At the George H.W. Bush library and museum, you’ll encounter a plane, a limousine, a spy satellite, a boat, an Oval Office re-creation, presidential pets, a piece of the Berlin wall and video clips from Saturday Night Live and David Letterman, all while learning about the man who became our 41st president. Papa Bush (as my mom calls him) certainly seems to have a sense of fun!

“Can you tell me where Dolley Madison’s dogs are buried?” asked the very direct woman at the Montpelier visitors’ desk. This is one of the strangest questions I have ever heard on a Nerd Trip, and it is part of why I enjoy them – you meet some kooky characters along the way. Who would know that Dolley Madison’s dogs are buried at Montpelier?

We concluded the Ultimate Nerd Trip at Montpelier, home of our fourth president James Madison. Montpelier is located in Orange, Virginia, about 30 minutes from Charlottesville. Compared to the flowery gardens of Monticello, Montpelier did look a little plain, but we enjoyed the visit and learned a lot!

The grounds and gardens of Monticello are a living monument to Thomas Jefferson’s interest in nature, including his methodical study of the plants on his property.

After touring the house, we took a separate tour of Monticello’s gardens (offered April through October) where we learned that there are plants growing there today that descended from Jefferson’s time.

After touring the house, we took a separate tour of Monticello’s gardens (offered April through October) where we learned that there are plants growing there today that descended from Jefferson’s time.

What does your home say about you? For Thomas Jefferson, Monticello may be a physical autobiography of this president, statesman, scholar, inventor, designer, writer, gardener, etc. Jefferson was a complex individual, and a tour of his home is fascinating.

Monticello may be one of the most iconic buildings in the United States – it’s even on the back of a coin. Thomas Jefferson famously designed and built his home atop a hill in Virginia (Monticello means “little mountain” in Italian). Monticello is so famous and popular, it is debatable whether it should be labeled as a “Nerd...

Finishing our tour of Ash Lawn-Highland, home of President James Monroe, you can’t miss this 250-year-old tree known as the Monroe Oak. Seriously, it’s a really cool tree. You may need to see it in person to appreciate its size, with a 20-foot circumference! This tree even had its own blog on the Ash Lawn website.