Top 5 places to live in another century
Ever wish you could travel back in time and experience the adventure of a bygone era? Well, until someone invents a time machine, you can't. But there are a handful of places across America where you can live like a gentleman farmer, wrangle cattle and pretend to be an original colonist. Here are the top 5 spots from another century.
5) Hotel del Coronado, San Diego, California: This luxurious hotel has hosted 11 U.S. presidents and a slew of old Hollywood stars under its iconic red-shingled roof. "The Del" was built in 1888 and is listed as a National Historic Landmark hotel. The rare all-wooden hotel features stately verandas and top beach views; it even has its own ghost. Legend has it that a young lady named Kate Morgan, who checked into the hotel in 1892 -- and never checked out, haunts The Del's elegant environs.
4) Skagway, Alaska: Go back to the heady Gold Rush days in historic Skagway, Alaska. You can take a tour of 15 buildings that were built during the Gold Rush, hike the 33-mile long Chiltook Trail, ride the narrow-gauge railroad, or, of course, go gold panning.
3) The Homestead Hotel, Hot Springs, Virginia: Experience pre-Revolutionary life at this Hot Springs, Virginia resort and spa. This National Historic Landmark, built in 1766, boasts falconry, archery and clay shooting. Or you can "take the waters" at the same "healing" hot springs that Thomas Jefferson bathed in.
2) The Double E Working Ranch, New Mexico: If the cowboy life is more your style, head on over to New Mexico. This working horse and cattle ranch offers trail riding and cattle drives through old Apache country. Tenderfoots need not apply.
1) Colonial Williamsburg, Williamsburg, Virginia: For an "authentic" taste of colonial life in America, the best spot in America for traveling back in time is Colonial Williamsburg. The historic area features 301 acres that include 88 original colonial buildings, fife & drum parades and tradespeople practicing crafts like blacksmithing, weaving and wig making.
