Perhaps Author Henry James said it best, "there are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea." Ask any innkeeper and they are sure to agree wholeheartedly with this sentiment. Innkeepers all over the country offer afternoon tea and many pour their efforts (no pun intended) into creating creative theme teas and parties. Plan a baby shower tea, a little girl's birthday tea or perhaps a booklover's tea party. These are just a few of the special teas you might enjoy at a nearby bed and breakfast.

High tea is always in season at Hillbrook Inn in Charles Town, West Virginia. The historic English Tudor inn is a beautiful setting for any special occasion. For a little girl's birthday, the innkeepers have created a fairy tale tea complete with table centerpieces of teapots filled with flowers. The inn's six-course high tea includes a variety of sweet treats and savory items all prepared by the inn's executive chef. In the summer months, guests can enjoy their special tea in the gardens of this 17-acre estate.

Fortune Magazine described the afternoon tea at Cliffside Inn as a tea "fit for the Queen of England." The historic Victorian inn, located in picturesque Newport, Rhode Island, also has been named as one of the 20 best tea rooms in America by noted tea authority and author Bruce Richardson. In fall and winter, the teas are served in the Victorian parlor and in warmer months, teas are served on the veranda or on tables in the garden. The menu changes each day, but the offerings include gourmet tea sandwiches, plenty of homemade cookies and sweets and the staple of any tea time, freshly baked scones. The innkeepers use only the highest quality teas, all blended exclusively for this Newport bed and breakfast.

For a tea that is truly seaworthy, the innkeepers at Kitt Shepley House B&B (also in Newport) offer a tour of the harbor while enjoying afternoon tea aboard their own private boat. This special package, named the High Tea on the Sea, includes all the trimmings from the tea sandwiches and sweets down to the fine silver and china.

In Chatham on Cape Cod the Captain's House Inn serves a complimentary Cream Tea for their guests featuring scones, cookies and cakes. For a small charge both guests at this Massachusetts bed and breakfast as well as outside guests, can enjoy a formal English Afternoon Tea served by British interns. Traditional finger sandwiches, savory pastries and sweet treats are served. As a new twist, you may also do a "Tea Flight" -- sampling six different teas, which the chef has paired with appropriate delicacies. This Massachusetts bed and breakfast was a sea captain's home dating back to 1839 with each of the 16 rooms featuring a fireplace as well as most modern amenities.

Summertime at Halcyon House B&B means garden tours and afternoon teas. This historic Campbell, New York, bed and breakfast is host to special Wednesday Afternoon Teas throughout the season. The event begins with a tour of the inn's extensive herb garden followed by a short presentation by innkeeper Yvonne Sloan about growing and preserving herbs. Then the tea is served along with a selection of savory and sweet treats, all prepared using the inn's own herbs.

If you are searching for a retreat outside Atlanta, try this bed and breakfast for your next tea party. The Traveler's Rest, a Montezuma, Georgia, bed and breakfast, is two hours out of the city near the Jimmy Carter Historic Site. The inn is located in a restored Victorian home, so it's the perfect setting for a memorable Southern-style afternoon tea. Innkeeper Adele Goodman has hosted a variety of tea parties, such as Red Hat Society teas and mother-daughter teas. Guests take tea either in the dining room or on the wraparound porch.

Innkeepers Joyce and Frank at The Richmond Victorian Inn located in Richmond, Vermont, host a range of Afternoon Teas, from Princess Tea Parties for little girls to British-style teas on Sunday afternoon, popular for wedding showers and book club meetings. Scones are made from scratch and the loose teas are from the nearby Vermont Liberty Tea Company. Located in the foothills of the Green Mountains in Vermont, this Victorian bed and breakfast offers a relaxing interlude from all the area's numerous activities.

Holidays and bed and breakfasts just seem to go together, and Rosewood Country Inn in Bradford, N.H., is no exception. Throughout December, the innkeepers host a Holiday Tea and Tour. First you tour the inn, which has been in operation since the late 19th century and has seen guests such as Gloria Swanson, Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks and Charlie Chaplin pass through its doors. After the tour, enjoy treats such as white chocolate and raspberry scones or perhaps lemon snowflake cake.