Top 10 Presidential Retreats
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When it's time to take a breather from leading the free world, the commander-in-chief can always get away from Washington and hide out at his favorite presidential retreat. George W. Bush has Prairie Chapel Ranch in Crawford, Texas; other presidential retreats range from a small house in the woods to a sprawling estate on the ocean. Like the men themselves, some of them are unassuming, while others are legendary. We've compiled the 10 best presidential retreats based on their intrigue, popularity, notoriety, and closeness of character with the presidents who spent time there.
Up Next: Pine Knot -
Number 10 -- Pine Knot
Location: Albemarle County, Virginia
Inside Scoop: You may have the SUV and the spotless oh-so-outdoorsy clothes, but would you rough it without a latrine the way Teddy Roosevelt did? It was actually First Lady Edith Roosevelt who selected this 15-acre wooded parcel in 1905. The two-story cottage became a retreat for the family, but not necessarily a lavish one. TR may have been known as a Rough Rider, but Edith and their kids didn't mind the spartan accommodations or lack of amenities either. In recent years, the site has undergone restorations to allow visitors access to this rustic presidential retreat.
Up Next: Ford Residence -
Number 9 -- Ford Residence
Location: Vail, Colorado
Inside Scoop: If you think of Chevy Chase's Saturday Night Live pratfalls imitating then-President Ford, you might seriously question why the real commander-in-chief would venture near snow or mountains. Granted, Air Force One's steps did not treat him well, but Ford was really quite a sportsman who loved spending time at the Western White House, collectively their Vail and Beaver Creek residences. For that matter, the collective area was more or less Ford's residence, as he was anything but a recluse in the time spent here during and after his presidency.
Up Next: LBJ Ranch -
Number 8 -- LBJ Ranch
Location: Stonewall, Texas
Inside Scoop: You can't deny Lyndon Johnson was a different kind of president, especially in comparison to Kennedy and Nixon. Some found him more likable than his predecessor and successor, although beagles might disagree. Regardless, his ranch near Stonewall is worth a look. Not too far from Austin, the ranch isn't a silent, stuffy museum. It?s as straightforward as the man himself and an active attraction for the National Park Service.
Up Next: Mount Vernon -
Number 7 -- Mount Vernon
Location: Mount Vernon, Virginia
Inside Scoop: The first president; the first presidential retreat. Just a few miles from Washington, D.C. and Alexandria, the 18th-century estate and gardens are open every day of the year. In the 40 years he and wife Martha lived there, he managed to expand the estate from six to 21 rooms, and the grounds from 2,000 to 8,000 acres (it's a more modest, but still impressive 500 acres now). We?re not sure how many cherry trees he planted, but we do know it?s been a publicly accessible presidential retreat since 1860. In the years since, almost 80 million have visited.
Up Next: Walker's Point -
Number 6 -- Walker's Point
Location: Kennebunkport, Maine
Inside Scoop: If countless hours of watching The Simpsons have taught us anything, it's that George H.W. and Barbara Bush should have forgone Springfield and continued summering in Kennebunkport. The summer White House has been in the family for over 100 years, built by H.W.'s grandfather in 1903. Though the Bushes spend more of their time in Texas, they still come to Walker's Point throughout the year. We can't help but wonder if it's to keep tabs on how George the younger treats the place on his periodic visits.
Up Next: Rancho del Cielo -
Number 5 -- Rancho del Cielo
Location: Santa Barbara, California
Inside Scoop: In 1974, Ronald Reagan and wife Nancy first saw Rancho del Cielo, the 688-acre "Ranch of the Sky" outside Santa Barbara. They had to have it -- and did -- for $527,000. As president, Reagan retreated there often, and continued to until the mid-'90s, when the former president's battle with Alzheimer's disease intensified. Today, Young America's Foundation owns Rancho del Cielo and tours are given -- for a price. With a donation of $1,000 or more to the Foundation, you can secure an invitation.
Up Next: Monticello -
Number 4 -- Monticello
Location: Charlottesville, Virginia
Inside Scoop: You know that house on the back of the nickel? It looks a lot better in person. Located in Albemarle County, Virginia, Thomas Jefferson's Monticello may only be a few miles from Teddy Roosevelt's Pine Knot, but they couldn't be further apart in all other respects. The Roman neoclassic house has a very consistent look and feel, despite the fact that Jefferson began construction in 1769 and didn't stop fiddling with it until 1809.
Up Next: Little White House -
Number 3 -- Little White House
Location: Key West, Florida
Inside Scoop: Long before Parrotheads, stray chickens, Hemingway's six-toed cats, and rainbow flags overran Key West, one of the unique features of the island was the large house built in 1890 as naval officers' quarters. Beginning in 1946, President Truman began working and playing there, setting the stage for other presidents to follow suit. Today, official functions have given way to public tours and private parties, but the Little White House has been preserved much as Truman left it -- ironically blending with the funkiness of Old Town Key West.
Up Next: Kennedy Compound -
Number 2 -- Kennedy Compound
Location: Hyannisport, Massachusetts
Inside Scoop: Few outsiders have been granted entrance and even fewer speak of what goes on within. It all began when Joseph P. rented the Marchant Avenue summer cottage six on six acres of Nantucket Sound waterfront in 1926. A couple of years later, he purchased and enlarged it, and it became the family's summer retreat. Later, sons John and Robert bought neighboring homes, establishing what today makes up the compound and an evergreen source of urban legend.
Up Next: Camp David -
Number 1 -- Camp David
Location: Catoctin Mountain Park, Maryland
Inside Scoop: Most associate the ultimate presidential retreat with President Eisenhower, who named Camp David after his grandson. The camp was originally built for disabled children in the late '30s, then served as a federal employees' family camp. In a way, it's remained that way ever since Roosevelt first visited in 1942 -- just with a smaller, more select federal employee family presence. Through the years, from hosting dignitaries to serving as a secluded getaway, Camp David continues to serve as the ultimate presidential retreat.
Up Next: More Travel Stories -
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