Historic B&Bs abound in PA

Are you the type of happy traveler that’s looking for more than bacon and eggs from a Bed & Breakfast? If you love a good opportunity to live American history for the weekend, one of Pennsylvania’s historic Bed & Breakfasts is just the winter escape you’ve been looking for. In fact, Pennsylvania has 600 such inns, the second most in the country, and many of them are in buildings that are almost as old as the country itself. Some are older than the country.

1. The Great Valley House of Valley Forge

Malvern

“Did George Washington Sleep Here?” is the most often asked question by visitors at The Great Valley House of Valley Forge. This historic house dates back to the 1600s and is older than the house where George Washington slept in the winter of 1776. The 300-year old stone farmhouse, is a five-minute drive to Valley Forge National Park and is perfect for those looking for a quiet romantic getaway or for friends and family interested in sightseeing in the historic Valley Forge.

2. Century Inn

Scenery Hill

Many of the state’s B&Bs are in historic structures and the owners take great pains to preserve parts of the past. An example would be the Century Inn. It started serving stagecoach passengers along the National Road in 1794. It’s been operating for more than two centuries, with an almost three-year break after a 2015 fire, but it was restored so completely that it’s still on the National Register of Historic Places. Guests have included Andrew Jackson, the Marquis de LaFayette, Abraham Lincoln, James K. Polk and Mexican General Santa Anna. The stone structure now has seven guest rooms and five historic dining rooms, including a tavern.

3. The Historic Benner Mansion

Allentown

One B&B has “historic” right in its name: The Historic Benner Mansion. Located in Allentown, this 18-room manse was built in 1914 for a local businessman and was later owned by Capt. Nolan P. Benner and other prominent families before falling into near ruin. It was restored starting in 1999 and now, as the city’s only B&B, offers three fancy guest suites that are furnished with items donated by Benner’s descendants.

4. Battlefield Bed & Breakfast Inn

Gettysburg

In Gettysburg, you’d expect a lot of history, but the Battlefield Bed & Breakfast Inn really delivers. It’s set partially in a home that stood during the Civil War Battle of Gettysburg. Today, its original 1820 barn, which was used as a field hospital for soldiers, offers The Tack Guest Room, and other rooms’ names are battle-inspired. Breakfast is preceded by a history presentation. Guests can lift a cannonball, even fire a black-powder musket.