America's Most Iconic Estates, Mansions & Presidential Homes
America's historic homes — from Founding Fathers' estates to Newport Gilded Age mansions to West Coast tycoon castles — are the most personal way to experience American history. This passport tracks the 50 most architecturally and historically significant.
| Site | Location | Known For |
|---|---|---|
| Mount Vernon | Mount Vernon, VA | George Washington (1st) |
| Monticello | Charlottesville, VA | Thomas Jefferson (3rd) · UNESCO |
| Montpelier | Orange, VA | James Madison (4th) |
| The Hermitage | Nashville, TN | Andrew Jackson (7th) |
| Sagamore Hill | Oyster Bay, NY | Theodore Roosevelt (26th) · 'Summer White House' |
| Site | Location | Known For |
|---|---|---|
| The Breakers | Newport, RI | Cornelius Vanderbilt II |
| Marble House | Newport, RI | William K. Vanderbilt |
| The Elms | Newport, RI | Edward Berwind (coal magnate) |
| Rosecliff | Newport, RI | Tessie Oelrichs · 'The Great Gatsby' filming location |
| Site | Location | Known For |
|---|---|---|
| Biltmore Estate | Asheville, NC | George Washington Vanderbilt II · America's largest house |
| Drayton Hall | Charleston, SC | Pre-Revolution; never modernized |
| Middleton Place | Charleston, SC | Oldest landscaped gardens in U.S. |
| Oak Alley Plantation | Vacherie, LA | Quarter-mile alley of 300-year-old oaks |
| Vizcaya Museum & Gardens | Miami, FL | James Deering (International Harvester) |
| Site | Location | Known For |
|---|---|---|
| Hearst Castle | San Simeon, CA | William Randolph Hearst · Julia Morgan architect |
| Filoli Estate | Woodside, CA | William Bourn II (Empire Mine gold) |
| Greystone Mansion | Beverly Hills, CA | Doheny family (oil) · countless film location |
| Pittock Mansion | Portland, OR | Henry Pittock · panoramic Portland views |
| Stan Hywet Hall | Akron, OH | F.A. Seiberling (Goodyear founder) |
| Edsel & Eleanor Ford House | Grosse Pointe Shores, MI | Henry's son's lakeside estate |
| Site | Location | Known For |
|---|---|---|
| Olana State Historic Site | Hudson, NY | Painter Frederic Edwin Church |
| Naumkeag | Stockbridge, MA | Joseph Choate · Berkshires summer estate |
| Hildene | Manchester, VT | Robert Todd Lincoln (son of Abraham) |
| Cá d'Zan | Sarasota, FL | John & Mable Ringling's Venetian-Gothic mansion |
Turn this list into a keepsake. The Triptyka Historic Homes Passport is a printable PDF with a curated checklist, a detail page for each stop, suggested routes, and achievement badges to earn.
Get the Printable Passport — $9.99 on Etsy →Plan around opening hours and seasons, arrive early to beat crowds, and confirm details before you travel.
This checklist spans the country. Standouts include Mount Vernon, Monticello, Montpelier, The Hermitage, among others — each chosen as a memorable stop worth the trip.
Yes. The Triptyka Historic Homes Passport is an instant printable PDF — a curated checklist grouped by region, a detail page for each stop, suggested routes, and achievement badges to earn.
It depends on the site and the season. Many are best in spring or fall, and hours change through the year — always confirm opening times and admission before you go.
A printable historic homes passport makes it easy — check off each one as you visit, log the date and your notes, and watch your progress add up.