Dear Fodorites ~ Just a reminder to visit the Presidential Librairies when you're on your travels. We've included them on our coast-to-coast road trips and have found each one to be a unique lesson in history.

For example, Nixon's Library in Yorba Linda, California has one darkened hallway...displaying Watergate memorabilia. Very moving. President Carter's Library in Atlanta has a variety of truly remarkable video footage. Lyndon Johnson's in Texas is broken up into two parts, including two of his homes and many of his cool old cars. Lady Bird waves to the tour tram if she's there! Pres. Truman's library in Independence, MO offers indepth coverage of the WW II years.

Combining libraries with Nat'l Parks, exploring major cities and little villages along with the mandatory (!) major league baseball games affords a great balance in an out west road trips. (took 8 of them, hope to do one more next summer!)

Of particular note and worthy of a visit (altho maybe not this week...) - Ronald Reagan's Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California. Probably our favorite library, total class from its exhibits to landscaping. (But then we thought Pres. Reagan was a total class act, a huge man and a true Patriot). His library also has a great Marie Callendar cafe for lunch - dine outside on the terrace for a lovely, peaceful view.

I sincerely hope this travel-related post will help someone in their travel planning. Visiting Presidential Libraries provides a different genre of americana adding to an enriching travel experience.

Great post Ellen. I loved the Reagan Presidential library, its a jewel and so was he.

Does anyone have any information on JFK's library in Boston? I hope to visit his sometime soon, too.

The Kennedy Library is a very nice addition to anybody's trip to Boston. It is on the water and has great views of Boston Harbor. Currently there is an exhibit of all the dolls Caroline received while living in the White House.

I also enjoyed a visit to the Eisenhower Presidential Library in Abilene, Kansas.

Even though it is a little off the beaten path, the Bush (Sr.) Library in College Station, Texas is really nice. It is near the Texas A&M University campus. I especially liked the life-size statue of the horses jumping over the Berlin Wall!

So glad to hear others have enjoyed the presidential libraries, too. We've been to all except JFK's and are uniquely wonderful.

Its also a great way IMO, to honor each President; all of them deserve our respect and gratitude, regardless of party affiliation.

(And in a travel-related way for this board!)

A visit to The Herbert Hoover Historic Site in West Branch, Iowa, was a moving experience for me and, when I lived in NYC, I frequently took visitors to FDR's home and library on the Hudson River or to Teddy Roosevelt's home in Oyster Bay, LI.

My sister used to live across the street from the Rutherford B. Hayes homested and Library. I learned many interesting things about a not-so-well-known president. The grounds are also lovely and made for some nice walks.

The first time I went to the JFK library I was on my way to Logan Airport and allowed an hour for the visit. It was not nearly enough time, the next time I knew better and did not have anything else scheduled that afternoon.

On the Austin campus of the University of Texas, the LBJ library and museum immediately set me back to the 60's. Music blared everywhere with hits from the Beach Boys, Turtles, Mammas & Pappas and other songs popular while LBJ was president.

Truman's library was very educational. It was like walking through history. Independence is a worth while and an easy side trip from Kansas City.

Hey Jimshep, thanks for the heads up on FDR's library! We're in the city fairly often and will definitely make that a priority on our next trip.

Just heard the amazing library of our beloved 40th president Ronald Reagan is expecting four times as many visitors today. No surprise there but wondered if any of you fodorites will be among them? I'm really looking forward to visiting again next summer.

You know, I have been to the Truman Library in Independence, MO only because it's close to where I live. But I never realized until recently that all these residential "libraries" are really museums. I always thought it was a collection of the President's favorite books! How ignorant is that?

They are museums as Idnas71 says. They are also very large libraries. Depending on the number of years since the death of the President (in those cases where they are dead, of course), the libraries have available some or all of the documents, tapes, recording, and other historical records from the President's tenure in office. They are available to bona fide researchers and scholars and, in a few cases, are on display to the public. In most caes the libraries have millions of documents from one-page memos and handwritten notes to voluminous reports.

Okay... here's something else I didn't know until I just looked it up. Every President doesn't have their own "Library." Bush-41, Carter, Eisenhower, Ford, Hoover, LBJ, JFK, Reagan, Roosevelt and Truman are the only ones... Nixon and Clinton have "Presidential Materials Projects."

The Clinton Presidential Material Project will be moving into the Clinton Library, which is scheduled to open in November this year.

Above the doors entering the Clinton library,it will read: "William Jefferson Clinton, The only elected president ever to be impeached".

I have never been to a presidental library but after reading your post, it makes me want to go--thanks for posting this information!

Hi Idnas, not sure what you're referring to in terms of Nixon's Library, as i can assure you its indeed a full library, museum, gallery etc. In addition, his birthplace home is there, along with memorial gravesites.

As i said in my original post, one of the most memorable parts of the museum is the darkened hallway, signifying 'Watergate'.

Hi Ellen... didn't mean to contradict anything you said at all. I have only been to the Truman library myself. I just was interested after reading your thread today and did a quick Web search. The official-looking site I found listed the ten Presidents I mentioned as having "official" libraries and then it stated that Clinton and Nixon have "Presidential Material Projects," whatever that means. Maybe the site I was looking at is not updated. The Watergate memorabilia sounds very interesting. I am considering trying to make a visit to the Reagan library in September when I visit San Diego and L.A. I was watching all the ceremony and pageantry last week and it really piqued my interest to learn more about Ronnie. Problem is... my time is very limited in L.A. specifically, only spending one night, one and a half days to sightsee, and have tickets to two baseball games already.

Oh well... we'll see what comes of it.

Ellen, does the Reagan library have a section devoted to his civil rights movement?

Nixon indeed does have a Presidential Library. It is located in Yorba Linda, CA, east of Los Angeles.