Lincoln Home National Historic Site

Lincoln Home National Historic Site

Lincoln Home National Historic Site
4.5
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
About
The only house Abraham Lincoln ever owned is the centerpiece of this four-block historic neighborhood. Lincoln and his family lived in the two-story house from 1844 until 1861, when their address changed to the White House.
Suggest edits to improve what we show.
Improve this listing
Tours & experiences
Explore different ways to experience this place.
What is Travellers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Revenue impacts the experiences featured on this page, learn more.
The area
Address
Reach out directly
See what travellers are saying
  • Martin
    Chicago, Illinois6 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Excellent!
    My wife and family and I visited a few weeks back and we were astounded by our guide. Late in the day, cold, and probably having done at least three tours prior, you might have assumed that your docent might be a tad…tired? Not Jasmine! She gave us a really stellar tour and I enjoyed getting to “know” President Lincoln in a much more in depth way. Jasmine answered question after question and really wrapped up with a wonderful and inspiring finish to her tour. We will definitely be back!
    Visited March 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 23 March 2023
  • tribuckblessed
    Columbus, Ohio161 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Awesome experience!
    Felt amazing to actually see and experience the exact home and many original furnishings of the Lincoln family! Our tour guide was great - pleasant and very informative. Learned a lot that we didn't know before!
    Visited May 2023
    Written 16 May 2023
  • Alicia M
    Monticello, Minnesota92 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A great stop
    This has changed so much since the 90’s when I was last there. It is free, which is nice. You sign up for a scheduled group tour and if you need to wait you can go through the area with the houses a couple you can go into but it is a nice area to see the history. Our tour guide seemed to have special needs and he did a great job and was funny and informative. We got to see the singers that are there a few times a week and they were great. If your interested in Lincoln history this is a high recommended stop. Our family has made a point to try to see as much Lincoln history as we can and did not regret going.
    Visited June 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 17 June 2023
  • ChelH
    Grand Rapids, Michigan115 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Amazing!
    This was our second time visiting. We visited six years ago when our kids were much littler. We absolutely love it here. This time around the kids got to play with toys that they would’ve played with back in the day. They also toured the house & met Abraham Lincoln and Mary Todd Lincoln who were roaming around that day and they got to listen to his farewell speech. What an awesome experience!!
    Visited June 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 18 June 2023
  • Jon H
    Fort Myers, Florida664 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Fantastic Presidential Home
    Wonderfully restored and maintained home of President Lincoln during his tenure in Springfield. This is a guided tour of the home, and it is hosted by very knowledgeable volunteers/historians. We very much enjoyed this 'free' tour, thanks to the President's son Robert.
    Visited June 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 26 June 2023
  • lovetoteach964
    Long Island, New York63 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Worth a Visit
    The docent was very knowledgeable. We learned a lot about Lincoln's life pre-Presidency. Stop at the visitor center first to watch a short film, then take a guided tour. There are a couple of other restored buildings at the site as well. It's a great addition to the Presidential Library visit and about 1/2 mile easy walk. Try Obed & Isaaca Microbrewery if it's meal time. Great food even if you're not a beer drinker.
    Visited July 2023
    Written 8 July 2023
  • GranniT
    Beloit, Kansas70 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Interesting but rushed
    Very interesting. Tour guide was very knowledgeable. As with the other historical tours we have done this year, felt very rushed to just get through the tour. Frustrating to pay good money to tour something, only to be rushed through so we don’t make “ the next tour” late. Most often we won’t be back to these places again so would love to spend some time looking around
    Visited July 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 18 July 2023
  • kates5283
    Cincinnati, Ohio176 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Wonderful historical tour!
    My whole family thought this was a great place to visit, but our 9 year old, in particular, was very excited to walk through the house! The only thing is that I wish the tours were just like 5 people smaller. It was hard to see and hear and felt a bit rushed. We thoroughly enjoyed learning about Lincoln's time here, as we have been to his boyhood homesite in Kentucky and learned about his early life. This was nice to see how the Lincoln's lived and the restoration and commitment to keeping things as they were back then is impeccable. Seeing things that actually belonged to the Lincoln family was truly amazing! If you don't have time for anything else in Springfield, stop here.
    Visited April 2023
    Written 13 August 2023
  • Joy R
    Dyersburg, Tennessee34 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great disability accommodations.
    Lovely tour. Very impressive with so many original furnishings. JASMINE was so wonderful to us and gave us a private commentary as we went to a separate entrance for my wheelchair-bound disabled adult son. Then we were able to view the upstairs rooms on an iPad. Jasmine told us sign language-interpreted lectures were also available.
    Visited August 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 15 August 2023
  • jrperkins3
    585 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great historical tour
    This place is free and parking is only $2/hr. Can't beat that. It's not just Lincoln's home, but also basically a whole section of preserved area. Lots of history and interesting details. I was able to do the tour and mill around a little in right at one hour, but you could make a whole lot of a day out of the whole area.
    Visited August 2023
    Written 18 August 2023
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

