Noble Manor - Bed and Breakfast of Pensacola, Florida

USA TODAY April 9th 2009

A few minutes' drive away in the North Hill Preservation District at Noble Manor Bed & Breakfast, transplanted New Jersey residents Bonnie and Bob Robertson welcome guests in their 1905 Tudor Revival home with four nicely decorated rooms for rent (not a doily in sight). Draws include Bonnie's French toast with strawberries and kiwi on the side and a hot tub and pool in which to wind down after a day of sightseeing.

Though rates aren't cheap — starting at $125 now — business is surprisingly good in hard times, Bob, 59, says, pouring a cup of his perfectly brewed coffee in the high-ceilinged dining room. Pensacola is a big drive-in destination, and "people are not taking those Caribbean and Mexican vacations," he says.

Tourists from overseas also come to Pensacola, Bonnie, 55, says. "They're interested in the history, and we're kind of unspoiled Florida."