Fodor's Expert Review Thornewood Castle

Spread over 3 lushly landscaped acres along beautiful American Lake, this 27,000-square-foot property was built in 1908 from the pieces of a 16th-century Gothic- and Tudor-style castle shipped from England; it has hosted two American presidents (William Howard Taft and Theodore Roosevelt). It's replete with medieval-style stained-glass windows, gleaming wood floors, large mirrors, antiques, fireplaces, and hot tubs. From the lakeside patio and sunken garden—designed by the Olmsted Brothers—you can meditate on the spectacular sunsets.