USA TODAY 10Best
Graceland voted Best Holiday Historic Home Tour
Best Holiday Historic Home Tour (2020)
Ever wondered how Thomas Jefferson spent his holidays or what a Gilded Age Christmas tree might have looked like? These historic houses — voted the best in the U.S. by 10Best readers — pull out all the stops for their holiday tours.
The top 10 winners in the category Best Holiday Historic Home Tour are as follows:
- The Breakers & The Elms - Newport, Rhode Island
- Filoli Historic House and Garden - Woodside, California
- George Washington's Mount Vernon - Mount Vernon, Virginia
- Meadow Brook Hall - Rochester, Michigan
- Preservation Resource Center Holiday Home Tour - New Orleans
- Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum - Norwalk, Connecticut
- Crane House and Historic YWCA - Montclair, New Jersey
- Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens - Akron, Ohio
- Wildwood Manor House - Toledo, Ohio
- Graceland - Memphis
Photo courtesy of Newport Mansions
No. 10:
Holidays at the Newport Mansions offers the chance for visitors to see two historic estates — The Breakers and The Elms — decked in holiday splendor. The 2020 season will add a new outdoor experience at The Breakers, illuminating the historic grounds in thousands of lights. "One of New England's most breathtaking and memorable holiday experiences, a must for history and architecture buffs," says 10Best contributor Eric Grossman.
Photo courtesy of Patricia Dennis / Filoli Historic House and Garden
No. 9:
Filoli was built for prominent San Franciscan William Bowers Bourn and his wife in Woodside, Calif. in 1917. The unusual name was created by combining the first two letters from the key words of Bourn's credo: “Fight for a just cause; Love your fellow man; Live a good life.” The iconic mansion houses 17th and 18th century English antiques in a rich setting. During Holidays at Filoli visitors can stroll the illuminated grounds by night or see the decorated home by day. Take a socially distanced selfie with Santa on select Saturdays.
Photo courtesy of George Washington's Mount Vernon
No. 8:
George Washington's Mount Vernon was built in 1735 by his father Augustine. George acquired it in 1754 and spent the next 45 years remodeling it into the magnificent 21-room mansion it is today. Open 365 days a year, the iconic estate draws as many as one million visitors annually. Holiday celebrations kick off in late November with Thanksgiving Eve dinner, followed by a host of family-friendly activities — fireworks, fireside caroling, candlelight tours and visits with Aladdin the Christmas camel — scheduled throughout the holiday season.
Photo courtesy of Meadow Brook Hall
No. 7:
A National Historic Landmark, Meadow Brook was built by Matilda Dodge Wilson, widow of auto pioneer John Dodge. Constructed in Rochester, Mich. between 1926 and 1929, the 110-room Tudor mansion houses original family art and furnishings. During the Winter Wonder Lights celebration, guests can take a self-guided tour of the illuminated historic grounds. An optional part of the tour winds through the main floor of the estate, fully decorated for the holidays.
Photo courtesy of Preservation Resource Center
No. 6:
This year is the 45th anniversary of the Preservation Resource Center’s Holiday Home Tour. The tour will feature six historic New Orleans homes, including the homes of political commentator James Carville and actor Bryan Batt. You don’t have to be in NOLA to tour these homes either. The 2020 event will take place through a virtual video series. "Take advantage of the rare opportunity to see beautiful Garden District homes festively decorated," suggests 10Best contributor Gerrish Lopez.
Photo courtesy of Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum Alex Rosenfeld Photography
No. 5:
The historic Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum opens this holiday season with an exhibit celebrating antique toys, dolls and trees. Christmas Playtime at the Mansion will recreate what the holiday season was like for children during the Victorian era.
Photo courtesy of Crane House and Historic YWCA
No. 4:
Israel Crane built Crane House and Historic YWCA for his wife in 1796. After a century as the Crane family home, the estate was purchased and transformed into headquarters for the African American YWCA. Visitors can experience the period decorations (designed by the Garden Club of Montclair) and learn about the holidays from the 1700s to the 20th century during a candlelight tour. Visitors can also register for a private tour or see the house on a virtual tour.
Photo courtesy of Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens
No. 3:
Stan Hywet Hall, Akron, Ohio's first and largest National Historic Landmark, is the nation's sixth largest historic home open to the public. The Tudor mansion was built by Goodyear Tire & Rubber co-founder F.A. Seiberling between 1912 and 1915. In 1957 the Seiberling children gifted Stan Hywet to Akron. On select days throughout the holiday season, Deck the Hall showcases the first floor of the manor house and grounds adorned with nostalgic decorations and more than a million holiday lights.
