If you're planning on a driving tour of historic homes, a map can be essential even if you know the area well. A detailed map shows you side streets you may not know about, helps you avoid dead ends and the problem of turning the car around, and lets you connect several neighborhoods into one smoothly flowing historic tour. City maps are usually available from your Chamber of Commerce or Convention and Visitors Bureau; if there is a preservation or historic society in the city, check with it as well. Some organizations may already have a self-guided historic driving tour route; in larger cities, you'll have several historic routes to choose from. Once you have the map, rehearse the drive by yourself so you can be familiar with the roads, intersections, traffic lights, and any available places to pull over and discuss specific historic markers or colorful facts. You'll also get a feel for the amount of time the tour will take, excluding any stops.
It's enjoyable to drive by old homes and admire the craftsmanship of a time gone by, but you still wonder when it was built, who owned it and if any historic events happened there. When you check for maps, ask about brochures. Some tourism organizations even have self-guided historic tour brochures available to download and print off their websites, an especially handy tool if you're planning a historic home driving tour while on vacation. Some homes are listed on the National Register of Historic Places,and have their own rack cards or brochures detailing the adventures of past residents.
Some historic sites are tour homes, open for daily tours; most of these charge a small admission, but the chance to hop out of the car and see the interior architecture is well worth it. Occasionally, the owners of historic homes participate in seasonal open houses, especially around Christmas when the house is decked out in traditional decorations. These homes may be part of an organization-sponsored fundraiser with volunteers giving tours and an admission charge for the whole event. Check the calendar of events for the region and call ahead about tour times if you're interested in a few worthy side stops.
