your wife a mansion in California, of course. That’s exactly what William Wrigley, Jr., of chewing gum fame, did for his wife Ada. Built between 1919 and 1921 in Catalina, California, the Mt. Ada-Wrigley Mansion was designed by the same architect who completed the Chicago Cubs’ Wrigley Field. In fact, the mansion overlooked the Cubs’ one-time spring training facility on Catalina Island. There’s no baseball there today, but you can stay at the luxury bed and breakfast.

Casa di Giulietta – Verona, Italy

Shakespeare fans can experience the romance (without the tragedy) of Romeo and Juliet by visiting the Casa di Giulietta in Italy. Of course, being fictional, the star-crossed lovers never actually set foot on the infamous balcony, but you can still tour the museum, rub the Juliet statue for luck and leave heartfelt messages in the cracks of the house’s wall. While it’s usually just a daytrip, Airbnb did hold a contest in 2020 to stay in Juliet’s House on Valentine’s Day.

Casa di Giulietta – Verona, Italy

Ponden Hall – West Yorkshire, England

We don’t blame you if the name Ponden Hall doesn’t ring any bells. Bibliophiles will recognize it as the inspiration for Thrushcross Grange in Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights. Now a luxury holiday cottage, it was originally built in the 17th century. While it’s been updated for a modern, comfortable stay, there’s still plenty of traditional English architecture you’ll recognize from the classic novel.

The Karen Blixen Museum – Nairobi, Kenya

Karen Blixen moved from her home in Denmark to Kenya in 1913. There, she married her cousin and the couple attempted coffee farming. Long story short, probably the best thing to come from the failed venture was Blixen’s memoir, Out of Africa. The book was eventually adapted for the Oscar-winning movie by the same name. Although it is probably Blixen’s most popular book in the U.S., it was hardly the only one she wrote. The baroness was considered for the Nobel Prize in Literature more than once. Her home in Nairobi is now a museum.

The Karen Blixen Museum – Nairobi, Kenya

Can’t wait to hit the road? Check out some of these virtual home tours now. But when you are ready to travel, remember these home security steps you should take before leaving on vacation and more safety tips at the Schlage blog.