Fallingwater, the Glass House and the Farnsworth House are the best-known houses in the middle of nature that you can actually visit, and five more private homes show how architects blend living spaces into woods, slopes and valleys. We rebuilt our original list to separate visitable houses, with official tour prices, from private ones.
| House | Location | Access |
|---|---|---|
| Fallingwater | Mill Run, Pennsylvania | Open to visitors |
| The Glass House | New Canaan, Connecticut | Open to visitors |
| Farnsworth House | Plano, Illinois | Open to visitors |
| Tea Houses | Swatt Miers Architects, California | Private home |
| Wooden Tree House | Robert Harvey Oshatz, Portland, Oregon | Private home |
| Shelter Island House | Stamberg Aferiat, New York | Private home |
| Sloped Terrain House | Michael Rantilla of Freelon Group, Raleigh, North Carolina | Private home |
| Whidbey Island Cabin | Chesmore Buck Architecture, Washington | Private home |
Houses you can visit
1. Fallingwater: Mill Run, Pennsylvania
Designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1934 for the Kaufmann family, Fallingwater sits partly over a waterfall on Bear Run in the Laurel Highlands, about 72 miles from Pittsburgh. Its cantilevered terraces extend out from a stone chimney. You can visit: the Guided Architectural Tour is $42 per person on the 2026 page, the Grounds Pass is $18, and a 6% processing fee applies. The site is closed Wednesdays.
Tour prices from the official site, October 2026.
2. The Glass House: New Canaan, Connecticut
Philip Johnson built the Glass House in 1948 and 1949 as his weekend retreat, and it stands in the woods of Ponus Ridge. Tours start at the Visitor Center at 199 Elm Street. The 1-hour Glass House Tour is $25 on weekdays and $30 on weekends, and the 2-hour Glass House + Galleries tour is $50 on weekdays and $60 on weekends and holidays. Children must be at least 8.
Prices from the official site, October 2026; tours often sell out.
3. Farnsworth House: Plano, Illinois
Ludwig Mies van der Rohe finished this glass and steel weekend house in 1951 on a floodplain along the Fox River, surrounded by trees on three sides. It is a museum and the estate covers roughly 58 to 62 acres. The most recent public prices we could confirm were from 2020 and 2021, when guided tours cost $25 to $30 plus a fee, so check the official site for current rates.
Prices unverified for 2026.
Private homes from our original list
Five houses from our original article are private residences. We could not re-verify most of them from the architects’ own pages this year, so treat the descriptions as background, not visiting advice.
4. Tea Houses: Swatt Miers Architects, California
This trio of tea houses was converted into observation decks with glass walls and cantilevered living areas, as we described when we first covered it. The firm announced that it was dissolving and now operates as successor practices Swatt + Partners and Studio MCP.
5. Wooden Tree House: Robert Harvey Oshatz, Portland, Oregon
Oshatz is an architect known for organic, wood-and-glass houses that grow out of the land. Our original article described this house as completed in 2004 after seven years of work. It is a private home, and we could not confirm it on the architect’s site.
6. Shelter Island House: Stamberg Aferiat, New York
A colorful, angular house that stands out among the trees on Shelter Island, as we described. We could not confirm its details on the firm’s site, and it is a private residence.
7. Sloped Terrain House: Michael Rantilla of Freelon Group, Raleigh, North Carolina
A three-volume house cantilevered on a steep wooded slope, with decks and a concrete and glass interior. This is a private home and we could not re-verify it.
8. Whidbey Island Cabin: Chesmore Buck Architecture, Washington
The firm shows a Whidbey Island residence on its site. Our original description called it a wood-clad, glass-walled home with views of Puget Sound and the Olympic Mountains.
If you like these homes, you may also enjoy our look at the Cloud House concept.
Keep reading
- Cloud House concept: another house that tries to float above its surroundings
FAQ
What are the best houses in the middle of nature?
Among houses you can visit, Fallingwater in Pennsylvania, the Glass House in Connecticut and the Farnsworth House in Illinois are the best known, each set into woods or water.
Can you tour Fallingwater?
Yes. The Guided Architectural Tour is $42 per person on the 2026 page, and a 6% processing fee applies. The house is closed on Wednesdays.
How much does a Glass House tour cost?
The 1-hour Glass House Tour is $25 on weekdays and $30 on weekends, and the 2-hour Glass House + Galleries tour is $50 on weekdays and $60 on weekends and holidays.
Who designed Fallingwater?
Frank Lloyd Wright designed it in 1934 for the Kaufmann family.
Are the other houses open to visitors?
No. The Tea Houses, Wooden Tree House, Shelter Island House, Sloped Terrain House and Whidbey Island cabin are private homes.
What makes a house blend with nature?
Glass walls, local materials, cantilevers that avoid disturbing the site, and floor plans that follow the terrain rather than flatten it.
How we put this list together
We checked visitable houses against their own sites for tour prices and kept private homes as background only. Details for private homes come from our original article and the architects’ pages where available.
Last updated: October 2026.
