A while back, when exploring some of our local Miami area mansions such as Vizcaya, the Deering Estate, and the Flagler Museum, a reader suggested we visit the Gilded Age mansions in Newport, Rhode Island. We finally managed to fit in a mini vacation to see these wonderful historic homes.
We decided to fly into Hartford’s BDL airport from which Newport is almost a 2-hour drive. Other options include flying to Boston or Providence, which is the closest. However, we preferred to take a direct flight and the drive turned out to be quite scenic with the fall colors.
Since our flight home was cancelled, we also got to spend an extra day in Hartford which ended up being quite enjoyable. It’s always preferable to make lemonade when dealt a few lemons.
We ended up staying just outside of Newport at a hotel where rates were a bit lower. In retrospect, we should have splurged for one of the hotels in town to enjoy the waterfront area and be closer to the action and restaurants.
That said, parking was plentiful (it was off-season, so this is likely not the case mid-summer) and we managed to find some great spots to enjoy those traditional New England treats like clam chowder, lobster, and fish and chips. Our favorite spots were the Mooring, the Lobster House, and the Black Pearl restaurant.
A great way to start your visit is with the Cliff Walk along the waterfront that gives you a waterside view of the numerous Gilded Age Mansions that dot the ocean front. These enormous estates with their expansive lots of land were still considered cottages for the rich. Most of whom would only come here to vacation 6-8 weeks out of the year.
The Cliff Walk
Spanning about 3.5 miles the Cliff Walk is a great way to get a first glimpse of the mansions. We started at the Forty Steps marker where there is a staircase leading down to the rocky shore. From here you can make the trek in either direction, with most of the mansions being to your right (when facing the ocean).
Parking is available on the street and reasonably priced. You can pay at a machine next to the public toilets or use an app to pay with your smart phone.
Wear good shoes! While much of the path is flat and smooth, some sections cross over boulders, through dark tunnels, and wet gravel. Also, look out for the waves as we got a little spray from the breaking surf hitting the wall. I imagine that on a rough day it could lead to a soaking!
We thought this was a perfect introduction before going to tour the individual mansions.
Visiting the mansions
In the peak season, there are at least 10 Gilded Age mansions that are open for touring. Having come at the end of October, we were really at the end of the season. Additional closures were coming November 1, so we were lucky to see as many as we did. Do check the opening schedules before making plans late in the season.
Of course, if it’s an easy trip to make, some of the mansions strongly suggested a Christmas visit. We saw some of the decorations being put in place and were told they were only starting. (We saw a tree in almost every room at The Elms!).
We enjoyed the leisurely pace of touring 2-3 mansions a day. Most had great audio tours that you could download with an app on your phone. These were all very well done and informative. Most tours lasted about an hour with the larger mansions being slightly longer. Those that want additional information can also find lots of details in the apps using additional and optional features. There’s even a children’s tour, and we had a ghost tour for Halloween! Just look for the QR code as you walk in. Some mansions also offered free Wi-Fi to speed up your download.
We got to visit five mansions during our extended weekend visit as well as a few additional sites.
Some of the main Gilded Age mansions are owned by the Preservation Society of Newport County and you can get a discounted three-mansion pass. These are by far the best restored properties and if your time is limited, be sure to choose the most famous ones.
The Breakers
The Breakers is by far the biggest and most impressive mansion of the lot. We left this one for last and it did not fail to impress even after having seen all the others.
The Vanderbilt family made their fortune in steamships and railroads during the Industrial Revolution of the 19th century.
Cornelius Vanderbilt II purchased a wooden house called The Breakers in Newport, but it burned down in 1892. This prompted Vanderbilt to commission the construction of a 70-room Renaissance-style Italian villa. The design was inspired by his visits to 16th-century palaces in Genoa and Turin.
Vanderbilt also went out of his way to make the new construction fireproof using brick-and-steel throughout. Even the boiler room was moved to a spot under the lawn instead of being under the house. The kitchen was built in a separate wing.
The mansion was completed in 1895 and Cornelius II and Alice Vanderbilt with their seven children moved in that summer. The Breakers was opened to the public in 1948 to raise funds for the society. In 1972, the Preservation Society of Newport County purchased the house from the Vanderbilt heirs, and it was designated as a National Historic Landmark.
We loved the tour of this Gilded Age mansion and the incredible rooms. Each is so different and beautiful in its own way. You can see that no expense was spared. Gold leaf, platinum, imported leathers and of course beautiful paintings and decor. All done by the best architects, builders, and artisans of the times. Some pieces had to be cut down to size in order to fit into the allotted spaces.
We also loved the grounds, and we were able to walk right out to the edge of the lawn to see the rocky shoreline and the crashing waves.
Marble House
Built between 1888 and 1892 for William K. and Alva Vanderbilt, Marble House was another impressive summer cottage! This social and architectural landmark started a trend from the modest wooden cottages in the neighborhood to the creation of extravagant stone palaces.
Alva Vanderbilt envisioned Marble House as a tribute and temple to the Arts in America inspired by the Petit Trianon near the Versailles Palace in France. Half a million cubic feet of marble make up what was said to be an $11 million construction at the time. It was a present for his wife’s 39th birthday!
Marble House is a beautiful mansion inside and out. We loved the audio guide and the information it gave about the house and the Gilded Age lifestyle. Be sure to look up at the splendid frescos on the dining room ceiling as well as the 22-karat gold leaf decor of the Grand Salon.
