Want to time-travel on your next vacation? Staying at the oldest hotel in whichever state you’re visiting will do the trick, offering at least a glimpse of an earlier era. From colonial inns to grand railway hotels from the Gilded Age, the U.S. is home to many historic lodgings filled with character and with tales to tell. (For lodging history of a more recent sort, check these classic images of motels with a vintage vibe.)
24/7 Tempo has attempted to discover the oldest hotel in every state, using a variety of state and local tourism and historical websites, as well as those maintained by various hotels themselves.
It’s difficult to come up with a list that’s both definitive and authoritative. Many of the establishments that are now hotels began as private residences, taverns, even bordellos, and the exact year they were first built, or first welcomed overnight guests, is often vague or disputed.
In addition, these historic hotels have inevitably undergone numerous transformations throughout the years. Typically, their architecture and decor have been updated, they have changed ownership multiple times, some may have closed down completely for various periods, and a few have even been completely rebuilt. (These are the original locations of famous restaurants you can still go to.)
Click here to see the oldest hotel in every state
Nonetheless, the hotels mentioned here all have verifiable links back to their origins, however much they may have changed or evolved, and every one of them will offer a taste of the past.
Alabama
> Hotel: Redmont Hotel
> Location: Birmingham
> First opened in: 1925
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Source: Courtesy of Alaskan Hotel and Bar via Facebook
Alaska
> Hotel: Alaskan Hotel
> Location: Juneau
> First opened in: 1913
Arizona
> Hotel: The Grand Canyon Hotel
> Location: Williams
> First opened in: 1891
Source: Courtesy of The Capital Hotel via Facebook
Arkansas
> Hotel: Capital Hotel
> Location: Little Rock
> First opened in: 1873
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Source: Courtesy of Groveland Hotel via Facebook
California
> Hotel: The Groveland Hotel
> Location: Groveland
> First opened in: 1849
Source: Courtesy of Cliff House at Pikes Peak via Facebook
Colorado
> Hotel: Cliff House at Pikes Peak
> Location: Manitou
> First opened in: 1873
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Source: Courtesy of 1754 House Restaurant & Tavern via Facebook
Connecticut
> Hotel: 1754 House
> Location: Woodbury
> First opened in: 1754
Source: Courtesy of The Inn at Montchanin Village & Spa via Facebook
Delaware
> Hotel: The Inn at Montchanin Village & Spa
> Location: Wilmington
> First opened in: 1799
Source: csfotoimages / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
Florida
> Hotel: The Florida Inn
> Location: Fernandina Beach
> First opened in: 1857
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Georgia
> Hotel: River Street Inn
> Location: Savannah
> First opened in: 1817
Hawaii
> Hotel: Moana Hotel
> Location: Honolulu
> First opened in: 1901
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Source: Courtesy of Idaho Hotel via Facebook
Idaho
> Hotel: Idaho Hotel
> Location: Silver City
> First opened in: 1863
24/7 Wall St.
Source: Courtesy of The Historic Rose Hotel via Facebook
Illinois
> Hotel: The Historic Rose Hotel
> Location: Elizabethtown
> First opened in: 1812
Indiana
> Hotel: French Lick Springs Hotel
> Location: French Lick
> First opened in: 1845
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Iowa
> Hotel: Hotel Julien Dubuque
> Location: Dubuque
> First opened in: 1839
Source: Courtesy of Historic Elgin Hotel via Facebook
Kansas
> Hotel: Elgin Hotel
> Location: Marion
> First opened in: 1886
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Kentucky
> Hotel: The Old Talbott Tavern
> Location: Bardstown
> First opened in: 1779
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Source: Courtesy of Hotel Maison de Ville via Yelp
Louisiana
> Hotel: Hotel Maison de Ville
> Location: New Orleans
> First opened in: 1788
Source: Courtesy of The Down Easter Inn via Facebook
Maine
> Hotel: Down Easter Inn (currently closed and for sale)
> Location: Damariscotta
> First opened in: Circa 1850
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Source: aimintang / iStock Unreleased via Getty Images
Maryland
> Hotel: The Maryland Inn
> Location: Annapolis
> First opened in: 1772
