An Inn For Every Traveler - Top 6 Hidden Inns in the US
Top 6 Hidden Inns in the US
What do you do if you want to travel to get away for a weekend with your sweetheart, cozy up with a good book in a home-like setting, or just need a break and want some personalized attention in an unique setting? You go to a bed and breakfast or an inn!
There are inns scattered around the America and each offer a unique experience each with its own theme, flare, and feel. The quaint feeling and personalized atmosphere is far from the standardized lonely feel of being one of 150 guests at a large hotel.
Below is a list of 6 unique and individual inns, each of which I have been to, all around the nation and a special personal tip for each inn. Every one of them offers something a little different for every type of traveler but one thing they have in common is great service, charming accommodations, and a guaranteed awesome stay!
Benbow Inn
Tucked away in the Valley of the Giant Redwoods in northern California, the Benbow Inn is a nature lover's dream. Every person should see the wonder of the great redwoods but Benbow is situated perfectly in the midst of great hiking trails, rivers to fish and kayak, bird watching, boating, horseback riding, and swimming.
If nature isn't your thing, Benbow is accredited as being one of the favorite places to wine taste in the fall and is fabulously decorated for Christmas in the winter.
This secluded getaway has a vast Hollywood history that would blow you away-many of early Hollywood starlets such as Spencer Tracy, Clark Gable, and Joan Fontaine enjoyed many nights at the Benbow Inn along with dignitaries such as Herbert Hoover and Eleanor Roosevelt who also became patrons of the inn.
Tip: Ask any of the employees at the inn about its rich history while you enjoy your afternoon tea and scones and I'm sure they would be happy to indulge you.
Want the ultimate relaxation and pampered treatment every second of your stay? Sundara Inn is the inn for you. Situated in an unlikely spot in the Wisconsin Dells, this more modern spa getaway is known for its healing qualities through massage, body treatments, and a tranquil setting.
It boasts its organic and green style of architecture and provides fresh, local, food daily for each guest.
Each guest relaxes during a daily, complimentary "Purifying Bath Ritual" which can be followed by a dip in the infinity pool or a cozy cuddle by their open-air fireplace cove.
Tip: I personally love to go here in the winter when it's a snowy wonderland but many prefer the spring and summer. Sundara's motto is "Come energize the soul" and that they do!
Hamilton Turner Inn
Ever read Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil or seen the movie? Well, Hamilton Turner Inn is the actual house used in the movie and a major part of the true story about Jim Williams and the bizarre tale in Savannah, Georgia. Savannah is a town like no other in the nation and I truly mean that.
Vodoo, centennial graveyards, Spanish moss covered oaks lining the streets make this a surreal destination. It is one of the greatest walking cities, has a beyond rich southern history, and is just plain quirky!
The Hamilton Turner is perfectly placed amongst the azaleas of Lafayette Square. Guests enjoy the fine amenities of a small boutique hotel in an antiquated setting. Guests rave about the southern breakfast and meet other travelers each evening for port and hors d'oeuvres in the parlor room.
Tip: My advice is everyone should visit Savannah once in their lives! Don't forget to grab a spot on the Haunted Pub Crawl that meets on Fridays at Six Pence Pub -- it's a must!
Myrtles's Plantation and B&B
This one isn't for the faint of heart...Myrtle's Plantation and B&B is known as one of the top ten most haunted inns in America and it has vibrantly lived up to its reputation. Even my own stay there was full of unexplained spooky events that piqued my curiosity.
This is truly a step back into history and plantation life. Just an hours drive from the Big Easy (New Orleans), The Myrtle's Plantation is set amongst Spanish moss covered oaks and myrtle trees in an eerie setting reminiscent of old plantation days.
The once carriage house on the plantation is now home to a 5-star dining room where people who aren't staying at the inn travel to for a fine dining experience.
Tip: Take a haunted tour which are given daily at the inn and then take a drive and enjoy some jazz and nightlife of Bourbon Street. Or, do what I did...order a mint julep from the carriage house bar, grab an old rocking chair, and sit out on the gallery and breathe in that sultry southern air.
The Inn at Shelbourne Farms
The Inn at Shelbourne Farms is a larger inn, which was once a summer home of the old Vanderbilt family. It is a sprawling lake front property situation on Lake Champlain, Vermont which is home to our own Loch Ness monster, fondly known as "Champ." Enjoy tea in the afternoon, tours of the gardens, breeding barns, and cheese house, but make it back to see the sunset over the lake and the fireflies come out.
Although Vermont's fall is stunning, visiting during the 4th of July is my recommendation because the fireworks display over the lake is phenomenal and people travel distances to sit on the grass to watch the display.
Take in the period furnishings, artwork, and feel of the inn while inside and then order a picnic lunch which they are happy to make and explore outside. If you're not too afraid of "Champ", you can rent a boat or a jet ski like I did and take a cruise on the lake!
Tip: Don't forget to bring home Vermont's famous maple syrup tapped straight from the trees...it's incredible.
Heceta Head Lighthouse
The surly Oregon Coast is home to this scenic Heceta Head Lighthouse Inn. Full of charm and beauty, the Oregon coast is different from any other coast. Foggy mornings, rugged cliffs lined with evergreen trees, giant waves ripping against the rocks, this coast is not for the bikini clad sun worshipper,
Right amongst the cliffs is the Heceta Head Lighthouse that has guided countless ships to their destinations safely. Known for its 7-course gourmet breakfast, the resident ghost "Rue", old clawfoot tubs, and private tours of the lighthouse, the innkeepers have done a tremendous job at creating a charming place to stay.
Each room even has its own lantern so you can take the short walk up to the lighthouse at night and lay underneath it to see its incredible beams of light ripple across the moonlit water. This inn is great for a romantic getaway or a place for someone traveling solo to bundle up with a blanket and a good book in one of the two parlor rooms and recharge their batteries.
Tip: You get free range of one of the kitchens so my advice at this inn is to grab a great bottle of wine, some fresh seafood from the local fishmonger and make dinner for yourself that you can enjoy out on the porch.
This concludes my top 6 list for 2016. Don't forget that for every great city, their is always a great inn nestled somewhere!