The mansion tours in Newport, RI are remarkable and take you back to a lost time. The wealthy built “summer cottages” here during the Gilded Age and hosted extravagant society parties. Most of the structures are the very embodiment of luxury, with countless rooms and exceptional craftsmanship. Book a few mansion tours in Newport, RI and see for yourself!
Hunter House
Hunter House was completed in 1754 for Jonathan Nichols Jr., a prosperous merchant and Deputy Governor of the Colony of Rhode Island.
He died just two years later, and Joseph Wanton Jr. bought and expanded the Georgian Colonial structure, even having the pinewood ‘spreckled’ to look more like walnut or rosewood.
He was imprisoned during the American Revolution due to loyalist sympathies, and the house passed through several owners until it was the first purchase of the brand new Preservation Society of Newport County in 1945.
Address: 54 Washington Street, Newport, RI 02840
Kingscote
Kingscote was completed in 1839 for George Noble Jones, a Southern plantation owner.
They built the romantic structure in the Gothic Revival style and were even influenced by medieval tournament tents.
It started the ‘cottage boom’ in Newport but was sold at the outbreak of the Civil War to William Henry King, an Old China Trade merchant.
His family chose to expand it, adding a dining room that merged Eastern and Western motifs with materials like cork tiles and opalescent glass bricks. They also left an extensive collection from five generations of travel.
Address: 253 Bellevue Avenue, Newport, RI 02840
Chateau-Sur-Mer
Chateau-sur-Mer was completed in 1852 for William Shepard Wetmore, another Old China Trade merchant.
They built the grand structure in the Italianate style, and it became a monument of High Victorian architecture, wallpapers, stenciling, furniture, and ceramics. The Great Hall is quite a sight, with three stories and a 45-foot ceiling encircled by balconies.
It heralded the Gilded Age and even hosted a Fête Champêtre in 1857, a picnic for over 2,000 people. The family lived there year-round, an exception for the area.
Address: 474 Bellevue Avenue, Newport, RI 02840
Chepstow
Chepstow was completed in 1860 for Edmund Schermerhorn, a first cousin of Caroline Astor, whose son famously perished on the Titanic.
They built the gorgeous structure in the Italianate style, and it was eventually sold to Emily Gallatin in 1911. Her family chose to expand it, adding a sunroom.
They also donated an extensive collection of art and furniture that makes it feel like a real home, with paintings by George Harvey and Fitz Hugh Lane and a Queen Anne side chair that may have been owned by William Penn, the founder of Pennsylvania.
Chepstow is one of the less popular mansion tours in Newport, RI.
Address: 120 Narragansett Avenue, Newport, RI 02840
Isaac Bell House
Isaac Bell House was completed in 1883 for Isaac Bell Jr., a wealthy cotton broker.
Rather than borrowing from Europe, they built the unique structure in what came to be known as an American style. The design was thoroughly new, with shingles, porches, and floor-to-ceiling doors and windows.
They used materials that captured the environment and played with light and color. As time went on, it became a pivotal moment in the history of architecture in this country, even inspiring Frank Lloyd Wright.
Address: 70 Perry Street, Newport, RI 02840
Marble House
Marble House was completed in 1892 for William Vanderbilt I, whose family had shipping and railroad empires.
They modeled the magnificent structure after the Petit Trianon, a retreat of Marie Antoinette at Versailles, and used 5,000 cubic feet of marble.
He gifted it to his wife, Alva Vanderbilt, for her 39th birthday. She was a leading hostess in Newport society but shockingly divorced him just three years later. She eventually became a suffragist and hosted rallies at the Chinese Tea House on the property.
Address: 596 Bellevue Avenue, Newport, RI 02840
The Breakers
The Breakers was completed in 1895 for Cornelius Vanderbilt II, whose family had shipping and railroad empires.
They built the palatial structure in the Italian Renaissance style with the finest craftsmanship. It has 70 rooms, 27 fireplaces, and some stunning ocean views. They even equipped it with electricity, though it had gas lighting too.
The previous house on the estate burned down, so they used steel, brick, and limestone for materials instead of wood. The boiler room is actually buried in the front lawn, which you can also tour by tunnel.
The Breakers is one of the most popular mansion tours in Newport, RI.
Address: 44 Ochre Point Avenue, Newport, RI 02840
The Elms
The Elms was completed in 1901 for Edward Julius Berwind, a coal baron who was considered ‘new money’ because his parents were middle-class German immigrants.
They modeled the lavish structure after an 18th-century French chateau, and the grand staircase at the entrance is quite a sight. It also has classic revival gardens, with terraces, marble pavilions, and fountains.
His descendants eventually sold it to a developer, and the Preservation Society of Newport County bought it for $116,000 in 1962 just weeks before its scheduled demolition.
Address: 367 Bellevue Avenue, Newport, RI 02840
Rosecliff
Rosecliff was completed in 1902 for Theresa Fair Oelrichs, a Nevada mining heiress whose father discovered the ‘Big Bonanza,’ the largest single deposit of gold and silver ever found.
They modeled the opulent structure after the Grand Trianon, a retreat at Versailles commissioned by King Louis XIV, and she was famous for hosting elaborate parties.
It has the largest ballroom in Newport, and they even filmed scenes from the 1974 version of The Great Gatsby there. While visiting, you can admire the ocean views as well as the recently restored historic rose garden.
Address: 548 Bellevue Avenue, Newport, RI 02840
Green Animals Topiary Garden
Green Animals Topiary Garden is the oldest in the nation, with a decorative menagerie that includes lions, giraffes, and bears.
Thomas E. Brayton, treasurer of a cotton manufacturing company, bought the land in 1872, and gardeners Joseph Carreiro and George Mendonca created the topiaries. His daughter, Alice Brayton, eventually hosted Jackie Kennedy and the Eisenhowers there.
It overlooks Narragansett Bay, with 18,000 daffodils, 37,000 tulips, and many other types of flowers. Picnic baskets are welcome!
Address: 380 Corys Lane, Portsmouth, RI 02871
Tours
The mansion tours in Newport, RI are operated by the Preservation Society of Newport County and many are open seasonally (The Breakers is almost always open).
We have taken audio tours at Marble House, The Breakers, The Elms, and Rosecliff by downloading a mobile app (bring headphones). You can take family audio tours suited for children at Marble House, The Breakers, and The Elms.
You can take guided tours at Hunter House, Kingscote, Chateau-sur-Mer, Chepstow, and Isaac Bell House.
I recommend seeing The Breakers first, followed by Marble House, The Elms, and Rosecliff, but really any of the mansion tours in Newport, RI are enjoyable. Green Animals Topiary Garden is great if the weather is nice!
How long does it take to walk through the Newport mansions?
They suggest at least 1.5 hours per tour.
How many Newport mansions can you see in one day?
I max out at two but multiple properties don’t have to be visited on the same day. Tickets for the Newport mansions don’t expire.
How much does it cost to see the Newport Mansions?
| Property | Ticket Price for Adults | Ticket Price for Youth (6 to 12 years old) |
|---|---|---|
| The Breakers | $29 | $10 |
| Beneath The Breakers | $18 | Not recommended for children |
| One property *Excludes The Breakers and Hunter House | $25 | $10 |
| Two properties *Excludes Hunter House | $38 | $14 |
| Three properties *Excludes Hunter House | $46 | $16 |
| Five properties *Excludes Hunter House | $60 | $20 |
| Gardens and Grounds *Outside of two properties | $25 | $10 |
Now head north and check out the best coffee shops and breweries in Providence, RI.