One of the perks of being a celebrity is that when you want to get away, you can simply jet to your second (or third) home to unwind. So where do your favorite stars call home when they are not on the set? If you want to rub elbows with celebrities, visit these famous vacation home destinations:
(SoBe) Miami, FL
Celebrity cats, pet lions, rappers at breakfast, Estefan for dinner: South Beach is that kind of place. It's the "new" American Riviera. It's like Cannes run by hipsters and everyone's invited, no jacket required. It's a place where yellow Porsches make complete sense. It's where you can become someone else. The place buzzes with energy and excitement as artists, musicians and fashionistas dance the night away.
Santa Barbara, Calif.
Where does one of the richest women in the world go when she wants to relax? Oprah Winfrey heads for her 42-acre, $50 million ocean-front home in Montecito, Calif. Referred to as the "American Riviera", the Santa Barbara area is also frequented by such celebrities as Paul McCartney, Dennis Miller, and Michael Douglas. In fact, Michael Douglas donated funds to help save a coastal nature preserve from development, naming the public park the Douglas Family Preserve in honor of his father, Kirk.
The Hamptons, N.Y.
Such attractions as top-notch restaurants, world-class shopping and of course, the beach are why celebrities like Katie Couric, Gwyneth Paltrow and Renée Zellweger own property in the Hamptons. Jerry and Jessica Seinfeld even purchased a 12-acre estate from Billy Joel that features its own baseball diamond.
Taos, N.M.
If you really want to get away, follow the lead of Julia Roberts, Shirley MacLaine, and Val Kilmer by heading to New Mexico. Patrick Swayze, who owns a 20,000-acre ranch, says "I fell in love with New Mexico when I was shooting Red Dawn." He adds, "it's my healing place."
Lake Como, Italy
Not all stars stay so close to home, however. For a more exotic destination, jet to the shores of George Clooney's second home in Lake Como, Italy. His 15-bedroom, 18th century estate, Villa Oleandra, is also frequented by his famous friends Matt Damon, Brad Pitt and Michael Douglas. Like Douglas, Clooney has also worked to prevent the construction of parking lots and other development in the area.
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