We perform checks on reviews.
Tripadvisor’s approach to reviews
Before posting, each Tripadvisor review goes through an automated tracking system, which collects information, answering the following questions: how, what, where and when. If the system detects something that potentially contradicts our community guidelines, the review is not published.
When the system detects a problem, a review may be automatically rejected, sent to the reviewer for validation, or manually reviewed by our team of content specialists, who work 24/7 to maintain the quality of the reviews on our site.
Our team checks each review posted on the site disputed by our community as not meeting our community guidelines.
Learn more about our review moderation.
4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles2,887 reviews
Excellent
2,227
Very good
570
Average
72
Poor
10
Terrible
8

Dreamer35431558341
1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2024 • Family
I'm a lifetime Springfield resident and visited the home several times. I visited today and the had the best tour of the site that I've ever experienced. Out guide, Newlyn, was entertaining and so informative. He made our visit a tremendous experience. He loves his job and it shows. His enthusiasm was contagious.
Written 8 February 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

ElaineAndGreg
Chesterland, OH3,039 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2023 • Couples
Lincoln is such an iconic president that it's hard to remember sometimes that he was a real person, in his case, a successful lawyer and family man. This, the only home he actually owned, is a great reminder of that human side.

The Lincoln home is under the care of the National Park Service. Visiting is free, although parking costs something like $2. It sits in a 4-block historic area that is easy to walk around.

The home itself is focused on his life in Springfield. As you visit you can almost see a less care-worn Lincoln rough-housing with his kids in the living room. This is a nice mid-1800s home that feels like it really was a home, being neither opulent nor rustic.

The guide warned repeatedly that the steps to the second floor were steep and might present mobility issues. We are in our early 60s and had no trouble, but others did seem to have trouble. One simply waited downstairs while we toured the upper floors.

The nearby visitor center has clean restrooms and a gift shop with all kinds of Lincoln-themed items, as well as puzzles.

We have visited several presidential homes, ranging from the famous (e.g. Mt. Vernon and Monticello) to the obscure (Franklin Pierce, Millard Fillmore) and this was among our favorites for letting us see another facet of this great president.
Written 8 February 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Gina P
Columbus, OH2 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2023 • Solo
If you only have time to do one Lincoln-related thing in Springfield, go to the Presidential Library and Museum. If you have time for two things, go to this too. While the home tour isn't earth shattering, it is interesting, and they make a point of highlighting Lincoln as a a man, husband, and father, rather than Lincoln the politician, since you are seeing his home, not his work.

Most of the neighborhood houses are not open to the public, and the few that are open just have a few displays in them, and the interiors of the homes are not interesting in and of themselves. But it's cool that they have been able to preserve so much of the block, so you can get an idea of what it was like when the Lincolns lived there. Do take a few minutes to stroll the full length of the street.

I recommend trying to go at a non-peak time, as the tour allows up to 15 people, but it must be crowded if it's full. There were four people on my tour, and I can't really imagine how more than six would be able to hear the speaker well.
Written 28 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Michael S
Syracuse, NY19 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2023 • Couples
Great example of 19th century life. Interesting and very inspiring. Only 4 stars as it is not for young visitors or though it was easy for anyone who can walk and climb stairs. In order to keep the authenticity, it cannot accommodate those who cannot walk up stairs.
Written 19 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Erica D
Salt Lake City, UT348 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2023 • Solo
Where else can you see the spot where Lincoln accepted the presidential nomination and touch the banister he used to climb the stairs to his bedroom? As for all NPS sites, this one is manned by rangers who love sharing information and have a passion for preserving history. This is a must-see. Easy to access parking lot with affordable rates.
Written 7 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Roving44170103115
2 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2023 • Family
The Lincoln home is a must-stop when in Springfield, second only to the wonderful Lincoln Presidential Museum. Tour guides take you through the house and are informative. I gave four stars mainly because the house is surprisingly small so if time is short or the tours are closed, one could still enjoy walking the couple of streets in that neighborhood and reading the history signage.
Written 15 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

GiddyUpNGoTravel
194 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2023 • Friends
Well worth the entrance fee (it’s free). Tour takes about 15-20 minutes. Rangers took us on both main and upper house levels. Toured seven rooms in the house. Your is basic; not a lot of in depth details. Artifacts are indicative of the correct era. NPS is very strict and respectful in keeping the contents and intercity of this site well preserved.
Written 14 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

James H
Oklahoma City, OK559 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2023 • Family
This was a good little break. Interesting to see and learn of Lincoln history. There is a good gift shop with clean restrooms.
Written 11 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

jmsmas
Illinois329 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2023 • Couples
This historical spot was absolutely fantastic and a high recommendation if you are in Springfield. We enjoyed looking around the block, additional home museum areas, and visitors center on our own. We took our time and were there for 2 hours and 20 minutes. Parking was $2 an hour in the lot across from the Visitors Center.

Our tour guide was awesome! While the tour and area itself are free to visit, the tour guides are not allowed to accept tips due to federal law...something we learned when we tried to tip ours as he was deserving of one.
Written 24 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

jrperkins3
Seymour585 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2023
This place is free and parking is only $2/hr. Can't beat that. It's not just Lincoln's home, but also basically a whole section of preserved area. Lots of history and interesting details. I was able to do the tour and mill around a little in right at one hour, but you could make a whole lot of a day out of the whole area.
Written 18 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Showing results 1-10 of 2,798
Revenue impacts the experiences featured on this page, learn more.
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listing

Lincoln Home National Historic Site - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

Frequently Asked Questions about Lincoln Home National Historic Site