Celebrity homes open to the public, including Jimi Hendrix’s flat in London’s elegant Mayfair

Graceland, Elvis Presley’s iconic Memphis mansion, was his home from 1957 until his death in 1977. It’s since been suspended in time and operates as a museum. The grand estate was inherited by Lisa Marie Presley upon her father’s death, and although the second floor is off-limits, you can visit infamous spots like the Jungle Room, with its green shag carpet and Polynesian influences, and the numerous living spaces where the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll entertained friends and family. 

Outside, the grounds include the Meditation Garden, where Elvis was laid to rest, and there’s also an adjacent museum complex filled with costumes, cars, and memorabilia steeped in history.

Nestled in Chanhassen, Minnesota, the home state of Prince, Paisley Park is less of a home than a creative playground. Completed in 1987, the sprawling complex was where he wrote, recorded, and produced nearly all of his iconic music from Lovesexy onwards. 

Today, visitors can step into the very rooms where Prince’s genius came to life, from performance areas to the dedicated “Purple Rain” room, as well as quirky spots like the ping-pong table where he reportedly beat Michael Jackson. The estate has been operating as a museum since the star’s death in 2016, honoring the hitmaker’s legacy and allowing fans to soak up the vibrant energy that crafted his music.

Before he made it big as The Terminator, Arnold Schwarzenegger spent his early years in the small village of Thal in Austria, in a flat that had no electricity or running water. The building that housed his humble abode was turned into a museum dedicated to the star in 2011, and you can tour the rooms where Arnie first started dreaming big and pumping iron. 

Expect to see a mix of childhood memorabilia, like the star’s childhood bed and bodybuilding accolades, as well as newer homages like a life-size bronze statue of Arnie in the yard. It’s a unique glimpse into the formative environment that fueled his legendary rise, and is well worth the visit for fans.

If you’re looking to live like a Hollywood star on your next holiday, then a stay at one of Elizabeth Taylor’s glamorous homes might be just the ticket. Two of the many residences the Cleopatra star called home, including her grand gated estate in the Old Las Palmas area of Palm Springs, affectionately known as “Casa Elizabeth," are available to rent; although it’s the very image of modern luxury now, Liz once roamed these corridors during her time in the desert. 

You can also stay in “Casa Kimberly," formerly two separate casitas owned by Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, connected by a “Puente del Amor” (Bridge of Love). Located in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, the residence still has many of the original features loved by Liz, including a pink, heart-shaped bathtub. From illustrious vintage glamour to modern luxury living, both homes feel suitably fit for Hollywood royalty.

Tucked into quiet Liverpool suburbs, the childhood homes of Beatles legends John Lennon and Paul McCartney offer an intimate look at the ordinary beginnings behind the pair’s extraordinary partnership. John and Paul’s houses, where they lived for 17 and nine years respectively, doubled as creative spaces, and the pair are thought to have scribbled the first drafts of songs like “I Saw Her Standing There” in John’s front room. 

Now cared for by the National Trust, both houses allow visitors to step directly into the suburban settings where the Lennon-McCartney partnership first sparked.

23 Brook Street in Mayfair is the former home of two legendary music makers; while the downstairs flat is the former home of George Handel, the Baroque composer, the upstairs belonged to Jimi Hendrix. While the guitar icon lived there for less than a year in the ‘60s, the flat has been meticulously restored to that exact period, right down to his favorite Epiphone guitar and Persian rugs. 

Open to visitors as part of the “Handel Hendrix House” museum, the space captures the domestic side of Jimi’s whirlwind London years and is a must-visit for rock ‘n’ roll fans.

Located in the tiny New Deal colony of Dyess, Arkansas, Johnny Cash’s childhood home offers a striking glimpse into the humble roots of the Man in Black. The star lived in the five-room farmhouse from age three until he finished high school. In 2014, the home was renovated and opened to the public as the Historic Dyess Colony: Boyhood Home of Johnny Cash, overseen by his siblings Tommy and Joanne. Restored to its 1930s appearance – complete with the original family piano – it reveals how a modest upbringing helped forge one of America’s most powerful musical voices.

Judy Garland – then Frances Ethel Gumm – spent her early childhood in Grand Rapids, Minnesota before moving to California for her mother’s – and eventually her own – career in show business. Now a lovingly restored museum, the interiors have been returned to their 1920s appearance. You can explore an impressive collection of Oz memorabilia, from the original Dorothy Gale test dress to the original carriage, initially owned by Abraham Lincoln. 

While you won’t spot a pair of ruby slippers there – they were famously stolen from the museum in 2005 and later returned to a private collector – it’s still a magical experience that proves there really is no place like home.