Top 10 presidential getaways

6. Kennebunkport
For all the boot-strappin', cowboy hat-wearin', and Texas-drawlin' of our current Commander in Chief, it's hard to imagine him fitting in with the preppy people who summer on Maine's rocky coast. George W. spent his childhood summers on the Bush family compound in Kennebunkport and still returns to the century-old house of his parents — former President George Herbert Walker Bush and First Lady Barbara — on Walker's Point from time to time now. Famed for lobsters, lighthouses, and blueberry pie, coastal Maine is classic New England. You could spend your visit looking out for the Bush family security detail, but why not instead spend a few days browsing the souvenir shops, sailing the chilly waters, or soaking up some sun on nearby beaches.

7. Key West
The historic presidential pad on Key West dubbed the Little White House certainly earned its moniker — after all, it played host to President Harry Truman for 175 days during his tenure in office. Since Truman began migrating south in 1946, millions of sun-and-fun seekers have descended on Key West for its tropical weather, laid-back attitude, and loads of charm. Between your bar-hopping and sun-worshipping, take a tour of the very house where Truman and his go-to guys enacted bills, prepared budgets, and even composed the State of the Union address during their many visits. Other presidents, including JFK and Jimmy Carter, have also roamed the house's halls.

8. Martha's Vineyard
Martha's Vineyard has long been a celebrity sanctuary, but celeb-stalkers and political junkies alike took notice of the island enclave when Bill, Hillary, and Chelsea traded in the White House for a vacation house here during Bill Clinton's presidency. Biking, kayaking, and fishing are all popular pastimes on the Vineyard, but if you're looking for a less-active vacation, miles upon miles of sandy beach are ripe for sunbathing. Buy an ice cream cone at one of the ubiquitous shops and stroll the centuries-old streets while admiring the historic homes and charming seaside shops. With all there is to do and see on Martha's Vineyard, you'll see why the Clintons came back again and again.

9. Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara's allure was not lost on Ronald Reagan, and by the end of his governorship he had snatched up what would later become known as the Western White House — the 688-acre Rancho del Cielo (Ranch in the Sky).

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Overlooking the magnificent Santa Ynez Valley and the Pacific Ocean, the California landscapes here are so lovely they once inspired Reagan to quip, "No place before or since has ever given Nancy and me the joy and serenity [Rancho del Cielo] does." You can't tour the ranch, but the idyllic wine country, bucolic landscapes, palm-fringed Pacific beaches, gourmet fare, and posh hotels of Santa Barbara are sure to inspire you the same way they did the man who was both movie star and 40th President of the United States.

10. Warm Springs
As depicted by Kenneth Branagh in the 2005 HBO biopic "Warm Springs", Franklin D. Roosevelt first retreated to this eponymous rural Georgia town in 1924. Eight years later, just before his presidential inauguration, FDR built the Little White House, a modest six-room cottage that's been kept intact (museum addition notwithstanding) since his death there in 1945.

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Southern charm and hospitality still beckon weary travelers to Warm Springs (located 1.5 hours south of Atlanta) where life moves to the rhythm of the languid rocking chairs that front so many of its antique stores, specialty shops, and rustic B&Bs. The hot springs where FDR sought a cure for his polio are not available for public use, but FDR State Park — with nearly 40 miles of verdant hiking trails — is just minutes from town.

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