When presidents need to retreat, just where do they go? Presidential vacations aren't as easy as they sound. The POTUS may have hundreds of people in tow including members of the Secret Service, foreign visitors, guest politicians, protected family and friends, and a sizable press corps. However, in relatively short order, President Donald Trump has identified his place of serenity, that of Mar-a-Lago!
Mar-a-Lago: a very presidential compound
With over 125 rooms, the 110,000 square ft. Mar-a-Lago may very well be the most presidential compound ever.
Built by Marjorie Merriweather Post, in Palm Beach, Florida, the original intent of this 1924 estate was to offer both American presidents and foreign dignitaries safe, secure, and stunning opportunities for retreats and vacations. Perched within walking distance of the Atlantic Ocean, Mar-a-Lago has a checkered up and down history. Owned by Merriweather Post, then gifted to the United States government, then returned to the Post estate due to the enormous maintenance costs, this now historic landmark was purchased in 1985 by then businessman Donald Trump. Securing both Mar-a-Lago and the property adjacent to it, Trump moved the estate from near demolition to that of a world class location that has welcomed celebrities, politicians, old wealth, and the new rich.
Not only is Mar-a-Lago a personal, presidential compound for the POTUS, it is also a membership only club for over 500 wealthy individuals. With a six-figure initiation fee, which doesn't include the almost $15,000 in annual dues, the high-end membership can experience all of the exclusivity and opulence offered by this unique location.
Mar-a-Lago: one of many
Presidential compounds aren't a new phenomenon. In fact, most presidents - current as well as historical - have had some type of secure, safe, and swanky get-a-way for the sole purpose of presidential rest and relaxation. President Kennedy retreated to Hyannis Port, Massachusetts, along the Cape Cod shores.
President George H. Bush camped out in Kennebunkport, Maine. His son, George W. Bush created a Western White House in Crawford, Texas. President George Washington used Mount Vernon as his place of quiet and solitude. And, of course, Camp David is the common compound for all presidents, their families, and their guests.
How Mar-a-Lago will measure up to the history of presidential compounds will be determined over the next few years. It's an interesting wait-and-see drama in real time.
