The buildings in the French Quarter in New Orleans, Louisianna was also an awesome experience. These are Creole style buildings. There are full-length windows opening up to the balconies, while characteristically lacy ironwork stretches across the upper-story balcony. The design of these two or three-story houses is symmetrical with front entry’s located at their centers. Seeing these in person was another experience that took me back in time to 1800’s. They had a welcoming feeling that made you feel like a right at home like a real Cajun. This was by far my favorite city to visit.

The Bullock Hotel in Deadwood, South Dakota is another building that I will never forget. The building was built in 1895. The original hotel burned down and was rebuilt on top of another building that had also been destroyed by a fire. Because the new hotel was built on top of another one, you can still see the original windows next to the sidewalk at the base of the building. This hotel is known for being haunted, and in fact, this is where Wild Bill Hickok was shot and killed. This was also a creepy experience that gave a wild west paranormal sense and being in the century old hotel was another time traveling feel.

Alcatraz is a prison located on an island in the San Francisco Bay. It is basically a giant concrete building with absolutely no color or vibrancy to it at all. It was a creepy and eerie experience to be in an old run-down prison where some of the most notorious criminals, like Al Capone and Machine Gun Kelly, did their time.

Graceland is Elvis Presley’s Mansion in Memphis, Tennessee. This 1940’s home is a colonial style building with many windows, a covered porch with a high ceiling, and giant pillars. The inside of the house has stayed the same sense Elvis passed away in 1977. The thing I remember most about visiting this house was how neat it was to see a house that was basically untouched-it was like I got to time travel back to the late seventies. His “Jungle Room” had green shag carpet on the floors and the ceilings, and there was a stacked stone waterfall. This room is what influenced me to decorate my house as mid-century.