Source: Jay_Yuan / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
Massachusetts
> Hotel: Wayside Inn
> Location: Sudbury
> First opened in: 1716
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Source: fotoguy49057 / Flickr
Michigan
> Hotel: The National House Inn
> Location: Marshall
> First opened in: 1835
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Minnesota
> Hotel: Anderson House Hotel
> Location: Wabasha
> First opened in: 1856
Source: Courtesy of Monmouth Historic Inn & Restaurant 1818 via Facebook
Mississippi
> Hotel: Monmouth Historic Inn
> Location: Natchez
> First opened in: 1818
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Source: Courtesy of The Elms Hotel and Spa via Facebook
Missouri
> Hotel: The Elms Hotel and Spa
> Location: Excelsior Springs
> First opened in: 1888
Source: Courtesy of Grand Union Hotel via Facebook
Montana
> Hotel: Grand Union Hotel
> Location: Fort Benton
> First opened in: 1882
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Source: Courtesy of Historic Argo Hotel B&B via Facebook
Nebraska
> Hotel: Historic Argo Hotel
> Location: Crofton
> First opened in: 1912
Source: gchapel / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
Nevada
> Hotel: Gold Hill Hotel
> Location: Virginia City
> First opened in: 1861
Source: Courtesy of Inn Dartmouth via Facebook
New Hampshire
> Hotel: Hanover Inn
> Location: Dartmouth
> First opened in: 1901
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Source: Courtesy of Congress Hall, Cape May via Facebook
New Jersey
> Hotel: Congress Hall
> Location: Cape May
> First opened in: 1816
Source: benedek / iStock Unreleased via Getty Images
New Mexico
> Hotel: La Fonda on the Plaza
> Location: Santa Fe
> First opened in: 1922
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Source: Courtesy of Beekman Arms & Delamater Inn via Facebook
New York
> Hotel: Beekman Arms & Delamater Inn
> Location: Rhinebeck
> First opened in: 1766
Source: Courtesy of The Historic Brookstown Inn via Facebook
North Carolina
> Hotel: Brookstown Inn
> Location: Winston-Salem
> First opened in: 1837
North Dakota
> Hotel: Rough Riders Hotel
> Location: Medora
> First opened in: 1884
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Source: Courtesy of The Golden Lamb via Facebook
Ohio
> Hotel: Golden Lamb
> Location: Lebanon
> First opened in: 1803
Oklahoma
> Hotel: The Skirvin Hilton
> Location: Oklahoma City
> First opened in: 1911
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Oregon
> Hotel: Wolf Creek Inn
> Location: Wolf Creek
> First opened in: 1883
Source: Amy Sparwasser / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
Pennsylvania
> Hotel: Gettysburg Hotel
> Location: Gettysburg
> First opened in: 1797
Source: Courtesy of Graduate Providence via Facebook
Rhode Island
> Hotel: Graduate Providence
> Location: Providence
> First opened in: 1922
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Source: Courtesy of Rutledge House Inn via Facebook
South Carolina
> Hotel: Rutledge House Inn
> Location: Charleston
> First opened in: 1763
South Dakota
> Hotel: Bullock Hotel
> Location: Deadwood
> First opened in: 1895
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Source: Courtesy of Hale Springs Inn via Facebook
Tennessee
> Hotel: Hale Springs Inn
> Location: Rogersville
> First opened in: 1824
Source: Courtesy of Haunted Magnolia Hotel Seguin, Texas via Facebook
Texas
> Hotel: Haunted Magnolia Hotel
> Location: Seguin
> First opened in: 1844
Utah
> Hotel: Moore’s Old Pine Inn
> Location: Marysvale
> First opened in: 1882
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Vermont
> Hotel: Woodstock Inn
> Location: Woodstock
> First opened in: 1793
Virginia
> Hotel: Williamsburg Lodge
> Location: Williamsburg
> First opened in: 1750
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Source: Courtesy of Tokeland Hotel via Facebook
Washington
> Hotel: Tokeland Hotel
> Location: Tokeland
> First opened in: 1885
Source: EyeMark / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
West Virginia
> Hotel: The Greenbrier
> Location: White Sulphur Springs
> First opened in: 1778
Source: Courtesy of Maxwell Mansion - Lake Geneva via Facebook
Wisconsin
> Hotel: Maxwell Mansion
> Location: Lake Geneva
> First opened in: 1855
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Wyoming
> Hotel: Occidental Hotel
> Location: Buffalo
> First opened in: 1880
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