The Preservation Society of Newport County acquired Marble House in 1963 and in 2006 it was designated a National Historic Landmark.
The Elms
The Elms was intended as a modest summer residence for Mr. and Mrs. Edward Julius Berwind who made their fortunes from coal. This estate was designed after the mid-18th century French Château d’Asnieres near Paris.
Built in 1901 at a cost of $1.4 million, this grand castle-like mansion is decorated with Renaissance ceramics, 18th century French and Venetian paintings, and Oriental jades.
The gardens on the grounds were designed and constructed between 1907 and 1914 and have many terraces with wonderful bronze and marble sculptures, fountains, a sunken garden, and a carriage house.
The Elms was sold at public auction in 1961 and the Preservation Society of Newport County purchased it in 1962 opening it up to the public. It was soon after designated a National Historic Landmark.
Rough Point
Built between 1887 and 1891 for Frederick and Louise Vanderbilt, Rough Point changed hands a few times before opening as a museum in 2000 as per the wishes of its most famous owner, Doris Duke. Inside there is an exhibit about her life.
Rough Point is a privately funded restoration and tickets are available at the door. There is also an audio guide app which complements your tour with more information. There was even a spooky version for Halloween which highlighted some of the ‘ghostly encounters’ the staff had experienced. These were all recounted in their own voices. Quite interesting!
We just loved the solarium and the outdoor bridge, now part of the Cliff Walk, by the ocean. We were told that the former owner, Doris Duke, would swim from this area into the ocean daily, right into her 70s. She was also a large contributor to the restoration of many of Newport’s historic buildings. The mansion is now owned by the Newport Restoration Foundation.
Belcourt
Belcourt is a private mansion purchased in 2012 by Carolyn Rafaelian, a jewelry entrepreneur. We were told she bought the mansion for 3.5 million but has further invested over $10 million into the restoration efforts which are ongoing.
To visit you must buy a timed ticket and the tour is done with a guide who recounts some of his own experience hosting weddings along with various anecdotes about the ongoing restoration.
Originally build in 1894 for Oliver Hazard Perry Belmont and his prized horses, the property revolves around the stables and the carriage room. The house has a modest bedroom and a single bathroom on the top floor. Like a 40,000 sq. ft one bed, one bath!
The story goes that shortly after marrying the Vanderbilt daughter, Alva (who was freshly divorced), she set out to renovate the place and make it more hospitable to entertaining.
We liked this visit the least in that the property seemed an eclectic mix of modern and historic that just didn’t fit together for us. An old bar with a petroleum pump, chrome chairs and a brass Harley motorcycle with furniture from the 17th century. Hmm. Well, I guess whoever spends $10 million to restore the place can decorate it as they wish! They also did the tour with no masks while the other mansions all had mandatory mask mandates.
Our favorite room was the top floor living area with amazing stained-glass windows and an incredible fireplace. They even had an organ installed up there.
Good to know for visiting the mansions
- The Breakers, The Elms and Marble House open daily at 10 am (last admission at 5 pm). The houses and grounds close at 6 pm. There is a three-property ticket available for $42
- The Elms Servant Life Tour takes place daily at 10:30 am and 3 pm for $15
- Rough Point and other venues had tickets available for $20
- Ample parking was available at all the sites and was free
If you come earlier in the season, be sure to also visit some of the other more famous ones like Rosecliff, Chateau-sur-Mer, Kingscote, Isaac Bell House, Hunter House, and Chepstow.
Further afield
We had some extra time and many of the mansions were closed at the time of our visit in late October. Here are some other attractions that are close by.
Green Animals Topiary Garden
A surprisingly large garden with animal shapes made of various plants. There were also some blooming flowers even late in October.
Kids might like the animal topiaries. Having seen some spectacular examples in Montreal we were not that impressed, but it was a nice way to spend an hour for a change of scenery.
Stroll over to the waterfront for some river views too.
The house itself also has some history but cannot be visited. However, it remains a self-sufficient estate with ornamental topiaries, vegetable gardens, orchards, and flower beds.
Open weekends at 10 am (last admission at 5 pm). Grounds close at 6 pm, however, Green Animals Topiary Garden closes for the season after October 31.
Fort Adams
Out by the beautiful harbor, Fort Adams is said to be one of the largest and most impressive fortification. Perhaps from an old military standpoint, but as a tourist attraction we felt it was somewhat neglected.
If you have ample time or just love military history, you may want to come but it would not rank high in our list of must-sees. The best part was to get a great view of Newport Harbor from across the bay.
Newport Harbor Area
Definitely come and stroll the harbor front area for some shopping and great views. There are plenty of excellent seafood restaurants and lots of street parking. The parking app was simple to use and convenient to top up parking when we needed to.
While it was cold in late October, there were still many sailing tours, some on actual America’s Cup sailboats. A harbor tour would surely be a wonderful activity during the warmer months.
Conclusion
We enjoyed our trip to Newport, Rhode Island, and would certainly recommend it. While late October was still good, there would be more venues open during the summer months, and it would probably be a better time to come if you don’t mind crowds.
We would also recommend splurging to stay in town as the picturesque waterfront was nice to walk around and we would have enjoyed it. Maybe even more so on long summer days.
While we managed to do a lot with just 3 days, we had rain and a flight delay giving us a late start. If you want to see more of the mansions you may want to add some extra time. As it was, we did well with our time and enjoyed visiting this lovely New England area.
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