Photo courtesy of Wildwood Manor House
No. 2:
This historic Georgian Colonial home, once owned by Toledo philanthropist R.A. Stranahan, is now a public park in Toledo. A team of volunteers decorate the 30,000-square-foot estate during Holidays in the Manor House. Visitors can take a self-guided tour of the house and Shipman Garden where they’ll find 32 seasonal displays.
No. 1:
"You don’t have to love Elvis to spend an afternoon in his grand house," says 10Best contributor Melanie Reffes. "Make time to peruse the gift shop." Every year, more than 600,000 people go to Elvis Presley’s former estate in Memphis. The Christmas season at Graceland kicks off with a lighting ceremony mid-November, after which visitors can tour the home decorated for the season with traditional lights, a live-size nativity scene and Santa. Presley family Christmas artifacts are on display during this special time of year.
A panel of experts partnered with 10Best editors to pick the initial nominees, and the top 10 winners were determined by popular vote.
Congratulations to all these winning home tours!
About 10Best Readers' Choice Awards
Nominees are submitted by a panel of experts. 10Best editors narrow the field to select the final set of nominees for the Readers’ Choice Awards. Readers can vote once per category, per day. For any questions or comments, please read the FAQ or email USA TODAY 10Best.
The Experts
Eric Grossman
Eric Grossman is a travel and food/drink writer... Read More
Eric Grossman is a travel and food/drink writer who has visited more than 60 countries. Always up for an adventure, Eric is constantly searching for new and inspiring experiences, with a keen interest in luxury travel and urban exploration. Memorable experiences have run the gamut from discussing the future of food with Ferran Adrià to sharing a stage with Coldplay.
Eric Grossman
Eric Grossman is a travel and food/drink writer who has visited more than 60 countries. Always up for an adventure, Eric is constantly searching for new and inspiring experiences, with a keen interest in luxury travel and urban exploration. Memorable experiences have run the gamut from discussing the future of food with Ferran Adrià to sharing a stage with Coldplay.
Gerrish Lopez
Gerrish Lopez is a food and travel... Read More
Gerrish Lopez is a food and travel writer/photographer whose adventures have taken her from tiny islands (Isle of Man, Lanai) to mega-cities like Mexico City and Hong Kong. A former vegetarian, Gerrish has grown to appreciate carnivorous fare through sampling the best meats in the world, including smoked pork jowl in Thailand and whole hog barbecue in South Carolina. Gerrish is always looking for products and services to make her travels easier and more efficient.
Gerrish Lopez
Gerrish Lopez is a food and travel writer/photographer whose adventures have taken her from tiny islands (Isle of Man, Lanai) to mega-cities like Mexico City and Hong Kong. A former vegetarian, Gerrish has grown to appreciate carnivorous fare through sampling the best meats in the world, including smoked pork jowl in Thailand and whole hog barbecue in South Carolina. Gerrish is always looking for products and services to make her travels easier and more efficient.
Melanie Reffes
Melanie is an island girl at heart . Born in... Read More
Melanie is an island girl at heart . Born in Manhattan, she now lives on the sunny island of Montreal and covers the Caribbean for a variety of publications including USA TODAY 10Best, CaribbeanTravel.com and MarryCaribbean.com. A journalist with a boatload of writer awards under her belt, Melanie's affection for the Caribbean started young when her family vacationed in Puerto Rico. An avid fan of spicy food, Melanie enjoys the diversity of Montreal - especially during the warmer months -when she's not en route to the Caribbean. She holds a Masters Degree in Social Work from the University of Toronto.
Melanie Reffes
Melanie is an island girl at heart . Born in Manhattan, she now lives on the sunny island of Montreal and covers the Caribbean for a variety of publications including USA TODAY 10Best, CaribbeanTravel.com and MarryCaribbean.com. A journalist with a boatload of writer awards under her belt, Melanie's affection for the Caribbean started young when her family vacationed in Puerto Rico. An avid fan of spicy food, Melanie enjoys the diversity of Montreal - especially during the warmer months -when she's not en route to the Caribbean. She holds a Masters Degree in Social Work from the University of Toronto.
