Many bed and Breakfasts help preserve history through architecture and decor, providing guests a trip to the past. But now many innkeepers are helping to preserve the planet's future by running eco-friendly bed and breakfasts. A few bed and breakfasts run completely "off the grid," and many are located in beautiful natural settings, where the innkeepers are mindful to blend in with the environment. From simple items such as using organic cotton for the bedchambers to planning a hearty breakfast using items grown organically on the property, these bed and breakfasts owners do their best to respect and preserve Mother Nature.



You'll see it all from the Huckleberry Tent and Breakfast in Sandpoint, Idaho, which has only three tent sites within 42 acres of forest. This low-maintenance lodging option offers easy access to hiking trails and a view of the stars. Standing between you and nature is your simple canvas structure built on wooden planks with a Queen size bed and a kitchen with cooking utensils and a wood stove. The hot breakfast served every morning makes roughing it is a little less rough.

The Arbor House, An Environmental Inn leaves no doubt that it is a respite for the eco-friendly. Located in Madison, Wisconsin, the bed and breakfast was built with nature in mind. The architects were careful not to disturb the root system of the ground's many trees when they built an annex onto the historic portion of this 19th-century inn. The builders used non-toxic lumber that was cut from sustainable forests. The windows were made of recycled glass and the walls were specially insulated to keep out heat or cold without using extra energy. The roof of the Wisconsin bed and breakfast is lined with solar panels. Linens are organic and washed with biodegradable products.

Organic, organic, organic. That is the theme at Mast Farm Inn in Banner Elk, North Carolina. The idyllic grounds serve as location for organic vegetable and flower gardens. Without using pesticides or chemical fertilizers, the innkeepers produce a bounty of vegetables, many of which fill the plates at the historic inn's award-winning restaurant.

Taking non-toxic to personal level, the Natural Bed & Breakfast Retreat in Tucson, Arizona keeps it simple for guests with allergies by banning smoking, pets, cologne and perfume. Natural sounds filter through indoor speakers while air purifiers clear out the allergens. Feng Shui principles guide the layout of the dcor and breakfasts are organic and made from whole grains.

Melitta Station Inn once served 19th-century guests as a stagecoach stop. Now the Santa Rosa bed and breakfast offers guests rooms decorated with antiques and period charm, as well as being environmentally friendly. For several years, the bed and breakfast has run on solar power via a 6-kilowat solar array and special daylight pipes that reduce the dependence on artificial light.

These eco-friendly inns provide warmth and hospitality, as well as the knowledge that your next vacation need not leave a huge environmental footprint. You'll find that it is easy to be nature-minded both at home and at play.