One way to get to know America’s leaders is by visiting their historic homes. From modest childhood homes to grand estates, these sites offer a window into the lives and legacies of the presidents who once lived there.
Read on for the Presidents’ houses you can visit throughout the region and plan a presidential-themed road trip or day trip to explore them for yourself.
Need a ride? Rent a car.
Take a Loop Through New York
New York State features numerous presidential homes, so choose your starting point and get going.
A great beginning is Manhattan where Theodore Roosevelt was born. Here you can visit a replica of Roosevelt’s boyhood home at the Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace National Historic Site in the Gramercy Park neighborhood. Free admission includes a self-guided tour of exhibit galleries on the lower floor and a first come, first served guided tour of the circa-1865 period rooms on the upper floors.
At age 25, Roosevelt built a Queen Anne-style cottage named Sagamore Hill that would become his full-time residence in Oyster Bay on Long Island. Today, you can visit the site and tour the grounds for free, but you’ll need to purchase a ticket to tour the home.
In Hyde Park, you can explore more Roosevelt presidential homes, this time belonging to Franklin D. Roosevelt and his wife, Eleanor. At the Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site, visitors can tour Springwood, home to four generations of Roosevelts. The gravesites of FDR and Eleanor are in the rose garden. Nearby, at the Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site, you can visit Eleanor’s home, Val-Kill.
Continuing north, you can visit the Martin Van Buren National Historic Site to see Lindenwald, his home in Kinderhook. A little farther up, you’ll also find the final home of Ulysses S. Grant in Wilton. And while East Aurora is out of the way (about 300 miles west of Wilton), if you ever find yourself in the area, that is where you can check out the circa-1826 home of Millard Fillmore.
Walk Through Time in Massachusetts
Just outside Boston, in Brookline, the John Fitzgerald Kennedy National Historic Site features the birthplace and boyhood home of the country’s 35th president. Open seasonally, the home was restored by Rose Kennedy to reflect its 1917 appearance when JFK was born. While you can opt for a self-guided tour, consider taking the 30-minute ranger-led tour for more information on the home and family.
South of Boston, in Quincy, Adams National Historical Park encompasses 13 acres and the birthplaces of two U.S. presidents: John Adams and his son John Quincy Adams. Available seasonally, tours include Adams Farm at Penn’s Hill, the Old House at Peace field and the Stone Library. Start at the visitor center for more information and to arrange tours.
Weekend Road Trips in the Northeast
Looking for a weekend getaway? The Northeast is full of fascinating museums, natural beauty, quirky destinations and more. Just hop in the car and head out on one of these road trips.
Go now!Make Tracks to New Hampshire and Vermont
In Hillsborough, New Hampshire, the Franklin Pierce Homestead Historic Site showcases the 1804 two-story frame building where the country’s 14th president was born. One-hour tours are available to see the house and learn about Pierce’s upbringing and tenure in politics.
In neighboring in Vermont, the President Calvin Coolidge Historic Site in Plymouth Notch includes the birthplace and childhood home the country’s 30th president in the village where he lived. Other buildings include the 1840 church, 1890 schoolhouse and cheese factory, pre-1835 store with post office and dance hall, and agricultural structures and barns. The site also features landscaped gardens and walking and hiking trails.
In Fairfield, Vermont, the President Chester Arthur Historic Site offers exhibits detailing the 21st president’s life displayed in a 1953 reconstruction of Arthur’s boyhood home. Nearby noteworthy sites include the North Fairfield Baptist Church, Chester A. Arthur Granite Monument and Fairfield Town Hall Museum.
Soak Up History in Virginia
Minutes from Alexandria, George Washington’s Mount Vernon documents how the country’s first president lived while helping establish the United States of America. The grounds include the manor and outbuildings, Washington’s tomb, gardens and trails, the farm, and the distillery and gristmill, plus two on-site dining options.
Additional Washington sites of interest in Alexandria include Gadsby’s Tavern Museum, which once hosted many early presidents and Birthright Balls held in Washington’s honor. At the George Washington National Masonic Memorial, take the elevator 315 feet up to enjoy panoramic views of Alexandria and Washington, D.C.
Two hours southwest in Charlottesville, you can tour three presidential homes. The home and final resting place of Thomas Jefferson, Monticello, was constructed starting in 1769, but underwent changes through 1808, when it was finally completed. At Highland, learn about James Monroe’s original home that was first constructed in 1797 and see how the property evolved into the two connected homes you see today. Finally, stop by James Madison’s Montpelier, a circa-1760 home built by his father, later expanded by Madison himself and restored to reflect his era and legacy.
Which presidents’ homes have you visited or would like to see? Tell us in the comments.
Featured image: Theodore Roosevelt’s home, Sagamore Hill.
Based in the North Georgia Mountains, Karon has been writing for AAA Northeast since 2024. She loves traveling the globe, searching for adventure, unique personalities and a new perspective on the world around us. A member of the American Society of Journalists and Authors, she also is the author of “100 Things to Do in the North Georgia Mountains Before You Die.”
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