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Other stories in "Winter"

• A peek into an inn
  During holidays, B&Bs in five tourist towns open for tours.
• Next weekend
  Santa rides in on a ship, float and fish house.
• Magic under the moon
  In winter, plan a trip around a candlelight ski or snowshoe.
• A very merry city
  At Christmas, Chicago brims with good will.
• All eyes on eagles
  In winter, tourists and birds alike head for open water.
• Vacations for the brain
  Go to a summer folk school and you'll come home with a skill.
• Entranced by ice
  To delight of many fans, Apostles caves open early for the season.
• Make ice luminaries
  With homemade lanterns, make your front walk sparkle.

Holiday house calls

On tours, see where the rich and famous celebrated Christmas.

The leaves are barely off the trees when holiday mansion tours begin.

In the southern Minnesota town of Rochester, tours already have started at the country manor built by W.W. Mayo's younger son, where 38 rooms are filled with ribbons, garlands and gleaming glass balls.

Built at the same time as Glensheen in Duluth, Mayowood is the same size but much less ornate. It's most remarkable for its wooded grounds; Dr. Charlie Mayo loved nature and built water gardens and greenhouses, using old X-ray plates for the panels.

On Lake Superior, Glensheen is decorated and open for holiday tours, teas and brunches. On St. Paul's Summit Avenue, costumed actors portray servants preparing for the holidays at the massive James J. Hill House, built to showcase the railroad baron's wealth.

These homes surely are impressive, but the stories told about their occupants are the real reason to tour them.

Also in St. Paul, callers receive freshly baked cookies from the cook at the Alexander Ramsey House (pictured), home of Minnesota's first territorial governor and also a doting grandpa. One of the nation's best preserved Victorian homes, it includes 15,000 family items, including hand-blown ornaments on a 12-foot tree.

In Madison, the current governor's 34-room mansion on Lake Mendota is open for free tours. For more about holiday mansion tours, see Tours de force.

Last updated on November 24, 2009