We have a fascination with seeing how the one percent live. While the “Oracle of Omaha” Warren Buffet still lives in a relatively modest brick home he purchased in 1958 for $31,500, other millionaires and billionaires are a little more showy, with stately mansions and coastal homes representing some of the most beautiful real estate in the country.

You may not be able to buy a ten million dollar estate, but as anyone who has taken the scenic drive down 17-Mile Drive in Carmel, California (where Clint Eastwood was mayor for a brief time), past the mansions of Bel Air, or through scenic New England towns filled with historic mansions, they are wonderful to look at from afar, and a brief tour of any of these regions’ luxury homes will make an excellent side-trip for any vacation.

West Palm Beach, Florida for example, is known for its beautiful weather, wonderful beaches and abundant nature reserves. A great vacation destination if there ever was one – but if you go there, pull yourself away from the beach for an afternoon and just take a look at the incredible architecture throughout this fair city, which is well known for its stately homes. In The Classical American House from Images Publishing, dozens of stunning architectural projects, photographs and architectural analysis are featured, one of which is probably the most beautiful home in Florida. A Georgian style mansion with 25,000 square feet, Serenity (Smith Architectural Group) features Doric and Ionic columns, with a white and yellow palette that reflects the distinctive and casual style of this subtropical region.

Serenity. Palm Beach, Florida (Smith Architectural Group). 

If you live in Florida – whether you live in a home like Serenity or in a trailer park by the Everglades – you will want to sit outside. Serenity certainly accommodates this desire with a wonderful outdoor patio overlooking the garden.

Outdoor patio in Palm Beach

The Hamptons, located on the east end of Long Island, is another popular summertime destination for New Englanders who can enjoy visiting the historic lighthouses, as well as the many beaches and nature reserves. The Hamptons too, is home to several beautiful homes as well as quaint bed & breakfast inns you can stay at during your trip. The Hedges Inn in East Hampton, right in the center of everything you will want to visit, is one of the more historic and stately B&Bs, built in 1873. It’s a favorite of movie stars, and you may even see a celebrity or two if you’re lucky. The B&B, a HotelsCombined Award of Recognition winner, is beautiful inside and out, and wonderfully decorated guest rooms with en-suite bathrooms finished with mahogany and marble.

The Hedges Inn, East Hampton, NY

While you’re in the Hamptons, take some time out to drive by some of the most exclusive homes in the country, including Bespoke Real Estate’s exclusive new listing. At $175 million, the estate includes 20,000 square feet, 12 bedrooms and bathrooms, a greenhouse and carriage house with three additional bedrooms. Built originally for the Ford family, the property has the largest ocean frontage in the Hamptons, with an unobstructed view of Mecox Bay to the east and the Atlantic Ocean to the south.

The former Ford mansion in the Hamptons (Bespoke Real Estate)

Another popular activity for vacationers is seeing the actual homes used in television and movie productions. The beautiful San Francisco home used as the setting for “Mrs. Doubtfire” went up for sale last year for $4.5 million, and you can take an easy drive by and have a look.

The house used for the exterior shots of the film Mrs. Doubtfire. Creative Commons, rulenumberone2 from San Francisco, CA, USA.

Another home frequently used in movies and television is Peter and Shannon Loughrey’s beautiful home in Encino, one of the most widely used private residences used for productions sets in the Los Angeles area. When you drive by this one, you’ll be sure to recognize it from at least one of your favorite shows. It was seen in the first episode of Snowfall, and you will also be able to see it in the pilot of the new series, American Woman, which will premiere in early 2018.

The Loughreys' house, on the set of "American Woman."

Peter and Shannon are founders of Los Angeles Modern Auctions, and Peter is recognized as the most experienced modern art and design specialist in the auction house industry, and frequently appears on PBS’ “Antique Roadshow”. If you catch one of the television shows which uses this home as a set, you may get a glimpse of some of their incredible furnishings which reflect some of the modern aesthetic the Loughreys are known for.

Take a little time on your next vacation to spot some of these stately mansions and television homes, and you may well just get a few ideas for your next home.